Bastion

I was drinking at this bar in Jersey City, disappointed because the jukebox was turned off. I usually don’t really like the bands that play at this place, so I figured one beer, then back to the house. But as my beer emptied I was pulled closer and closer to the back room where the bands perform. When I got back there it hit me: I didn’t get up because I was buzzed or because I wanted to stretch my legs, I just couldn’t resist the beautifully haunting sound emanating from that evening’s band. I watched their whole set. When they were finished I wanted to hear more; I had to find out who these guys were.

So, who are these guys? They’re Bastion–Howie L. (vocals, guitar), Keith E. (guitar), Rob S. (bass), Bill K. (drums) and Fred M. (keyboards), a five-piece new-wave band swimming in the hiphop/pseudo-60s sea that is the local New York music scene. They stand out with a dark, melodic, yet heavily energized sound, leaving bands in competing genres looking like art school dropouts.

After seeing their show and talking with the guys, a new hope, in the face of this young millennium’s constant rock ’n’ roll embarrassments, began to grow inside me.

How did you decide on the name Bastion?

Rob S.: Yeah, I’d like to know.

Fred M.: I’m kind of curious about that. [laughter]

Howie L.: Well, we were all given the homework to come up with five names and see who had the best ones. We all had these crazy ones, but one of the choices I came up with was Bastion. I kind of liked the meaning of the word.

Keith E.: I can give you the dictionary definition. It comes from the word "Bastille," meaning a stronghold or something that’s well protected.

FM: We are the fort of rock music. [laughter]

So you just recently added keyboards. What made you do that?

HL: Well, we needed it.

You had planned on it?

FM: Well, before I joined, they were kind of new wave, kind of rock. After we introduced the keyboards it made the music new wave, so no one has to question what our genre is.

New wave is the genre that you are happy with?

HL: In a way.

KE: Maybe rock wave.

What are your influences?

HL: Joy Division, My Bloody Valentine, Depeche Mode.

KE: The Cure and Radiohead, The Bends.

HL: One of the nicest things about this band, that I have always said, is that we all basically love the same stuff, but we also love totally different shit.

FM: That’s where the layering comes from–you will rarely get the same style out of any two of us at the same point. It’s always different styles on top of another, like Lego blocks. Like really dark, gothic, new wave Lego blocks.

KE: They’d all be black, I guess.

How important are lyrics to you in your music, and are they written collectively?

KE: I think we’re working on the first song where you [Howie] didn’t write the lyrics.

HL: I don’t think lyricism is my strong point. I’m totally open to collaboration.

KE: The lyrics might not be printed in the liner notes of our album. [laughter; Howie flashes Keith the middle finger.] No, I just say that so there is more room for pictures of us, our pretty faces.

Has anything really cool happened since you’ve been playing out?

FM: Yeah, I joined the band.

HL: Lot’s of orgies. [laughter] We’re on this compilation coming out, and our song "Dance" is in a commercial for MTV2.

That’s the song on your website?

HL: Yeah, it’s this commercial with Elijah Wood saying something, and all this animation. This guy that we are friends with did this commercial for MTV2, one version had this song by Portishead and one with our song, and MTV2 chose ours.

KE: We kind of consider it to be our first music video, starring Elijah Wood.

So what’s your plan? Where do you see yourselves?

FM: I just want to tour and record and have enough money to pay my bills.

Bill K.: I just want there to be Bastion pants.

On the ass, like those pants that say "playa"?

BK: Yeah.

KE: I think Fred will be happy when Lego sponsors a Bastion kids set. We just want to do as many of these [interviews] as possible.

Do you try to play with other bands that are doing the same type of thing as you guys?

HL: There are bands that we play with, but we are always the darker band.

FM: Not that we’re goth.

BK: No, we just happen to be wearing all black, and brooding.

Bastion plays Wed., Feb. 5, 10 p.m., at Filter 14, 432 W. 14th St. (Washington St.), 366-5680; visit their website at www.bastionmusic.com.