On the heels of their upcoming GRIDLIFE Midwest festival performance, Wavedash took the time to answer some of our questions regarding the event, debut album, and the project as a whole.
L, M, G are for each band member – Luke, Michael, Gavin.
1- In terms of GRIDLIFE Midwest, what does it mean to you to be invited perform at an event such as this?
L – We feel blessed any time we’re given the chance to share our music with a new audience. GRIDLIFE is a very unique festival and we feel fortunate to be bringing our live show to Michigan for the first time.
2- In preparation for GRIDLIFE Midwest, what first comes to mind, and how do you mentally consider your set moving toward the event?
L – We’ve spent the months following the release of our album ‘World Famous Tour’ crafting a unique audiovisual live show that is the purest representation of Wavedash as a band and as a concept. We take our live presence very seriously and the show is constantly evolving, from new visuals to new music, it gets a little bit better each time we perform.
3- You recently unveiled your debut album. Does an album mean a particular thing to you, or is it simply a chapter of Wavedash you wish to convey? Why an album and not singles or EP?
L – A little bit of both. We wanted to use the album format to signal a change in the sound of our band, but it’s also undoubtedly a collection of songs that mean a lot to us as individuals. We worked on ‘World Famous Tour’ over the span of four years growing up together, and we believe the album’s sound reflects that. Singles and EPs are quite lucrative in the age of streaming music but we felt like it was important to make an album as that’s what we’ve grown up watching our peers do.
4- Wavedash is a trio. What inspired you to fully project yourselves as an artist trio as opposed to a duo or individual artists? What was it that inspired a holistic project for the three of you?
L -Everything is more fun with your friends.
M – What he said
5- What are the best upsides of being a trio of musicians, and what could possibly be the downfall for each individual person? Overall, is art best as a democracy, or a dictatorship?
G – I don’t think I could pinpoint the downfall of Wavedash, that certainly seems like something that won’t be obvious until the moment it happens. As for the other question, I actually think that changes case by case. It’s pretty hard to get 3 people to have the same exact vision for any sort of project but sometimes it works. I think patience is key.
6- Growing up, who were you during your school years? How do you perceive yourself now, and what do you believe shaped your current direction.
G – During high school, I was a pretty quiet kid. I wasn’t very good at school either, so when I found music as a passion it took over my life quickly. To this day I still see myself as that quiet kid, obsessed with music.
L – Similar to Gavin— I wasn’t terribly social. Once I found dance music I let it consume my life. These days I’m most proud of my ability to give good advice and creative direction.
M – I was an extremely social kid. I loved making friends with everybody and bouncing around between different social groups. Discovering music has allowed me to meet so many new people and make so many new friends all around the world, which I’m extremely thankful for. My current direction is absolutely shaped by my friends and the people I’ve met.
7- Name artists that inspired your sound, and did it require finding, or was it a natural/intrinsic sensation?
M – So many! Some of the more obvious influences on our music would be Skrillex, Kanye, Rustie, Hudson Mohawke, Daft Punk, Justice, etc. In reality, we just listen to so much music it can be hard to pinpoint exactly. I think finding what you love always requires searching, but that process of searching always feels natural when you’re excited and inspired.
8- What does Wavedash as a project reflect to all of you?
G – On the surface, I think Wavedash is pretty ambiguous. I’m not really sure what we are yet, but I also think that’s pretty cool. On a deeper level, I see it mostly as a brotherhood of friends, and not just Luke and Michael. We have so many close friends that I would consider a part of this brotherhood. I see that as the true reflection of Wavedash.
L – What Gavin said. Above all of the music, the thing I’m most proud of is the people Wavedash has brought together.
M – I see Wavedash as a reflection of our love for music, art, each other, and our friends.
9- What does an album mean to you? A moment in time, a statement or more?
M – All of the above! Everybody perceives art differently. I have plenty of albums I love that pinpoint exact moments in time. There are also albums I absolutely love that feel more like statements to me. Music is cool and there’s no wrong way to listen to it.
10- What are the best things about being a group, and what are the worst?
M – Creating something amazing and traveling with my best friends is definitely the best. Being in a group is tough and it requires lots of patience and understanding. Sometimes it’s hard not to feel like your input matters.
11- What influences each of you on an individual level, and what do you believe contributes to the overall product?
G – Emotion is the biggest influence on everything for me. On the surface it might look like the influence is music, a film, anything, but truly what I’m trying to express is the way something made me feel. I’m trying to give those emotions to the listener.
As for the other question, the product cannot exist without influence. It is devoid of any social meaning without influence, inhuman even. People forget that.
12- Wavedash….what is it? What does it mean to you?”– G – I find this to be the “golden question” – it’s important for all the wrong reasons. Everyone wants to label everything to the finest detail. It’s not something that has mattered in the past. What is Radiohead, what is Nickelback, Coldplay? You know? I think this question is obviously a product of our time, nothing wrong with that. I just have a hard time giving the right answer.
Since the start of the festival’s conception, it dedicated itself to providing the best of both worlds in terms of on-track motorsports, as well as an unforgettable musical experience. Alongside Wavedash, you’ll get performances from Kaskade, Kavinsky, Joyryde, and many more!
