Interview: Cinema Stereo

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Cinema Stereo (2022)

Armed with big dreams and plenty of energy to spare, Cinema Stereo are a melodic rock band from Orlando, Florida. Performing their original tracks exuberantly, this blues-based rock ‘n’roll trio have been lighting up a multitude of venues around Florida.

Cinema Stereo is made up of Ian Rayha (Lead Vocals/Bass/Synths), Sebastian Borysek (Lead Guitar), and Luke Pate (Drums). The band first started writing music in October 2019, and their self-titled debut album releases tomorrow June 24th.

Hoping to convey authenticity through their performances, Cinema Stereo seeks to positively influence the world and connect with like-minded individuals through their music.

The Indiependent had the chance to speak to the charismatic lead singer Ian, where he touched upon the origins, inspirations, and processes of the band.

The Indiependent: Where/when did you guys first meet and how did it happen?

Ian Rayha: Sebastian and I first met around six years ago in Vienna, VA at a teen music program called Pat Sommer’s Rock Shop. Rock Shop was essentially the real-life incarnation of the movie School of Rock because we were mentored by someone who had industry experience and he used that experience to help steer kids in the right direction with their talents. When I finished high school, Sebastian had unfortunately relocated to Orlando, so we no longer lived near each other for around two years. After attending a few years at community college, I decided to move out of state to continue my education at the University of Central Florida. Now living in the same area, we started fantasising again about how cool it would be to start a band. After about a year of searching we stumbled across a Facebook ad for a drummer who had lots of similar interests to us and we decided to give it a shot because our current drummer had just quit, and we had a few shows coming up. Luke learned the set in under a week to play the shows and the rest is history now.

The Indiependent: I’m intrigued by the unique name of the band, is there a meaning behind Cinema Stereo and was it at all influenced by your love for film soundtracks or cinema experiences?

Ian Rayha: The name came to me in a dream. I had a dream that someone owned a record player that when you dropped the needle on the record the stereo influenced and changed the environment around you. Almost like the movie Jumanji, the world didn’t return to normal until the record was turned off or the album finished. In the dream the record player was called a Cinema Stereo. I also loved the name because I always wanted a name that could grow and evolve with the band and didn’t feel attached to one specific mood or genre.

The Indiependent: Your music sounds heavily inspired by the likes of Led Zeppelin, Queen, and Rush. Are there any other bands or artists you’re currently listening to in order to explore new ideas with your music?

Ian Rayha: We are heavily inspired by those bands, but we have so many more influences that will come to the surface with time. I’ve always been inspired heavily by artists who have very complex layered music with sonic depth: Electric Light Orchestra, Tame Impala, Beatles, Def Leppard, and Boston just to name a few. 

Sebastian has always been drawn to the blues and was introduced to blues-based rock ‘n’ roll at a young age through players like Slash, Joe Perry, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. As the years have progressed the list has expanded to include players such as Eric Clapton, Brian May, Jimi Hendrix, Tom Scholz, BB King, Muddy Waters, Albert King, and John Mayer. Luke’s affinity for Rush is evident within minutes of speaking to him but his musical and drumming influences include the likes of Chick Corea, The Police, The Doors, Aerosmith, and Yes as well as drummers Steve Gadd and Steve Smith.

The Indiependent: I hear you’ve been performing in a variety of venues around Florida, how crazy have your tours been and how do you cope with such a hectic schedule?

Ian Rayha: Funnily enough we seem to perform better the more hectic our schedule gets because there is no time for thinking. The goal is to get ourselves in position to play 150-200 shows a year in markets all around the globe because we know that’s how you become masters at your craft.

The Indiependent: What’s your favourite song(s) to perform live?

Ian Rayha: For me it’s ‘No One Needs Your Love (Like I Do)’ and for the other guys it’s ‘Ride This Thing Out’.

The Indiependent: What’s your songwriting process like? Is it a very collaborative effort with the three of you or does one of you normally take the lead?

Ian Rayha: The biggest key to songwriting for me is enthusiasm and that sudden burst of conviction. Most of the ideas come to me when I’m just doing everyday monotonous activities like folding laundry, taking a shower, brushing my teeth and my brain starts to wander. Then minutes later I’m rushing over to grab my guitar to see if I can find the melody I heard in my head or I’m jotting down lyrics in the notes on my phone. I’m addicted to it and I love to see the big picture come together layer by layer and I just get sucked into the music. Most of the time I’m the one taking the lead, but I’m always workshopping ideas with the guys to see if they work, getting their input when I’m stuck and giving the music a lift by injecting everyone’s personality into it.

The Indiependent: Your self-titled debut album is releasing on June 24th, how long has this album been in the making and did it take many weeks/months to record?

Ian Rayha: The recording process was only ten days so there was definitely a sense of urgency going in, but we were just so eager to be there that we couldn’t help but to work a thousand miles an hour anyways. Due to the fact we are always writing new music it just came naturally to release a collection of songs that had been mainstays in our live performances over the past 6-12 months.

The Indiependent: Do you have a dream venue you’d love to play in one day?

Ian Rayha: The Whisky, The Troubadour, Hollywood Bowl, Royal Albert Hall, Madison Square Garden, and Red Rocks.

The Indiependent: Any advice for the hordes of up-and-coming musicians out there trying to make it big?

Ian Rayha: Keep playing man, you gotta keep playing. That’s the only thing there is – music man! Keep playing, all right?! Or I’m going looking for ya if you don’t!

Words by Kristian Bayford


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