La Chupacabra: Interview with The Fever Machine

Because your sound is so large, there’s got to be particular spaces where it can be enjoyed to the fullest. What’s the best place/your favorite place you’ve ever played?

DS: Fortunately, our sound transfers well to the big stage, but we’ve also played some smaller dives that can give our sound justice.

It’s tough to pick a favorite place, but playing at Quito Fest in Ecuador and the Redwood in Downtown Los Angeles – two drastically different venues – were both really special. Most of our shows have been in China, and the place we’ve played more than anywhere else is Yuyintang in Shanghai, so we probably sound best there, considering we have our own settings on the in-house mixer.

La Chupacabra release at Yuyintang in Shanghai, China. 1 December 2012.
Photo Credit: Dani Grant

Is there any particular place you dream of playing that you haven’t already?

DS: Well Japan and France come to mind right away, but really we’d like to play everywhere possible honestly: Australia, Spain, Netherlands, Mexico, Turkey, Canada, Argentina, England, Portugal, New York City, Egypt, Bali, Peru, Sweden; anywhere we can book some shows.

In 2011 we had the opportunity to play in Ecuador and the US, where Miguel and I come from, so it would be great to play in France, Fabien’s home country. Also Japan comes to mind because they have such a vibrant culture of rock and metal music.

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The Fever Machine is all gutsy and glory, a little bit of badassery that I think is sorely missing from so-called rock of the new generation. They’re honest, pure, brass-balls metal with a sound that knocks anyone within its blast radius on their ass. With their sound still buzzing in my head, I wanted to let them leave a little personal shout-out to our YAMmie audience, as well as give us a little insight into what they’d want to take with them if and when that day comes when there is nothing left and we have to begin again.

YAM Magazine has a HUGE Asian and Latino audience. If you could say something to them in Mandarin and/or Spanish to get them excited about what you’ve got to offer, what would it be?

DS: La Chupacabra, una canción para ti…

听我们摇滚操起来…

End of the world question: you have to pick one band/artist that ISN’T a rock band to bring back (oh yeah, I went there). Who is it? One non-rock album?

DS: Shit that’s a tough question. There’s a ton of candidates: Peter Tosh, Tupac, Frank Sinatra; but I think in the end I’d pick Henry Warren, a well-known composer who wrote a bunch of hit songs in the 1930s like That’s Amore, Chatanooga Choo Choo, and At Last, made famous by Etta James.

Henry Warren’s songs were totally pre-rock and roll, and I guess I’m interested in him because he died the very same day I was born, so there’s like this mystic connection.

As for a non-rock album, Buena Vista Social Club never goes wrong. Other candidates would be Kool Keith’s Sex Style and Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew.

Oooh, you definitely kicked me right in the soul with that one. Miles and a bottle of red every day of the week!

It’s always fascinating finding music that inspires, enlightens, and just straight punches you in the gut. The Fever Machine is that and then some, a brilliant mix of grit, guts, and psychedelic soul that instantly got my attention. There isn’t a band like them around, so if you’re truly looking for something to punch your teeth in then kiss you sweetly on the mouth, check out La Chupacabra and prepare to me thrown into another universe.

You can check out the Fever Machine at their website and Bandcamp page. You can also follow them on Twitter and Facebook. Also, you can listen to their albums Living in Oblivion  and La Chupacabra on their Soundcloud page. To also find out more about Dani Grant, the Fever Machine’s photographer, check out her website.