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| MSJ: Can you give me a run-down of the history of the band? |
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| I put together Spaced Out in 1998 with Martin Maheux (drums) whom I met in university when we were studying music. We were set to record my compositions in the studio so I asked Mathieu Bouchard (guitar), a college pal, to record the guitar tracks. At that time, we were playing with a sequencer. Later, I asked Eric St-Jean (keyboards) to play with us live & to record two tracks on the CD.
After the first album, Mathieu didn't have the time to be an active member in the project, so he was replaced by Louis Côté, another university colleague. Even though this band is my personal project, I didn't want to call it the "Antoine Fafard Band" so I thought that Spaced Out was a cool name… |
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| MSJ: Who are the members of the band? |
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| The current Spaced Out band members are: Antoine Fafard: electric bass Martin Maheux: drums Eric St-Jean: keyboards Mark Tremblay: electric guitar (since july 2001) |
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| MSJ: How would you describe your music? |
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| I guess that Spaced Out's music is somewhere between jazz rock & progressive. We are like a progressive band which improvises the solos and who have slightly more freedom in the music than a normal progressive band. I also think that the first album we did was more jazzy than the second. It's a mixture of rock, jazz and experimental. I don't focus to fit to any style really. I create without restrictions. It's why that when Spaced Out will have a big cd catalogue, there probably will be a big difference of styles from an album to an other. But I think you'll always notice a common link to all the music that makes the Spaced Out colour. I listen to a wide range of music and when I compose, I try to integrate a little bit of everything that I find interesting into my own music. The challenge is to create something that is unique but with unity as well. |
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| MSJ: Who would you see as your musical influences? |
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| On the composition aspect I was and still am very influenced by Keith Emerson. I also really like bands like UK & King Crimson. I guess that I'm influenced by all the music I hear… even the music that I would not buy! As a bass player, I'm influenced by a lot of bassists. I enjoy listening both the sound and the playing in any musician or an orchestra. |
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| MSJ: What can people coming to the concert expect to see from the band? |
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| A lot of energy! We like to give a good entertaining show. We try to deliver a very musically tight performance with some madness moments. It's a common thing to see smiles and laughter in the audience during a Spaced Out show! |
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| MSJ: Where would you like to see yourself and the band 5 years from now? |
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| I hope that Spaced Out will have created more albums and more new interesting music. It would be just great to be able to tour around the world. I'll also be able to then make an orchestral project with the band for a studio recording and some live shows as well. |
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| MSJ: What was your biggest Spinal Tap moment? |
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| I guess that's when we played in some university cafeteria in front of few indifferent persons… there was complete silence after every songs! |
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| MSJ: What was the last concert you attended? |
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| It was Dream Theater in London on January 26th, 2002. |
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| MSJ: What was the last CD you bought/what have you been listening lately? |
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| I bought some Keith Emerson TV and film soundtracks. I've been listening to some Penderecki, Ligeti, Philip Glass and Virgil Donati. |
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| MSJ: What is the one thing you would really like people to know about the band? |
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| Nothing very specific… apart from the fact that we exist… and that we have 2 albums available! More seriously, I want people to know that Spaced Out is here to stay! |
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| MSJ: Is there anything you would like to add? |
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| I'd like to thank everybody who have encouraged us so far and continues to support our efforts! I hope that we'll have the chance to meet and to play for everybody who likes our stuff! |
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| MSJ: This interview is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2002 Year Book Volume 3 at garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2001-and-2002. |
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