Deaf Poets
by: Mary Welch
Deaf Poets gained me as a fan after my first time listening to “Celestine,” a song off their new album called Lost in Magic City. I was very relieved when I found out they would be releasing a full-length, because of how much I enjoy listening to that song. “Celestine” is a slower-paced song in comparison to most other tracks on Lost in Magic City. I sometimes find myself singing it absentmindedly, to be honest. Giving this Miami-based alternative rock-duo a shot is undeniably worth it. Here is Savvage Media’s interview with drummer, Nico Espinosa, and vocalist/guitarist, Sean Wouters.
Why do you call yourselves "Deaf Poets"?
Nico: We used to work at Urban Outfitters and I was folding “Dead Poet's Society” T-shirts and liked how the tittle sounded. We had our first show coming up and needed a name so we thought about “Dead Poets” or “Deaf Poets”. We searched MySpace and no one had “Deaf Poets,” so it stuck haha.
Have you considered adding more members to the band?
Nico: On our first record ,“4150”, we have multiple instrumentations, so we’ve invited a few friends to play with us on a handful of occasions. We never felt that we wanted to add someone permanent, or needed to. We used to be in a five piece band before this, and we always found that the two of us worked best.
How would you describe your music, as it has evolved since your first album to your most current?
Sean: We believe "4150" to be more a collection of singles exploring different genres while trying to find our sound. In our new album, Lost In Magic City. The theme and vibe is coherent with what we envisioned. We wanted this album to better represent who we are in a live sense. Our live performance is known to be energetic and powerful something we really wanted to bring out with our newest album.
Do you have a favorite song off of your new album, Lost In Magic City?
Sean: That would definitely be "King (Don't Matter)" . It was the last song to make the album and by far my favorite. We felt it was reminiscent of our older influences like Nirvana with a more classic vibe like in Led Zeppelin. The solo came to be from a spontaneous idea Nico thought. "Hey, we haven't had a real guitar solo in one of our songs yet."
Do you feel pressured when putting something new out for everyone to like it? Or do you stick with the mindset that you had while writing, trusting your instincts?
Nico: Before putting anything out there, I need to feel really good about it, more so for me than feeling pressure from the public liking it or not. I love writing and performing and I am always really happy when people like what I do and don't really stress it if they don’t. I’ll still play because it’s what I know what to do.
What influenced you the most to do what you do today?
Sean: That would definitely be concerts!!! Nico and I have been to so many incredible shows and that's pretty much the most inspirational thing a musician can do.
Do you remember your first show together? And what was it like?
Sean: I do, it was supposed to be the last show of the past project Nico and I were in before we made Deaf Poets. It was at Churchill's Pub playing for a full house. The crowd reacted so well to our performance we decided to make this a real thing, at the time we didn't even have a name yet.
Favorite venue, festival, or city to play at?
Nico: Favorite venues: Churchill’s, Gramps, Las Rosas and Bardot (MIA). The Garage (Winston-Salem, NC). Festival: iiipoints (MIA) has become the event of the year here in Miami and we’ve been very gracious to have been part of it for thelast 4 years.
Why did you decide the Lost In Magic City album cover would be the one?
Nico: We wanted a cover that represented the tittle and the theme of the record in an ambiguous way. We liked the idea of two people falling into nothingness, a sense of being “lost”. Our sound is darker and heavier now so we wanted dark colors. We asked our friend Camilo to run with the idea and we were really happy with the outcome.
What is your ultimate direction or ambition for Deaf Poets?
Nico: To be able to pay rent and be on the road playing our music.
What is one thing someone should know about the band?
That we're just two normal dudes who love to play Rock n Roll and make new friends!
What can we expect from Deaf Poets in the future? Tour dates? New music videos?
Tons of new stuff!!! We're going to be releasing new music videos soon and we're heading on tour now!
Connect with Deaf Poets:
https://www.facebook.com/deafpoets/
https://deafpoets.bandcamp.com/
Check them out on tour!
May 12 - Hi Ho Lounge - New Orleans, LA
May 13 - Spider House Cafe - Austin, TX
May 14 - The Prophet Bar - Dallas, T
May 15 - Burt's Tiki Lounge - Albuquerque, NM
May 16 - Tavern On The Creek - Phoenix, AZ
May 17 - Shady Park - Tempe, AZ
May 18 - Soda Bar - San Diego, CA
May 21 - The Mint - Los Angeles, CA
May 23 - Elbo Room - San Francisco, CA
May 24 - Ash Street Saloon - Portland, OR
May 25 - The Highline - Seattle, WA
May 26 - Reef - Boise, ID
May 27 - Streets of London - Denver, CO
May 29 - 529 - Atlanta, GA
May 30 - Soul Bar - Augusta, GA
June 1 - PoorHouse - Fort Lauderdale, FL
June 3 - Churchill's - Miami, FL