There’s a little bit of psychedelic rock in local group Space Heater, but mostly it’s a funky dance band. So why is the name about as spacey as you can get?
Well, strapped for a name—they sent more than 400 texts—the members settled for one that bassist Steve Rogers and guitarist Mason Hicks had used years earlier for a totally out-there psych-rock band. Now as a five-piece that also includes Ron Work on guitar, Mike Spooner on percussion, and Joaquin Spengemann on drums, it’s all about making dance music. But there’s still a little bit of experimentation in there.
“We really wanted to keep it funky. That was definitely number one. But also stretch out and see where the music takes us,” says Rogers.
Nowadays, they play bars and private gigs (weddings, funerals, etc.) with a mixture of covers (Maceo Parker, James Brown, Sharon Jones) and some originals. Recently, they’ve been focusing on writing, and they’ve got more than 30 original songs in their arsenal at this point.
“We record every practice. So a lot of times we’ll find ourselves in a groove. We’ll go back to it and be, like, ‘let’s turn that into a song,” Rogers says. “We don’t want to be boxed in as far as any particular style, or tied down to any particular idea. If something takes off, we’ll follow it. If it feels good to keep it funky and straight and danceable, we’ll go with that too. A lot of it’s based on feel.”
INFO: 8 p.m. Friday, July 21. Don Quixote’s, 6275 Hwy. 9, Felton. $10. 335-2800.
