By Judy Pak
Daily Bruin Contributor
Like a summer joy ride around the radio dial, Captain Pants is
all about change and reinvention.
Captain Pants is one of those bands that effortlessly cross
genres. It trailblazes a blend of rock, funk, and soul in its
music. Even the group itself has trouble characterizing its
music.
“We have a difficult time in describing our music,”
said Michael Sattin, the group’s bass player, in a telephone
interview. “It’s not really funk but there’s funk
in it and it’s not really rock but there’s rock in it,
too. It’s different backgrounds brought together.”
The hybrid fusion of its music reflects the ambiguous nature of
the band’s name. The name Captain Pants “basically came
from our singer’s cat, who would fall asleep in his pants
leg.
“We were looking for a name that really wouldn’t
describe the kind of music we play,” Sattin said. “That
way we can play any type of music we wanted and you wouldn’t
know what kind of band Captain Pants was.”
The members attribute their successful flow as a band to evolved
chemistry and the ability to read each other.
“We are different people, but there is something common in
the ways we grew up,” Sattin said. “We’d be
friends anyway and with us it comes natural and it’s kind of
organic.”
Originally from Indiana, Sattin relocated to California to
attend music school. He worked at an Italian ice cream store and
met two of his future bandmates in the adjacent store, Aahs. Twelve
years later, they formed a band collaborating each of their unique
talents.
“As far as the band, we decided that we’re gonna let
everything just happen and make it up as we go along” said
Sattin.
With the constraints of minimal props, it took two years to
record the self-titled album in Sattin’s home studio.
“We wanted to make everything work and were trying to get
the best results possible despite the limitations” said
Sattin.
The pulsing drums, rioting guitar, powerfully rumbling bass, and
an assortment of congas and bells make up the backbone of their
live show, while frontman Michael Kopelow leaves behind most traces
of sanity when he is onstage.
At its CD release party at the Dragonfly last Friday, the
members of the band earned an audience by the virtue of their
anomalous, multifarious grooves and their unabashed enthusiastic
energy.
“I get such a rush by just seeing the people get into
it,” Sattin said “The energy comes from the crowd and
it kind of goes to me and I regenerate it back out.”
Opening with “Cherry,” the vigorously fueled set
kept the spectators dancing throughout the night and turned into
one big party. The intimacy of the venue guided the audience in
taking an introspective ride through the band’s personal
passions.
“Everything we play is really an extension of who we are,
everything going in our individual lives, our relationships with
each other and everyone else in our individual lives coming
together and being poured into music,” Sattin said. “If
I’m happy, sad, pissed off, elated, whatever ““
it’s all there.”
The band’s amp-climbing, rowdy show emulated its
eclecticism and rule-breaking persona. When it comes to the
audiences’ perception of them, the band has simple
aspirations.
“We are pretty open to interpretation.” Sattin said.
“I guess I would just like them to perceive us as 5 guys
playing music honestly from our souls, and above anything to have a
good time while doing it.”
Sattin currently works as an administrative analyst in Payroll
Services at UCLA but for the future, his aspirations for the band
are limitless.
“We would like to be signed, tour, see more of the world
and be open to experiences.”