"I'm really horny for wild sounds. John Reis probably isn't exaggerating. As a driving creative force behind some of the most influential and diverse rocknroll bands of the 90s and 00s (Drive Like Jehu, Rocket from the Crypt and Hot Snakes, to name three), Reis has developed a reputation for melding those wild sounds into a unique beast with every project he undertakes. The Night Marchers, who just launched their full-length See You in Magic, are no exception.
"With each year, your perspective gets a little bit broader. My appreciation for different sounds becomes more varied, says Reis. "And I rely on that feeling to sustain my love and excitement when it comes to picking up an electric guitar. With the Night Marchers, I think our scope of influence is a little bigger than it was with Hot Snakes, who had a bigger scope of influence than Rocket from the Crypt. That expanded sonic pallet makes See You in Magic a powerful record, and one that impressively holds up to Reiss back catalogue. And more influences doesn't necessarily mean a more cluttered sound; if anything, the Night Marchers are a step backwards in Reiss musical evolution.
"I think a lot more straight-ahead sounds made their way on to this record, he says. "Bands like the Ramones, the Saints, the Wipers, those were all bands that were streamlined to a certain degree, and I think that their influence can really be heard. Rounded out by two other former Hot Snakes and Canuck Tommy Kitsos (of CPC Gangbangs), it might be surprising that the band sounds as different from Reiss last project as it does. But, as he points out, its all about maintaining that voracious musical appetite. "It's not about trying to do more things, it's just about being interested in more things.
"With each year, your perspective gets a little bit broader. My appreciation for different sounds becomes more varied, says Reis. "And I rely on that feeling to sustain my love and excitement when it comes to picking up an electric guitar. With the Night Marchers, I think our scope of influence is a little bigger than it was with Hot Snakes, who had a bigger scope of influence than Rocket from the Crypt. That expanded sonic pallet makes See You in Magic a powerful record, and one that impressively holds up to Reiss back catalogue. And more influences doesn't necessarily mean a more cluttered sound; if anything, the Night Marchers are a step backwards in Reiss musical evolution.
"I think a lot more straight-ahead sounds made their way on to this record, he says. "Bands like the Ramones, the Saints, the Wipers, those were all bands that were streamlined to a certain degree, and I think that their influence can really be heard. Rounded out by two other former Hot Snakes and Canuck Tommy Kitsos (of CPC Gangbangs), it might be surprising that the band sounds as different from Reiss last project as it does. But, as he points out, its all about maintaining that voracious musical appetite. "It's not about trying to do more things, it's just about being interested in more things.
