Getting to Know… Novanauts | Interview 🎤

In the 390^th Q&A in our Getting to Know… series, we get the inside scoop from rock duo, Novanauts, comprised of Luke Galloway and Brett Batson.

“We want to use the euphoric and expansive energy of rock and electronic music to give people a shared positive experience, for whatever time frame, that everything is going to be alright.”  Now that is deep, 🎙 Novanauts! In this Q&A, we get the inside scoop on this rock collective comprised of Luke Galloway and  Brett Batson – the genesis, goals, musical influences, and current and future musical endeavors. So, without further ado, let’s jump right into 🎤 Getting to Know… Novanauts: Interview No. 390!

For those who may not be familiar with you, what would you say makes Novanauts distinct or unique? How do you rock the audience’s socks off?

We want to use the euphoric and expansive energy of rock and electronic music to give people a shared positive experience, for whatever time frame, that everything is going to be alright. We do this as a musical performance duo with Luke Galloway on vocals, guitar, and other melody making devices and Brett Batson holding it down on the drums and rhythmic accouterments.

Okay, let’s explore some juicy backstories. How did Novanauts form and what were some of the goals or visions you had early on?

We have been playing together since 2006. We met through mutual friends, and both were into music. We played together in a few different projects. Our first band was a hardcore band. Our second was an ambient post-rock outfit. As we journeyed and experimented with different styles, we eventually developed into Novanauts. Early on we were quite excited about the reality of just being in a band in our hometown and gigging with our friends, but we soon realized that we had a special sort of musical chemistry and wanted to take the creation and performance of original songs seriously.

Let’s talk more about goals.  Have your goals or your perspectives changed since first starting out? What do your aspirations or goals look like now?

Our goals have certainly developed and changed over time. What first began as a cool pastime with friends, became much more of a vehicle of expression and connection with other people. In a sense, we transitioned from learning to play our instruments with other people to using our instruments in the creation of a physical representation of who we are as people and our experiences in this life. In a sense, we have really become much more interested in artistic integrity while also being relatable and connecting with others who happen to listen to our music or catch a show.

Everybody is influenced by somebody else. Whom would you consider some of your biggest musical influences and how are they influential?

We are products of the early 2000s music scene and a vast array of other artistic influences. We are a rock band at the core and our vocal and guitar style is heavily influenced by early Foo Fighters and Muse. We love the ambience and experimentation given to us by Radiohead and Mutemath. Mutemath also really influences our love of syncopated grooves. We have always loved the storytelling and songwriting of Coldplay and The Killers and the aggression and chaos of bands like Underoath. Similarly, electronic genres like trance and house music have a lot of melodic and synth influence over our sound and the progression of our compositions.

Ah, the fun stuff.  What’s your craziest tour story or the wackiest thing that’s happened during a performance?  Feel free to be creative.

We’ve played in a variety of spaces. One of our most memorable shows was in Athens, GA. We randomly set up our equipment outside of a dormitory on the University of Georgia campus. We rocked out right there while people were mingling about. A crowd formed and soon people were using their dorm light switches to synchronize with the music we were playing. It was amazingly organic, silly, and fun. At the time we were so young and appreciative of the fun of performing and creating. Now when we look back, that was a beautiful experience.

Up until this point in your career, what would you describe as your favorite song you’ve recorded or performed live? What makes that song special?

“Out In The Open (The Day When We Stood Still)”. We really love sci fi and this whole idea of the song evolved over the matter of years, thinking through wording, dealing with some negative thought patterns, thinking how those impact actions in the world and what actions were actually beneficial. The Day When We Stood Still is kind of like the title of an old sci fi horror movie, but really talking about the dangers or the terrors that can come from being paralyzed by overthinking. That can impact your life and your relationships. That is the message of the song. It plays with that idea, and it plays with these very expansive, almost like landscapes sonically, with a chorus of rolling hills and synthesizers and then a bridge just slamming you against a wall and motivating you with this huge riff at the end. It’s definitely a journey finally crafted into a recorded experience that we were happy with.

Is there anything else awesome, cool, or left of center the world should know about you? Secret talents or surprising tidbits?

Luke is a surgery resident in Atlanta, Georgia and his hospital colleagues have been majorly supportive of our work in the local music scene. Brett found out through a DNA test that he is related to King Richard III on his mother’s side.

Closing out, what is Novanauts currently working on, promoting that you can share with us or want us to know about? We love secrets, but there’s no pressure. 

We have a run of live shows coming up in our region and will be releasing several new singles in the coming months. We are really excited about these songs and how they showcase the improvement in our writing and performing over time. We hope our upcoming track that releases on January 5th called “Endless Possibilities” will be the overture to your new year and everything that it can be… we’ll let the songs communicate the rest.

Thank you so much for sharing and taking the time to answer these questions, and best of luck moving forward.   

Thank you!

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Getting to Know…Novanauts: Interview No. 390 [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Novanauts; Tumisu via Pixabay]