Interview with Reyka Osburn (vocalist) of Death Valley High
Punk go-getters DEATH VALLEY HIGH straight out of sunny but chilly California will soon to release a full length album. DEATH VALLEY HIGH is more than ready to show their fans some new songs. In the midst of touring, the band have written more than a bountiful amount of songs and are on the edge of their seats to see what comes next. Surely, the fans are doing the same. Vocalist Reyka Osburn gave me the 411 on what can be expected.
Reflections of Darkness (RoD): What type of band are you?
Rey: One of the best responses I've heard is "Doom Pop". Most of the time, any combination of the words: "doom", "punk", "dance" and "core" fit the marquee. I think we're best described as any of those "post" this-or-that movements. Post-Punk or Post-Hardcore, maybe we're Post-Indie... Post-Indie-White-Belts!
RoD: Tell us the brief history of your band.
Rey: I started writing music for my former band, TINFED, that was a little unexpected. Instead of re-inventing the band, it was really the best idea to shed the name, unload the baggage and deliver the new sound as DEATH VALLEY HIGH.
RoD: Who are your musical and non-musical influences?
Rey: Killing Joke to Godflesh to Adam Ant, Noisy bands, and Dancey bands. We want to create an atmosphere musically and visually. If you were to compare us to film; something like Battle Royale set during 28 Days Later while Fight Club was happening wouldn't be too far off.
RoD: What are your dreams and goals?
Rey: We want to carve our own path. It's the whole "the path less taken" thing. There's no respect or longevity being followers. We want to be pioneers.
RoD: Who writes the songs, what are they about?
Rey: I write the songs... they tend to reflect several degrees of horror. It strikes me as having this very *human* appeal. You can draw similarities of survival, in horror contexts, to daily survival. Every day, every job, every relationship bare some HORRIFIC challenges.
RoD: How do you promote your band and shows?
Rey: Normal tactics but using the guerrilla style: posters, flyers, online networking... ground level stuff. We just hit it like our very lives depended on it.
RoD: Describe your show, visual and musically.
Rey: Our shows are like a wall of cacophony, Sonics, and battery. The stage (if there is one) becomes this sort of cathartic playground. We know what WE wanna see, so we try and bring it our show. It’s one of those shows that’s got to have it all, the lights, violence, and action, it being full throttle all the way!
RoD: What's your outlook on the record industry today?
Rey: We're witnessing a tsunami size change, turning things upside down and shaking it out. I'm interested to watch this dramatic shift in things. I'm happy to see that fans will dictate what goes in our ears and not some industry fucktards who have been manipulating what we listen to for the past several years.
RoD: Tell us a story about a day in your life.
Rey: Coffee, water, skateboards, horror, comedy, alcohol. Normally spread apart by band stuff.
RoD: What inspires you to do what you do?
Rey: Nothing in the universe completes me like music, music and film, and the arts definitely do it for me. If I can't do something important with music/art in this lifetime, I truly don't think it'd be worth living.
RoD: What advice would you give to fellow bands?
Rey: Everyone has their own opinions about how to MAKE it in a band. There's no formula. Time and place is EVERYTHING in this business. Never listen to just anyone's advice. Practice your brains out. Make music you FEEL and deliver it like it was the very last time you would... Never give in. Then quit what you're trying to do and get on to some DOOM PUNK DANCE CORE!
RoD: How does music affect you and the world around you?
Rey: It's my therapist, best friend and drug pusher. See previous question.
RoD: What's the best and worst thing about playing clubs/venues?
Rey: Performing is like medicine to our disease. The opportunity to kill it, or break rules trying to, is the best part. The worst part is the dirty bathrooms!
RoD: Tell us about your next shows and why we should be there.
Rey: We're playing West Coast shows to promote our newest record, "Doom, In Full Bloom". AND honestly, even if you don't like our music - we go the extra mile to bring the smiles. If we don't make you smile somewhere in the set... you're one hard cookie to break.
RoD: Any last words?
Rey: I'll quote Battle Royale... "So today's lesson is... you kill each other off 'til there's only one left. Nothing's against the rules." See ya soon!
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