Opus Däi

BIO

Opus Däi (pronounced “die”) cultivates a rich and varied aural landscape that is as vast and epic as the band’s history.

The band creates a space where diverse sounds blend into a singular musical force. Driving and aggressive, yet gentle in spirit, there is an epic grace that stokes the fires burning brightly from within Opus Däi. Drawing on influences from Led Zeppelin and Jeff Buckley, to Tool and The Mars Volta, Opus Däi weave a broad musical tapestry, painting a picture with superlative musicianship and beautifully crafted songs. This is the hallmark of the recently formed, yet years in the making, Los Angeles based band.

With well over 500 shows under their belt, Opus Däi continues to build momentum. Like individual rivulets of water edging their way to a common current, the history of Opus Däi and its members is a journey that began several years ago with the formation of LA’s noted multi-ethnic, world music influenced O.H.M. With diverse cultural backgrounds and inspirations, the members of Opus Däi rose from the ashes of O.H.M.

Founding members Atsushi Miyamoto (guitar) and Jagger Gonzales (drums) could perhaps be considered the most powerful tributaries to the tidal torrent.

Miyamoto, born in Japan, moved to Mexico when he was only 5. His first exposure to rock music would come in the form of his father’s KISS vinyl. “For whatever reason, I liked the KISS album better than my dad’s mariachi collections,” Miyamoto recollects. He moved back to Japan only five years later and first laid hands on an instrument when he picked up an electric guitar from a pawnshop and practiced furiously to learn a Metallica song for a high-school music final. His teacher would not permit “rock” music in the classroom and his first performance ended up being “Edelweiss” on the recorder. Undaunted, he continued to hone his skills on the axe. “Let’s jam” was the first English phrase he learned after moving to the U.S. after high school. “I was saying that to every kid I ran into,” Miyamoto says. Gonzales would eventually be one of those kids.

Gonzales grew up the son of a single mother in Southern California. A painter, she always encouraged his creativity. They lived in the high-desert were there weren’t many options for bored teens, and most either partied and did drugs or played music in hot, dusty garages late into the night. “Actually, now that I think of it, most kids I knew did both!” recalls Gonzales. He would dissect the metal bands his mother listened to, teaching himself how to play. He was performing at backyard parties by the time he was 13. “In high school I tried to join the jazz band and choir, but I really didn’t feel like I fit in with those kids and found much more expressive freedom playing music outside of school in dusty garages and backyard parties,” Gozales says. He would follow in his mother’s footsteps, becoming an artist and designer by trade (he is also the guilty party behind all the band’s artwork and logos), and taking a “visual” and creative approach to creating music and claims to be more of an artist than musician. “I still have never had a formal music lesson.”

Current lineup intact, with the addition of singer Tim Neighbors adding his haunting vocal signature and bassist Michael John’s fat-bottomed wares rounding out the quartet, Opus Däi stands at the center of what is quite possibly the perfect sonic storm.

Distorted Hendrix-like guitars rip alongside soaring, ethereal vocals and urgent drums to create a potent mix of melody, ferocity and honesty few bands are capable of delivering all at once.

After releasing a five-song live EP entitled “Actum Procul,” an LP “Tierra Tragame,” a few lineup changes and touring relentlessly, 2008’s “Touch The Sun” (Produced, Recorded and Mixed by Jun Murakawa) is not only a pinnacle, but a natural progression of everything Opus Däi is known and loved for: innovative, thought provoking and dynamic music, delivered with an intensity that always captivates, and an underlying apocalyptic theme.

Q&A

HOW WOULD YOU ATTEMPT TO ARTICULATE THE AUDITORY ADVENTURE THAT IS OPUS DÄI?

Atsushi: It’s rock music. You will find out more about it when you listen to it. We have a broad taste in music and our work is a mixture of all of our influences. If you like rock music, you’ll probably like us.

Tim: A lot of our music tends to be driving and aggressive. Some of it is soft and delicate, but all of it comes from the heart. If it doesn’t conjure up some real emotions for me every time I sing it, I don’t want to sing it.

Jagger: There is a lot of duality in the music. It’s simultaneously aggressive yet gentle; driving yet calm; both chaotic and controlled. When we play live I always feel like the best shows are a little out of control but also with a level of calculated precision.

WHAT SORT OF ACCOMPLISMENTS AND ATTROCITIES HAVE BEEN LEFT IN YOUR WAKE THUS FAR?

Atsushi: We are pretty successful at never stopping. We dedicate our lives to the music and throw our 110% at everything we do. We keep moving forward no matter how many obstacles appears in front of us. Everything else is such a small accomplishment and insignificant.

Tim: We’ve definitely had some successes and have had the privilege of playing with some great musicians and at some great venues. My favorite venues that I’ve played so far are The House of Blues (Hollywood), The Vault (Long Beach) and the Roxy (Hollywood). I’ve performed in some bigger venues with different choral groups prior to joining Opus Däi, including Carnegie Hall and the Great Western Forum, but that is a completely different thing. I must say though, that performing at Carnegie was a tremendous high for me.

Jagger: For the first album we spent nearly three years touring. I felt pretty accomplished to have dedicated that much of my life almost exclusively to music. There is a dizzying sense of accomplishment that moment you get home and lay your head down in your own bed after being away for months on the road. Making new fans on the road or over the Web is a pretty accomplishing feeling. Whenever we finish a release there is always a feeling of accomplishment to stand back and see how it does and how it came out.

GIVEN THE APOCALYPTIC THEME OF “TOUCH THE SUN,” WHAT CAN WE EXPECT POST APOCALYPSE?

Tim: We have been working really hard and we are pretty optimistic right now. We are going to play out a bit more then most likely head back into the studio to begin work on our next release.

Jagger: We should start Pre-production on a new album, possibly a video and new video blogs. If you are on our mailing list, there are some promo things coming up that we do exclusively for our mailing list subscribers (things like secret shows, free songs, giveaways, etc.)

WHAT MAY FANS NOT ALREADY KNOW ABOUT YOU?

Atsushi: I love to surf. I love the nature. I stick it to the man every chance I find. But I am not a hippie type of person, even though I love hugging trees. I like to stay busy and work hard, so I can get the most out of my life. I like to keep challenging myself so I can keep my life fresh and not get bored. I am a very goal oriented person who lives for the sense of achievement.

Tim: I’m single. (hint, hint, ladies!) Most of my music ideas come to me in the shower or in the car.

Jagger: I do all of the artwork for the band. Also Tim does all our video editing. He and I collaborate with graphics and video for our blogs, etc.

ANY FAMOUS LAST WORDS?

Atsushi: “My current favorite quote: ‘The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.’ -Socrates.”

Jagger: “Ultimately we try to keep an honest quality to the music and hope that it takes the listener somewhere they want to be.”

MEMBERS

Tim Neighbors: Vox

Atsushi Miyamoto: Guitar

Jagger Gonzales: Drums

Michael John: Bass

STATS

OFFICIAL WEBSITE: www.opusdai.com, www.myspace.com/opusdai, www.acropolisrecords.com/opusdai

GENRE: Rock, Experimental, Progressive, Metal

FOR FANS OF: Muse, The Mars Volta, Circa Survive, He is Legend, Tool, Led Zeppelin, Chiodos, Coheed and Cambria, Saosin, Mew, Oceansize, Fair to Midland, Black Sabbath, A Perfect Cirlce, System of a Down, Maiden, Jeff Buckley

FREE DOWNLOADS: “Sandcastles,” “Sinking Ship”

by Don Stefanovich