Meet Takipnik | A heavy synth rock band in Denver

We had the good fortune of connecting with Takipnik and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Takipnik, what inspires you?
We are inspired by other talented people that have put the back breaking work into what they do. The 10,000 hours. That other artist that is so good at what they do, that you almost can’t believe what you are hearing or seeing. Or that first record you received as a child that changed your life forever. Maybe they touched you emotionally or they were just super talented. There’s that moment you heard or saw something so compelling and moving that your immediate reaction was “I want to learn how to do that someday”! There are no short cuts to becoming a great musician, and that’s what makes it so much more inspiring when one changes your life after seeing them perform on stage. In a musician’s world, the ups and downs in life is the source material for writing songs, and another musician’s influence is the teacher of how you execute them.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Bobby: First off, bands are rarely easy. Takipnik was originally a guitar synth driven electronic indie pop band that I started with a friend based loosely on the idea of the band Phantagram. I set up our shows to utilize Ableton Live (a music performance and production program) for the backing tracks, and for dynamically loading different synthesizers for each song as needed, which were played using a midi keyboard. Things started off a little crude at first, as I was launching the songs with my foot on stage using a midi controller designed for hands, while I played guitar. Was a little tricky on dark stages! Within half a year the project was dead, after my friend, who was the singer, quit. We tried working together again, doing two more shows, but it just wasn’t working at all. Gabe ended up joining early the next year with the thought of us doing the same type of music under the same moniker, but we soon realized the two of us together had another story to tell. It was darker and heavier. Ableton Live continued to provide samples and backing synthesis, as he played drums and I played guitar. I originally tried finding a new singer with no luck, so I decided to take on the main vocals myself. Singing wasn’t a role I took lightly, so I worked with vocal coach Brittany Noel Wright during the first year, which was fantastic. Gabe and I created a powerhouse of sound for just being a two-piece using this formula. I firmly believe that the birthing of a heavy rock band from a hybrid electronic indie pop band is what put us on a unique path and set us apart from the rest.

Fast forward to today, we have our second record soon on the way, as that is being mixed right now by our friend, recording, mixing, and mastering engineer Brad Smalling at Evergroove Studio, where we also did our first record. Ethan, an extremely talented musician, and former recording and mixing engineer has joined the Takipnik family along with his gigantic custom 7 string bass. Our new songs are long and much more complex, incorporating odd time signature changes which can get tricky performing on stage playing with a click. We are clock synced to Ableton Live running the backing synthesis during our performances. I’m not exactly sure what sub-genre we fit into, and I don’t really care all that much. What I do know, is that we play and write with integrity and trust our hearts in what we do. I’ve played music for a long time, and never have I played with such an awesome group of talented guys.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
This is a very vibrant city of places and things to see! First off, seeing a concert at Red Rocks is a must, as its just such a special place. Morrison is worth a visit right by there was well. If you like upscale pizza, hit up Esters or Marco’s Coal Fired. In terms of eateries, just about anything Frank Banonno owned in Denver will provide you with a great experience. If you are looking for a cool music store, go to Wax Trax or Twist & Shout. Some other favorite spots in town, is the Olde Town Arvada area, the Tennyson district, and Edgewater. Also do yourself a favor and see the mountains. Even the classic Peak to Peak drive is a fun scenic drive, that’s not too long. Obviously, if its wintertime you can’t go wrong visiting one of the many resorts here and strapping on your skis or snowboard.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Bobby: There was a defining moment for me as a child when I first saw a rerun of the Doors performing “Light My Fire” on the Ed Sullivan show. It was just so unique and different from anything I had seen before. Yet the performance was so long ago! That really locked in a desire to perform music. Ethan: It’s to Riley Selleck and Brad Smalling for joining me on my journey from the beginning in performance and production respectively. Gabe: Josh Scogin and Aaron Weiss for inspiring me then and now.

Website: https://takipnik.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/takipnik/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/takipnik

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/takipnik

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4Bi5AXmb-_ufY2gc0zsQ5A

Image Credits
Andrew Raaber Chris Tracy