After releasing his self-titled debut album in 2017, Dion Lunadon (The D4, ex-A Place To Bury Strangers) released his sophomore album Beyond Everything on June 10 via In The Red Records.
A 33 minute blast of energy, Beyond Everything takes rock ‘n’ roll and puts it through a scuzz-blender, creating an excitable, edgy and euphoric wall of rawk for our post-pandemic party.
On tour in the US now, and coming to Europe in November, Dion caught up with Joyzine’s Peter Richard Adams for 10 quick fire questions that cover his love of music, flashbacks, fire and a desire to pollute space with algorithms.
Let’s go!
What inspires you to make music?
My dopamine receptors. Making music makes me feel alive.
What is the best description of your music that you’ve read/heard in a review?
Hmmmm. I do remember reading a couple of reviews back to back a few years ago and one said “all the songs sound the same” and the next one said “all the songs sound different”. Made me laugh.
How important is the visual/aesthetic side of your music and why?
This particular project is a reflection of who I am and what I like so the visual/aesthetic ties together pretty easily since I create the music, the art and at least the ideas for the videos. I keep my hand over the whole thing to keep it a unified vision. Not in an egotistical control freak way. That’s just the idea for this project and why it goes under my own name.
What do you enjoy most and least about playing live?
Maybe loading gear sucks the most? I guess actually playing the shows and getting the adrenaline pumping is my favourite part. Especially when the band is flying and you can truly get lost in it.
Is there a venue or city that you’d especially love to play, and why?
Istanbul? That’s one city I’ve never been to or played. Got close a few times but it didn’t end up happening. I’m always down to go somewhere I’ve never been.
What is the strangest thing that’s ever happened to you at a gig?
Many strange things. In my former band, we would play on acid/speed whatever. There would be this one part in a song that I would scream and every time I did I would have an acid flashback. Another time I was playing a guitar solo and the PA speaker caught fire. I wondered why the audience all turned to look in the same direction!
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be and why?
I’d get rid of all social media. Or just make it purely about puppies and kittens. I would smash the “algorithm” into 1 billion pieces and throw it into the nearest black hole.
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and what would you work on together?
Maybe someone that was not famous or well known, but a real genius freak. I’ve met and worked with a few.
Who is your favourite new band/artist that we should be checking out and what do you like about them?
Liquids from Indiana. The Mystery Lights from Brooklyn and the sweet sound of Saturn’s rings oscillating in the distant future.
If you could give any aspiring musicians one piece of advice, what would it be?
Be willing to die. If not, don’t waste yours and everybody else’s time.
Beyond Everything is available now to stream or you can buy it now from the In The Red record store.
Also, don’t forget to watch the awesome videos for ‘By My Side’, ‘Living and Dying With You’ and ‘It’s The Truth’.
Photo credits: Ebru Yildiz