AOTM Spotlight: Otis the Destroyer
AN AMF EXCLUSIVE AMF INTERVIEW
The band has gone through some lineup changes since first forming in 2014, has the change influenced way the you all approach making music?
-In someways the process of writing has changed a little since we added Kyle Robarge on bass and Clellan Hyatt on drums. I’ll bring the spark of the idea in, we’ll work with it over the course of a few practices, we’ll record a couple of live versions, and then continuously shape it until we feel like the song has reached a good place. The biggest change is probably the feeling that this is a new band and that the songs are new. Everything and everyone feels excited.
What musicians or bands have influenced you and the way you write for Otis? And has that changed in the years since the band first formed?
-I’m always going in and out of musical phases throughout the year. When I was writing the material for “Dark Arts” I was very much into beautiful and moody Rock (like Radiohead and Tv on the Radio), but as we started playing the material live, I realized that I wanted to have us be a more raw and upbeat band versus a lets-get-real-stoned-and-listen-to-them-jam kinda band.
Where did you record your newest EP and what was that experience like?
-We recorded it at the bubble with Frenchie Smith and Sean Rolie (Yayo 
Sanchez was our spirit animal of rock) and then Alex Lyon of the bubble mastered it. We also printed the CDs in town as well as the shirts so I guess you could say it was locally sourced released.
-The experience was amazing. It was the best musical sex orgy I’ve ever had with 7 guys and I look forward to doing the album with them all again.
-Frenchi is rock ‘n’ roll and it’s impossible not to feel inspired around him.
Sanchez was our spirit animal of rock) and then Alex Lyon of the bubble mastered it. We also printed the CDs in town as well as the shirts so I guess you could say it was locally sourced released.-The experience was amazing. It was the best musical sex orgy I’ve ever had with 7 guys and I look forward to doing the album with them all again.
-Frenchi is rock ‘n’ roll and it’s impossible not to feel inspired around him.
Your first EP “Dark Arts” has a noticeably different sound than your current EP “Belushi”. What about making “Belushi” led you as a band in a different creative direction?
-I wanted to groove more and not in a dance rock way. I wanted to feel like each song is barely holding on. I want people to feel like there’s a real sense of danger in the live show and we needed songs that could get us there. I also probably didn’t really think about it all while in the moment of writing the material, but thinking back, I definitely have about 10 mid-tempo songs just floating around in the maybe-we’ll-play-it-again-someday part of my mind because I keep focusing on developing the more intense material.
Does the band have any pre-show rituals?
-Kyle usual drinks a some kind of whiskey cocktail, Rucci grabs a lonestar, Clellan is probably still setting up his drums, while hanging out with his sweet friends/family clan that always come out, and I’m sucking on vaporizer and slamming vodka sodas because those feel less severe then the whiskey I used to part take in during my younger years.
What does success look like to you for Otis at this stage of your career?
-Success for us is being on the road bringing our gospel of rock.Bio: Put down yer phone and come to the show.
For more on OTIS THE DESTROYER and upcoming live performances go to otisthedestroyer.bandcamp.com
