For the Love of Music
The bar suddenly goes dark. A magenta light flashes, and a wave of sound swallows everyone inside overlapping melodies, emotion radiating from each note. Four silhouettes appear — the one and only Magenta Wave.
As the lights flash, the silhouettes become more pronounced. The bassist grins; the drummer flails his arms and head around like the drum set owes him money; the guitarist’s long hair drapes as he grunges through his strings. Then a man steps up to the microphone, and the band becomes one.
How are these four sentient individuals able to come together to create a piece they can all happily call their own? If it took four people to make “Magical Mystery Tour,” then the answer must be rooted somewhere in collaboration, and it seems like Magenta Wave may be on their way to discovering it. Guitarist Taylor Mastin said that finding chemistry is always the group’s number one priority, while the second is always being open to feedback and not taking rejected ideas personally.
“We’re always open to try people’s ideas,” Mastin said. “If it doesn’t work out, it’s cool, it’s whatever. At the end of the day, we all want to do what’s best for the song. We all love each other. It’s coming from a place of love. We’re just all working on this thing that we really care about.”
The chemistry is clear and visible as the band members interact with each other, sitting on their couch under a massive Black Sabbath poster inside their welcoming home in Seattle. Laughter fills the room as they reminisce on basslines that were more funny than funky. Upon entering their space, you feel an immediate sense of calm, hope and love. If anyone should be in a band together, it’s these guys.
Between work and living life, creating new songs has taken a back seat as they mostly practice what they would like to play for shows. That’s why living together gives them extra time to jam out, which is where most of their song creation starts. Vocalist and rhythm guitarist Grayson Thompson said that many songs start right in their living room, all of them brainstorming ideas together to see what works.
“You’ll just feel it. Then we all kind of feel it. We just know,” Thompson said. “The four of us are putting our heart and soul into something and that’s what it is. We’re trying to make the best quality song and display an emotion. So we have to work together.”
Drummer Kellen Larsen and bassist Nathaniel “Landy” McCurley make up the band’s rhythm section. Once a melody is configured, Larsen and McCurley find the right grooves and beat to complete the song.
“It’s really interesting seeing [Mastin and Thompson] work together because there are always moments that are fun for me as a drummer,” Larsen said. “I’m trying to create a feel. I watch these guys do an acoustic jam. [Thompson or Mastin] has a guitar in their hand and one of them will be like, ‘Love that chord progression, play that again.’ Then the other will hop on guitar and work with it and [Thompson] will start trying to figure out a vocal melody.”
Growing up all around the country with many different influences in life has led to the band members having different, unique perspectives on songwriting and life. However, they all share at least two common perspectives: Music as expression is something that is almost as necessary as food or water, and the simple joy of sharing music can bring many different outlooks together to create something cohesive.
“We all came from different aspects of life and view things differently,” McCurley said. “Music really brings us together and our love for music is all the same and based in emotional expression. That’s where we really come together. The more we live together and the more we grow together, the easier it is for us to tap into that more spiritual connection through music.”
Having the same goals keeps the band in rhythm. Each member wants the group to play on the big stage, and they all take every chance they get to spread their music.
Around the end of 2022, Magenta Wave’s former vocalist had moved to Los Angeles to pursue music school, leaving the band on hiatus. They were left questing for a new direction, unsure how to move forward – they wanted Thompson to join due to his phenomenal voice, but he was already in another band.
Then Thompson’s former band went their separate ways. He decided to take up Magenta Wave’s offer to jam, and they had a blast, leading them to play a small concert together shortly after. The new Magenta Wave was officially formed a few weeks later. They were on a roll again, ready for a big comeback.
“It was a perfect natural progression,” McCurley said. “Like, everything worked out as it was supposed to.”
They made the move from Bellingham to Seattle in September 2023, and have since made their house a home of eager musicians. With their eyes on the prize, the members of Magenta Wave are determined that their bonds will help get them to their destination. They all know exactly what they want.