What are your names?
Our names’ are Devyn Lynch (Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar), Patrick Edler (Lead Guitar), Justin Stasio (Drums), Kalel Vigil (Bass), Kevin Graf (Keyboard).
What is the band’s name?
Shanghai Metro Temple
How did you come up with the band’s name?
Pat Edler and Justin Stasio first met in Shanghai, China and instantly became friends upon discovering their shared love for rock music and being musicians. For years, after returning to college, Pat and Justin played music together hoping that one day they could expand their duo and find other band members that were committed to the project and had complementary playing styles. In 2020 the goal of finding other musicians was achieved. Shanghai Metro Temple is named after the Jing’an Temple in Shanghai, China; which is the specific location we credit the inception of the band.
What is your genre of music?
Rock n Roll, Rock, Pop Rock, Alternative Rock, Arena Rock, Blues Rock.
Give us a little bio about you.
Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic In Denver, CO, Pat and Justin, met Devyn Lynch, a talented vocalist who was also in search of musicians that shared a similar commitment and style or music. The connection was immediate. Devyn’s singing style made it clear that the band would be able to cover an extremely wide range of tones and feelings while his writing abilities enable the group to develop a resonant message. Kevin was introduced to the band by his mother who frequently attended yoga sessions with Justin’s mother. Although Kevin was originally recruited to audition as the vocalist, his membership solidified as the Pianist. Shortly after joining the band, Kevin introduced the band to its 5th member and bassist, Kal. Shanghai Metro Temple went from a pandemic idea to a sensational band of musicians headlining in Denver, Colorado. Making headway in this industry with a new blend of rock music. From gliding down snowy slopes to clipping an anchor above a rocky canyon, this band is constantly fueled and inspired by their diverse experiences and interests. The group of best friends is dedicated to sharing with the world their experiences and challenges through music. Shanghai Metro temple has become one of the best up-and-coming rock bands that Colorado has seen in this decade. Enjoy the ride of a lifetime through experiences articulated in song and performed with energy and emotion.
What made you go into music?
All of our band members were interested in music at a young age through the music exposure we were subject to by our parents and families. Listening to music and learning to be a musician was an extracurricular emotional outlet loved by each member and encouraged by our families. We all fell in love with the freedom of self expression, collaboration, and friendship that music offered; ultimately those feelings are what triggered each of us to stay passionate and follow the path that music was taking us.
Who are your influences?
We have many musical influences! Here are some of our favorites. Members of Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Who, Rush, U2, Fleetwood Mac, Bob Seager, Bob Marley, Chick Corea, Jaco Pastorius, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Def Leppard, Guns n Roses, Queen, Randy Rhoades, Queensryche, Leo Brower, Buddy Rich, Mac Miller.
Are you signed?
No. Shanghai Metro Temple is an independent artist.
You released your new album ‘Shanghai Metro Temple’, tell us more about the album.
Our self-titled debut album, “Shanghai Metro Temple”, is a collection of diverse original rock n roll songs that articulate a greater message through its musicality and lyrics. For our debut album, we were just starting to get to know each other as individuals and musicians and felt there was something special amid our group. We want each member to be able to express themselves freely, both musically and emotionally, so there was really no specific direction, rules, or sound that we were hoping for. We just wanted to produce music that sounded good to us.
What was the writing and recording process like?
Writing and recording was an interesting process. When Devyn auditioned for the band he brought Take a Chance and we immediately took to the song and had it in the studio five months later. Several of the tracks happened this way using songs Devyn had written prior and giving them the SMT sound. Once we got to “In the Dark” was when songs started happening more organically amongst the members with Pat writing the structure and chord progression and Devyn the lyrics and Kevin writing “Forever”. For the final songs completed on the album, “Become” & “Beast”, we entered the studio with really just skeletons and an idea of what we wanted and worked with Taylor our engineer to really flush out the ideas and come up with the final product. Recording was a blast. We would get all the members into the studio on Friday’s to begin drum tracking and then build the songs up from there. We use live drums on all songs, and used digital amps for most of the guitars and bass recording. Taylor was very good at getting the right performances out of each of us and adding little bits to every song (or sometimes large changes) to really make the tracks pop. We recorded the album over five different studio sessions and the songs were really recorded as we wrote them throughout the year.
Describe the track in two words.
Rock n’ Roll.
Who did you work with on the album?
We worked with Taylor Hahn at Hahn Audio in Aurora, CO to produce the album. All the instruments are tracked by the band and the album was mastered by Ted Jensen with Sterling Sound from of Nashville, TN.
Will we see a Music video for any of the tracks from ‘‘Shanghai Metro Temple’ and if so what can we expect from the creative process?
Yes you already can. Last year we released our music video for “Out of Sight”, the third single on the album which was done by Digital Myle here in Denver. The video is both a story and a performance piece alternating between a story line about a couple on the rocks and performance of the track captured in Cherry Creek State Park.
Do you have any live shows or a tour coming up and if so let us know where we can catch you at?
As of right now we do not have a tour planned for 2022, however, if you’re in or around the Denver area there will be plenty of opportunities to catch a show and hopefully we will be visiting a venue near you soon.
What else can we expect in 2022?
We have big plans to extend our reach in 2022 and will likely be releasing another video from the album. In addition, be on the lookout for a new single in the second half of the year.
Will we see any collaborations and if so, can you tell us more about them?
We have no collaborations planned at the moment.
Do you have any live shows or a tour coming up and if so let us know where we can catch you at?
As of right now we do not have a tour planned for 2022, however, if you’re in or around the Denver area there will be plenty of opportunities to catch a show and hopefully we will be visiting a venue near you soon.
What else can we expect in 2022?
We have big plans to extend our reach in 2022 and will likely be releasing another video from the album. In addition, be on the lookout for a new single in the second half of the year.
Where do you see yourself now in 5 Years?
I think in 5 years we would all like to be doing this full-time and touring as a band. SMT is a creative outlet for all the members but we would all love to be able to take it to the next level and share our music live with the world.
What quote or saying do you always stick by?
“Be excellent to each other” from the immortal Bill S. Preston and Ted Theodore Logan. The quote from the Bill & Ted movies really sums up what needs to be heard right now. The world could be a much better place if people took a step back and treated their fellows with respect and kindness. Rock on Wyld Stallions.
Will we see any collaborations and if so, can you tell us more about them?
We have no collaborations planned at the moment.
Where do you see yourself now in 5 Years?
I think in 5 years we would all like to be doing this full-time and touring as a band. SMT is a creative outlet for all the members but we would all love to be able to take it to the next level and share our music live with the world.
What quote or saying do you always stick by?
“Be excellent to each other” from the immortal Bill S. Preston and Ted Theodore Logan. The quote from the Bill & Ted movies really sums up what needs to be heard right now. The world could be a much better place if people took a step back and treated their fellows with respect and kindness. Rock on Wyld Stallions.
When you are at a gig, what are 5 things you cannot forget?
1. Gear
2. Fans
3. A good soundcheck is so important to the success of the show.
4. Outfits
5. Remember that the show must go on and should be fluid. Lean into the flow and where the music is taking you and don’t get flustered if things get a little off the rails
Do you have social media accounts so your fans can follow you?
Yes!
Instagram/Facebook/Tik Tok
Shanghaimetrotemple.com
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