Outer Stylie beamed down to earth for WMUA and the Sweet Baby Lou and the Reverends of Funk radio show. Something of a space oddity, the band knew the most important part of being on the radio was looking really good. All dressed up to get down, drummer Kyle Heon, bassist Tom Schack, guitarist/vocalist Nate Martel and guitarist John Duffy did just that.
Clad in his three piece suit with purple tie-dye t-shirt and matching purple glasses, Schack placed the same label on his band’s music as he put on his t-shirt: definitely psychedelic. Although everyone in the band comes from a diverse music-loving background, they all can attest to the same love of songs that are full of life and thought. Psychedelic – for obvious reasons to anyone who’s ever had the chance to meet the band – seemed to be a perfect fit.
However, for music dubbed “psychedelic,” this band is a little heavier than your run-of-the-mill jam band. It’s a power-packed punch with a peace sign. As Martel says, “It will take you there.”
Soon to move into a house together, Outer Stylie has been together for roughly nine months (with the current members), but they busted out of the musical womb long ago, playing shows nationally. With the loss and gain of a new drummer and with many of the members contributing to other musical projects, Outer Stylie went through a few mechanical changes, but they’re now one unit – all members solely dedicated to this one endeavor.
That endeavor, of course, is taking people there.
“We want to make people feel things. We want to help people feel, well, unexplainable greatness,” explains Martel.
Best compared to lyrics of theirs concerning the crisis between being the “dragon or the butterfly,” their sound is both powerful and beautiful. More importantly, it gives you wings – like a Red Bull without the taurine hangover. It’s the beast and the beauty. On flying, Schack added, “One time we did and it was good.” On a more existential note, Duffy said, “The best way to learn to fly is to throw yourself at the ground and miss. That’s the only way to do it.”
That tactic seems to be working. After playing Hampshire Halloween, Outer Stylie received double encores and went 20 minutes into the next band’s set after playing a ten minute last song jam.
They were so happy about the response they got that it trumped what had previously noted as the coolest experience they’d had as a band. That experience: having McLovin’ at their show. The guys had watched “Super Bad” the night before the show and the next thing they knew – there was McLovin’ and he was mc’lovin’ it.
Aside from Hampshire, they’ve played other local shows, such as Extravaganja (and after playing WMUA, the band plans on having their own little extravaganja). They plan to play at Snowzee’s in Sunderland on May 1.
Currently, an EP is in the making. The concept is “earth and space.” According to Martel, their inspiration for the album came from Jimi Hendrix, who said his music was a combination of earth and space. According to Duffy, they’re just living on earth and looking to space. Either way, the EP is sure to deliver “unexplainable greatness” and “take you there.”
Make sure to look out for Outer Stylie’s summer tour, which is set for July. Until then, stop by myspace.com/outerstylie for some psychedelic flying lessons.
Leigh Greaney can be reached at [email protected].
