Musicians from another galaxy

A unique combination of hard rocking guitars, new wave inspired insights, non-compromising rhythmic backing and conspiratorial irreverence, meet in the molten musical melting pot that is Operation Interstellar. Part 70's Rock Gods, part 21st century Power Rock - from Deep Purple to Devo, from Buzzcocks to Blue Oyster Cult, welcome to our world:

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Jason O'Broin - Guitar Hailing from Cambridge, England, and a 15 year guitar veteran, Jason grew up on a a transatlantic musical diet consisting of band such as Deep Purple, Blue Oyster Cult, Metallica, Dream Theater, and Terrorvision. Assisted by his Ernie Ball JP guitar, a Fender RocPro 1000 and an RP2000, he will, literally, rock your world! He's a bit of a stilton man, particularly with a very large glass of port!			Rafi Jacoby - Bass, Vocals OpInt's token grumpy East Coast transplant, Rafi has been playing bass and singing for at least a dozen years, although he's never had to do both at once as much as he does now. After a misspent youth playing hardbop (Jazz) and singing madrigals (Classical), he's finally back where he belongs. Rafi's favorite bass sound is phased fuzztone and his favorite cheese is New York Cheddar.
Vince Bafetti - Keys, Theremin, Vocals Technologist extraordinare, Vince built his own Theremin as a birthday present for his sister, and then stole it back! Tinkling the ivories, he channels Devo style humour with a 90's angst rock rhythmic feel. Vince's cheese status is currently a mystery.			Matt Costello - Drums The most unlikely ex-member of the U.S. military you are likely to meet, Matt's been drumming for over a decade, and all over the country. Like any self-respecting native of Chicago, Matt's roots are in the blues, but his influences are all over the percussive map. A "busy drummer" in the vein of Carter Beauford, Matt loves his cymbals almost as much as he loves the sound of flesh slapping aginst flesh. His favorite cheese? That's variable, but his cup-size preference currently stands at 38DD.

How it all started...

Not long after Jason arrived from t'other side of the pond - early in the spring of 1998, he and Vince hooked up to form their first band, imaginatively named Thurmin Murmin - sometimes with Wombats, sometimes without. Together with Steve Barcellos (bass), and Jim McCorkle (drums) (--- and John Ramhlo (gtr) very early on), a very large warehouse, a forklift truck and insufficient air-conditioning, they embarked upon a loud period of neighbour-free rocking. Unforeseen circumstance put an end to that musical adventure - kids, dangerous car journeys with too much gear in too small a car, the warehouse being sold etc.

Imagine the scene: Its 1999, Jason & Vince regroup and annoy their respective neighbours with regular Tuesday night jam sessions until magically, out of nowhere, they find a rehearsal space (the mighty 43rd Street Studios in Oakland). One drunken afternoon at a typically foggy summer San Franciscan party they bump into Rafi Jacoby and Bill Meehan (drums) who thought that playing in the band seems like a jolly good laugh and promptly join up. The first incarnation of Operation Interstellar is formed. Out of this world indeed!

They rehearsed hard until in early March 2000, Bill left to prepare to head back to the East coast. A musical spirit guide emerged in the shape of JJ Cache (send him some of yours!) to fill in the hotseat at the back and they learnt some songs, wrote some other ones, drunk JJ's shotguns and groaned at too many of his jokes.

Three years of hard gigging later, and a great album, S.O.S.O.I. , Operation Interstellar returns for a gravitational slingshot with a new drummer, Matt Costello.

The musical tour de force that is Operation Interstellar prepares for our next voyage.

TO BE CONTINUED...

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