he death of rock n roll is another thing that we can blame millennials for. EDM and anything by DRAKE may be making the world spin for anyone who grew up playing with MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGER action figures and POKEMON pogs, but now we've got the band DYNAMOS to remind people of the primal, devil-may-care energy of rock in a time where DJs are considered akin to rock stars. Don't expect any of us here at ROCKWIRED to understand that shit. Thank God for DYNAMOS! When it comes to rock n roll, the band takes the direct approach and because of that, they stand out from the minions of angsty post-grunge active rock or the passive lilt of  "indie" music.  DYNAMOS packs a mean punch with their primary weapon - front woman NADIA E. The classically trained NADIA has vocal range to spare, a sense of storytelling and an interpretive sense that has the potential to connect her to millions. The band's EP COLD COMFORT is the first step in what we predict will be a long musical journey and we're already believers with such songs as the BO DIDLEY-esque KNOWLEDGE or the Tex-Mex rabble rouser STAINLESS. ROCKWIRED had a chance to speak with front woman NADIA E. regarding the band and their new EP. Here is how the interview went.

CHECK OUT THE MUSIC ViDEO FOR KNOWLEDGE!!!

CHECK OUT THE MUSiC ViDEO FOR STAiNLESS!!!

You're EP COLD COMFORT has been out for a few months and you've had some strong singles in KNOWLEDGE and STAINLESS. Now that the music has been out there for people to take in, how do you feel about the finished work?
I feel pretty good about it. When I first heard the EP played back to me it blew me away. It was like "Is this us?" I couldn't believe it and we had an amazing producer and engineer working on this album with us. It all came together for us and before I say anything else, BRIAN, I just want to thank you and ROCKWIRED for making us the Artist of the Month. We are so elated by that and me especially because I never win anything! (Laughs) This is a very exciting thing for and I want thank and everyone who took the time to vote for us.

Who all did you guys work with  in putting this EP together? Who helped you guys behind the recording console?
We worked with our Creative Director in a studio out of Long Beach, California. His name is ELLIOT ORENSTEIN  and he did all of the mixing and the mastering. He did an amazing job and he's just really good with knobs and working the console. Even when we're on the stage live.



ELLIOT is also you're bass player, right?
Oh no, that's NICK SCHAADT. He really guides us as a band and helps us to stay on the path  which is important for us. A lot of times we can easily stray off course and go off on a tangent and he has a way of reigning us back to what we're supposed to be doing. NICK really focuses the band and keeps us on course.

With the momentum that the band has gained, have there been any reactions to the band or the music that have surprised you or that you didn't see coming?
I didn't expect all of the views on social media and the likes and the messages. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in my artistic world but at the same time I never take an audience for granted. I love that they are there and I appreciate them. It's just the numbers that are really daunting for me. The numbers don't lie and this is coming from someone who is not good with numbers.

And how did your association with DYNAMOS begin?
I heard about this through a  co-worker of mine who had encouraged me to meet with ELLIOT who was directing this band DYNAMOS and looking for a female lead singer. So I met with ELLIOT and we started talking about some musical ideas and I learned that we had similar opinions on things. Over time, we acquired more people. It was a long process getting the right people in the band but we've got them now.



In reading about you guys, you're musicality stems from a great deal of classical training. How does that prepare for singing in a rock band like DYNAMOS?
The discipline that I learned through my classical training really prepared me singing with DYNAMOS. Yeah, we're a rock n roll band but we are very serious and dedicated musicians. My classical training was so rigorous that I couldn't get away with anything. Sometimes in my training I would have to repeat one bar of music over and over until it was done absolutely right. So I got used to repetition and having to be precise. I really appreciate the discipline that classical training has given me.

And how do your folks feel about your prestigous classical training being traded off for singing in a rock band?
At first, my mother wasn't sure. She didn't like this rock n roll thing at all. She wanted me to get a job and get a degree and be a psychologist. She wanted me to do something practical in order to make some kind of a living. Even a few of my relatives were wondering what the hell was wrong with me but I always envisioned being in a rock band. Now that my family sees me fronting this band they understand it now and it's better. They see that DYNAMOS is something that is very real and I'm very serious about it.

And before DYNAMOS and outside of your classical training, were there any other projects that you cut your teeth on?
There really wasn't any experience before joining DYNAMOS. Outside of classical training, I picked up the guitar and started playing and I'd go to local shows and check out some of the local bands here. The band's I'm talking about are garage bands. I started hanging out on the local scene and got to see what these bands were doing and I wanted to do what they were doing and now DYNAMOS has given me the opportunity to do so.

And talk about the other members of the band and what you feel that each of them brings to the table that makes this thing work.
First, you have NICK SCHAADT on bass. He is also our Musical Director. I look up to him like he's a my big brother. He's all about silliness and fun but he's also about motivation and interpreting music through movement. His bass playing is just amazing. Next we have JACOB MAYEDA on guitars. He is such a nice and pleasant guy. He's really one of the sweetest people that I've ever met. There is not a bad bone in his entire body and to contrast his niceness, his guitar playing is really aggressive. Our other guitarist is CARLOS BARRERA who makes out sound complete. He's got that SANTANA vibe. As a person, he's more over-the-top and excitable. He's no stoic. He's brings a lot of fluidity to the band and his playing is amazing. It has this whirling quality to it. I can't explain it any better than that. IAN NAKAZAWA is on drums and he is always cracking a joke and getting everyone laughing. He's a class clown but he's a modest class clown. When he gets on the drums, he really cuts loose. And that's what everyone in the band brings to the table.



And how does the songwriting get accomplished in a band like DYNAMOS?
The songwriter  behind this band is WILL HARLAND. He and ELLIOT ORENSTEIN work the music out and then present a skeleton of a song. It's up to us as a band to build something on top of that and it's an opportunity for me to become an actress of sorts. I get to interpret the lyrics as if I were in a movie and the present the performance through my singing.

What songs off of the EP stand out for you the most and why?
I love the song BLASTED and I also love the song KNOWLEDGE. For me, KNOWLEDGE is very personal for me. There are times in life where people think that they know you but they don't. For instance, I'll go out with some friends of mine and one of them some will say "This is NADIA and she's like this or that..." and what they're saying is completely wrong. It's only surface truths. No one knows who you are entirely and that is what a song like KNOWLEDGE is all about.

What's next for the band musically?
We're going to be doing another EP very soon but we're going to be playing some shows - at least regionally. There are definitely going to be more performances coming up this Spring and Summer. We are going to be out there on stage. I think it's where we belong.