Musicians in Lockdown: Esteban Interview

English desert funk band Esteban will have you dancing around your homes through the rest of the pandemic. With their new album Jackpot Motel, they shine a bright light of optimism over the slump of 2020. Choppy rhythms and grooving guitars accompany uplifting harmonizations to subliminally get listeners’ feet tapping and heads bobbing before they even know they’ve been beguiled by the infectious layers of melodies.


The Outer Void sat down with Esteban to discuss their lockdown activity, influences and more:

What have you been up to during the pandemic?

I’ve broken down some old bad drum techniques I hadn’t sorted from years ago. Now I lead with my left hand and have a heel down foot technique. It unlocked a huge amount of dynamic across the kit and opened out my core. You just don’t have time to correct things mid-tour, it’s too risky, so this year has been great for finally sitting down and working stuff out.

Has the lockdown impacted your songwriting this year in any way?

Like most bands we have been really productive making the most of our time locked away. You know what it’s like, we’re all reclusive professors hunched over our instruments tucked away in the musical back rooms of our homes. We were already used to working at distance because we don’t live near each other anymore – a by-product of years of touring! We’ve got demos flying back and forth all the time. Let’s just hope we can get together sometime to record them!

What’s your favorite show you’ve ever played?

Firstly, a big shout out to all the venues who are still aiming to open when it’s safe to do so. And to those which we have lost this year, we all hope for better times and great nights just like the good old days.

Favourites include Belushi’s Newquay, The Thatch Croyde, Moles Bath, Mr Wolfs Bristol to name a few crazy hotspots. Although most places in the South-West of the UK provided unforgettable experiences for us – our fans there are awesome! It’d just be great if these places can survive the next phase of restrictions in the UK because getting back on stage there would be a lot of fun.

If you could tour with any band/artist, who would it be?

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. If music was ever supposed to be pure and simple, these boys always delivered the meatballs, the spaghetti, the tomato sauce and the parmesan. I think I’d want to strip our live show back to the basics in honour of what they achieved. Sure, they might have ruffled a few feathers along the way, but the rough and ready style they brought has never really been rivaled in the genre.

What 2020 album would you recommend to someone who believes there’s no good new music?

Rough and Rowdy Ways, Bob Dylan. If that’s the only one you have time for this year, that’s the one you need. I look forward to senior song writing perspectives like these.

What are your plans for 2021?

We’re releasing a few songs/remixes from our new album Jackpot Motel. Be sure to follow us for the latest music.

Stream Esteban’s new album Jackpot Motel on Spotify and Apple Music, and check out the lyric video for their track “We Are One” below!