We had the good fortune of connecting with Etienne Rosas and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Etienne, do you have a favorite quote or affirmation?
One of my favorites is “Man can do what he wills, but he cannot will what he wills”, by Arthur Schopenhauer. This quote is challenging, frustrating, humbling, and liberating all at once. As trained, ego-driven creatures, the first instinct we tend to have when confronted by the notion that our free will is an illusion is to push back and resist. But if you can get past that, you realize that there’s true freedom in accepting ourselves for what we are, and in submitting to being observers or vessels rather than scrambling to be protagonists or sources all the time. It’s likely the only freedom there is. It answers why we yearn for moments to get lost in and forget about our fears and why we experience vicariously with intensity through other people’s passions.

This quote resonates with me especially when I reflect on how music happens, or at least the music that I’ve found most inspiring and meaningful. In my own process, only once I’ve started digging into myself and quieting the noise in my head that begs constant attention do I find a melody or a phrase floating around asking to be written. Sometimes it happens in a random instant of clarity. Though you rationalize your actions after the fact, the truth is you never know where the creative journey takes you or why you even decided to embark on it in the first place. All you really know is that some inner spark compelled you to be the vessel, to bring this idea into being, and to set it free. When that unmistakable passion takes over and you submit to it, it’s like some mysterious, unrelenting source of energy drives you forward, praise or criticism be damned. To quote a Frou Frou song, “there’s beauty in the breakdown,” and it’s intoxicating.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
The Revies is a Mexican-American rock band that began over a decade ago in the city of Monterrey, Mexico. Over that time, we’ve recorded over 50 songs professionally, and you can hear the evolution of our music in each production, both in style and substance. If we listen back at all we’ve written and recorded, it’s almost like a musical diary of our lives, which is pretty unique if you think about it. Within it you capture relationships, social tensions, personal idiosincracies, life stages and moods, maturity (or lack thereof), etc. We don’t pretend to be famous or aspire to be influencers, just to be truthful to the music and the moment. Like most bands, we’ve been advised to be more “strategic” about our sound, but this “organic” method seems to keep us inspired, and similar to any relationship, it’s what keeps us interested after so many years. We still deeply enjoy recording and playing new music like we did on day one, regardless of whether or not it reaches a massive audience.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
One of the things I absolutely love about LA is the unique contrast between natural and urban experiences it offers. Introducing people to surfing when they come to LA always seems to be a winner, so Venice, Huntington, or even further south like Laguna Beach are all sure to make an impression. On other days, hiking up Temescal Canyon gives you a beautiful view of the city and the coast, and you can recharge with a godmother sandwich at Bay Cities. For the urban side, you can’t miss a walk around the Arts District with an obligated brewery stop at spots like Boomtown Brewery. Back to the food, ramen in little Tokyo or Sawtelle are musts (or if we feel more adventurous, incredible Asian food all over Pasadena or San Gabriel), and for tacos, I’d stop by Leo’s Tacos after a live music show at The Echo or Hi Hat. For the weekend, I’d suggest a getaway to Joshua Tree to round out the crazy SoCal natural experience.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My band, The Revies, started playing in Los Angeles about 5 years ago, and we all know it’s a difficult scene that adds to the significant challenges that musicians already face. I’d like to dedicate this shoutout to the Westside Revival community, a collective of independent westside LA bands, that have made it feel like home and have tirelessly put together some of the most unforgettable shows we’ve ever played.

Website: www.therevies.com

Instagram: instagram.com/the.revies

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/etienne-rosas-260203a7/

Facebook: facebook.com/revies

Youtube: youtube.com/therevies

Image Credits
Marcelo Quiñones (ig@vertovthenoise), Dibanhi Leal (ig@dibanhileal)

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