Introduction
Heavy rock/Psych/Doom band Fostermother hail from Houston, TX. In this case the only problem is going to be deciding which one of their songs you like the best! The band are currently signed to Ripple Music and released brand new album Echo Manor in 2024. Take a look at our interview below and let us know what you think in the comments section!
For Fans Of – High Desert Queen / Pink Floyd / Thunderhorse
Interview
You played at Ripplefest Texas on 19th September, can you tell us more about it, how did it go, is it a good festival?
Steve: It went well! RippleFest is always a great experience. It’s exciting to see how much the festival grows each year. Ryan Garney of High Desert Queen / Lick of My Spoon Productions raises the bar ever year.
Travis: It was a really great show! The energy between the crowd and the bands was fantastic as usual. This one definitely felt like the best yet.
The devil forces you to play one of your songs to stay alive, which of your songs do you think he would dig the most?
Steve: There’s no telling. Probably ‘Sunday’?
Do you know any other bands playing there, have you made any new band friends?
Steve: We’re friends with a lot of the bands at RippleFest. High Desert Queen, Thunderhorse, Mr. Plow are all great friends of ours.
What was best concert you have played at?
Steve: For me, it was probably Counts Vamp’d in Las Vegas on our 2022 tour. The vibe of the show was awesome, we had a great turn out, and it was one of our better performances.
Travis: I actually quite enjoyed our last show at RippleFest. We had a good connection with the audience that night and that is all I hope for.
Is the plan to continue the 2-year album cycle, and is that something that comes naturally, or do you make it take that long/short?
Steve: I’m not sure if there really is a game plan as far as that goes. I think we write and record in phases and it just so happened to line up that way.
Travis: I’m always thinking of what is next, so I personally feel we are on track to begin work on another. Sometimes the planning that goes into the release takes longer than the process to produce an album. I’d like to get another out there a little sooner.
What bands from Texas would you pinpoint as being influences of yours?
Steve: I’m not sure I have any musical influences from Texas, per se. Aside from the aforementioned bands we’re friends with. I think most of my musical influence comes from progressive rock, as well as modern Scandinavian metal. Pink Floyd, Opeth, Porcupine Tree, etc.
Travis: I’m the same as Stephen to be honest. Just a big music nerd into prog rock, early death metal, and 90s stoner rock/alternative.
What song of your own do you think is most like the influence you mentioned above, and why?
Steve: ‘King to a Dead Tree’ was pretty heavily influenced by Porcupine Tree and Opeth. Using delay on the guitar for the main riff so that it’s almost fighting against itself is such a Steven Wilson way of creating a type of tension musically.
Travis: I’d say “Empty One”. It’s just a big combination of so much that I like.
What song of your own is your personal favourites and why?
Steve: I’m proud of ‘Redeemer’ and I’m stoked that ‘King to a Dead Tree’ has caught on the way it has. Initially I wasn’t sure how people would take to it, but it’s definitely something in the most proud of.
Travis: I’m kind of in between “Destroyers” and “Carry Me”. The first is the song that started it all for Fostermother and is a stable of our live shows. “Carry Me” is much more of a personal song and has some of the Pink Floyd influence that we share.
We love Wraith off the latest album Echo Manor, would you be able to go into a little detail about the song? What is it about and what inspired it?
Steve: ‘Wraith’ had a couple of iterations in the demo stage. I came up with the main driving riff that initially was done by two separate guitar tracks to create the chord voicing. I got the song all the way up to the Mellotron break about halfway through the song and got stuck. I had no idea where to take it. I almost scrapped the whole song. I think we sat on it for about a year.
One day, Travis asked me to send him the demo and he added the whole chugging, post rock thing and then brought it back home by copying and pasting the first half back on at the end. Once it was arranged, we re-recorded the whole thing and that’s how it became what it is!
Travis: One day I got email from Stephen with the main riff for Wraith and I thought it was killer. Then some days later he sent a new version that only slightly resembled the original. For some reason he didn’t like the riff as it was, but I proceeded to work out a full song based on his original idea and then Stephen changed his mind. I’m glad I fought for that riff because to me it was brilliant.
If you could cover any non-rock song, what would it be and why?
Steve: I’m not sure if I should say, but Todd Severin (of Ripple Music) had an idea of bands on his label to cover some of the top pop songs. We found one that we may or may not be working on as time permits.
What do you love most about being a three-piece band?
Steve: I think when it comes to writing and recording, I love that it’s a streamline process we have as a three-piece. There isn’t too much bickering or arguing over the vision or direction.
Travis: I think we have been fortunate to see eye to eye on things. There is always less chance of struggle with less people.
When touring what is your go to snack?
Steve: Probably my main weakness in general: energy drinks! I go for the no calorie / no sugar ones just to get my caffeine fix. Definitely not the healthiest choice…
Travis: Probably Chex mix or trail mix of some kind.
Tell us a funny story about the band’s experiences?
Steve: When Mark Manning was playing bass for us live on our 2022 tour. Man, that guy is wild. We were in the elevator at the hotel we stayed at in Las Vegas and some people got in with us. Mark, standing in the rear of the elevator, just started doing this soft moaning / groaning. Just quiet enough under the ambient sounds of the elevator. When the doors opened, they ran out as fast as they could. That cracks me up even just thinking about it!
You guys are a delicious blend of heavy rock and psych, was that sound intentional, if so what drew you towards it?
Steve: I think that’s just what came out of us. I don’t think we necessarily went out of our way to sound a certain way.
Travis: I think it’s just a combination of things we like really. I’ve always been into psych, prog, and Sabbath so it just comes naturally. I wouldn’t say we ever set out to have a definitive sounds of sub genre.
If you could have a conversation with any departed rock star, who would it be , why , and what would you ask them?
Steve: I’d love to just talk with Richard Wright or George Harrison. They both seemed like the chillest in their respective bands. I wouldn’t even talk about music with them, necessarily. Just would like to know their outlooks on life. Things like that.
Travis: David Bowie. Probably one of the most prolific artists in terms of longevity and it would cool just to talk about anything with him.
Finally, why Fostermother? Where did that name come from?
Steve: I’ll let Travis take this one!
Travis: I really have no idea. Honestly, it just kind of stood out, was odd, and wasn’t taken.
Let us know what you thought to the interview and Fostermother in the comments section!
All rights for songs used in this interview are retained by Fostermother. This site claims no rights over them. All photos used were provided by the band and were taken by Kimberly Weatherred.
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