Interview with Musician Travis Yagi of Garden Fever
By Julia Diaz
Photo of Travis Yagi
Travis Yagi of Garden Fever is a singer/songwriter from Orange County, California. Playing in bands since middle school, music has been a part of Travis’s life for a long time. He currently studies Environmental Science full-time at Cal State East Bay. Although he is a full-time student, music is a large part of his life. Travis is fluid in his genres of choice, including psychedelic rock, metal, and industrial synth music. Inspired by System of a Down, Tool, Radiohead, Broken Bells, and Flying Lotus, he plays music as a form of self expression and to share important messages with those who listen to his music.
When did you first begin creating music?
“Playing Guitar Hero initiated my interest in third grade. I got my first real guitar a year or two later, and really didn’t want to do anything else. In sixth grade, I started singing and songwriting. I've basically been writing music ever since.”
Travis was a singer and lead guitarist in cover bands from sixth to tenth grade, and gained the courage to showcase his originals in highschool. It wasn’t until college where he started being more intentional with how he wanted the songs to sound and convey. It became more of a medium for self discovery as time went on.
“I always wanted to pursue music professionally—it was my childhood dream. I guess I just haven’t been stopping that.”
How would you describe your sound in just a few words? When did you discover your sound?
“Trippy but grounded I guess. By this, I mean structured where the parts serve each other in some way. I like messing around with timing, effects, and making it sound weird. This modulates the song in an interesting way. I would like to do more of a freeform structure and go off of a stream of consciousness flow in the future.”
Photo or Travis Yagi
“As cheesy as it sounds, The Beatles changed how I view music. I used to be fixated on being punk, and forced that distorted sound. I’ve since realized that I can also make the calmer, sweeter stuff. I like experimenting with electronics. I've realized that I don’t need to play super fast and dirty guitar rock all the time. Lately, I’ve been more gravitated towards disorienting but groovy sounds, which would be facilitated well with synths and strange guitar tones.”
How would you say your music has evolved throughout the years?
“I had my Green Day phase, but I got that out of the way early on. I got grungier with it in high school—I really liked that distorted sound. I didn’t pay too much attention to what chords I used until I started messing with the arrangements, and focused more on how the words sounded phonetically than the actual words themselves. To me, the lyrics are a vehicle for the music, and it needs to flow relative to the writer’s intention regardless of the content or meaning behind them.”
“It was very revelatory to find out that professional musicians aim to evoke certain emotions and not just go off the cuff. Finding that out, I was like, ‘Wow what was I doing this whole time?’ ”
In college, Travis started incorporating multiple genres in his sound. Listening to other types of music helped him create songs outside of his comfort zone. He started experimenting with trippy, psych sounds as well as jazz and classical music. He enjoyed playing multiple genres rather than sticking to one.
Photo of Travis Yagi
“Now, I just try to let it do its own thing. I have an initial idea, then go with it. I like to think about what I want to hear. I guess I stopped trying so hard and just went with it. When composing, I want to make sure that I’m leaving my mark on it and am not just regurgitating what has already been done before.”
What is the title of your newest song or project? Tell us more about the production.
I wrote a song for my girlfriend called “My Love in the Moonlight”. It changes times and everything is doing something quite different from one another. I never really wrote a love song before, but I had a lot of fun with it.
“My newest project is GrimHouse, under the band name Garden Fever. My friend, Trevor August, helped me produce it. It’s an EP about how noble it is to abide by wholesome concepts such as peace and religion. In practice, it gets complicated.”
How did you produce your latest EP? Inspiration for writing the lyrics in the songs/production?
“I produced GrimHouse on my HP laptop with the help of my friend, Trevor August. I don’t have that fancy of equipment, it’s just like the audio interface. Basically, a box you plug into your computer with inputs for chords that would help you with microphones and amplifiers. The songs sort of just happened—I didn’t need to try super hard to write them.”
“People are all trying to be happy and fulfilled, but they just go about it in different ways that are bound to clash with others’ ideas of what is right. It sort of acts as a check up on behavior and to not go too far into violence or self righteousness. Balance is key and it is wrong to force ideas onto others or even onto yourself.”
“Ready Steady Aiming Game, starts off fairly simple with a bassline and some drum hits, then devolves into a chaotic cacophony that cascades into madness. I like that it sounds like a PSA for choosing peace over violence. I was inspired by police brutality, which is why I added a siren to it. That’s not the main thing about it, but it’s definitely a layer. I think people in general resort to violence too quickly, and the song highlights that.”
“Time Runs Out is about remembering to stay in the moment, and I was definitely in the moment for that song. I like the sounds a lot, with the keyboard, synth, and melody. I also really like the layering guitars at the end. The flow was enjoyable. This song came very naturally.”
“I Fracking Love Factory Farms was originally an assignment for my English class. I like how this song sounds like a guy on a farm wrote it. There’s a hint of country, which is cool for the tone. I like the message a lot. It’s mainly about how we produce our meat. Like, I understand there’s a gnarly demand and everything, but it affects our planet and the meat itself. I don’t want to sound disciplinary about it, because nobody’s going to listen if it’s just some guy ranting about it. I thought if I made it more a satire, that would be better. It’s so bad that it’s supposed to be comical, although it’s actually happening in our world.”
Why do you gravitate toward music as a medium?
“It's cliché, but I really don't like doing much else. There are just so many levels to it, through the creative aspect of writing and the cathartic release of playing and singing songs. It satiates my creative side, but also my more reserved side. I like putting structure into songs and timing—kind of go with the flow. It’s interesting having a pocket to put all that creative stuff into. That’s my favorite part”
How would you describe your songwriting process?
Travis describes his songwriting process as, “going with the flow.” He has learned that he enjoys the songwriting process when he doesn’t try too hard to fit into a specific genre or sound. Songwriting for so many years has allowed him to learn and grow from his past experiences.
“Just let it happen. You may think you know what you want, but see for yourself and don’t force too many expectations onto it”.
“I think writing music for so long helped me get the hang of it. Now, I’m at a place where I’m comfortable with what I convey. Making a lot of mistakes has helped me become a better musician.”
Who/What are some of your biggest inspirations when creating?
“Nature tends to be a big one. Lately I've been writing through a more critical lens of human behaviors and constructs. I love Pink Floyd, Flying Lotus, Tool, Bad Brains, Fleece, Radiohead, and Slowdive to name a few.”
“I listened to The Beatles more early on in college. They helped me think about the song-writing process more. Like, think about why I’m doing it and not just creating a song.”
Do you use the same method to create your songs, or does it vary depending on the song?
“It definitely varies. It’s very dependent on your head space and what you feel like doing with it. Sometimes I’ll have a riff I really like and build a song around it. Other times, I’ll have words I really like and think of a tune to go with it phonetically. I want to get more into doing it on my laptop because everything is right there, and just making the song as I do it.”
Do you ever get compared to other artists? If so, why?
“Sort of. I get different things from different people which I guess is a good thing. I don’t want to sound derivative so it always makes me happy to hear who/what people think I sound like.
People tell me I have a Jim Morrison voice sometimes. I’ve also been compared to Nirvana, Tame Impala, and Fleece. They say I remind them of trippy and grungy artists too. It’s interesting to get the feedback.”
Out of all your songs, is there a track that speaks out to you most? If so, which one and why?
“I really like how Ready Steady Aiming Game came out. I want to start experimenting with more electronics, and I love how it sounds like your speakers are wetting themselves. It's supposed to be like a PSA. glitching out. I never thought that I would write something like that but I hope to do more of it.
I also like Time Runs Out, because of the message. It’s about being in the moment and not really thinking too much about why you’re here. It’s more of like a grounding song, and I’m happiest for how that song turned out production wise. It started out as a little melody on my keyboard and I wrote around it—that one came together nicely.”
What are common messages that reoccur in your music?
“Lots of cynicism. I write sweet stuff like songs that are folky or straight up love songs. But I find it to be way easier for me to be inspired by rage and anger for some reason. Call me a pessimist but that’s what gets me into the flow. I’m also obsessed with crazy and distorted sounds which are easier to get into with darker themes.”
“Living in the moment is a big one, and the implications of it. To live in the moment, you do have to feel, which is something I’m not great at, but I’m trying. It’s about accepting your feelings and using them to keep going. That’s really the only way to be happy. Living in the past or future is a bad habit to get into, and it’s easy to fall into that.”
How are you unique from other artists?
“I used to be set on music being my sole income, but now I’m satisfied with having a band that makes music and tours. I just want to share what I do with as many people as possible, but It doesn’ t have to be completely self-sustaining. As long as I’m doing what I want to do and feel fulfilled with my art, that is more than enough.”
“I don’t want music to feel too safe or be something that’s already out there. Not that it’s bad to have some familiarity with it, because you still need that. But you have to do something new with it to be remembered, and I’m still figuring out what that is for me.”
What do you have to say to others who appreciate your art?
“I find it flattering for sure. It definitely helps me out to get feedback that I’m doing something right. The appreciation is heavily reciprocated. The whole music thing is a catharsis, so when that catharsis is being experienced, that does mean something.”
What is your biggest struggle as a musician?
“I think actually getting the songs out there, like playing live or getting an album out, and being satisfied with it. I’m also hypercritical of my music. I want to convey what I want to convey properly. However, if that’s through producing stuff on my own or through a band, I’m just happy to be doing it.”
What are your favorite things about being a musician?
“It’s an interesting release—a bit of an escape. It’s literally like sonic drugs, which is cool. It’s very stimulating turning the knobs and playing while singing, then recording all that. It makes me feel like a sorcerer sometimes.”
“There’s been a lot of trial and error, but I’m happy to be at a point where I feel inclined to express myself through my own songs. I’m still exploring my sound, but it’s a process, a crazy fun one at that.”
When did you come out with your EP? Are you looking for bandmates and producers?
“I came out with it in December 2020. I want to remaster it at some point. I am open to working with other bandmates or producers. Hint, hint. Band wise, I would like to work with producers, bass guitarists, synthesist, and drummers. I’m basically open to working with other people of any genres, just as long as I can add my style to it.”
Do you have any advice to give aspiring artists?
“Try not to overthink it. What comes out is what comes out, but artists must always work towards getting better. Don’t be too hard on yourself. ”
“Music is a part of life forsure, but it’s easy to let that consume you and have you neglect other parts of life that you should be acknowledging. At the end of the day, you still need to take care of yourself. It’s important to find a balance between making music and taking care of yourself.”
