Young indie pop rock band Chaser is in a positive state of mind before their upcoming gig this Saturday, August 2nd for round one of Emergenza Festival Australia. They’re grateful for the chance to play at the prestigious Espy in Melbourne, and are super psyched at the possibilities it represents. Come out and support them then, and while you’re waiting for them to go on, check out our interview with the band where they talk to us about their influences and inspirations.

HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE NAME CHASER?
The name Chaser emerged while the band was sitting down for drinks and movies in our rehearsal room. We had come to realise that after every shot, a chaser would soon follow to wash out the alcohol taste, and so it became our band name. It also represents the pursuit of ones dreams, like our dream of one day becoming a popular band.

WHO PLAYS WHAT IN THE BAND AND WHAT KEEPS YOU INSPIRED TO PLAY MUSIC TOGETHER?
Phi plays drums. Brandon plays lead guitar and backing vocals. Cjay sings lead and plays rhythm guitar. Chris plays bass. I think it's the thought of one day being able to play in front of crowds and connecting with them through our music that motivates us to play. The fact that we all enjoy each other's company and regard one another as family also helps us stay strong as a group.

IF YOU COULD DESCRIBE YOUR SOUND IN THREE WORDS, WHAT WOULD THEY BE?
If we had to describe our music in three words it'd have to be: Why not both? The way I interpret that is we all listen to a wide variety of music and gain inspiration from all these different genres. We'd like to pursue different kinds of music instead of sticking to a single sound. When someone asks you, "Coke or Fanta?" you don't have to be obligated to pick one, instead why not pick both. It's the same with music—why pick a single sound when there are so many options and styles to pursue.

WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR MAJOR MUSICAL INFLUENCES?
Our major musical influences are Muse, Maroon 5, Birds of Tokyo, John Mayer and Cnblue.

WHAT'S THE CRAZIEST THING YOU'VE DONE TOGETHER AS A BAND?
As a band we have yet to experience anything crazy together, however we have had many nights where too many shots have been poured and too many memories lost, but nothing’s overly crazy.

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO MOST ABOUT YOUR SHOW AT THE ESPY?
We look forward to just being able to play in front of people. There is no way to phrase this sentence in a way that it would do justice to the thrill of getting up and watching the audience connect with you as you play each note.

WITH OTHER BATTLE OF THE BANDS COMPETITIONS AROUND, WHAT MADE YOU CHOOSE EMERGENZA?
We like to join every competition that we can in order to maximise our exposure and also to watch other bands, however Emergenza caught our eye as the winning band gets to fly over to Sydney and then over to Germany.

For more details on the show at The Espy, August 2nd, click here.