Dreaming in reverse
Ventura rockers Afterward have big goals, but that doesn’t mean they want to leave town
By Steven Booth 07/19/2007
Sweet sounds of success: To those paying attention, Afterward are a reasonably successful Ventura-area band best known for having a song on The Riches and an EP that was released a few months ago.
But there is more to them than meets the eye. Behind the veneer of modern alternative pop rock with a slight twist of ’80s thrown in is a band with lofty ambitions that aren’t necessarily confined to those of a commercial nature.
One example is their formula for success. Keyboardist-songwriter Ryan Galvan seems interested in turning the traditional “Hollywood or Bust” mantra on its head. While most local bands with potential would happily sell their sorry souls for a weekend headlining gig at the Whisky, Galvan seems intent on doing it the other way around.
“We want to play anywhere but Los Angeles,” he jokes. He says he loves the inclusive vibe of the Ventura music scene. “We’ve played shows with [local] metal and hardcore bands in the past. These musicians appreciate good music, even if it’s not in their genre.”
The formula is to play small gigs at area clubs with a variety of different bands, to not only get the word-of-mouth out about their music but also create a stronger local music community.
“We want to talk to the people, and connect with the people and be a part of the community,” he says. Afterward play around quite frequently, having recent and upcoming gigs at diverse locales such as Bernadette’s on Main, San Souci and the Experimental Café in Oxnard.
What’s old is new: A listen to their EP A Demonstration of Three reveals a band with the edge of radio-friendly alternative rock a la Hoobastank but also with distinct ’80s influences, such as the emotional and dramatic rock of the Cure and Tears for Fears. When asked about his own influences, Galvan kept coming back to the Police. He has always admired Sting’s songwriting approach.
“Sting once said that a song had to have three criteria for him to use it. First, it must be as memorable as possible. Second, it must be as innovative as possible. And third, it has to have some classic quality about it. If a song doesn’t have these three qualities, I don’t use it.”
Decent exposure: Afterward is getting great exposure by having their song “Start Over Part 1” on the FX series The Riches, a critically acclaimed dark comedy featuring Minnie Driver and Eddie Izzard.
“We were the featured artist at the Gig in Hollywood and [executive producer] Peter O’Fallon heard it, loved it, and wanted to use it on the show,” Galvan says.
Not too bad for a band that started in 2003 when Galvan met cousin Corey Paul, who he realized could sing and had charisma. They didn’t know each other existed until shortly before then, and their love for music led to the band being put together.
“I saw that he had potential,” Galvan says, “so I approached him and said, ‘Let’s see what we can do with this.’ ”
With a new EP and a song on a hit series, the world will soon find out.
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