Inspired by the "Strange Daze Festival", Ohio based "Secret Saucer" explores the outer limits of space rock.      With it's "improv/ tracking" approach to instrumental space rock "Secret Saucer's" following continues to grow. My interview with band mainstay Steve Hayes will give you some insight into what makes this successful space rock entity "tick" ( -and why their music deserves a listen ). Here at "Creative Tech Nerds", we have pledged to help "spread the word" by including their music in our upcoming "Music From the Cutting Edge of Rock"    radio shows. Stay tuned for details on our show's upcoming mid-2020' debut! 

Having stumbled across "Secret Saucer's" music while perusing CD Baby's "Space Rock" category, I thought "Creative Tech Nerds" readers might find an interview with the group's frontman to be of interest. What has really impressed me with this band is not only  the group's high degree of musicianship but how polished  and professionally engineered  their music sounds. It's definitely NOT  your typical "garage band" attempt      at churning out something that approximates "space rock". No, instead "Secret Saucer's" music achieves          a refined and sophisticated sound that few such bands have ever managed. Here then, is my interview        with "Secret Saucer's" Steve Hayes: 

Tomm Buzzetta -Creative Tech Nerds ( CTN ):  For our readers who may not yet be familiar with "Secret Saucer" ( -I count myself in that category ), can you tell us a little about how the band "came together" and what you originally aimed t do with your music?

Your CD Baby "Bio" mentions Secret Saucer as "coming out of the ashes of the "Strange Daze Festival". Can you tell us a little about your involvement with that festival and how that experience triggered the formation of the band? 

Steve Hayes:  We were all involved with the festival in one way or another. When it ended I missed the whole vibe we had goin' on so I had the idea to get a bunch of the guys from Quarkspace, Architectural Metaphor, and our local collective of space rock musicians together at my studio to jam and record. 

SECRET  SAUCER  "LIFT  OFF"  ( Live  studio  recorded  video ): 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arqd9ounObE&list=PL1A3USZ7dP5YyEBFLcZ-U9HLWS-3JlwGw

CTN:  Give us a little background on yourself ( i.e: occupation, musical background, interests, etc. ) and on "Secret Saucer's" current line-up of musicians. Who plays what instrument ( s ) and who's in charge of recording your albums? Who comes up with the basic riffs, etc. 

Steve Hayes:  I work as a self-employed guy who does all phases of home remodeling. I'm blessed to have    the freedom to pursue music as well. I have worked with Secret Saucer, Oresund Space Collective, Spaceseed,  Ultra Violet Rays, Hawkwind, Daevid Allen, and others 

We started as nine guys doing pure improvization. Now we are down to four. Bill Spear plays bass and guitar and contributes musical ideas and riffs. Dave Hess plays synths and does the album artwork. Jim Dunn plays drums. I play keyboards, guitars, bass guitar. I also contribute songs and usually end up arranging the music. We record in my Salad Farm Studio.

CTN:  Among the groups cited on "Secret Saucer's" CD Baby "bio" ( i.e: Hawkwind, Floyd, Ozric Tentacles, Ash Ra Temple, Camel, Eloy, etc. ) WHICH has had the biggest influence upon "Secret Saucer's" music, sound and approach? 

Steve Hayes:  Well I guess it would have to be Pink Floyd and Hawkwind. 

CTN:  How do you guys record your albums? Are you all located there in Ohio or do your members contribute their parts from where ever they live ( -across the country ) using high-speed data communications lines to send their musical parts to you? 

Steve Hayes: Two of us are in Ohio. Bill and I are cousins and have always done music together. We have a really good working relationship. Dave is in upstate New York and is always ready to make the trip over for the weekend. Our drummer Jim has been on the last few albums and is in Atlanta and he takes our demos into a local studio and sends us a hard drive full of drum tracks. 

In the beginning, for the first three albums, we would gather here and do complete live jam improvizations. These were recorded on Adat digital tape machines. Then, as things changed and I got into Protools, I started composing more music and the band from then on started recording more tracking than live jams. We would get together and work out arrangements, etc, then start tracking. 

"SECRET  SAUCER'S"  FACEBOOK  PAGE:   facebook.com/SecretSaucer/?epa=SEARCH_BOX

CTN:  Since the title of our "zine" is "Creative Tech Nerds" I have to sneak in a question about your gear. Can you give us a rundown of some of the synths, instruments, recording gear and software "Secret Saucer" uses? 

Steve Hayes:  We use Protools and have a bunch of Korg and other classic synth software synths, as well as hardware like La610 mic pre's.  Synths like the Korg MS10 and MS20, Roland SH-09, EML 200 and 101. Sequential Circuits Pro One. Also, some classic Korg and Roland rack synths. 

CTN:  Do you have any specific "formula" for coming up with your songs or does it all just "come together" improvizationally during your jamming or tracking sessions? 

Steve Hayes: Really, it's a bit of both. No real formula other than searching for the spark of inspiration  wherever it can be found. 

Another killer tune from "Secret Saucer" called:  "All the Way to Outer Space"

CTN:  If "Creative Tech Nerds" readers wanted to buy two or three "Secret Saucer" albums that best represent the spirit and essence of what "Secret Saucer" is all about -WHICH two or three would you recommend? 

Steve Hayes:  The first album "Element 115". Then, maybe "Four on the Floor" as a sort of transition between the improv and arrangements. Then, "The Reset" for it's the path we ended up on. 

CTN:  Your music is available as MP3 downloads and CD's from CD Baby, correct?  WHICH format tends to sell best? ( -I'm guessing MP3's ). How has the "CD Baby experience" been for the band? Would you recommend CD Baby to other artists and bands looking for distribution ( -based upon your experience with them )? 

Steve Hayes:  Yes MP3's outsell CD's. We love CD Baby. They offer the complete package and we are grateful for that as it's not in our nature to do all that legwork. We highly recommend CD Baby. 

CTN:  Personally, I really like the stuff on your "Element 115" and "Second Sighting" albums. Can you tell

us a little about what was going on with the band during the recordings of those albums ( -that might have contributed to their particular sound and direction )? 

Steve Hayes:  These first two albums really captured the vibe of all nine of us doing pure space rock improvization. We wouldn't even discuss what key it was in,... we just jammed it out and I really think these  two albums really caught the spirit of what our first sessions were like. We gathered at my rural home for four days and recorded everything we played. It was a great experience. 

CTN:  Tell us a little about your latest album "The Reset" and what went into it. 

Steve Hayes:  "The Reset" is a continuation of our collective musical journey. We are really proud of the music and happy with the way it turned out. The album was also released on vinyl from a German label called PsyKa Records. The mastering for vinyl was done by someone whose music I have always loved -so it was a pleasure to work with and have Eroc from the band Grobschnitt do the mastering. 

"Spin Drift" from "Secret Saucer"

CTN:  Here in St. Louis ( -where I run "Creative Tech Nerds" ), you'll NEVER hear music like "Secret Saucer"      ( -or Hawkwind, Eloy, Camel or any of the OTHER  bands you mention on your CD Baby "bio" ) played on the radio stations here.  It's all "pop", country and "middle of the road" rock. That's one of the reasons I'm working to get my "Music From the Cutting Edge of Rock"  show on FM rock stations across the country.  So great prog,   space rock, power-metal and experimental bands like your's can finally get the radio exposure they deserve! 

While there are a few small college stations adventurous enough to air your music ( -and they deserve plenty

of credit for doing it! ), they are unfortunately, very far and few between. 

Have you received any "airplay" on the radio stations there in Ohio? 

Steve Hayes:  We have been played on college radio locally but we are a bit too far out for classic rock      radio. I once sent a song from "Four on the Floor" to the local classic rock station... they were too cool to      even communicate with us. 

CTN:  What's next for "Secret Saucer"?  Are you and the band currently working on your next album? ( -and if so, can you tell us a little about what to expect ? ).  Are you planning any special gigs, a tour, or do you have any plans to participate in any upcoming festivals? 

Steve Hayes:  We are finishing up our 8th release which should be ready in early 2020. I think it carries on nicely from "The Reset" and we will be proud to release it. We have always been a studio project so there won't be any gigs from us in the near future. Thank you for your interest in out music. Cheers! 

                                                            -END  OF  INTERVIEW-

"SECRET  SAUCER'S "  CD  BABY  PAGES  FOR  THEIR  "RESET", "FOUR  ON  THE  FLOOR"  and                     "TRI-ANGLE  WAVES"  ALBUMS:

store.cdbaby.com/cd/secretsaucer6

store.cdbaby.com/cd/secretsaucer2

store.cdbaby.com/cd/secretsaucer3