From the hot tracks floating through airwaves from stations such as 100.7 to the mass amounts of pop-punk blasted on classic music channels MTV, VH-1 and newcomer Fuse, the music industry has been bursting with new and invigorating talent. Adding to the long list of soon to be part of the latest buzz is so-called “emo-pop-punk” band Daze. The three members of Daze have been together for about half a year and their new album Fresh Red is remnant of bands such as Rooney, Jimmy Eat World, or muppet-loving Weezer. However, Daze is all about the females, from the title track Fresh Red to songs such as Gina, Mary and 4 Day Girl, its obvious that the boys have had their share of experiences. Guitarist and vocalist Boris Pelekh chats with EDGE about touring, inspirations, defining music, and foot powder.
EDGE: How did you get the name for the band?
Boris: It was just very random, we were talking and thinking about Days, as in D-A-Y-S but then Daze just jumped out at us, no one else was using it, except for some Swedish techno band in the 80’s that doesn’t exist anymore. It just really summarizes our music.
EDGE: Where do you get your inspirations from?
Boris: Well Fresh Red is all about girls, sex, love; experiences and fantasies.
EDGE: What is your favorite song on the album?
Boris: The title track, Fresh Red, it accumulates our style, the variety in our sound.
EDGE: (switching to touring) What is the best part of touring?
Boris: Playing every night, hanging out, listening to new music.
EDGE: Name something you have to have on tour.
Boris: Well aside from our gear? Foot powder is very crucial on tour, we crash in our van all the time, we buy groceries and lunch out in the van, and sleep in the van. Foot powder in necessary.
EDGE: And the usual question…what are some of your musical influences?
Boris: Jam, heavy thrash metal, the lead vocalist and I were big jazz nazi’s back in Boston, 80’s punk, Rush, Queen, stuff like that.
EDGE: Do you find it hard to be original in a genre that is so big right now?
Boris: Well actually, we have the opposite problem, we’re almost too original, it’s harder to find people that really get our music, people have almost no idea what to say. And as much as we’re classified as emo-pop-punk, we’re not really that.
EDGE: And finally, describe your music in a few choice words.
Boris: Driving heavy, melodic, party-esque.
Despite a slight voice resemblance to someone estranged from The Hurricane staff, Daze are sure to continue causing a stir. With lyrics such as “the naughty playground that you throw on me, body’s bedtime chat your crescent moonshine backline jumps on me,” Daze is not afraid to discuss the honesty of sex as an addiction. Using the truth of a topic that everyone is afraid to admit fixation for, Daze uses its slightly rougher recorded sound to lure audiences under their sexual spell and that spell is one that no one will grow tired off.
Joanna Davila can be contacted at j.davila1@umiami.edu.