Page 66 - Poze Magazine Volume 74

Q&A

w/ SPECTRES

The band members had all been pretty
involved in the punk scene and were mostly
informed by that background. A lot of times, the
audience had no idea what we were trying to do,
sometimes it seemed like some of them liked it
but more often than not it would just clear the
venue. We were all pretty heavily substance
affected in our earlier shows and I am sure it
could be trying to watch us because of this at
times. As time progressed, I started to see more
and more bands referencing the same sonic
influences we were exploring. It was great to see,
as I have always really appreciated Post-Punk
as a genre. In the early years of what we were
doing, it felt like the Post-Punk scene we were
involved in was an organic extension of the DIY
punk scene, as opposed to its own distinct thing,
which it appears to be more now.

Your music blends elements of post-punk,
anarcho-punk, new-wave, and even shoegaze.
How do you approach this unique fusion of
influences in your songwriting and
production?
All members of the band have been influenced by
the genres you mentioned. Often, a member will
come to the table with a largely cohesive idea for
how a song will go, and we work with that. A lot
of the production decisions are things we try to
mutually come to an agreement on; sometimes
we will be a little more straightforward, like, 'this
song sounds like a new wave song, so we should
probably drive the production in that direction.'
Usually, the person who came to the table with
the song idea has the greatest
influence over this. It certainly can make for some
hard decisions, though.
The band draws inspiration from acts like Blue
Oyster Cult, Joy Division, and The Cure. How do
these influences manifest in your sound, and are
there any other artists who have significantly
shaped your sonic identity?

I think there is a pretty clear Smiths, Chameleons,
and New Order influence, in addition to some of
the bands you mentioned above. Those
influences manifest in everything from the
songwriting to the lyrics. I think we often wear
our influences on our sleeve and are pretty
unapologetic about that..