Grand Hotel Paradox is a Dubai, U.A.E.-based punk rock/experimental band that recently put out a free online release of their first demo titled "Third World Problems". In support of the release, the band is embarking on a Southeast Asia tour this June 2011. Komnspirazine got the chance to catch up with vocalist/guitarist Chris Ryan to discuss what the band is all about. Read on and enjoy. Support the shows when they hit 'Pinas for 3 dates on the posters below.
Konspirazine:
How are you guys? How did GHP form? I understand you all had previous bands before this. What happened and where are those bands/members now? How is GHP different from the other band you guys were involved in?
Chris:
We are doing well! We kind of all found each other when the smoke cleared when our previous bands broke up at about the same time (I was in a band called Gandhi's Cookbook and Mike was in one called Gopilot). The rest of the guys in our bands are scattered around Dubai or the world, having moved on from music or continuing music in other ways or other bands.
Konspirazine:
We've how is everyday life in Dubai like? How did you guys end up there?
Chris:
We all work here in Dubai. I guess everyday life is just like anywhere else!
Konspirazine:
Hey I read about how you take care of fellow Pinoy bands there in Dubai. I know you have recorded their work and you've put up shows for a lot of them too. Thanks for that support.
Chris:
Well I run a studio here in Dubai and I have ended up recording a lot of bands made up of Pinoys so I've kind of earned my title as an honorary Kabayan!
Konspirazine:
Nice to know you believe in them as well. Can you also discuss the distribution arm you handle for Cesspool?
Chris:
Cesspool Distro was something I put together to get some releases out and we did do quite a few sales but I've been devoting less and less time to it unfortunately, so there aren't many new releases at all.
Konspirazine:
The band name is an interesting one. How did that come up? and what's the connection with Stravinsky?
Chris:
The name is based on an analogy by a mathematician called Hilbert, used to describe the concept of infinity. The name really clicked with me and so it stuck. I'm a big fan of classical music, especially the works of composers like Stravinsky, so I'd like to think it has an effect on my writing of punk music.
Konspirazine:
How is the Dubai crowd like? How does it feel like being a punk band in an Arabian country that has all the misconceptions about this genre and how do you manage to continue pulling it off? How is the scene like in Dubai? I've read about age restrictions in shows too. That must suck big time. I felt relieved to know there's more to be had than just the Desert Rock Fest (hehe)
Chris:
The crowd in Dubai is usually quite diversified because the rock, metal and punk scenes are quite integrated as a result of the low number of bands, but we're looking forward to this tour because it seems like the crowds out in Asia get pretty wild! There is certainly a very small amount of exposure of 'punk rock' beyond Green Day and Avril Lavigne here because of mainstream radio and MTV being the main source for music, so playing this kind of music here can be quite exciting and new to some people. Its true that there has been an increase in bar gigs here, which is disappointing because it alienates anyone under 21, but as always there are some alternatives despite there being no dedicated all ages music venues.
Konspirazine:
What has been the response to your online release of the demo "First World Problems?" What made you decide to release it online? Is there going to be a hard copy release as well?
Chris:
We've had some good response and a lot of interest from people in Southeast Asia which makes us feel confident that we're going to have some great shows on this tour. We don't have any immediate plans to make a physical release but we will be recording two new songs once we're back from the tour so we may release all the tracks together on a CD or hopefully vinyl.
Konspirazine:
The lyrics are straightforward and yet I feel there's so much more to it. It makes one think more and read between the lines. Can you discuss briefly what these songs relay?
-The Lime Hasn't Fallen from The Tree ("egos replicate the skies that cities' scrape, mediocrity cannot escape stages built for money's sake")
This song is - in part - about a venue in Dubai called the 'Lime Tree Cafe', where a lot of acoustic shows were held and it seemed that it marked a trend of acoustic shows where people would watch people spill their guts on stage whilst people sat on beanbags and had a chat, and after it all they would comment on how tasty the carrot cake is. The song is also about some other observations on the music scene here.
-Find My Way ("gotta find my way, but that collar's got a leash and its gonna bring you back home")
Find My Way is about both finding a home and about the Catch 22 of wanting to be able to be free to go and stay wherever you want, but you can only do that if you've got the money... And you need to work to get that money, but a full time job limits your time to travel... So it can be a self-defeating effort if you aren't careful about it. I've always liked the double meaning of the shirt collar/dog collar in the chorus.
-Indoctrination ("what better way to control a populations thoughts than by first taking over what they believe, after that, they'll fall like dominos.")
This song is about when something as influential as religion falls into the wrong hands, and when the clergy start dictating what they think is right and what someone 2000 years ago would have wanted.
-Scream vs Whisper ("this dissonance gives us freedom, but that cacophony can't end up as the standard, 'cause its that juxtaposition of the scream and the whisper, that provides the context and insight to the listener.")
I studied music and I've always thought a big factor in music being able to grasp someone is the concept of contrast. The loudest parts of a song or a live show are only powerful if they have something quiet to be compared to. This song is also about some trends I have noticed in recording and composition of modern 'metalcore' music and the like, from the viewpoint of being a recording engineer.
Konspirazine:
The sound is comparable to a mix between Fugazi and Propagandhi. Who are your influences? as a band and as individuals? The punk roots are splattered all over yet there is still that experimental feel to it. How was this done?
Chris:
I think we've definitely got a lot of influences, but what band doesn't? Directly, if I analyze the songwriting I guess you can see some influence of hip hop on the intro to Indoctrination, and perhaps some influence of Dead Kennedys with the use of the guitar to make noise in The Lime Hasn't Fallen Far From The Tree... But none of this influence is deliberate.
Konspirazine:
In this day and age of the internet and MTV dictating what the norms of Hardcore and Punk Rock is, how is it important for the band to push forward with the ethics of DIY? The music and attitude of the band I guess screams a loud "Fuck You" against conventional Punk/Hardcore as dictated by everyone else. How is this achieved?
Chris:
To be completely honest we conduct ourselves in a DIY way because its always worked for me, and I've always been so appreciative of the support that other DIY and Independent bands give each other, I think I would feel lost in any other way. The best way to say "Fuck You" to all of that is to have absolutely nothing to do with it.
Konspirazine:
What made you decide to go on a South East Asia tour? This tour has been booked and handled independently by the band, free from any corporate sponsorship. I guess it shows just how the band is passionate about their craft and the scene. What do you expect to gain out of this tour? And why S.E.Asia?
Chris:
We're just looking forward to some awesome shows and awesome people and we'll keep doing our thing. I've done some tours with my old band to a few other places and I've never been this side of the globe so it just seemed right. And from the response that we've gotten, I think we made a good choice!
Konspirazine:
What's next for GHP? More albums and more touring, perhaps?
Chris:
Sure, why not! We've got some obstacles to climb in the near future but we're gonna do things as long as we can.
Konspirazine:
Any last words and advices/shout outs to our readers?
Chris:
Punk has nothing to do with how you dress or what music you play, it's about whats in your mind!
Konspirazine:
Thanks for your time guys. Hope you enjoy playing the Philippines. Perhaps you can enjoy our Baluts and our Red Horse Beer here. Cheers!.
Chris
We're looking forward to late nights with San Mig, Fundador and Ensaymadas!
www.facebook.com/grandhotelparadox
www.grandhotelparadox.bandcamp.com
How are you guys? How did GHP form? I understand you all had previous bands before this. What happened and where are those bands/members now? How is GHP different from the other band you guys were involved in?
Chris:
We are doing well! We kind of all found each other when the smoke cleared when our previous bands broke up at about the same time (I was in a band called Gandhi's Cookbook and Mike was in one called Gopilot). The rest of the guys in our bands are scattered around Dubai or the world, having moved on from music or continuing music in other ways or other bands.
Konspirazine:
We've how is everyday life in Dubai like? How did you guys end up there?
Chris:
We all work here in Dubai. I guess everyday life is just like anywhere else!
Konspirazine:
Hey I read about how you take care of fellow Pinoy bands there in Dubai. I know you have recorded their work and you've put up shows for a lot of them too. Thanks for that support.
Chris:
Well I run a studio here in Dubai and I have ended up recording a lot of bands made up of Pinoys so I've kind of earned my title as an honorary Kabayan!
Konspirazine:
Nice to know you believe in them as well. Can you also discuss the distribution arm you handle for Cesspool?
Chris:
Cesspool Distro was something I put together to get some releases out and we did do quite a few sales but I've been devoting less and less time to it unfortunately, so there aren't many new releases at all.
Konspirazine:
The band name is an interesting one. How did that come up? and what's the connection with Stravinsky?
Chris:
The name is based on an analogy by a mathematician called Hilbert, used to describe the concept of infinity. The name really clicked with me and so it stuck. I'm a big fan of classical music, especially the works of composers like Stravinsky, so I'd like to think it has an effect on my writing of punk music.
Konspirazine:
How is the Dubai crowd like? How does it feel like being a punk band in an Arabian country that has all the misconceptions about this genre and how do you manage to continue pulling it off? How is the scene like in Dubai? I've read about age restrictions in shows too. That must suck big time. I felt relieved to know there's more to be had than just the Desert Rock Fest (hehe)
Chris:
The crowd in Dubai is usually quite diversified because the rock, metal and punk scenes are quite integrated as a result of the low number of bands, but we're looking forward to this tour because it seems like the crowds out in Asia get pretty wild! There is certainly a very small amount of exposure of 'punk rock' beyond Green Day and Avril Lavigne here because of mainstream radio and MTV being the main source for music, so playing this kind of music here can be quite exciting and new to some people. Its true that there has been an increase in bar gigs here, which is disappointing because it alienates anyone under 21, but as always there are some alternatives despite there being no dedicated all ages music venues.
Konspirazine:
What has been the response to your online release of the demo "First World Problems?" What made you decide to release it online? Is there going to be a hard copy release as well?
Chris:
We've had some good response and a lot of interest from people in Southeast Asia which makes us feel confident that we're going to have some great shows on this tour. We don't have any immediate plans to make a physical release but we will be recording two new songs once we're back from the tour so we may release all the tracks together on a CD or hopefully vinyl.
Konspirazine:The lyrics are straightforward and yet I feel there's so much more to it. It makes one think more and read between the lines. Can you discuss briefly what these songs relay?
-The Lime Hasn't Fallen from The Tree ("egos replicate the skies that cities' scrape, mediocrity cannot escape stages built for money's sake")
This song is - in part - about a venue in Dubai called the 'Lime Tree Cafe', where a lot of acoustic shows were held and it seemed that it marked a trend of acoustic shows where people would watch people spill their guts on stage whilst people sat on beanbags and had a chat, and after it all they would comment on how tasty the carrot cake is. The song is also about some other observations on the music scene here.
-Find My Way ("gotta find my way, but that collar's got a leash and its gonna bring you back home")
Find My Way is about both finding a home and about the Catch 22 of wanting to be able to be free to go and stay wherever you want, but you can only do that if you've got the money... And you need to work to get that money, but a full time job limits your time to travel... So it can be a self-defeating effort if you aren't careful about it. I've always liked the double meaning of the shirt collar/dog collar in the chorus.
-Indoctrination ("what better way to control a populations thoughts than by first taking over what they believe, after that, they'll fall like dominos.")
This song is about when something as influential as religion falls into the wrong hands, and when the clergy start dictating what they think is right and what someone 2000 years ago would have wanted.
-Scream vs Whisper ("this dissonance gives us freedom, but that cacophony can't end up as the standard, 'cause its that juxtaposition of the scream and the whisper, that provides the context and insight to the listener.")
I studied music and I've always thought a big factor in music being able to grasp someone is the concept of contrast. The loudest parts of a song or a live show are only powerful if they have something quiet to be compared to. This song is also about some trends I have noticed in recording and composition of modern 'metalcore' music and the like, from the viewpoint of being a recording engineer.
Konspirazine:
The sound is comparable to a mix between Fugazi and Propagandhi. Who are your influences? as a band and as individuals? The punk roots are splattered all over yet there is still that experimental feel to it. How was this done?
Chris:
I think we've definitely got a lot of influences, but what band doesn't? Directly, if I analyze the songwriting I guess you can see some influence of hip hop on the intro to Indoctrination, and perhaps some influence of Dead Kennedys with the use of the guitar to make noise in The Lime Hasn't Fallen Far From The Tree... But none of this influence is deliberate.
Konspirazine:
In this day and age of the internet and MTV dictating what the norms of Hardcore and Punk Rock is, how is it important for the band to push forward with the ethics of DIY? The music and attitude of the band I guess screams a loud "Fuck You" against conventional Punk/Hardcore as dictated by everyone else. How is this achieved?
Chris:
To be completely honest we conduct ourselves in a DIY way because its always worked for me, and I've always been so appreciative of the support that other DIY and Independent bands give each other, I think I would feel lost in any other way. The best way to say "Fuck You" to all of that is to have absolutely nothing to do with it.
Konspirazine:
What made you decide to go on a South East Asia tour? This tour has been booked and handled independently by the band, free from any corporate sponsorship. I guess it shows just how the band is passionate about their craft and the scene. What do you expect to gain out of this tour? And why S.E.Asia?
Chris:
We're just looking forward to some awesome shows and awesome people and we'll keep doing our thing. I've done some tours with my old band to a few other places and I've never been this side of the globe so it just seemed right. And from the response that we've gotten, I think we made a good choice!
Konspirazine:
What's next for GHP? More albums and more touring, perhaps?
Chris:
Sure, why not! We've got some obstacles to climb in the near future but we're gonna do things as long as we can.
Konspirazine:
Any last words and advices/shout outs to our readers?
Chris:
Punk has nothing to do with how you dress or what music you play, it's about whats in your mind!
Konspirazine:
Thanks for your time guys. Hope you enjoy playing the Philippines. Perhaps you can enjoy our Baluts and our Red Horse Beer here. Cheers!.
Chris
We're looking forward to late nights with San Mig, Fundador and Ensaymadas!
www.facebook.com/grandhotelparadoxwww.grandhotelparadox.bandcamp.com
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