Today we’d like to introduce you to Felipe Pezzoli of indie rock band South Beacons.
Felipe, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
South Beacons started when I graduated in 2017 with a Music Education degree from Humboldt State and was writing music from a multitude of different genres. When I relocated to San Diego, it was time to be in a band again, and time to perform this new music. My best friend Eric joined on guitar not too long after the move. At the time, there was also a percussionist, Avi, and bassist, Bret. We recorded two singles in April of 2018, “Cold Shoulder” and “Erosion Explosion” and went on a short California tour.
Afterward, we recorded our debut EP “Floaters” which was released in June 2018. We toured the west coast in support of that record. Bret left to Ohio shortly after, and Avi started law school. In December, we added Lukas on drums while Garrison from Tina Fake was graciously filling in on bass.
As of April 2019, we are doing a west coast tour with Tina Fake which starts April 3rd in Vegas and runs until April 13th in Carlsbad at L’HOOQ Books.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
South Beacons strives to make indie-rock that reflects the diverse musical landscape that is out there. With every song, there are multiple genres that all blend, balance, and play with each other. A great example of that is our song “Afterglow.” It’s a grunge-pop song which explores an unconventional song structure and has a breakdown straight from hardcore as the bridge.
South Beacons also draws heavily from 20th-century classical music and music history. There are parts that use extended techniques, extended chords, negative harmony, and pitch set collections. Once we knew the rules of music, we found ways to mess it up. A great example of this would be “Cold Shoulder.” It’s a pop-punk song that is built on the relationship of the tritone. A tritone can have a very harsh sound to people, but by setting up the tritone properly, we have made the tritone palpable for pop music. Another great example is “Sonder,” which is inspired by the works of Arvo Pärt. “Sonder” is essentially one chord the whole way through, but is harmonized by a few notes to add tension and release.
Any advice for aspiring or new artists?
Over the 10+ years I’ve been in bands, I’ve learned a few things I’d like to share.
– Bands should always show up early for shows and leave after all the bands ended and have pack up their stuff.
– Please not only practice your songs, but practice your transitions, practice your form, and really think about songwriting. For the love of all that is beautiful, please practice with a metronome.
– Bands, please don’t leave shows early. You miss out on other great artists’ performances and bands who stay late get paid.
– Don’t let your influences or predetermined genre write your songs. Just because you play pop-punk or metalcore or hardcore, doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice individuality to fit the genre.
– Go to shows and support your friends.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
Going to a show and buying merch is a great way to support any band. We always have shirts, compact discs, cassette tapes, and stickers with us. All of our music is on streaming sites like Apple Music, YouTube, Spotify, Bandcamp, and all the others.
Please not only support us but support local shows and bands. The best way to build a scene is to see your friend’s band, show up early, stay for the whole shows, buy shirts and merch, and support safe spaces (like the Ché Café). If you have any sort of art or talent, please share with everyone, so our scene is not only diverse, but so we can collaborate and create together.
Contact Info:
- Address:
southbeacons.bandcamp.com - Email: southbeacons@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/southbeacons/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SouthBeacons/
Image Credit:
Lukas Weiss
Heidi Barrios
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