We talked to instrumentalist “Big Red” Daniel Quinlan about the band’s style, sound and origins.
Where did the idea of adding lights and a retro flavor into psychedelic rock come from?
“It kind of stems from our love for the genre of psychedelic rock. We all love the sound of music made in the 1960s. The ability to mix new flavor and some old school turns our music to an authentic rock song. It also comes from our own individuality. We all bring something to the table. Our combination makes for an awesome song.”
How did the band originally meet?
“We all grew up in the great city of Memphis. It is a place that is very dear to our heart. Fortunately, we all went to college close to the city of Memphis. Peter, Jake and Eric all attended the University of Memphis and formed a relationship there. Peter and Daniel met in high school.
After college some of the members of the band lived in a party house with many instruments around. They spent many hours playing and experimenting with music. Matt and I would always stop by. An interesting story about Jake and Matt is that at one time they would play outside a burrito spot and get paid in burritos. It showed how important music was to them.”
Where did the name “Spaceface” come from?
“The name came from a joke from one of the Lip’s roadies. We were sitting around talking and he said he was once part of a band that could have made a name for themselves if they had a social media site, ‘like space face or something.’ The name kind of stuck after that. It was definitely goofy at first, but then it became us. It wasn’t so much about the name anymore, but the content of the music we made.”
What artist or band has the biggest influence on the band taking up this genre of music?
“There are definitely many artists that have had a huge impact on our music. David Bowie is one of those who have really provided us with something to look up to. We all really love the Beach Boys. We also have a great appreciation for the rock band ‘White Denim.’ They are musical geniuses.”
What exciting things will the band bring to the show in Tuscaloosa?
“Spaceface is going to do the Green Bar like we never did before. We are going to have lots of new tricks and lights. There are also going to be new aspects of the show. We have some new tunes and we will have our giant costumes there and our huge parachute for one of our crowd tricks. Admission will only be $7. It is going to be a great party.”
