How would you describe your band’s sound in the easiest way possible?

We are an alt-rock band with a hard edge, blending elements of folk, funk and grooves you can dance to.

We’re influenced by hard rock music from the 2000's to 2010's such as: Queens of the Stone Age, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Verbena, Wolf Parade, Spoon, and so on.

Jeff, you played in a band in Los Angeles before this. What did you learn there that you use now?

One of my (Jeff’s) previous bands in Los Angeles was called “Parents,” and what I learned from those guys was the virtue of hard work. They had tons of irons in the fire all the time, whether it be the nearly monthly gigs or constant work on new material. The singer and main songwriter, Aaron Sausedo, had something like half a dozen albums out and had played in bands since he was a teenager. Barriers were ever-present since their style of music was out of vogue at the time (and still is).

As the bass player, I saw up-close how songwriting was done. More importantly, I saw that when there’s not much hope of a career, you need to be passionate to the point of obsession to really keep going. And those guys above all else just genuinely love music. When everything around you is telling you to quit, I learned you need a lot of either willpower or stubbornness to continue to forge ahead.

What do you like most about being part of Edmonton’s music community?

We really love how supportive our audiences have been and how many people come out to support local live music. We’ve also been really impressed at the level of talent in the bands here. We’ve been super inspired by the originality and diversity of Edmonton musicians.

How has playing in Edmonton’s indoor‑focused scene shaped your live shows?

What strikes me as unique about Edmonton is how many places have a DIY attitude toward live shows, which comes with its own pros and cons. Sometimes you have to adjust on the fly to issues that come up, so it can be a challenge. But the virtue of that is you get to play some unique spaces that you might not otherwise see, such as people’s backyards or a one-off venue tucked away in a neighborhood that’s off of everyone’s radar.

What feels different between the music scene in Edmonton and the one in L.A.?

Los Angeles was much more competitive and many local venues that supported up-and-coming bands closed before we left. Success also seemed to rely heavily on who you knew and corporate labels that are prone to support formulaic music.

The Edmonton scene is much more collaborative and grassroots, which is really refreshing. We really appreciate how local live music is part of daily life here, whether it’s at farmers markets, bars or festivals.

Have local festivals in Edmonton helped you get your music in front of more people?

We are actually super excited to be playing the Canada Day Celebration at Glastonbury Park in west Edmonton which is expected to have hundreds of attendees. To be honest, we haven’t had many opportunities to play festivals so far, but we hope to play some in the future.

How do you keep your Edmonton roots in your music while still trying to reach listeners outside the city?

For us it is natural to be inspired by what is going on here. For example, the song “Safezone” from our recently released album, "Anywhere's Better Than Here”, is about the Jasper fires and how you can wait your whole life for the people around you to accept climate change without any luck. I think that translates well from one country to the next. Although Canada is much better on environmental issues overall, there are plenty of people here in Edmonton who are less than willing to accept fossil fuel’s direct role in these kinds of catastrophes. And that may be because they rely on that industry to survive. Ultimately, we write what we care about and hope to connect with others who feel the same wherever they live.

What makes Far Out Again different from other rock bands in Edmonton?

Our songs speak to our unique experiences and point of view as immigrants from the California music scene. Our message is specific to our background and lives. For example, we have a song called Paramount about ICE targeting schools in Paramount, California and how much fear they’ve brought to the lives of the average person there.