The Interstellar Elevators

Really really sick group right here from my home state. Insterstellar Elevators are a hip hop band that achieves its sound not through vinyl samples and 808's but live jazz-funk, and it's damn good. If you're into jazzy hip hop you'll love this, takes japanese and french sample based jazz-hop to another level.
- Chainsaw Fellatio

...and THAT was what put Interstellar Elevators in the top spot last night. This seven-member group of high schoolers has a front man that is determined to make you part of the experience. One could easily get a bit nervous watching these guys set up the stage because there is a LOT of percussion going on - congas, bongos, maracas, a full drum kit and timbales. Next out? Two sets of keys and a sax. Finally it's show time and frontman Billy Rodriguez-Lopez comes out with a guitar and proceeds to announce "We're a hip-hop band". Oh my! That has all the makings of being a total disaster. Then they start to play. Just for SEVEN teenagers to get their stuff this much together is a small miracle in and of itself. There had to be some true talent amongst these guys to pull this stuff off and talented they are. Percussionists who play sax, a lead vocalist who also emcees, plays guitar and keys, a drummer who knows his way around a kit and is truly passionate about his music and another percussionist who rocks out on the big keyboard. Now as crazy as this is so far, intricate lyrics that are basically rap done at the speed of the Micromachine Man, Billy ramps up the craziness even more by not forgetting a single word...for a half hour set. This band is beyond polished and studio-ready. They NEED to cut a record and be spun on all the pop stations. The consensus last night was that Rodriguez-Lopez is a cross between Travis Macoy and Gabe Saporta and that this act could easily tour with Cobra Starship right now. Its just great music. - Hartford Examiner

What is seven people strong, plays nine different instruments, has a passion for funk/hip-hop/rap and is all under 18 years of age? INTERSTELLAR ELEVATORS!

This group from the tiny little town of Weston, CT are one of the few bands that just make this giant smile break out on my face every time I hear them. My first experience with IE was one of the preliminary rounds of The Annual Battle of The Bands at The Space in Hamden, CT that I was a judge for. As they loaded in, things were looking kind of scary. There were bongos, timbalies, congas, a special cymbal rack, two keyboards, a saxophone, guitars, bass and a scratch table. I turned to a fellow judge and noted that this had the makings of a major train wreck. Then seven young men took the stage. It was looking worse by the minute. Finally, frontman Billy Rodriquez-Lopez stepped up to the mic with a guitar slung over his shoulder and announced “We’re a hip-hop band.” My fellow judge and I looked at each other and our mouths dropped. We braced ourselves for disaster.

The shock changed gears mid-shift when the music that began to pour out of these guys filled the room with all kinds of toe-tapping, danceable melodies and lyrics with senses of humor and cheek that were far better than anything I’ve heard from writers twice their age. These guys poke fun at pop culture at every turn with a whole song titled “Kenye West” and another track that uses more than one video game reference. The musical riffs and composition are filled with retro funk, current hip-hop and a little tinge of rock.

Billy drags his stage presence out into the crowd, using an extended breakdown section of one song to go out and meet the audience, gifting them with copies of the band’s current EP. This kid is just walking charisma, making him the band’s best marketing tool. As for the rest of the group, the chemistry is so incredibly strong and they just have fun doing what they do. This is what real art is all about. They want you to be part of their experience and they usually succeed. That kind of joy and passion is really hard to resist.

They won the round of the battle that night, the next semi-final and ended up taking the grand prize — which they more than deserved. These kids are polished, professional and passionate. The manager of The Space’s recording studio agrees: they should have a single on Top 40 radio, have a CD in the rack at FYE and should be touring with bands such as Cobra Starship or Gym Class Heroes. Other staffers, ‘Battle’ judges and myself are baffled that they are not signed. Interstellar Elevators are one of those examples of what happens when labels stopped sending scouts or A&R’s into the field and tons of ‘demos’ recorded in Garage Band piled on reps desks — something this unique is lost in the middle of it.

Recently they used the recording session part of their prize package to lay down the tracks for their upcoming EP. With Travis as their producer and engineer, the result can only be amazing. We will all find out on September 11 when the as yet untitled disc drops.

You can listen and learn more about Interstellar Elevators here: http://www.myspace.com/theinterstellarelevators - Catalyst Magazine