MARS RODEO HOPES TO CONNECT ON A PERSONAL LEVEL WITH THEIR MUSIC
With a wide range of influences and sound the band, MARS RODEO, consisting of Nandan Kenkeremath on lead vocal and acoustic/rhythm guitar, Bruce Ryan on bass and harmony vocals, Jim Sauer on lead guitar, Ray Greenberg on Drums, and alternate Hollis Williams on bass and vocals, strives to make their audience relate to their music on a personal level; every time they take the stage.
Vizions of Rock caught up with the band for an exclusive one-on-one interview.
Vizions of Rock: Where did the name come from and why?
Mars Rodeo: Nandan, Hollis and other prior band members decided on the name after extensively thinking through alternatives. The name allows for a lot of themes for posters.
Vizions of Rock: How did the band get together and how long have you been together?
Mars Rodeo: The band started with Nandan and Hollis in a prior group called Lump Dog in 2003. There have been several iterations since then and the name change.
Vizions of Rock: Who are your influences?
Mars Rodeo: A wide range of rock including classic rock and including aspects of alt rock.
Vizions of Rock: How did the evolution of your music come together?
Mars Rodeo: The originals start as a body of work from Nandan who has put different song constructs together-- usually upbeat and with a hook. Different musicians have provided for different versions as the songs get played live and with sometimes different band alignments.
Vizions of Rock: How does your song come together, where do you get your inspiration and what is the creative process like?
Mars Rodeo: Nandan is the song writer and starts the creative process, generally from acoustic rhythms and hearing different vocalizations. He might save a good hook and keep working on several songs or may right pretty much a full song at once.
Vizions of Rock: Tell me about what inspired “Closer to you tonight” and what was the experience like to win honorable mention at the Mid-Atlantic Songwriting contest.
Mars Rodeo: It's a feeling of need from one person to another and a plea to stay together. There is no answer from the other person in the song. But there is a feeling of journey and space for soaring lead guitar and some keyboards.
Vizions of Rock: You seem to have been around the music scene for years, how has the music industry changed over the 15 years?
Mars Rodeo: I don't think we have taken advantage of the changes. We have been around for a while but still learning. I get the sense that audiences have so many more choices now and so many ways to get the music.
Vizions of Rock: What is the genre of your music and what you’re trying to communicate with it?
Mars Rodeo: It's a spectrum of rock. The songs usually express simple emotions. The lyrics should relate to the listener such that the listener can apply their experiences in the context of the lyrics and have their own personal story.
Vizions of Rock: Do you have a booking agent, who handles your touring?
Mars Rodeo: No, not yet.
Vizions of Rock: How can we find you music?
Mars Rodeo: www.marsrodeo.com
