A 245-mile commute from one another does not stop alternative band Sola Luna from writing and playing shows throughout California.
Sola Luna is composed of rhythm guitarist and vocalist Zack Southers, lead guitar George Gomez, bassist Ethan Rizo and drummer James Alston.
The band started in Clovis, Calif. with Southers in an empty warehouse. This is where he recorded the rough tracks of the first EP. Southers later met Gomez at a concert in high school, and the chemistry between the two brought Gomez on board.
When Gomez graduated he accepted Azusa Pacific University, and would later meet the newest members to Sola Luna.
Rizo first went to APU where he met Gomez and Alston. After Rizo’s first year he transferred over to Citrus to study communications.
Rizo got a scholarship to APU for music.
“I started playing bass at 10 and I just did jazz in middle school program and in high school,” Rizo said.
He first tried out for the jazz band at APU, but when he did not make the cut, the deny to the program ended up working in his favor. He then joined University Choir and Orchestra to play bass, where he would meet his future bandmate and friend.
“George was singing in there, he was standing literally right behind me,” Rizo said. “He would always comment on me playing or what gear I was using.”
Rizo was in another band at the time called The Charisma, and asked Gomez if Sola Luna wanted to play a concert with them.
“It was the worst show ever,” Rizo said. “Only four to five people in the crowd and it was not a good time at all.”
Rizo said no one showed up to the venue AMPLYFi and the sound system was terrible, but this did not tarnish the friendship between Gomez and Rizo.
Not long after Rizo began filling in as Sola Luna’s temporary bass player for concerts while he was still playing with The Charisma. But as he started playing with Sola Luna, Rizo started losing interest in The Charisma as their music direction changed from their original sound.
“It wasn’t creative enough and I involved in the process of making the music,” Rizo said. “I just enjoy Sola Luna more because it’s more creative and there’s more freedom to do what I want.”
Rizo was invited on to first sub in for a living room session on YouTube, recorded by The Last Magna. Then he subbed in for multiple more live shows to the point he wondered if he was temporary or not.
“Then I was subbing in more and more,” Rizo said. “And I was like, dog, do you guys have a bassist?”
But they made Rizo permanent member after inviting him to play a Los Angeles and San Francisco mini tour in August.
The beauty of Sola Luna’s sound is the culmination of each member’s different musical taste.
“I think we all have different influences,” Gomez said. “When each member comes together to play, they collaborate on all of these influences and create something that blends it all equally.”
As for the four hour distance between Southers and the rest of the band, they tend to not let it affect them.
“We all have a common goal, that’s the thing,” Southers said. “We all understand that we have the potential to take this somewhere, it’s not just a band.”
Again, APU was the center stage for them to meet their producer.
Audio engineer major Daniel Crane met Gomez when they shared a music theory class together, and the rest is history.
“We actually didn’t have a studio to record in, so the first time we recorded, we actually recorded in my apartment,” Crane said.
Crane recorded “Lavender” and “Woman” in his apartment, but they are not recording the rest of their new EP “Don’t Forget Your Friends” in the APU studio.
Rizo said “Woman” is expected to be released before the end of 2018 and EP is set to come out in the spring of 2019. Sola Luna’s music can be found on Apple Music and Spotify.
Even though Rizo did not get into the jazz band at APU, the denial ended up being a gift to him. If he would have made the jazz band, he never would have stood in front Gomez in choir and Sola Luna would not have the bassist they need.
