Musician Interview With Kyle Ort of Dark Station
October 28, 2019 — We recently chatted with Kyle Ort, guitarist of Dark Station about a number of topics. Below is what Kyle had to say to us:
Need406: Would you be able to tell us how the band formed and how the band chose Dark Station as the band’s name?
Kyle: Most of us played together in a previous band from 2012 to 2015. I left that band, joined another, and played with them until 2018. At that point, I wanted to start a band that I could consider more of my own than the previous bands I've been in. The other guys that I had left in 2015 were still playing together and it just so happened they were looking to replace their guitarist. I mentioned the idea of starting something new, from the ground up. They had a new song they were working on, so I asked to hear it. It was exactly the sound I was looking for. After that, we went into the studio and expanded on that first song by writing a few more. Everything just came together so easily I knew we were on the right path. As far as the band name, we just thought it sounded cool, haha. That's the story. We've been kicking around a few ideas on possibly tying in a story or a meaning behind what exactly "Dark Station" is. That's something that will evolve as the band grows with time.
Needob406: Even with band members experienced in the recording process from previous endeavors did the band feel any pressure while creating “Down in The Dark”?
Kyle: At the time of recording, Dark Station was a brand new band that wasn't known publicly yet. We had no timeline and no preconceived notions of what we should be. Because of those reasons, there was very little pressure while creating the album. Worst case scenario, if went didn't write good songs, we would move on and try something else. I think the lack of pressure made the recording experience enjoyable for everyone involved.
Need406: When it came time to record songs for “Down In The Dark” how many songs did the band have written and how did the band decide which songs would make it onto the album?
Kyle: We actually wrote 90% of the album in the studio. Our producer Gus Cryns was also a co-writer on the album. We would just get together a few times a week for a couple hours at time and jam some ideas out. We did that for about six months until we had around fifteen songs. At that point we had somewhat picked a direction that we wanted the album to go, so we just eliminated the four song ideas that we felt either weren't strong enough or didn't fit the vibe of the album. That left us with the eleven songs that you'll hear on the "Down in the Dark."
Need406: With “Down In The Dark” being Dark Station’s debut album did the band feel more pressure when the creating and recording process began?
Kyle: The first record is the one with the least amount of pressure in my opinion. There's an old saying in the industry that goes something like this: "You have your whole life to write your first record." After that is when the pressure to write something better and do it in a timely manner comes into play.
Need406: What proved to be the most difficult song(s) for you to record and why?
Kyle: One of the songs that didn't make the cut was the most difficult to record. It just never felt right to us and we tried several different directions and swapped out this part for that part over and over again. We tried to make it work until the end, but now it's lost in the 2018 demo abyss never to be heard from again.
Need406: “Down In The Dark” has a total of eleven songs on it. How did the band decide what the positioning of each of those songs would be?
Kyle: We completely went by feel for the order of the album. Speaking for myself, after listening to thousands of songs and hundreds of albums front to back, I think I have a pretty good sense of where songs should fit. Ryse has a bit of a build up intro, so it just felt like it should kick off the album. For Visions, the band rings out at the end of the song, so it felt like it should end the album.
Need406: What ideas did director Erez Bader bring to the table to help create the vision the band had for the “Heroes” music video?
Kyle: Erez brought the demon auctioneer idea to the table which ended up being a staple of the music video. He also had the idea of the band coming to life throughout the video. We knew we wanted the band members to be strung up like puppets and break free at the end, but Erez brought the whole thing to life.
Need406: Where did the band get the cool looking outfits they wore in the “Heroes” music video?
Kyle: The band just wore some button up shirts, but our singer Nathan played a larger part in the video so Erez brought some special clothes for him to wear. His look was more theatrical with the top hat and the jacket and gloves.
Need406: Where did Dark Station film the video for “Obvious” and how did the band get that cool looking spider into the video?
Kyle: "Obvious" was filmed in an old auto repair facility in an industrial area of Los Angeles. Someone from the production team went to a pet store before the shoot and bought the spider (Charlotte). Our singer Nathan adopted her after that and still has her today.
Need406: The music video for “No Life” delivers a very powerful message. What inspired the band to create a music video that shows how real and raw life can be?
Kyle: Our singer Nathan has had some really rough patches in his life. Everything you hear from us, including No Life comes from a real experience that he has had. Specifically with No Life, drug addiction is such a prevalent problem, we knew we would strike a nerve with a lot of people once we created the video for this song. Apparently we were right as it has been our fastest growing video.
Need406: With all the online sites (Apple Music, Deezer, Pandora, Spotify, etc) popping up for fans to listen to music do you feel this makes it easier or more difficult for an indie band to get their music out to the masses?
Kyle: It's easier to release music to the masses. Because of that, it's way more difficult to break through all the white noise, let alone monetize your music. We're living in a world where we are running a business with a product that people can get for free. It's like walking into McDonald's and grabbing a few cheeseburgers and leaving. McDonald's wouldn't stay in business very long if that was the case would they? That's what makes things so difficult for smaller bands these days. We just have to adapt and create new revenue streams outside of music sales. It can be done. There are still plenty of bands making a living. You just have to be smarter now.
Need406: There’s been a lot of talk in 2019 about artists owning the master recordings of their work. What is your thoughts on this subject?
Kyle: Personally I think all artist should own their recordings. I understand why some don't, because that's the deal they signed. I've heard all kinds of stories from the previous generations' rock bands that had a hit song or two,but didn't make any money because of the deal they signed. To me, if you believe in what you're doing, and you should or there's no point in doing it, you should take less of an advance up front and retain the rights to your music. After all, it's YOUR music right?
Need406: Why do you think hard rock as a genre has been in a decline lately?
Kyle: It's like anything else. Something new comes out, people love it, then they get tired and move on. Honestly, there's not much that breaking the mold as far as new hard rock music out there. The genre has been around for 50 years or so. Not to say there aren't still fans out there. It's just not in the spotlight like it was 20-30 years ago.
Need406: In what ways do you feel Dark Station is aiding in the hard rock revival?
Kyle: Well, we're about to add 11 songs to the hard rock ecosystem, haha. When writing this record, we weren't chasing any trends that were happening. We just wanted to write songs that sounded like something we liked when we were growing up. Something familiar enough for people to be able to easily digest it, but still with a modern twist. I think we accomplished that. We'll be hitting the road soon, so I'm sure we'll see everyone at rock venues across the country!
Need406: If you were going to write a song based on how today is going for you what might that song title be?
Kyle: "Snapping necks and cashing checks.
Dark Station Is: Nathan Spades: Vocals - Kyle Ort: Guitar - David Bruno: Guitar - Eric Sinful: Bass - Dylan Roy: Drums. Their debut album, "Down In The Dark" was released on October 25, 2019 and is avalable to purchase at the official Dark Station website and at all the usual outlets.
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