Arm The Pit - Lucid Nation

ATP

For the record, who's answering the interview, what is your band's name? How did you come up with that name?

LUCID NATION

I'm Tamra of Lucid Nation. The name was heard in a dream by our guitarist Ronnie.

ATP

So who's in the band and what's everyone's life story in 100 words more or less?

LUCID NATION

We're not a traditional band, more like a band of gypsies, so we've had many musicians play with us from the unknown to the famous.

ATP

In a nutshell, please describe your sound.

LUCID NATION

Our sound is difficult to describe because we mash up and deconstruct whatever we want: punk, metal, 70's rock, grunge, emo, reggae, goth, nothing is safe.

ATP

Why did you each of you start playing music and was there a turning point from becoming the dream child that every mother and father hopes their child will become before discovering music? Why did music become a career choice for you?

LUCID NATION

My parents kicked me out at 17, I was never their dream child. Though I loved music I never thought I could be a musician until I wandered into a riot grrrl show.

ATP

What instruments do you each play? How did you learn to play, self-taught or school?

LUCID NATION

I'm pretty much self taught and I'll dare to play almost any instrument for noise making but mostly I sing or play guitar and bass, and I love my Korg MS20.

ATP

What bands have influenced each of you?

LUCID NATION

I've been influenced by everybody from Sonic Youth to KMD, and writers like Kerouac and Gertrude Stein. I suppose the biggest influence on me was Nirvana, and I definitely had a Cobain damage thing going when I started out.

ATP

What makes your band unique?

LUCID NATION

Far as I know we're the only band that ever did a 100% freestyle alt rock record that hit #1 on the NMW college radio charts.

ATP

Do you write your own music? If not, who writes the music?

LUCID NATION

We write our own music.

ATP

What inspires the songs you write?

LUCID NATION

Our songs happen in different ways. Usually in reaction to something going in our lives or the world. I don't write with an eye to popularity. I like capturing painful ironies and the true details of life.

ATP

How long does it take you to write a song that�s ready to record?

LUCID NATION

Some are written spontaneously while recording. Others may start as a riff that takes a couple years to develop into an arranged song.

ATP

How would you describe your local music scene? Likes, Dislikes. What would you change?

LUCID NATION

The music scene in Los Angeles sucks. It's mostly pay to play, mimic bands, clubs pile bands on the marquee, friends show up to see one band, then leave, the bands are eager to sell out. Nobody's making money. There's some hopeful signs here and there, of communities sharing music they love, but they seldom venture out of their niches.

ATP

What is your favorite local venue? Why?

LUCID NATION

My favorite venues are The Smell and The Bootleg Theater, they both do innovative shows. The Smell may be the last great all ages club in L.A.

ATP

What's the biggest problem you find when working with other bands, booking agents, promoters and venues when settting up a show or a tour?

LUCID NATION

We don't play clubs or tour so we don't have those problems anymore. We only take shows that are special in theme and venue

ATP

How experienced are you on the stage, a virgin or whore?

LUCID NATION

Even when I was a virgin on stage I was an experienced whore on some level, I've always felt comfortable owning the stage. But I still feel anxious like a virgin before shows.