Interview with Dynoride
What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today?
Wanting to hang out with friends and have fun was an early motivation for playing music.
What do you like to do when you are not playing music and how does that influence your creativity?
These days most of our free time is spent with family, which can be both a source and drain for creativity. Finding ways to tap into the moments of creativity is a skill.
How long has your band been around?
Dynoride began as an acoustic project in 2008 with two high school friends, John Taylor and Burnell Eckardt. Since then we've had 12 drummers. Our current drummer, Alex Triece, has lasted the longest but is on thin ice. Between the three current members we have fathered a total of 10 children and we have now officially solidified ourselves in the realm of “dad rock”.
Where are you based out of and how did that influence your music?
Both Burnell and John graduated from Kewanee, IL, a small town on the outskirts of the Quad Cities. Growing up in a rural area left a lot of time to our imaginations and probably contributed to our interest in music. When we were first starting out, there was a big metal and hardcore scene in the area and we often found ourselves as the only rock band on a bill. I can’t help but think that those formative moments have shaped our sound and shows.
How did you come up with the name of your band and what does it mean to you?
A component on the dashboard of Burnell's Buick LeSabre had the word “Dynaride” printed on it. We liked the word so much that we replaced the “a” with an “o”. With the band, we try to imagine and convey
Tell me about your most memorable shows.
The first memory that comes to mind is of a show we played on a corner stage at the pizza shop in the lower level of River Music Experience. The bands performing before us had run long so by the time we were starting we had a very short amount of time left to play. We had prepared to play the show in hazmat suits, but underneath the suits were our swimming suits. During the second song, we revealed our swimming suits and sent beach balls into the crowd. We ended up only playing three songs that night, but it was a blast!
What is your favorite venue to play at, and do you have any places you want to play that you have not already?
Rosbrook Studio in Dixon, Illinois is towards the top of our list. We seem to keep coming back there because all the folks are so nice. In the future, we are hoping to bring a bigger show to some of the theaters in the area.
If you could play any show with any lineup, who would be on the ticket?
Honestly, once we hit the stage nothing else matters. Everything that happens before and after is a bit of a blur so it would be hard to share the bill with another group we really loved and fully enjoy it.
What is some advice that you would give to someone who is just getting into playing in a band and some advice that you would give to your younger self?
Always have fun and make sure your audience is having a good time. At the very least, even if you never achieve any level of monetary success, the moments you spend making and performing music will be joyful.
If you could go back in time and give yourselves advice, what would it be?
Structure your life in a way so you can play music more.
Of your songs which one means the most to you and why?
Probably DNA. That was the first song we wrote as a band and it is about loved ones who have passed on.
Which songs are your favorite to play and which get requested the most?
They all are a ton of fun to play. We generally open our sets with Perfect Stranger and that one is particularly fun because it prepares us for the show and everything that is to come after.
What is the creative process for the band, and what inspires you to write your music?
Most of our songs start with music first and lyrics come later.
What kinds of messages do you like to get across in your music?
Most of the songs are about movies, pets that have passed on, or funny memories, of which the message we are trying to convey is: Don’t take yourself seriously. Have fun.
Do you ever have disagreements in your band, and how do you get past them?
There is a lot of back and forth as we try to settle into the final form for songs, but it’s generally pretty civil. We all play music because we love it and we enjoy spending time together so we always figure out a way to put any disagreements aside.
What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that is coming up?
2022 was a big year for us and we are hoping 2023 will be even better. Our plan is to focus on putting together a few really special shows for our fans, instead of playing willy-nilly!