GALACTIC HARBOUR interview

The Galactic Harbour, coming from Rochester, is among the few bands, which you can find only very few things in the vast spy and chaotic world of the internet! My acquaintance with them had been established when Dave Anderson (Jargon Records) had sent me their then release, the Original Objects From Outside Galactic Perimeter, a slightly paranoid, avant-garde, experimental, psych result of schizo-technical. Few weeks ago, Thomas John Byrne sent me five other works from the releases of Galactic Harbour and I must admit that I was impressed by what I heard. Intensely psychedelic songs drenched in sometimes acid, sometimes hard guitars, psych-heavy rhythms, a few more garage rock moments naturally without missing the magnificent avant-garde element and recitations of the most freak out moments! So yes, the Galactic Harbour is a genuine freak out group! Try and find them!

 

When did Galactic Harbour form?   formed in 2001 after the floggin catatonics broke up. the idea was to take things even farther into space

With what kind of music influences were you brought up with?   I started out digging threw my older brothers record collections, and that put me ahead of the curve as far as most kids my age. but when i started collecting on my own i found so much more. i focused on blues rock, early 70s hard rock, 60s psych, and jazz. i also was a die hard zappa fan

On the internet I don’t found almost anything for Galactic Harbour. Why you don’t use this thing to promote your music?  my internet footprint is very limited, and that is my fault. almost 30 years of recording and playing in bands there is not much out there on the net, but its all there in akashic records .

Are you known in your city and beyond;   galactic harbour is not a house hold name in rochester, but then agian not too many bands are. even some of the hardest working bands fail to gain any sort of fame. rochester is a music town, but it is also a working class town that favors national acts , but we are known around the record stores, and after years of hauling cds and the 20+ members that have passed thru the ranks weve built up a small cult following.

What is the common thing that exists in Rochester for a group like yours?   well there has been a little more of the kind of music we do, but we are the only group that has an open door policy. any one who is like minded ,and cool can fly into the harbour and can at least sit in with us.

How you could describe the kind of music you play?  there is no limitations ,no musical genra is off the table, as long as its a style we like. for me its like zappa... anything and anything for no reason at all.

The first cd of yours that Dave sent me was the Original objects from outside galactic perimeter, an avant-garde/experimental album! In releases that you sent me your songs dominate the hard guitars, the sound slightly stoner, psychedelic, garage and of course with many experimentation and avant guard elements. What are your influences? How do you filter in your songs all that?   we have released 13 studio cds ,4 live cds ,and countless private press home recordings. i always try to feature a heavy fuzz guitar sound. what you get with us is  real people raw and unfiltered music.

What else are involved beyond the music?   i like to paint, but i cant do it as much as i like cus it costs to much money for paint and canvas, also like to work out , but music is my main interest

Your lyrics what things mentioned?     the lyrics for the word spoken stuff is sub-conscious steam of thoughts , and taking a cue from the beat poets from the 50s and 60s. as far as the songs some are ideas that i have been kicking around, some just come to me after waking up.

Do you play gigs?   we do once in a while we have some live cds. we have a current line up with my old band mate,  chris shepp from the flesh marbles, and long time friend who i have been in many bands with, and original galactic harbour  drummer rich eichelberg. we have played a handful of gigs and hope to make some formal live recordings as well as a new studio album.

Tell me some things about folk album Chico Zasfurious. How did this?  the chico zasfurious folk album was recorded in 2007 ,and just laid there for several years. i wanted to add some more songs and do some dubbing, but never got around to it, then when i finnaly got around to it dave anderson could not find the masters so there it is ruff edges and all. its a more simple version of the first chic z album "way beyond melted". that has dave anderson on bass.                                                                            The cds artwork is quite psychedelic, but the lines are so heavy. What inspires you?     i never know what im going to get when i start out, im just looking for some thing weird and twisted with rich colors, the heavy lines kind of give separation.im inspired by the undeground cartoonists ,r crum,rick griffin, rob williams. a cool cover makes you want to like an album

What are your next plans?     we are gonna lay low for the summer, maybe do a few shows,and maybe do something in the fall,all the galactic harbour stuff is pretty much planned at the last minute , but we really wanna do an album before the end of this year.