Days Between Stations
Encyclopedia
Days Between Stations is the creative partnership between guitarist Sepand Samzadeh and keyboardist Oscar Fuentes
Óscar Fuentes
Óscar Rene Fuentes is a Salvadoran footballer who currently plays for Municipal Limeño.-Club career:...

. The duo came together in Los Angeles in November 2003, and named the band after the 1985 novel by Steve Erickson
Steve Erickson
Stephen Michael Erickson is an American novelist, essayist and film critic. He is the recipient of the American Academy of Arts and Letters's Award in Literature and a fellowship from the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation., and is considered an important representative of the Avantpop...

. The band’s sound – Samzadeh calls it “art-rock,” Fuentes labels it “post-prog” – reflects their varied influences, as well as a shared disregard for stylistic boundaries.

Indeed, on different tracks from their upcoming self-titled debut album, one can hear influences ranging from progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...

 (Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...

, Marillion
Marillion
Marillion are a British rock band, formed in Aylesbury, England in 1979. Their recorded studio output comprises sixteen albums generally regarded in two distinct eras, delineated by the departure of original vocalist & frontman Fish in late 1988, and the subsequent arrival of replacement Steve...

, Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...

, Genesis
Genesis (band)
Genesis are an English rock band that formed in 1967. The band currently comprises the longest-tenured members Tony Banks , Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins . Past members Peter Gabriel , Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips , also played major roles in the band in its early years...

, King Crimson
King Crimson
King Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...

) to post-rock (Sigur Rós
Sigur Rós
Sigur Rós is an Icelandic post-rock band with classicaland minimalist elements. The band is known for its ethereal sound, and frontman Jónsi Birgisson's falsetto vocals and use of bowed guitar. In January 2010, the band announced that they will be on hiatus. Since then, it has since been announced...

, Godspeed You Black Emperor!) to ambient (Brian Eno
Brian Eno
Brian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno , commonly known as Brian Eno or simply as Eno , is an English musician, composer, record producer, singer and visual artist, known as one of the principal innovators of ambient music.Eno studied at Colchester Institute art school in Essex,...

, early Tangerine Dream
Tangerine Dream
Tangerine Dream is a German electronic music group founded in 1967 by Edgar Froese. The band has undergone many personnel changes over the years, with Froese being the only continuous member...

) to jazz-rock (think Miles Davis
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...

’ early seventies output) to post-punk (Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth is an American alternative rock band from New York City, formed in 1981. The current lineup consists of Thurston Moore , Kim Gordon , Lee Ranaldo , Steve Shelley , and Mark Ibold .In their early career, Sonic Youth was associated with the No Wave art and music scene in New York City...

, Magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...

) and even contemporary classical (Philip Glass
Philip Glass
Philip Glass is an American composer. He is considered to be one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century and is widely acknowledged as a composer who has brought art music to the public .His music is often described as minimalist, along with...

, Steve Reich
Steve Reich
Stephen Michael "Steve" Reich is an American composer who together with La Monte Young, Terry Riley, and Philip Glass is a pioneering composer of minimal music...

). The constant here is the band’s commitment to create a unique sound and to turn a deliberate blind eye to the passing whims of the mainstream.

To help flesh out the sound in the studio, the band contacted former Young Dubliners drummer Jon Mattox
Jon Mattox
Jon Mattox is an American multi-instrumentalist, composer, songwriter, and record producer from Southern California. He has been a session musician playing drums for a large variety of artists and bands including recordings or performances with Rob Halford, Joan Osborne, Roy Z, Days Between...

 in 2005. Mattox (currently also with label-mates Uni) liked what he heard, and signed on not only as drummer but also as co-producer. The band further enlisted the help of guitarist Jeremy Castillo (also with the up-and-coming Mighty Six Ninety), Argentinian-born bassist Vivi Rama, sax player Jason Hemmens, singer Hollie Shepard, trumpeter Sean Erick, and trombonist Kevin Williams
Kevin Williams
Kevin Williams may refer to:*Kevin Williams *Kevin Williams *Kevin Williams *Kevin Williams *Kevin Williams...

. Samzadeh’s uncle Jeffrey Samzadeh, who sings traditional Iranian classical music, also lent his distinctive, plaintive wail to the track Requiem for the Living.

According to the band, release of the album has been pushed back several times as band members struggled through very difficult times, including the devastating death of a family member. At one point, there was serious doubt that the project would ever be finished. In the end, this turmoil certainly influenced the dark, introspective nature of much of the material (as evidenced by some song titles: Requiem for the Living, Laudanum, A Long Goodbye, The Wake).

A welcome boost to morale came in 2004, when Fuentes and Samzadeh sent Bruce Soord, leader of the British band The Pineapple Thief
The Pineapple Thief
The Pineapple Thief is a progressive/indie rock band, started by Bruce Soord in 1999 in Somerset, England.-Early years:Founder Bruce Soord started "The Pineapple Thief" as an outlet for his music back in 1999. Bruce released the debut Abducting the Unicorn on Cyclops records, which created enough...

, a CD with nearly an hour’s worth of mostly improvised material. Soord used some of this material as the basis for the song Saturday, which appeared on The Pineapple Thief
The Pineapple Thief
The Pineapple Thief is a progressive/indie rock band, started by Bruce Soord in 1999 in Somerset, England.-Early years:Founder Bruce Soord started "The Pineapple Thief" as an outlet for his music back in 1999. Bruce released the debut Abducting the Unicorn on Cyclops records, which created enough...

’s 12 Stories Down (Cyclops 2004) and also on the 2CD version of its U.S. counterpart, 10 Stories Down (Cyclops 2005) – (12 Stories Down quickly sold out, although you can occasionally find a copy on eBay for a hefty sum).

The band has persevered and delivered an uncompromising debut they are proud of. And while much of the material on the album is dark (and deals, albeit instrumentally, with dark themes) and quite long – Requiem for the Living, which opens the album, is over 13 minutes long, while the epic closer Laudanum clocks in at over 22 minutes – the band does exhibit a “light” side. For example, Radio Song (with its vocoderized refrain of “Run! Run! Run!” that brings to mind Science Fiction films from the 50s) suggests a marriage between early Marillion
Marillion
Marillion are a British rock band, formed in Aylesbury, England in 1979. Their recorded studio output comprises sixteen albums generally regarded in two distinct eras, delineated by the departure of original vocalist & frontman Fish in late 1988, and the subsequent arrival of replacement Steve...

 and early U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...

 and has been chosen as the lead-off single from the album, as well as being featured in the recently-released independent film Young Single & Angry and its accompanying soundtrack.

Days Between Stations' debut CD, released in October 2007, on Bright Orange Records, was engineered by Evren Goknar of the Capitol Mastering team who is best known for his work with Queensryche
Queensrÿche
thumb|250px|right|Queensrÿche's classic line-up performing at the [[Sauna Open Air Metal Festival]] 2011 in [[Tampere]], [[Finland]]. Left to right: bass Eddie Jackson, lead vocals Geoff Tate, drums Scott Rockenfield and guitars Michael Wilton....

, Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk, hip hop and psychedelic rock...

 and recently Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...

.

Their debut CD took the worldwide music community by storm (and surprise!). The fervid reaction to the California-based ensemble's self-titled debut CD from fans and critics alike has been overwhelming to say the least! "Days Between Stations eponymous first album is proof that hope must rule the world," Proggnosis recently proclaimed.

The band's debut CD has been garnering rave reviews from the music press across the planet as well as heavy radio airplay. Dutch prog magazine IO Pages has deemed Days Between Stations debut CD "one of the ten best of 2007". Even amongst the duo's musical peers, the adulations have been forthright: Legendary guitarist Peter Banks
Peter Banks
Peter Banks is an English guitarist. He was the original guitarist of the progressive rock band Yes.-Early career:When Banks was a young boy, his father bought him an acoustic guitar...

, formerly of prog-rock giants Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...

 and Flash
Flash (band)
-Flash:Flash was an English progressive rock group, formed by former Yes guitarist Peter Banks and vocalist Colin Carter in August 1971. Bassist Ray Bennett and drummer Mike Hough completed the line-up....

, had this to say about the duo's new CD: "Days Between Stations offer an inventive, eclectic mix of electronics: sometimes relaxed sound-washes interspersed with a rhythm-driven force... the subtle textures are played with a refreshing honesty and openness underpinned with an authentic transparency of sound that avoids most of the pitfalls and potholes of scary 'prog' ".

Here's what the music press have been raving about Days Between Stations:

"The group describe their style as art rock and post-prog. Perhaps, but its main force is the melodic ambiance created which is, in my view, more space rock, almost mesmerizing and trance inducing. Their music is never heavy or metal sounding. The intricacy and complexity of the composition with the choice of instruments makes this debut album an instant classic." Proggnosis

"All in all, Days Between Stations gives us a well rounded take on "young" space rock (or post-prog, if you please) with a constantly shifting kaleidoscope of scenario and orchestrations. Reassuring to see that the genre is passing into competent hands." Progressive Ears

"... a ghostly museum where Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...

, King Crimson
King Crimson
King Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...

, The Divine Comedy
The Divine Comedy
The Divine Comedy is an epic poem written by Dante Alighieri between 1308 and his death in 1321. It is widely considered the preeminent work of Italian literature, and is seen as one of the greatest works of world literature...

, Brian Eno
Brian Eno
Brian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno , commonly known as Brian Eno or simply as Eno , is an English musician, composer, record producer, singer and visual artist, known as one of the principal innovators of ambient music.Eno studied at Colchester Institute art school in Essex,...

, Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...

, Air or Anathema
Anathema
Anathema originally meant something lifted up as an offering to the gods; it later evolved to mean:...

 stand next to one another... with a touching modesty and a disturbing humanity, the musicians act like experienced pilots. They invite us to take a seat in this train of life, for an internal journey, using a rhythm displayed with an impressive regularity." Progressia

"Days Between Stations has to be one of the most exciting prog bands I've heard in many years! ... this is a pure magic progressive rock album... " ProgPlanet

"The response has been amazing," says Oscar Fuentes. "I know it's cliché but it does give you a feeling of validation." "It gives us confidence to try new ideas and take even greater risks," adds Sepand Samzadeh. "Our influences are our parents, yet like any soul that wants distinction and recognition we constantly fall and scrape our knees by flirting with new ideas and pushing each other creatively”. Although the music press has been comparing the band's sound to that of Pink Floyd, with influences ranging from Marillion
Marillion
Marillion are a British rock band, formed in Aylesbury, England in 1979. Their recorded studio output comprises sixteen albums generally regarded in two distinct eras, delineated by the departure of original vocalist & frontman Fish in late 1988, and the subsequent arrival of replacement Steve...

 to Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...

 to Porcupine Tree
Porcupine Tree
Porcupine Tree is a progressive rock band formed by Steven Wilson in 1987 in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England. Their music is difficult to categorise, being associated with both psychedelic rock and progressive rock, yet having been influenced by trance, krautrock and ambient due to Steven...

 to John Coltrane
John Coltrane
John William Coltrane was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Working in the bebop and hard bop idioms early in his career, Coltrane helped pioneer the use of modes in jazz and later was at the forefront of free jazz...

 the duo is quick to point out, "We don't try to be anyone other than Days Between Stations!" The self-titled CD can be obtained through Amazon, CD Baby, iTunes and the group's official website www.daysbetweenstations.com.

"... ranks up there with the best of them... it could be deemed a modern classic progressive rock album... I know this will be on my 'Favorite Releases of 2007' " - Prognaut

In the meantime, Sepand and Oscar are currently preparing to release an EP of non-album tracks, but the end of 2008: "There is one track from the early writing sessions called 'Sundays', and that will probably be on it," says Oscar. "It's a very dark, melancholy ambient piece that was one of those 'happy accidents' from a live improvisation."

To the elation of Days Between Stations fans worldwide, the group has ventured back into the recording studio to work on new material for the next CD. "I think we will probably take the same 'anything goes' approach as we did with the first one," Oscar explains about the duo's new music. "Oscar and I are just beginning a journey of finding out what we are about," concludes Sepand. "Our rule is to be truthful to ourselves, and to venture out as far as possible without worrying about people's opinions."

Along with recording the new CD, and release of the band's EP, plans for live performances by Days Between Stations are currently in the works.

2003-2007

Sepand, placed an ad in the Music Connection magazine, looking for musical collaboraton. The ad described that he wanted to work on an experimental album, and listed his influeneces. He also mentioned the well quoted "No Egos, No Drugs" comment. Oscar
Óscar Fuentes
Óscar Rene Fuentes is a Salvadoran footballer who currently plays for Municipal Limeño.-Club career:...

 and Sepand had instant chemisrty and began their musical aspirations in November 2003.

2007-present

Work has started on a second album and a possible release of out-takes from the first album on an EP.

2003-present

  • Sepand Samzadeh – Lead Guitar
    Lead guitar
    Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...

    , Rhythm Guitar
    Rhythm guitar
    Rhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...

    , keyboards
    Keyboard instrument
    A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...

  • Oscar Fuentes
    Óscar Fuentes
    Óscar Rene Fuentes is a Salvadoran footballer who currently plays for Municipal Limeño.-Club career:...

     – keyboards
    Keyboard instrument
    A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...

    , Acoustic Guitar
    Acoustic guitar
    An acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...

    , Bass
    Bass guitar
    The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....


Compact disks

Year Album Artist
2007 Days Between Stations Days Between Stations

Notable or frequent contributors

  • Jon Mattox
    Jon Mattox
    Jon Mattox is an American multi-instrumentalist, composer, songwriter, and record producer from Southern California. He has been a session musician playing drums for a large variety of artists and bands including recordings or performances with Rob Halford, Joan Osborne, Roy Z, Days Between...

     – drums
    Drum kit
    A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....

  • Jeremy Castillo – Guitar
    Guitar
    The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...

  • Vivi Rama - Bass
    Bass guitar
    The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....

  • Jason Hemmens - Saxophone
    Saxophone
    The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...

  • Hollie Shepard - vocals
    Singing
    Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...

  • Sean Erick - Trumpet
    Trumpet
    The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...

  • Kevin Williams
    Kevin Williams
    Kevin Williams may refer to:*Kevin Williams *Kevin Williams *Kevin Williams *Kevin Williams *Kevin Williams...

     - Trombone
    Trombone
    The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...

  • Jeffery Samzadeh - vocals
    Singing
    Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...


Reviews


Official sites

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