Brooklyn-based rock band, The R Train have hit the ground running with their first release "Flip Out Zone" and we got the opportunity to catch up with them to learn about their creative process and what they have in store!
Who is your biggest musical inspiration?
The late Neil Peart from Rush by far is my biggest musical inspiration. I first heard Rush when I was a young age and was immediately taken by the way the drums stood out to me, not only that the lyrical deep thoughts, the power of the guitar and bass traveling inward and outward in an expression of raw rock power that it took hold of me immediately. The Rush power trio put an indomitable hold on my quest for my own power trio sound early on. Why? Because it’s pure rock and roll rebel at its finest and being yourself no matter what anyone says.
What is your favorite part of being a musician?
The feeling of being within the music. Hitting and riding the groove is like riding a wave or feeling the wind beneath you are you go over a jump. The way the instruments come together within the human soul can create an enjoyable feel that feels much like for me a conductor leading the beats and crescendos.
When it comes to inspiration, do you wait for it to strike or do you treat your creative process like standard 9-5 meaning you show up regardless if inspiration is present?
I do not treat it as a 9-5, I treat it as a birth to death type of mission at this point.
What has been your most memorable experience (live performance, collaboration, etc) as a musician thus far?
What made it the most memorable for you? That was when Jeffrey and I were at Battery Studios the Plant in NYC where we did our mastering with Vic Anesini. This studio was amazing, and Vic was a true master and it was a pleasure to watch him work his magic on our songs. We took a tour of another part of the studio, one studio in particular in fact was where the late John Lennon was recording before he took a walk home for dinner and turned out to be the night he got shot and killed. The staff have preserved the space just as it was with the flowing red roof over head and the big wooden door still n place marking the historic gateway, amazing. The roof was pretty cool too, imagining all the greats like Hendrix, to Bruce Springsteen, and kiss, all at one time on another had walked in this very place seeing Manhattan all around. It was a hell of an experience.
What is your earliest musical memory?
Being a toddler and hearing I “Heard it through the Grapevine by Marvin Gaye and insisting my family play it over and over again to put me to sleep.
What do you want people to know about your latest release?
There is more to come and we have put everything we could to make each song a little different than the other, it’s the type of rock that we were used to hearing ourselves. We are not adhering to a formula we are just being sincere in our music and hope others will climb aboard and take the ride with us.
How have you had to adapt your plans since COVID hit?
Yes, we have had to adapt initially to virtual vocal practices, and now masked practices and finally some live streaming to at least share some of what we’re doing as we release more music. We have not let it hold us back we have just adapted the best we could, and we continue to advance.
