Blood Moon Therapy: Beyond diplomacy

American band members talk about their experience in Pakistan, future plans and the state of rock music.

LAHORE:

A blood moon is essentially a full moon, except it is orange in colour and it happens rarely, but when it does it is a therapeutic and relaxing sight. And the beauty of the moon is so captivating that the New York-based musicians decided to name their band ‘Blood Moon Therapy’. Recently, the band made headlines for its ‘rock diplomacy’ tour across Pakistan. Although cynics cringed at the poor sound quality, one thing was certain — rock can transcend boundaries.

While talking about the experience of performing in Pakistan, founding member and guitarist Nicholas Bacon, says “It was interesting as we were allowed to improvise and innovate on stage due to the constant challenges related to sound and equipment failures.”

Meanwhile, Michael Lombardi, the frontman of Blood Moon Therapy, who is also a leading TV actor, adds, “What surprised me the most was the knowledge of rock music here,” he says. “There were these kids wearing AC/DC t-shirts and they were singing along, having a ball. It feels like the 60s in America; these people want to be free and express themselves through rock.”

Lombardi, along with Bacon, started Blood Moon Therapy in early 2011 when he was also playing the lead character of the award-winning television series “Rescue Me”. Meanwhile, as his acting career progressed, Lombardi managed to make time for music as well and Blood Moon Therapy is basically an extension of his previous project Apache Mode, which received positive acclaim after they released an album. About juggling the two professions — acting and playing music — he says, “Being in the arts, wherever you are, is difficult. You have to put many hours of work and can never relax, no matter what level you are at.”

Death of rock?

While talking about the rock and roll in general, Lombardi explains that the genre has become diluted and the number of bands opting for rock and roll has also decreased. The reason for this, he says, has to do with music production which has been perfected to an extent that it has started to affect live rock and roll performances. “Bands like The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and Pearl Jam are slowly dying,” says Lombardi. “Music is perfected in America to the extent that young musicians prefer everything done with auto-tune on voice and backing tracks, slowly finishing the trend of live performances, where rock and roll thrives. Everyone tries to make it sound like a studio album.”

What are they up to?

Currently, the band, which also includes bass guitarist Shawn Dailey, guitarist Neil Parekh and drummer Chris Vargas, has been recording their first album in Los Angeles and will be touring across America for several shows. Lombardi, who keeps a book of poetry through which he jots down song lyrics or names, says that the album, which will be released later this year, will have themes that centre around nature. “The lyrics have been penned down through my observations of the surroundings, things that inspire me such as humanity, nature and our environment,” says Lombardi.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 9^th, 2012.