We caught up with Sonia (vox/guitar) from PDX alternative band Alien Boy before they head out on their co-headline tour with Virginia’s Dazy this month. Read about her inspirations, tour memories, and more in the full interview:
Do you have a favorite tour memory?
There’s so many over the years but a recent favorite tour memory was from when we were in Vegas last summer. We got a cheap room on the strip and us and Ridgeway went down to use the pool before the show. It was a straight up like wild ass party in the middle of the day, people making out everywhere. They were BLASTING music and I got “what are the odds”-ed to ask the DJ to play “Girls” by The Dare. He said he didn’t have it and played “Girls” by Beastie Boys instead. Then we played a gig and went straight back to the casino and Derek won $100. Amazing day.
What has been your favorite city to play in?
Best show from last tour was hands down San Francisco, I’ve always loved playing in the bay but that one really sealed the deal for me. Other highlights from this year are Austin, Tampa, Atlanta, Philly, Madison, and Denver. Can’t pick!
How did you meet Dazy and decide to go on tour with them?
We haven’t met them! Gonna meet them for the first time on the first day of tour. I’ve been a huge fan since last year when I heard about them, they emailed us about doing the tour and we said yes immediately.
If you could open for any band in the world, dead or alive, who would you open for?
Jawbreaker.
What’s your favorite song to play live?
Changes all the time but most of the time lately “Wondering Still.”
Who are some of your inspirations, musically + lyrically?
My consistent influences for Alien Boy are Jawbreaker, My Bloody Valentine, Wipers, Oasis, and Joyce Manor. Over the years a lot of other stuff has gotten in there too, for the last record it was a lot of Smashing Pumpkins and Third Eye Blind.
Describe the vibe of Alien Boy in one word.
Legend.
If you were a cover band, what band would you cover and what would you name the band?
I’ve never been good with the cover band names, but we’d be Jawbreaker or Oasis. Once a few of us were in a Fall Out Boy cover band called Grand Theft Bottom.
What’s a fun fact or something that most people don’t know about the band?
Me (Sonia), Derek, and Caleb have been playing music together for 15 years! They’re my oldest and dearest friends. The three of us recorded the first Alien Boy EP Never Getting Over It just the three of us at my old work after hours from like 10pm-4am. We stayed up all night every Wednesday for a couple of months working on it.
Catch Alien Boy on tour with Dazy at the Constellation Room on 1/27! Tickets are available here.
