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And Here's Glass The Sky, Indie-Rock Group/Clarinet Enthusiasts

Each Wednesday, Rocks Off arbitrarily appoints one lucky local performer or group "Artist of the Week," bestowing upon them all the fame and grandeur such a lofty title implies. Know a band or artist that isn't awful? Email their particulars to [email protected].

This is Glass The Sky. They are a band. As such, they make music. And since they are being featured here, within the hallowed Artist of the Week spectrum, you can safely assume that their music proverbially rocks proverbial tits. Here's a sample:

Glass the Sky,

"Portal"

"Portal"

If that tribal, spooky, effervescent chunk of indie glory didn't make you want to give them money, then you should consider calling the Guinness Book of World Records to tell them that man has finally found a way to live without having a heart.

Interview ahead. There is talk of Radiohead, clarinets and Sum 41's awfulness. Aces.

Rocks Off: Tell everyone everything they need to know about Glass The Sky in exactly six words.

Glass The Sky: Sometimes six words just aren't enough*.

*Somehow, this is the first time anyone has responded to this question with this answer in more than 100 times of us asking it.

RO: Now, we assume there's some really excellent tale behind the song "Stereoface." We mean, stereos are awesome and faces are awesome. So...

GTS: Well, the title came from a friend saying the stuff we were working on sounded like Radiohead. Though we are fans of their work, we really weren't pulling that as an influence. We jokingly said, "No way, what do you want to call us? Stereoface?"

That night we were finishing the arrangement for that song and that name stuck with us and ended up writing the song about seeing the perspective from the other side of an incident or idea. "Stereoface" was such a cool working title that it stuck.

RO: Are you all the only band on the planet that employs a clarinetist?

GTS: In the rock planet, probably. We are planning to incorporate more clarinet into the songs. It's an interesting medium to use.

RO: Let's say that every band is built to soundtrack one specific action. Like, Rage Against the Machine's music is ideal for running really fast and Sum 41's music is ideal for driving your car into a goddamn wall. What is Glass the Sky's one specific action they were built to soundtrack?

GTS: Having an epiphany; that moment of utopia when your mind makes sense of the world for a millisecond. The struggle before and the sense of self afterwards.

RO: Is it true that at the conclusion of your shows, you all throw shards of glass out into the crowd as tiny, deadly souvenirs?

GTS: You may have just given us an idea... Maybe candy glass so that everyone freaks out but then childishly indulges themselves.

RO: When and where can people see you all perform next?

GTS: Locally you can share our music with us at Rudyard's on April 20, 2012. We are also playing SXSW at Key Bar, March 14 at 5 p.m.

RO: Anything you want to make sure gets mentioned?

GTS: We love what's going on in Houston; there are fantastic things going on like the Tontons, New York City Queens, Sideshow Tramps, tyagaraja and Buxton. We are thrilled to be involved in an exciting time for Houston music. We are going into the studio with Josh Applebee at SugarHill Studios to record an EP and should be available in the spring.


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Shea Serrano