Vents Magazine is the premier online publication for music news, entertainment, movies, and other articles online. INTERVIEW: Beasties
1.) We’re pleased as punch to have with us the one and only Gary Sohmers whose latest on-fire production – the audacious and utterly brilliant EP Beasties: A Sci-Fi Rock Opera – has been burning up
record charts worldwide! Welcome to our pages, Gary! Before we dive into the proverbial Q&A deep-end, how has your 2022 been treating you?
So far it has been a busy year.
2.) Kudos and congrats on the very rocking and slightly tongue-in-cheek new EP Beasties: A Sci-Fi Rock Opera! What was the genesis of this fun and rocking EP?
The EP is a teaser for the full Beasties: A Sci-Fi Rock Opera, a 17-song concert stage show.
3.) Beasties: A Sci-Fi Rock Opera distinguishes itself from a lot of the competition out there by A.) Having a sense of humor and B.) Presenting through the course of three rousing tracks an actual storyline. Was it important for you and cohort Bill Holloman to zero in on those two points as a way of differentiating your work from so much other stuff out there?
Beasties is a cast concept album for a Broadway show telling parallel stories about love between humans and an alien’s love for the planet earth. Storytelling that humans need to control their inner Beasties to repel the evils of climate destruction and corporate political corruption. Musically we tried to reach people in numerous genres all moving the story along while giving emotional reinforcement and physical
charges.
4.) In many ways, Beasties: A Sci-Fi Rock Opera reminded me of certain artists such as J. P. “The Big
Bopper” Richardson mixed with a healthy dose of Zappa and washed down with a swig of Weird Al. Were these particular rascals –or other artists – an inspiration or at least a jumping-off point for this incredible EP?
Frank Zappa was a musical icon, but without a singular style, and a definite influence on my desire to
reach differing levels of music appreciation, along with a surprise for the listener. There are a lot of traditional
rock n roll roots in the songs, as we are our roots. Humor complexity in music goes back to my father’s
influence playing Gilbert and Sullivan to me as a child.
