Hypnogaja is comprised of singer / songwriter / producer Jason "ShyBoy" Arnold (co-writer and performer of the songs "The Time Has Come" and "Shall Never Surrender" from the Capcom video game, The Devil May Cry 4), guitarist / writer / producer Jean-Yves “Jeeve” Ducornet (Carlos Santana, Paulina Rubio, The Pussycat Dolls’ Nicole Scherzinger), keyboardist/writer/producer Mark Nubar Donikian (Eden’s Crush, Howard Hewett), drummer Adrian Barnardo and newly-added bass player Bryan Farrar. The Southern California-based quintet has reached worldwide audiences through its ubiquitous presence on the Internet and by extensively touring throughout the U.S. and Canada (opening for artists such as Shinedown, Saliva, 311, Cold and many others).
Truth Decay, Hypnogaja’s fifth studio recording, is a science fiction-tinged concept album in which all the songs revolve around the central story of a world's dramatic, apocalyptic end and how life cycles into new chapters, sometimes with sudden force. The album contains thirteen new songs, including "Welcome to the Future," which features cellist Richard Dodd of The Section Quartet (Decca/Universal).
All Access Magazine Editor Debra Stocker- interview with Hypnogaja's vocalist, Jason "ShyBoy" Arnold, and keyboardist, Mark Nubar Donikian:
AAM: If you had to describe your sound to someone what would you tell them?
Jason: I'd describe Hypnogaja's sound as alternative rock with electronic edges.
Mark: If Pink Floyd were to time-travel from 1980 to the present - with Jane's Addiction and Nine Inch Nails as hitchhikers - I think the result would be our sound.
AAM: Your lyrics and sound are infused with raw emotion. What is it that inspires you when writing lyrics and the concept behind the music you create?
Jason: I like to write/sing about the things that I feel/see/hear/read. I like to try and include all six of my senses.
Mark: This time out, we wanted to write a concept piece - something where all of the songs come together to create a larger story - but also where the songs can stand on their own. It was a real growing experience for us as writers, and we're really happy we took the leap of faith.
AAM: How have Hypnogaja fans been responding to the band's new release, Truth Decay?
Jason: Response to Truth Decay has been very positive. All of our fans seem to want to grow with us - and new people are finding us for the first time, which is great.
Mark: We're thrilled that people are enjoying the new music as much as we enjoyed making it. This time we've made an album of songs that are really personal, yet more universal than anything we've ever released. It feels good to strike that balance.
AAM: You have a music video for the song "The March," directed by Nelson Cragg and Marius Markevicius. Can you give a brief summary about it and how it all came together?
Jason: Nelson and Marius are extremely talented guys. They were looking to do a music video for their reel and our manager, Amanda Cee, recommended us to them. After reviewing our music they decided to work with us, choosing "The March" as their favorite track and the one that worked the best with their concept. It was a great experience all the way around.
Mark: It was our first video shot on 35mm. When we saw it for the first time, we were like "Woah! We look expensive!" We're very thankful Marius and Nelson worked with us - it was good times.
AAM: Have you ever experienced a fan telling you how your music has changed their life?
Jason: Yes. And it's always something that moves us. Unfortunately, there are times when we receive sad news. Recently, a fan of ours passed away - and at their prior request, one of our songs was played at their funeral. The family wrote to tell us about it. It was very humbling.
Mark: People tell us that we've helped them through a dark time or have an inspired them in times of growth. Some have even gotten Hypnogaja tattoos to mark the importance of our music in their lives. It makes us feel really good that we've touched people to that level.
AAM: As a band, what has been your biggest challenge? And how were you able to overcome it?
Jason: The biggest challenge is keeping everyone together. Life moves fast, people get pushed and pulled in a lot of different directions. And though we've had our share of line-up changes, we still survive - and continue to thrive. And that's what's important - continuing the journey.
Mark: Being a serious musician - and devoting to a full time career - requires a tremendous amount of discipline and patience. Sometimes, people run out of both. Especially the patience part. It's all about focusing on the work and finding that balance within. That's what keeps us going.
AAM has followed Hypnogaja for a few years now. You have seen much of the US, performing at many venues. Which place best comes to mind and why?
Jason: The Pacific Northwest is easily one of the most beautiful parts of the country. Montana, Washington and NorCal are all so scenic, which makes the long drives much better. As far as touring and venues - we get lots of love in a lot of different cities: Wichita, KS, Salt Lake City, UT, Billings, MT and Dayton, OH are just some of the places where we've developed fan bases. We've also ventured across the border, opening for Saliva on their Canadian tour. It was great to make a connection with new fans in new places.
AAM: I see your next performance is at The Whisky in West Hollywood on Friday, Sept. 11, 2009. How is the best way your fans can get tickets for this show?
Mark: It's part of the Sunset Strip Music Festival (we go on at 9:30 pm, in direct support of Wild Child). When Celina Denkins (booking agent at The Whisky) invited us to play the event, we enthusiastically accepted. For more information, people should visit sunsetstripmusicfestival.com.
AAM: Where will your tour plans take you after The Whisky?
Jason: We plan to start touring locally/regionally and then eventually open up to include the rest of the country and maybe overseas. As always, it will be an organic build, based on when the right opportunities come along.
AAM: How is the music industry accepting your new release, Truth Decay? Where are your fans most likely to find it?
Jason: There are many people both in and out of the industry who have embraced Truth Decay. We're happy about that, we welcome all music lovers. The industry is going through so many changes - record stores have closed down by the thousands and some people are still in denial about the major shift in music consumption. We've been independent - and marketing on the Internet - from the beginning and have fans and supporters from around the world who reach out and show us love on a daily basis. That's what we use as a gauge as to whether or not we're on the right path.
Mark: As far as finding Truth Decay, fans are most likely to find it at a Hypnogaja show or literally anywhere on the web - for sale on iTunes, Amazon, CDBaby, etc. or as a free download on websites around the world. If you Google Truth Decay, hundreds of websites come up where people are giving it away. We are excited by this. Our goal is to be on every iPod on the planet. That's the new version of going platinum. We only ask that if you get it for free, you come out and see a show and maybe buy a t-shirt.
AAM: All Access Magazine would like to thank you, for sharing your time and thoughts with our readers. AAM wishes Hypnogaja HUGE success with the just-released album, Truth Decay! Is there anything you would like to tell our readers?
Jason: Thanks for all the continued support. We love All Access Magazine!
Mark: We are very thankful for all of the love from your readers. And if they're on Twitter, they should give us a shout! twitter.com/hypnogaja. Thanks for everything, Debi - you are the best!
For more information, please visit www.hypnogaja.com.
