Outlett Is...
Chasity - Vox/percussions
Hos Miller - Guitar/Vocals
Dave Lee - Drums
Justin Jones - BassOutlett is a LA-based hard rock band fronted by the charismatic lead singer and percussionist Chastity Completo with bassist - Justin "JJ" Jones, guitarist Hos Miller and drummer David Lee rounding out the line up. They have been making the rounds on the LA circuit and this past summer were part of the Vans Warped Tour. Their new self titled EP features 4 kick ass cool hard rock songs in the spirit of bands like Alice in Chains to Pantera, but with a twist like on their song "Recognize" to (My personal favorite off the EP) "Reach On" which I feel truly captures the bands potential and I can definitely see it becoming their anthem. Read More Here...
Outlett Interview
TCZ: Can each of you tell us a little about what influenced you to pursue a music career?
Chasity: I came into music at an early age. My mother and father always use to take me to rock shows as early as age five. They were always very inspired by music. Always motivating me to dance and to sing. One of my first concerts was SANTANA. I sang in the school choir, performed in pageants (yup I know, embarrassing) and used to put on plays and performances through all my years of school. I knew early on that music was my destiny and that I couldn't ever stop.
Justin: I was always moved by music and I knew I somehow had to take it to another level. It most certainly started when I was listening to Metallica. At this point I was 17 that's when I knew I wanted to play guitar.
Hos: When I was young I always into music but when I really started learning how to play guitar and jammed with a band, that's when I knew music was what I wanted to do.
Dave Lee: Hmmmm....for me, it was simply being such a huge fan of music and playing drums. One of my first concerts was The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Fishbone, and Run DMC at the Hollywood Palladium. To this day, that is still probably one of the best shows I'd ever seen. It was a very inspirational show to me. I always knew there was something inside me....inside my soul... that just loved music. So, of course, the natural progression would be to go out and play music and see how far I can take it. Actually, there was a period when I was in a kind of denial phase. I was brought up to go to college right after high school.... which I did. But then I hooked up with a few guys that wanted to jam some cover songs for fun, which then led to writing some original material, which then led to booking shows. I really wasn't happy in school. All I could think about was music and playing, so I ended up quitting after a few semesters. That's when I knew wanted to go all out and pursue a career in music.
TCZ: The band had quite different goals when you first formed under the name Nag Champa. Tell us about that and how you became OUTLETT.
Outlett: The band started out about 4 years ago by the name Nag Champai..it was a different line-up minus Dave Lee our drummer. It was more of a rap rock style that involved two vocalists and we later decided that it was best that our rapper and also then drummer pursue his solo hip hop career and we carry on pursuing our roots in rock. So then a year and a half-ago OUTLETT was born. Bringing Dave Lee on board from another band by the name Somis we all just realized that our chemistry was the right one and ever since have been climbing rapidly towards our goals of making music more than just a hobby.
TCZ: In the past year OUTLETT has exploded out of the regional band status, amassing an impressive number of awards ranging from Best Lyrics, to Best Female vocals and winner of battle of the bands 2005. To what do you attribute this fast rising success?
Outlett: It's from pure motivation, perseverance and the desire to succeed in making music for the masses. We practice all the time and we are constantly trying to one up ourselves. We work on trying to create the most entertaining live shows, constantly write new songs, get the word out about our music by touring out of our city and we promote ourselves by sending out our EPK's and Press Packs to whom ever is interested in real music from real musicians. Not manufactured ones.
TCZ: As an emerging female fronted band, what is the most difficult task you have faced so far within the music industry because you are female fronted?
Outlett: People perhaps judging us before they hear us. They hear about a female fronted band and then assume we don't rock hard. Ironically though once they do hear us we feel we gain an advantage because there aren't a lot of female fronted rock bands that are playing the style of music that we do. We feel that is what has somewhat separated us from the rest so to speak.
TCZ: Outlett has been tagged as a metal band with lead vocals compared to Gwen Stefani and a definite 80's influence in your music, how would you describe your sound?
Outlett: WOW! That's tuff. We would have to say like I'm sure so many bands do that it's very hard to sum it up. We take our influences from bands both past and present. We have tribal influences like Soulfly because of the djembe drum which Chastity plays, to metal because of the strong influences of Pantera to Slipknot and to Hard Pop Rock like Hoobastank and My Chemical Romance because our love of melody.
TCZ: The band has been spending alot of time in the studio lately can you describe a session for us.
Outlett: Our vocalist Chastity writes all the lyrics but she always consults with the band regarding the message of the song so it's representative of each band member. The band is equally involved in the creating of the music. We all bring to the table all of our ideas and then we compare and contrast what we feel is going to work best. Some of us work on our own to come up with ideas for songs but we always complete the songs as a band.
TCZ: You chose " Walk Away" off your debut EP for your first video. Why?
Outlett: We chose that song because it's been the crowd favorite since the release of our EP.
TCZ: Why do you think " Walk Away" and "Infected" have been become such fan favorites?
Outlett: Probably because they are so melodic and driving. I feel Infected gets a lot of love too because a lot of people can relate to the song and they feel the emotion. It's a very deep song.
TCZ: You recently made your first appearance with Vans Warped Tour. Tell us about that, what that experience was like for the band.
Outlett: It was very surreal. Being there and feeling the energy of the crowd was overwhelming. We've never played a venue that had thousands of fans. It was truly amazing to play for so many people that had never heard us before gravitate towards and embrace our music. It was a feeling like no other.
TCZ: Outlett has won various awards and received numerous nominations, all recognizing different aspects of the band. Is there any one nomination or award the band as a whole coveted more than the others just because of the meaning behind the nomination/award?
Outlett: Every award we've received has truly been an honor just because we're receiving recognition for what we do. One of the coolest would be the Cal State University of Fresno Battle of the Bands. We came into a city where nobody knew us thinking that their town favorites would surely be the victorious ones. But it turned out that they were drawn towards our music and ultimately we were rewarded for our music not from a popularity contest. It was pretty awesome.
TCZ: Tell us how you prepare for a show. Any "rituals or habits" any band members perform first?
Outlett: At this stage of the game we don't have a lot of time to do much before the show except show up, set up our gear and rock out. No weird or unusual habits yet, although, Dave our drummer likes to meditate in the nude. LOL!!! (j/k)
TCZ: In your own words describe what makes Outlett such a successful live band at such an early stage in the band's career?
Outlett: Practice, practice, practice. Everyone in the band has been playing music from an early age and 3 out of 4 of us went to Music School. But you can be the best musician in the world and not be good as a band. That's why we practice 4 to 5 times a week to refine what we do so when we do perform live it's as spot on as possible. Nobody wants to see a band live that doesn't sound as good as their cd or better. It's not fair to the fans.
TCZ: Rumor has it you have recently just finished up recording some new material for your second EP. Can you tell us a little about that and when it will be released?
Outlett: We are actually currently in the process of pre-production for our new album, which is going to feature 7 new songs. We're looking to release it sometime this winter. We're really excited because it's been a tremendous ride. In the past year we've gained our inspiration from our experiences and that's what is going to be put into this album. Ranging from world events, to heartache, to pain, to people having faith in themselves and having the guts to go after what they believe in.
TCZ: Are you planning a second video and will it be off your second EP?
Outlett: We definitely are. It's in the works as we speak. We're obtaining concert footage from various venues and then we'll be linking a concept video to it. But this will all come once our new album is finished and when we pick what our 1st single will be.
TCZ: Does the band manage your own myspace and band web sites?
Outlett: Yes! We do! We have an entertainment company that host our website and built it, but we are the ones that mange it. Along goes for myspace. We feel that it's important to keep everything up to date with what's happening with the band and we feel it is important to have a personal relationship with our fans because truly they are the ones that ultimately mater because they are the connoisseurs of our music.
TCZ: On Outlett's official website there are fan message boards. Does the band ever read the messages and reply to the fans?
Outlett: Absolutely!! All the time. Any time a post is made we answer it. Most of the band members are consistently online so we always jump in and see what's happening with our fans and we answer questions or give advice etc.
TCZ: What can we expect from Outlett in 2006? Any nationwide tours?
Outlett: It's going to be pretty exciting in 2006. We have a lot planned from major radio promotion to touring to nationwide distribution of our new album. We're really looking to infiltrating the music scene in a big way. Bigger than we have and beyond.
TCZ: Is there anything we didn't touch on that you would like to share with your fans?
Outlett: Just that we are beyond grateful to have the abilities that we have to play music and that we're truly appreciative to everyone that has given us a chance to share it with them. It's an honor when people are touched by our art and especially when it gives them hope and inspiration. Thanks to all our fans. They truly are the BEST!!!