VAEDA is an american rockband and when I got the opportunity to present Aristotle Dreher a few questions, I could not let this chance pass by! The band might not be well known here, but you’ve probably heard their music on tv shows like NCIS, Prison Break, The Hills and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.
VAEDA is een amerikaanse rockband en toen ik in de gelegenheid kwam om band lid Aristotle Dreher enkele vragen voor te leggen kon ik die kans natuurlijk niet aan mij voorbij laten gaan! De band is hier niet zo bekend maar je hebt hun muziek vast al wel eens voorbij horen komen in t.v. series zoals NCIS, Prison Break en Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, the Hills.
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How and when did the band started?
VAEDA was created in a top secret government laboratory underneath Virginia…. Wait, sorry — That was a quote from Frank Zappa’s lesser known opus “Thing Fish.” You can quote me on that.Though VAEDA is now defunct, we started out playing in Brooklyn about 10 years ago. The other members grew up together, and we combined our powers to create VAEDA. A few years ago we had a major label deal fall through which led to the downward spiral involving unconscionable management practices and a sequence of catastrophic events. My involvement with VAEDA, all the drama and the touring shenanigans that went on will all be illustrated in my rock ’n’ roll memoirs entitled “My Life Under the Bus.”
What does VADEA means?
VAEDA is an alternate spelling of Veda, which were the original sanskrit texts that formed the foundation of the Hindu religion. The word itself means “knowledge,” which should tell you that we’re a bunch of nerds. Or it could stand for “Very Awesome Extra Double Awesome.” if you’re a fan of backronyms. 😉
How do you describe your music style?
Hard Melodic Rock with a side of Awesome Sauce. (Download on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/vaeda/id151999277)
How many members are there in your band, and who are they?
Technically there are no more members of the band save for myself (Aristotle Dreher – Bassist). I essentially operate as keeper of the estate though I continue to collaborate with Oliver Williams (former Drummer) on other artistic (and sarcastic) ventures, which include music. Soon enough you’ll be hearing new music from the 2 of us on our eventual upcoming side-project, debut album release “Uncommon Stereotypes, Greatest Hits Vol. 1” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eDm47FEYOw#t=11
What kind of music do you make and who inspired you to make this kind of music?
I make the kind of music that makes your booty go *clap sound*. I’d say my music was mainly inspired by Kevin.
What is your favourite Vaeda song?
I have a few. But I guess it’s impossible to name a few songs, because ONLY ONE can be my favorite, right? This is like a Sophie’s Choice kind of a deal… If I pick one song, do I have to let the others get killed by Nazi’s? I’d hate for that to have to happen. Dang, I should have put a *SPOILER ALERT* before I went ahead and gave away the plot to that Classic 1982 American drama which garnered several Oscar nominations resulting in one win for Best Actress in a Leading Role which went to Meryl Streep for her depiction of the titular character. BUT, if you insist – I’d have to say, besides All For You, and Breathe, and Fake the Moment, and Vultures, and Asleep at the Wheel, and Battle Song, my favorite VAEDA song would have to be Save Your Savior.
What do you like to do, besides playing in the band?
I love to do Art and Photography. I have a drive to be creative, which is what keeps me going in life. If I can create just 1 thing a day… then I have a lot more work to do. I also like long walks on the beach.
Which artist do you want to work with in the future?
I’ve always loved Trent Reznor’s music and I think it would be mind-blowing to work with him one day. I’d like to model the next stage of my career after his. He writes, records, performs, produces and selects the talent that he wants to appear on his albums. That’s something I’ve been really moving toward in my own musical life. It would be great to chat with him and get an idea of how he works, as well as get the chance to show him my own signature style bass playing. I incorporate a lot of effects and techniques that you would typically see/hear a bassist using. (For example:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eDm47FEYOw) In the meantime, I’ve been hard at work assembling my own home studio, which I’ve tentatively called “Stella Studio,” because my cat, Stella, sits on my lap whenever I record keyboards.
What is the biggest success the band had until now?
The band has had many successes, including appearing in the Rock Band 2 television commercial, playing a few dates on 2 different Warped Tours and performing at Taste of Chaos, opening up for other bands including 30 Seconds to Mars and The Used.
Back in the days there was just 1 big radio station. It was easy to reach 10.000 people, if they played your music everyone would know you. These days there are tons of radio stations and millions of bloggers, how do you make yourself stand out?
Social media, blogging, and streaming media is now the way to go. Getting on the radio ain’t what it used to be and is really just one part of the whole puzzle. These days you can record your own music, mix it, master it and then put it out on iTunes + Amazon all on your own. It’s getting to be more of a level playing field between independent artists and major label artists. I prefer the route of doing my own artwork, recording my own music, and releasing it on my own terms. Creative use of Youtube, Facebook and Twitter (@aristotledreher) are what help burgeoning talent in this era of supersaturation, hyper-information meteoric mediocre multi-media explosion we call now. Also, it helps if you make a cute cat video.
Is getting famous more difficult than you thought it would be?
No. I’ve learned it’s not a game of strength, but one of endurance. If you stick around long enough, work hard at what you love in life and do a good job — eventually, people will take notice.
Where do you expect to be in 5 year from now?
I expect to continue recording music and making movies… movies about cute cats.
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