Psychedelic music for a very good cause
The one-man band known as Ethan Terrestrial—the brainchild of Chattanooga musician Ethan Boyd—has an eclectic and diverse approach, ranging from psychedelic space rock to heavy riffage to playful, sparkling pop rock that sounds like it could come from outer space.
However, as a regional organizer with his “Dogma” branded showcases and annual charitable “Dogma Dance Off” events, Boyd is down-to-earth, focused on bringing the community together with fresh musical and artistic talent.
Boyd took the time to answer some questions for us on the heels of the release of his official debut album, The Death of Ethan Terrestrial.
“Ethan Terrestrial is a simple moniker that I use as an all-inclusive vehicle for my musical expression,” said Boyd. “There isn’t one sound I feel tied down to record or play live, so I felt like ‘E.T.’ could fit anywhere.”
Born and raised in Murfreesboro, Boyd absorbed the long-running D.I.Y. scene there, which shaped his outlook on Dogma Dance Off and music-making immensely.
“Along with that scene, coming up on all the Nashville garage legends like JEFF the Brotherhood, Diarrhea Planet (R.I.P.), Savoy Motel, Music Band, Ranch Ghost, and many others influenced my musical taste and ethos,” said Boyd. “All this Middle Tennessee creative energy is what sparked my passion for music-making and artistic activism.”
Boyd has been playing in and around Chattanooga for about two years with a solo psychedelic country act, but now he and longtime friend Julia Anderson are forming the band Planet Terrestrial, which he says will feed into the “terrestrial” mythos he’s been creating.
The Death of Ethan Terrestrial was released on January 2 as a digital download on Bandcamp and on cassette.
“The album is conceptual, cohesive, and hits the vibe I wanted to capture,” said Boyd. “The album follows the character Winslow Parish and his descent into mystic corruption in a decertified world of split moons, vertically layered cities and futuristic decay.”
To make the album, he recorded all the tracks in his duplex stairwell and then sent everything off to the in-house Dogma producer Oscar Valenzuela for back-end sound work. Valenzuela contributed drumming on one track, and Hannah Glass sang backing vocals on another.
“I’ve started to bust into Chattanooga with 2018’s fundraiser shows and the most recent Dogma showcase,” said Boyd, mentioning the full-house December 30 event at Barking Legs Theater. “The Chattanooga local scene is pretty dang awesome. There is plenty of room for growth but there are a lot of boots on the ground making things happen. For example, the Community House boys throw sick events, and the Shaking Ray Levi Society features incredible artists.”
As far as local musicians, Boyd says to watch out for Psychic Dungeon, BbyMutha, Pinecone, and Superbody. Regionally, he is a fan of “killer acts” like Nordista Freeze, Future Crib, O Summer, King Coogi, and The Holifields.
The third and latest Dogma Dance Off event, in July 2018, included 16 music acts such as Chattanooga’s new-wave powerhouse Superbody, hip-hop artist King Coogi from Nashville, and the masked one-woman band Limbo from San Francisco. The annual festival has also featured visual artists and a fashion show.
“Dogma Dance Off is the result of my passion for local art scenes and activism through charity,” said Boyd. “People need community and want to make positive impacts on the world around them, so Dogma Dance Off combines these elements.”
The past two years he’s proud to have been able to give a platform to so many amazing musicians and artists while raising funds for Murfreesboro’s local soup kitchen.
“None of this is possible though without the help of my talented friends on the ‘Dog-Team’ and co-Dog-Wizard Tanner Pancake.”
And he points out that Dogma Dance Off is far from a Murfreesboro exclusive event.
“The 2019 Dogma Dance Off will actually expand into a three-day festival traveling from Nashville to Murfreesboro and then down to Chattanooga,” said Boyd. “It’ll be a crazy I-24 traveling roadshow my team and I are thrilled to do.”
Along with the release of his album, he launched the label side of things, and there are more plans for featuring other types of art forms and more Dogma events.
“Dogma Dance Off is the meat and potatoes of the Dogma platter, while everything else is our bread and butter,” said Boyd. “In essence, Dogma is a creator’s guild while Dogma Dance Off is the annual celebration of life, art, and charity.”