Focused and Determined

Open Your Eyes Interview with Justin King and Sandra Alva

By George Archibald, Photos by Andrew Bastion: 

Chicago, Illinois’ Open Your Eyes, have been traveling the country nonstop at a very grueling pace. Having played over 300 shows in their first year of existence, the band has no plans on stopping. After finalizing a solid line up the band was focused going into the recording process of their debut album Truth or Consequences, which was released on March 26^th, 2016. With a work ethic that doesn’t stop this band is determined to get out to as many people as they can reach and spread their brand of rock and roll. I got a chance to speak with Open Your Eyes’ Justin King and Sandra Alva to learn more about the band while they were on tour with Wednesday 13 and One Eyed Doll.

Open Your Eyes by Andrew Bastion

GA: George Archibald here with Open Your Eyes, why don’t you introduce yourselves?
OYE: My name is Justin King, I play guitar and sing. My name is Sandra Alva, and I play drums.

GA: How about we start with you telling me about the band. I just saw you perform, and you are very energetic, it was very awesome to watch.
OYE: (Justin) Honestly, I would say if I can put it into words… We are a DIY rock and roll band that loves our music a lot. We are also a band that likes to help other people improve their life.
(Sandra) We go up with our instruments and play with no backtracks, it’s just raw rock and roll. Mess-ups are mess-ups, you know?
(Justin) Mistakes are part of being human, and that’s a big thing to us that our music is human. It’s got to be real, it’s got to be something that is pure, and we believe in.

GA: I read that the band played over 300 shows in your first year together, how was that for all of you?
OYE: (Justin) It was intense, but we loved it. The biggest part of our lives is music so it was totally ok. We as a band like to work.
(Sandra) It’s hard work, but once you get a crowd like tonight (Cleveland) it’s all worth it. It’s like a goal and then you meet it. All the hard work is vindicated.

Open Your Eyes by Andrew Bastion

GA: What is some of the background on the new album?
OYE: (Sandra) Our debut album, Truth or Consequence came out this past March 26^th.
(Justin) This is a full length album. In past bands, we did a bunch of EPs and stuff for a long time. This time we just wanted to see what we could get if we put all guns blazing into one project, and see how the record sounded. Comron Fouladi (Bassist in the band) and I, really loved how it sounded. We really wanted to get it to the next level so we pushed for 3 years, and finally got it out. We got Sandra and Ryan Steinberg on board, and it’s been an awesome thing since then. Everything has just gelled together over the past year.

GA: You have Brandon Saller from Atreyu  as producer on the album, how was it working with him?
OYE: (Justin) Brandon was absolutely awesome. He revolutionized our whole song writing process. He taught me a lot, and he taught the band a ton. It was really cool to have someone who has a tangible understanding of how the business works, and how production works. He totally changed my entire life. There’s no other way to put it, he’s a beautiful human being.
(Sandra) We were waiting for the perfect team and the right people to be around, and it all worked out. Patience is a virtue.

GA: Having toured as many cities as you have, what are some of your favorite spots?
OYE: (Sandra) Tonight was dope!!!
(Justin) Cleveland has to be the best show so far, and one of the loudest. Seattle was a good close second for this tour because of the energy. I’m a huge Nirvana fan and I felt very at home there. The venue was like a dirty punk rock looking club, it was really cool, it was perfect for our sound.

GA: What would you want a fan who attends one of your shows, to take away from your performance? Any special feeling or message you want to convey to them?
OYE: (Justin) It’s hard to think anyone is going to listen to the lyrics live, and really comprehend them, then go home feeling changed. I just want them above all else to realize what we do, and understand we are doing our best to convey some sort of truth. The biggest goal to me is that we are truthful about what we sing about and the way we live. The goal to me is that people understand that.
(Sandra) We go up there and we just perform with our hearts, none of it is fake. Then when people come after to the merch booth, we try to talk with them, and ask them their names, get to know them. It’s more like a friendship, and not just be like, ‘oh you are just my fan, here’s my signature.’
(Justin) We try to have the biggest anti-rock-star mind set. There’s nothing contrived about what we are doing. We are not ahead of time, like having predetermined patterns of what is going to happen with the band.  We just live in the moment, we live with the heart and soul that we have, and we love what we do.
(Sandra) We just love talking with the fans and having those one on one connections. Actually talking to them and getting to know them.

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GA: That is excellent; it’s like a personal approach to things.
OYE: (Sandra) Definitely, we want people to feel comfortable around us, and be approachable. We don’t want them to be too scared to come talk to us.
(Justin) At the end of the day we are all humans and we just want to connect.
(Sandra) At the root of it we want to make our music and want people to enjoy it, and we want to get to know the people that do enjoy it.

GA: Justin you being a guitar player and Sandra being a drummer, I want to know about the instruments you both play? This is a gear talk question so like what brands are you all using, and if you have any endorsements definitely give a shout out.
OYE: (Justin) I use a Fender Jaguar and a Fender Stratocaster, I like to play both but my Jaguar is in the shop at the moment. As far as my sound, I am a huge sludge fan and really have a particular ear for fuzz tones like Smashing Pumpkins era sound. I like that dirty, nasty, filthy, grunge sound. It’s so thick that if everybody cut out and all that was left was my guitar tone ringing out I still want everyone’s body to still shake. As far as amp heads go, I stick to Orange series the old OR style.
(Sandra) I play a custom drum set, that Powell Custom Drums made for me. Shout to Brad, what up? He made that set by hand for me. I have been rocking that for 5 years now. Cymbal wise I am not too picky whatever sounds good. Sticks whatever doesn’t break because I go through a ton of sticks. I usually use Vadar sticks.

GA: With the way your schedule is with touring, I can understand the need for something that will stand up to abuse. So what is next for the band?
OYE: (Justin) Hopefully a new album, relatively in the making.

(Sandra) We have a couple shows coming up with the band Black Stone Cherry in November.
(Justin) We are going to do a little run with them, and that’s probably going to be the thing to look forward to on our fall calendar. Aside from that hopefully next year we will get back out on the road, and also start recording.
(Sandra) We are getting submissions for some tours, but nothing is solidified yet. There is a lot of talk for some upcoming tours so hopefully we will be getting out there. We have been touring this whole year, and want to keep going.

GA: Anything else you all would want to add?
OYE: Look us up on Facebook !!! We also have three videos on YouTube for everyone to check out. We also have a really weird cover of Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” online as well, so check that out.

You can check out Open Your Eyes now on tour with Wensday 13 and One Eyed Doll. It was a pleasure meeting you and speaking with you. I wish you safe travels while on tour and looking forward to new music in the future from you.

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George Archibald

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