Eye & i performing at the Marquette Radio 2015 Spring Concert. Photo via: facebook.com/eyeandimusic
Electro-funk and reggae band Eye and i is no stranger to Marquette. The band appeared on New Music Monday last year and they opened for The Districts at the Marquette Radio 2016 Spring Concert. They recently released their first full-length album, “Let’s Ride.” Their high energy and funk radiate through their album. You can listen to the new record on Spotify and learn more about the band below. Check it out:
What are your favorite Milwaukee venues and why?
The Rave/Eagles Club has always been a favorite since it’s a big-act venue right on Marquette’s campus and the majority of the band went to Marquette. This is why we had so much fun playing with The Districts at Marquette Radio’s 2016 Spring Concert at the Annex. Also, we can’t forget the bar Fire on Water, where we’re playing a free Halloween show Oct. 29.
How did you pick your band name?
Eye & i means “we.” In Rastafari, “I and I” is an expression that points to oneness, or that God is within all of us and we’re all one people under the love of Jah. While none of us identify as Rastafarian, we still achieve oneness when we let go together in the music. The name “Eye & i” points to this oneness as well as the fading of a sense of duality of the “player” and “what is played” as we play live in the moment. We’re vessels through which the music manifests and a unique sound is always the result. The lower case “i” represents humility — none of us are more important than another when we let go.
Do you believe in ghosts?
Some of us do. Some of us do not.
How do you take your coffee?
Au lait.
How old were you when you started playing? How did you get into music?
We have different backgrounds on how we started playing, but we were all 8 years old when we started.
What was your process in writing/making “Let’s Ride”?
The process was different for every song. Some were written before the band played them. Some began with a bassline and were developed from there, etc. All of them became unique in the studio. Something magical happens when people listen and respond.
What’s the most fun song to play on “Let’s Ride”?
Depends on the day and/or mood.
What direction do you imagine taking your sound in future albums?
We began with reggae and progressed to funk, but our sound is becoming increasingly jam-centric. As we continue to learn and adapt to one another’s musical style, we will be better able to react and respond to one another. What the music will become is unpredictable.
If you had a walk-up song, what would it be? An example would be “Voodoo Child” by Jimi Hendrix, which is Hulk Hogan’s walk-up song.
“Jump Around” by House of Pain.
Who in the band would win a thumb wrestling tournament?
Whoever would opt not to compete.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Obstruction of justice.
What are three songs you’re listening to right now?
Grateful Dead — “Dark Star at Fillmore West, 1969”
Dopapod — “Blast”
SunSquabi — “Keep it real”
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