Lovecraft is a 3-piece Alt/Indie Rock band formed in August, 2017 based out of Rock Falls, IL. In their live setlist they cover song by bands from Smashing Pumpkins to Foo Fighters as well as play original music. Recently, Lovecraft released their first single titled, “Just Dumb Luck” which is available on all major music streaming sites. The band plans to release their first EP by December, 2018 with the title “Welcome to Disappointment."
I had the opportunity to do a Q & A with Vocalist/bassist of the band, Raven Valdivia.
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JMR: How did you get into music growing up?
Did you have parents influence you at all or did you discover music on your
own?
RV: Growing up music was always around,
my parents didn’t play any instruments they just loved listening to music. Constantly,
the house was never quiet. I did grow up
watching a few of my older cousins play in [the band] Kizmaz and other bands so
I guess it was a little bit of “self-discovery” mixed with being constantly
surrounded with music!
JMR: Ok, so you really did get to make
your own path with your music. So, who has been musical influences in your life
as far as other singers, bands or albums in your “self-discovery?”
RV: Joan Jett rocks my freakin socks
off and is probably the reason why I started playing music in the first place. So,
I would say her for sure but for me as an artist my biggest influences are
Violent Femmes, Bob Dylan, The Pixies, Fleetwood Mac, and Edward Sharpe and the
Magnetic Zeros, all for one reason or another whether it be their songwriting
or just the overall passion put into their projects they all are my dudes
JMR: Wow, that’s a great list of
influences! How did you discover those artist? You’re like an old soul!
RV: The first CD I ever bought was a
Bob Dylan Greatest Hits! Again, a bit of it definitely came from my parents
music taste, but for the most part that’s what spoke to me most over anything
else, ya know? They are all such phenomenal artists/storytellers with so much
soul that’s what really gets me!
JMR: Absolutely! You
can tell a story with your lyrics or your instruments when you write like them.
Great artists.
RV: Forsure!
JMR: That was the first cd you bought
but then how long have you been playing bass and singing?
RV: I started playing guitar when I was
8, I had a cool Walmart soccer ball guitar and it was tight! I got some
“lessons” from a few family member who were decent and could help me along. So
I had been playing out singing/acoustically from then till about 2016 then when
we started Lovecraft I was originally a guitar player but switched to bass when
we needed a bass player. It’s cool though
cause I dig it a lot it’s a nice change up from what I was used too!
JMR: You can’t go wrong with a soccer
guitar from Walmart!
RV: Still my prized possession.
JMR: Holy shit, that’s awesome!
RV: Bass is a new adventure for me
though which is always nice!
JMR: What kind of bass do you play and
what kind of amp?
RV: Currently I play a Peavy Millennium
and use a Fender Rumble 350 with a Peavy Headliner 410 cab.
JMR: Any effects or straight bass
plugged in to the amp, no bullshit?
RV: All bass, no bologna. I do use my
presets a little bit but mostly it’s a raw sound, I would like to dive into
that world a little bit if not for anything but to goof around with it but I’m
just not sure I would use it all too much in a serious setting.
JMR: That makes
sense. Don’t need a use for it then why have it? I get that. Speaking of your
sound you play with, let’s talk your band, "Lovecraft."
When you started this band it was
originally called “The guilty party.” Why the name change?
RV: The Guilty Party was just too long
Also we had a
fourth member at that time which things didn’t work out with so when we turned
into a 3 piece it didn’t feel like the Guilty party anymore so we renamed
ourselves Lovecraft
JMR: Ahh, ok. I’ve been there. 
So, why “Lovecraft?”
RV: We actually took the name from the
author H.P Lovecraft, he was a horror fiction writer in the 1920s who died
penniless and a nobody, it was only after he died that people were crazy about
his work and now he’s like one of the most influential authors of the 20th
century and I think that’s kind of hilarious because like ain’t that some shit
man
JMR: Are you kidding me? I love H.P.
Lovecraft. “The Call of Cthulhu” is one of my most favorite things ever
written.
RV: Oh shit right on!! Yeah we found
some of his stories on reddit and just got super into him, we all really like the
creepy pasta stories and he was like the OG so we decided to pay a little
tribute 
JMR: He was for sure one of the OG’s!
Very cool. You mentioned previously as TGP you had a 4th member. I might be wrong,
but were you guys as Lovecraft recently looking for a 4th member? I think it
was for a rhythm guitarist, right? Is that something you’re still considering?
RV: Yeah we were looking a little bit
ago! We enjoy being a 3 piece but sometimes it seems like there are more
possibilities for Tyler (Lovecraft guitarist) to really “shine” in a sense if
we were to still have that rhythm guitar in the background, we are writing new
music that’s kinda in a different genre; I’m not sure what we are truthfully,
but we want a lot of melodic riffs played on top of the rhythm and it’s hard to
do that with the 3 of us and not feel like we’ve lost something along the way,
so we’re very much still open to bringing in a another person but it would
definitely have to be the right person so we’re not in a huge hurry but if it
happens, it happens!
JMR: That’s what’s makes the magic in a
band happen...having the right combo of people in it to make it just right. Ya
gotta have that. As far as writing melodically goes that’s one of the things I
love in music...love a tune with a great melody to it.
RV: Forsure! And we’ve only been
together for a year now and I’m really happy with the growth we’ve had so far
so who knows what next year can bring!
JMR: Speaking of writing music, you
have some original songs that you wrote and recorded already. You recorded them
with students over at the Whiteside Area Career Center by the Sterling High
School, right? How was that experience and was there a reason behind recording
there rather than another recording studio?
RV: Well we kinda sorta did! We went to
WACC to record because it was our first song and we just kinda wanted to have a
demo. We weren’t really happy with the results though. It was really
frustrating and time consuming. We’ve got mad props for people who know what
they’re doing! We did get a finished product, however it was a song written
when we were “The Guilty Party” and it wasn’t great so we didn’t want that to
be the first thing we released. So, then we went to Sound in Silence
Productions in Princeton and it made the whole process so much more enjoyable!
Our boi Aaron Isaacson is phenomenal at what he does! He’s the one who
recorded/produced our single “Just Dumb Luck” and we plan on continuing using
him in the future!
JMR: You just brought up your song,
“Just dumb luck.” This is out on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon and people can
check it out on your Facebook page. I gotta be honest...I love this tune! It
reminds me of a sort of a SoCal punk tune mixed with some “Pretty Reckless” and
some old school grunge! I don’t know how to explain it but it hooked me right
from the start.
RV: Right on man! We’re glad you liked
it! You can get our song on Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon! But if you’re
anything like us and you don’t use any of those things you can download a free
copy of the song off of our Bandcamp page!
JMR: No way. That’s a song I’ll pay
for. I’m really into it. The sweet break down in the middle of the tune was
like, “yes!!!” Perfect.
RV: Yeessss! That was all Tyler’s
thing he’s been pushing those breakdowns from day one!
JMR: That’s great writing. That goes
back to what I said earlier about how you can tell a story with not just the
lyrics but with actual music. Who writes the lyrics? You or all together?
RV: Some songs I’ll write the lyrics,
other songs Tyler will. He and I switch off. If he wrote the lyrics, he’s the
one who will sing the song and the same goes for me! For the majority of the
time it’s me singing, but on our new EP Tyler will have a few more songs on
there!
JMR: Nice! Very cool. That’s coming out
in December?
RV: We are hoping! But that means you
can probably expect it out early 2019 
JMR: I’ll be waiting for it. Back on
July 3rd you got to hear your song on the radio...what was running through your
mind hearing it on the radio?
RV: Truthfully I was at work. None of
us knew that it was gonna be played! We were told that it would maybe run later
that week but I guess that morning they decided to play it first thing the station still
plays the song but we never know when it will be played so we've never heard it
but I’m sure it sounded cool
JMR: That’s still pretty badass to have
your music on the radio. Huge accomplishment.
RV: Yeah it’s still kinda surreal!
JMR: And you’re what, 20 years old?
RV: Yup I’m the youngest, both the boys
are 21!
JMR: That’s amazing. Congrats to you on
that. Hopefully more to come from you over the radio airwaves.
RV: Thank you! We can only hope!
JMR: How has your parents been with all
of this? Playing out, making music, the whole thing?
RV: They have always been super
supportive of my music and of whatever I do in general, truly great people! 10
out of 10 would recommend my parents 
JMR: Great support
system. Way to go mom & dad! 
Well, before we wrap this up I have 5
quick “rapid fire questions! Ready?
RV: Let’s get it!
JMR: Embarrassing
band/singer you love...
RV: Naked brothers band
JMR: Oh shit! You already threw me off
my game with that one!
RV: They were/still are my jam 
JMR: Guilty pleasure (nonmusical)...
RV: Eating way more cheese then a
normal human should ever consume
JMR: Favorite movie...
RV: The big Lebowski
JMR: Digital, cd, cassette or vinyl...
RV: VINYL ALL THE WAYYYYY
JMR: YESSS!
Last one...Blink 182 without Tom
Delonge...
RV: Not my favorite, but the man’s
gonna find some aliens so I can’t be too mad 
JMR: Agreed! Haha.
Thanks for doing this with me! I’m
really excited to see what’s next for you and Lovecraft.
Lovecraft is playing a show on August
19th for a fundraiser for the owners of Arnie’s Happy Spot that sadly burned
down recently. My band RadioSilence is playing for it as well, so we’ll get to
cross paths with each other! That will be fun. We’re super happy to be able to
help out and raise some money for it and I’m excited to see the great lineup of
bands that day coming together for a good cause.
RV: That’ll be pretty cool! We are
super glad to be able to help in any way possible! It’s going to be a really
great event that just shows the strong sense of community in our area forreal!
JMR: Exactly! BUT!!!! I have one
request of Lovecraft...
RV: And that is?
JMR: Ya gotta play your cover of “All
my life” by Foo Fighters. I love it! Deal?
RV: You got it
JMR: And I better see that soccer ball
guitar!
RV: We can set it on fire, make it a
true rock and roll event :)
JMR: Haha! Now that’s metal!!! Thanks,
Raven!
RV: No problem! Thanks for doing such a
rad thing for the music community! Glad to be a part of it!
*Check out Lovecraft band on Facebook:
Lovecraft's single "Just dumb luck" available now on Apple Music, Spotify & Amazon
**Check out the Jon McClause reporting Facebook page at
*Q & A was by Dan "DANismDEATH" Ramirez 8/9/18
