Rai

N.R.
How did you come up with the name?

Miguel
The name, Rai — it came from the idea that our band sounds like a storm on the beach. We wanted our name to have something to do with that. So, our first idea was relampago which means thunder in Spanish...

Isaac
But that didn't quite do it. (unsatisfied)

Miguel
Yeah, so we started looking for words in other languages.

Manny
It kinda sounded like, you know, a metal kind of band in Spanish — (quickly) RELAMPAGO — it's kinda fast paced, but...yeah.

Isaac
The name originates from Japan.

Miguel
It means thunder in Japanese.

N.R.
I noticed some Japanese anime in a video online — how much of an influence does the Japanese expression have on your music? 

Manny
I guess it has a lot to do with it. I didn't really watch it that much...I mean a little, like Dragon Ball Z. But these guys are big fans...

Isaac
It's something we're all really into...

Manny
Then they got me into it, too — it's like, "Oh, man."

N.R.
Are you all from Chicago?

Miguel
We all grew up here, yeah.

N.R.
Describe a little more, the sound of your music?

Miguel
So, like a storm on the beach. It's very energetic; it's soothing; you get that distortion...

Manny
There's a mixture of soft melodies. Isaac's melodies with Miguel's rhythm — (gets excited) killer rhythm, man. The bass. I just try to combine with him; it gets a little bit dirty.

Isaac
And then you got Eddie, our drummer, who's completely chill. He goes with the flow.

Manny
If you ever see him drum, he plays really chill.

N.R.
What are people going to get at a live show?

Miguel
Something that we do, our first song, it's an instrumental. And I think our first song sets the mood for the rest of our set.

Isaac
It has this build up and you wonder what's going to happen next, because it's an instrumental and people don't expect it.

Miguel
And then it ends dead cold, on a stop. So it builds up a bunch of energy and...

Manny
Vibraaation (claps a flat hand into the air), and you fly into space.

N.R.
Tell us what is unique about your music.

Miguel
There's a lot of chemistry, for sure. We never talk about what chords we're playing — we always hear everything.

Manny
We hear and feel it. And, actually — to this day we have nothing written down...music-wise. Thirteen, fourteen songs, almost. We try to remember it from the heart; you know? And it's like, holy crap...everybody just like, remembers it. It's weird; if one of us dies, (exaggerated) this ride's OVER! (Everybody laughs) That's craaazy, dude...I don't know; maybe, in the long run we should write it down — that'd be cool.

Isaac
Overall, though — the chemistry we have, that's what is unique about us.

Miguel
Also, I think our different perspectives on music...

Manny
Yeah, yeah...this right here. This right here.

Miguel
...our drummer is actually a guitarist. I'm actually a piano player. So, we're playing instruments that aren't really ours and we bring in a different perspective on it.

Manny
Our drummer has another band, too — The Rewrites — that's actually how we started the band. Miguel was in a different band before Rai, The Lasers...

Miguel
I don't think they're doing anything right now.

N.R.
How long have ya'll known each other for?

Isaac
I've known Miguel for, possibly, three years. I knew him from another friend but we really didn't talk.

Miguel
He was in Lasers, too; at the beginning. I joined later on so we kind of knew each other from that. Manny, I've known since high school. I met him my sophomore year.

Manny
We used to jam out a lot. But he would just, like, disappear. (some laughs) You know, he was busy a lot; playing at church and stuff. Then this opportunity came; and I was like, "Ah man, it's about time". It took us, like about five years to start something.

Miguel
Then, Eddie, I met through Gabe with The Rewrites. And I just hit them up when they were down to start playing.

Manny
We jammed out; and yeah, we just picked it up from there. At first, I thought we were just jamming out...then it's like, we came up with two songs; it was cool. Then out of know where we had four songs. They're like, "Eh — we should start playing shows." I'm like — "What‽ It's too early. What; for real? Are you guys being serious?" (laughs)

Miguel
We played unfinished songs.

Isaac
(Laughing recollection) Yeah, we were playing unfinished songs...

N.R.
Ha haaa! Nobody'll notice. (everybody bursts out laughing)

Miguel
They were just all instrumentals. (more laughs)

Manny
It was a pretty good crowd, right?

Isaac
I just remember it was a bad idea. (still laughing)

Manny
Yeah! That's true! I was like, "I don't think so, man." But our drummer, Eddie, and Miguel we're like, "Naw.." Because they've been in the business for a while working straight up shows, you know? So I thought, they know what they're doing — screw it — I was a little nervous, shaking and stuff. But, yeah...we picked it up after that and have been improving every time we play. We try to make the best show that we can and make people have a good time.

N.R.
I always ask this and there's no right answer: Difference between and artist and a musician...or is there a difference?

Miguel
I think a musician is anyone who plays music, that expresses themselves through music. In reality, anyone could be a musician. If they can express themselves through and instrument, no matter how they express themselves, they are a musician. I think an artist is just a good performer — they know how to bring in a crowd; they know how to create the right environment, I believe.

Manny
Maybe to be the best, you'd have to combine both of them.

N.R.
How about benefit performances?

Manny
For church....

Miguel
Yeah...we've done stuff for church.

Manny
We've done some volunteer work for festivals...

Miguel
We did a benefit for and organization named, Centro Sin Fronteras. Basically, they help people out with immigration; they help people who can't really speak enough English and can't move around — they help them with the immigration process and stuff.

N.R.
What do you think have been some challenges as a group?

Miguel
I think it's a challenge to get your name out there; as a band. Because, we all love music, you know...we do this regardless, so...we also want to take this as a career as musicians and create a portfolio. We take this serious, too; so, one of the things we do is try to get our name out there. When we started, really, we had no idea what we were doing. We booked a show on the North Side — it was an empty show — our first show... (interrupts himself) well, I guess there were some people...

Manny
Yeah, a few...our friends. Maybe like nine showed up.

Miguel
Yeah. We have to learn how to book. We have to learn how to...

Manny
To get with other bands; to network other bands.

N.R.
The administrative aspects; the promotion...

All Three
Yeaah...the promotion.

Manny
We're all learning, you know?

Miguel
I feel like every one of us, besides our music, we also give in something else — like our drummer — he takes care of our merch; and we need merch. He works for a t-shirt company.

Manny
Yeah...we're going to give him a shout out, too!

Miguel
It's Transit Tees. They also make other stuff, but he handles the merch side really well.

Manny
That helps us out because people love shirts!

N.R.
That's one of the administrative aspects; you want to make sure you have merch out there...

Isaac
We gotta get people to ask for that. It's kinda like making noise all together with what you're doing. You gotta get yourself out there.

Manny
Yeah, that's how you can get people. We have some people at our shows we never seen before. It's like, wow. Cool. Let's keep going. That means a lot when someone you never seen before comes up to you and says, "You played great; we saw you before." That's cool — thanks for coming out...showing love.

N.R.
It's like, "Wow! It's working!"

Manny
(Getting excited) Yeah! Yeah! It's working. It's woorkiing!

Miguel
Another one is booking. I feel like that's my part in the band — making sure the band has gigs, but we all kind of do it. They bring up shows as well — and we all network.
 

Isaac
I think the worst thing you can do as a band is not talk — you have to. That's very important.

N.R.
Getting people out to shows is a challenge. Do you have any interesting ways that you've thought about to get people out to shows?

Miguel
For sure, you've got to be unique in every show you throw. That's why it's really important to network, too. Because you throw shows with other bands and you have to have good relationships with other bands. Then you start to creating different line-ups and that's what's key: having those different line-ups where people have an opportunity to see several bands they want to see.

Manny
Yeah, it helps everybody out.

Miguel
Like giving each show a theme. Our EP release — that had a theme. It depends on the bands, too. Like the show we just did at Martin's Corner, the other bands we're really rock, but it was all Latino music...

N.R.
Was that the show with Lester Rey & Súbele?

Everbody
Yeah, Súbele and Media Luna

Miguel
We were all Latino bands, so we threw that concept.

N.R.
Where do you wanna be in three years?

Miguel
Mexico.

Isaac
In three years, yeah...that would be my goal. It feels weird to say...but touring Mexico — that would be really cool. I feel that's where our music has more listeners, I believe.

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Manny
And then from there into Central and South America...let it just spread.

Miguel
There's a big Spanish Rock scene down there, you know? So that's a big audience. Not that it's not going well up here...

Manny
We have more to conquer here, you know?

Miguel
Yeah, we're doing pretty good.

N.R.
Yeah, this Coors Light contest that you just won to play Ruido Fest — that's huge.

Manny
That was unexpected, actually. It was like, woa...

Miguel
Naw, (matter of factly) I was expecting it...
(everyone laughs)

Manny
I was surprised. I remember when you told me, I was like, "You're lying to me; don't lie to me like that." I remember he called me in the morning, "Eh, we won. But don't say anything 'till like 7."

Isaac
It was kinda weird processing it; it's going to be a huge audience for us. It's the audience we would like to target most.

N.R.
It is; and it's on a whole 'nother level compared to what you guys have been doing.

Miguel
Yeah, it's definitely going to be new. I think we got a little bit of that...we played at Vegan Fest. That was downtown. the crowd was pretty decent. People stopped by; we built a crowd there. It was pretty cool. It was a unique experience.

Isaac
Yeah, we kind of know what to expect; but this will be the largest show we've done, and that's (lighting up) — exciting.

N.R.
I can see it in your faces.

(Everybody getting pumped)

Manny
Yeah...we're ready.

N.R.
I watched the Coors Light promo video when you won and, Manny, your reaction (laughter eruption)...I mean, that's what's it's all about: that energy — it's infectious; it's beneficial; it's a positive thing. Tell us about the EP.

Miguel
Our first EP, Sin Color was a learning experience because it was our first time recording as a band. So, I think it was an important experience for future recording and just to get better, too. I think I have a better idea of what to do for our next recording.

Isaac
I feel the EP had some good energy going into it so we can build off that.

Miguel
The release show was really good, too.

Manny
Yeah, it was a good show.

Catch Rai this Sunday at Ruido Fest on the Coors Light Stage.