Transit Method is a grunge/progressive/heavy rock band from Austin, Texas. Their second EP, "Roach," is being released May 27th via Basement Avatar Records, a small outlet also located in Austin. We had the chance to talk with the band about their upcoming EP and what they experienced while taking part in the documentary, "If You Don't Love It, Change It."
Brothers Matt and Mike LoCoco started Transit Method in New Jersey in 2010. "We've been playing music together since we were just kids so it was pretty natural for us to get a band together after we finished school," Matt told us. "I had been playing with our first bassist Matt Ficarelli for two years, and Mike was good friends with Chris Clark who had played in a previous band in high school. We brought us all together and that was the first lineup."
After releasing their first full length album, "Spun Into The Fabric," in 2011 the band relocated to Austin, Texas where they released their 2013 EP, "Spectrum," and second full length, "Celebrate Mutations," in 2014. "An alumni reccomended Austin to me," Mike told us. "He said if I like music, partying, and good people I would love it there. Matt heard similar buzz and we decided that rehersing in our parent's basement couldn't continue. The other two members could not move with Matt and I but supported the decision and we arrived at our new home in January 2012."
Shortly after that they brought in their new bassist Danny Cruz Borja, Jr., and the rest is history. "A mutual friend out ours sent me an email one day out of the blue asking me if I would be interested in playing with Transit Method It took only one listen of Celebrate Mutations for me to say yes," he told us.
When the band started recording their new EP, "Roach," it was the first time they recorded entirely analog. "We were referred to Gary Calhoun James at Bell Tree Studios in Austin," Mike said. "James had recorded some notable bands we really admire. It only took a weekend to do the two songs and it ended up really exceeding our expectations!"
The guys took part in the music documentary, "If You Don't Love It, Change It," where Kenny Lewis and Randy Jenereaux venture off onto a nationwide tour where they shoot 50 music videos all across America. "Being involved in this documentary definitely injected some ambition into the band," Mike told us. "Kenny is younger than us and had his aim set high for great things, it was really inspiring. The project was an extreme undertaking for he and Randy, and we knew this project was special." Transit Method recorded their music video for "Artificial Genesis" with Randy and Kenny. "These guys motivated us to be creative and think outside the box," Mike continued. "The song is fairly lengthy and linear, so we wanted the song's evolution to come out through various settings, costume changes, and overall weirdness. We had a long 12-hour shoot in the rain, hopping around to several locations in Austin, and ended up shooting late night green screen shots in our house. In those late night hours, Danny wore the cigarette-smoking chicken head, which in my opinion was the cherry on top."
Basement Avatar Records, which is releasing the band's EP, originally served to release the music of founder Xander Rapstine's band, Proud Peasant, but is slowly evolving to becoming bigger than that. "We're helping each other though promotion and exposure," Mike said, "And we're looking forward to seeing the label's growth!."
The band is currently on tour in the south but has plans for when they finish. "We're gearing up to write another full length record," Mike stated. "We already have four new songs that we are playing on this tour, and we're got at least 20 new ideas demoed. We'll finish up writing the new record this summer and will hopefully hit the studio this fall. We will probably do another video wit the "Roach" director Justin Wilson and a larger tour will follow."
Be sure to pick up "Roach" when it releases on May 27th.
Artificial Genesis - Transit Method