A few months ago, we wrote about an excellent Swiss psych-rock band named Dirty Sound Magnet and their terrific fourth album, Dreaming in Dystopia. The record is one of my favorites of 2023, and though I didn’t put it on my top 25 list for the year, I certainly included it on the Best of 2023 playlist.
I don’t think the trio behind Dirty Sound Magnet would necessarily be offended by the non-inclusion on the Top 25. They’re a focused, veteran rock band that seems to handle their business with the utmost professionalism. From what I can gather, they’ve developed a loyal international audience through hard work, constant touring, and the creative brilliance of their four full-length records.
Dreaming in Dystopia was released via Wild Thing Records in October 2023, and it was their most ambitious effort to date. The band has links across Europe, and on the album, they combine their love of Led Zeppelin with more modern rock stalwarts like QOTSA and KGLW. The release is being supported by European and U.K. tours to “cement their stature as one of the most innovative and fearless rock bands of the modern age.” As I said, they’re an ambitious group.
Dirty Sound Magnet loves Sixties and Seventies-era classic rock, but Eastern mysticism influences them as much as Western psychedelia. I had the chance to correspond with the group via email, and they were kind enough to answer my questions. Check out the interview below with Stavros Dzodzos (vocals, guitar) from Dirty Sound Magnet, where he talks about the new album, misconceptions fans may have about touring, and much more.
Interview with Stavros from Dirty Sound Magnet
Third Eye: Thanks for doing the interview! Can you introduce Dirty Sound Magnet and give us some background on the new album, Dreaming in Dystopia?
Starvos Dzodzos: Dirty Sound Magnet is a psych/prog power trio from Switzerland. Our vision consists of leaving every door open and not limiting ourselves musically. I would call this vision infinite rock or creative rock. The three of us have jammed together since our teenage years. From the very start, we were passionate and ambitious musically. Upon realizing that being from Switzerland was a serious handicap in the music business and that no one took us seriously, we locked ourselves in our rehearsal rooms for ten years to develop our very own formula. To “compete” with British and American bands, we had to create something unique and personal. I like to believe that we did and that and the world is discovering it right now.
Contrast is very important in our vision of art. Our 2022 album DSM-III is frenetic, angry, and dangerous. Dreaming in Dystopia locates on the other end of our musical spectrum. It’s an album of light, beauty, and love. It has darker themes as well because even when you can see the light, it’s the darkness that will highlight its beauty.
Both albums were written during the pandemic. DSM-III was the expression of our anger, while Dreaming in Dystopia is the album of hope.
Third Eye: What’s your favorite song on the new album? And why?
Starvos: I honestly like all songs equally. But some songs mean something special to me/us. “Insomnia”, for instance, has existed since we met as teenagers. Our first jams already had some of the ideas that are in the final version. It took 15 years of experience to make a full song out of it. So, it symbolizes belief and persistence.
“Utopia” is a new step as a songwriter for me. It’s the first time I wrote the lyrics before the music.
“Melodies from Distant Shores” is one of my favorite tracks because I wrote it so fast, and its melodies are so unconventional that it seems I didn’t do it. The writing, the arrangements, the rehearsals, the recording; everything was done in a matter of days. The song is still very complex. It seems pretty magical that we made this so fast without even thinking about what we were doing. Quite the opposite of “Insomnia” that took over a decade.
Third Eye: You’ve played countless live shows across multiple continents. What’s one thing about touring as a musician that you think most fans would be surprised to hear?
Starvos: That sex, drugs, and rock ’n’ roll is a myth from the past. If you want to do a good job, you must commit, be in good shape, take care of your body and mind. It’s actually very hard work. Especially when you’re DIY. Driving, tour management, carrying gear, sound checking takes a lot.
Our shows last two hours, and you need a lot of mental and physical energy to be able to do it every day while having to do all the rest. I did not even mention that we manage the band ourselves and have to create content for social media every day while on tour.
Third Eye: You list many of your influences as the giants of classic rock like Led Zeppelin. So, what’s your favorite Zeppelin song? And why?
Starvos: The beauty of Led Zeppelin is that every song is different. To understand the depth of Led Zeppelin, one has to listen to full albums. I think that the trilogy of Led Zeppelin IV, Houses of the Holy, Physical Graffiti shows the range, versatility and musical genius of the band.
On Physical Graffiti there is a streak of four masterpieces in a row: “Kashmir,” “In the Light,” :Down by the Seaside,” “Ten Years Gone”.
Third Eye: How do you think the band’s sound has evolved from 2017’s Western Lies to this new record?
Starvos: I think we’ve gained much experience through the years. But Western Lies has something special. We took an entire year to record it. We experimented so much on that album. I would like to be able to do this again one day. We’re different musicians today and it would result in something I can’t fully imagine.
I think we started finding our sound with Live Alert (2020). Ever since, we record everything live in the studio. The process is much faster and we know the sound we want to achieve. DSM-III (2022) and Dreaming in Dystopia (2023) have the type of sound and vibe we were looking for all along. We achieved this by recording everything ourselves.
We always wanted to sound very organic and very dynamic.
Third Eye: I’ve noticed that many musicians and bands today are interested in dystopian concepts. It’s interesting to me because you think back to the early rock era, and the opposite may be true – bands were interested in utopias. So, why do you think DSM went with the Dreaming in Dystopia concept, and what was your vision for it?
Starvos: Our 2019 album Transgenic is a true dystopian album. Our current album Dreaming in Dystopia has no science fiction in it. It’s rooted in present times. The concept is simple: Our world is a dystopia already, but with music you can still dream. We wrote it during the pandemic and there are even more people suffering on Earth in 2023.
It’s a similar message than in the Sixties when there was the Vietnam War. Music can give hope in this dark world.
As Frank Zappa said: “Music is the only religion that delivers the goods.”
Third Eye: What’s the one record that “changed your life” and inspired you to play and make your music?
Starvos: There are several records:
– when I was 4, AC/DC’s live album If You Want Blood, You’ve Got It drove me crazy
– then I had a Rolling Stones period from 6-8. At that time, the hairdresser asked my mother: “How should we cut his hair?” And I answered: “like Mike Jagger”.
– I also listened to James Brown, the Beatles and classical music as a kid.
– And then… I listened to dance music + MTV pop + Rap. Because everyone else was, although I did not really like that.
– And then I discovered a Led Zeppelin bootleg and my life changed. I was 15, the day after I picked up the guitar and I knew I would do this forever.
Third Eye: Who do you think is the best psychedelic rock band active today? And why?
Starvos: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard are really great. They have their own style, and they have passion. Through the years, they’ve also become very good musicians.
Third Eye: What’s next for Dirty Sound Magnet? What are some short- and long-term future plans?
Starvos: Short term: touring Europe, the US, Mexico, and Australia and recording a new album in 2024.
In the long term, I would like us to record another ten albums at least and play live as long as we can stand on our feet. It’s a lifelong project.
Check out Dirty Sound Magnet’s new album, Dreaming in Dystopia, on Bandcamp here.
Support Dirty Sound Magnet on Bandcamp, their official website, or see all of their links here.
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