Oddly Even

What do you do?
We (Calvin Sturges and Ashley Macachor) are in a band called Oddly Even that we started back in 2010 when we met.

Where can we find your work?
Bandcamp, soundcloud..at our shows!
https://oddlyeven.bandcamp.com/
https://soundcloud.com/oddly-even-1

What inspires you to create and how do you keep motivated when things get tough? Ashley: Creativity for creativity’s sake. Remembering that there are no boundaries, even when it seems like there are and remembering that there is always something to learn.

What do you think is more important content/finished product or technique/process?
Ashley: I think sometimes if you’re overly focused on an end result you can miss a lot along the way. Ultimately, I think the process is the most important, it’s where the spark is. The finished product is just a representation of that and without the process you have no end result.

Who are some people who influence and/or inspire you?
Ashley & Cal: Everyday people, friends, family, the stranger at the gas station-- too many to list. We never know where it might come from, that's the most inspiring part.

If you could be any fictional character who would you be?
Gandalf and Charlie Brown

When do you get your best ideas?
Ashley: When I’m not thinking.
Cal: No clue. They just sneak up on me whenever they feel like it.

What materials/tools do you use most to create your work?
Cal: The basics: guitar, drums, etc. Right now, we’re gravitating toward earthier sounds like acoustic bass, frame drums etc.

Are you self taught or formally educated? How do you think that has influenced or affected your work?
Ashley: Both. Learning the “rules” can be helpful to some degree and it can also be trapping. Both angles have helped me realize that finding the balance is key. Finding the space to find your own voice so you don’t get stuck in someone else’s is important.

Cal: Self-taught, but have more recently gained an interest in formal education...which has helped me translate some of my concepts with more ease.

What would your creative work taste like?
Sauerkraut

When you are not creating what do you like to do?
When we are not playing or listening to music: getting into nature, eating, learning new things, staying healthy.

How did you learn to access your creative talents and gain the confidence to put it out there for everyone to experience?
Ashley & Cal: It seems like that’s not necessarily a place you arrive at once and for all. It’s more of a constant ebb and flow. For us, a big key has been not to be too self-critical and knowing we always have something to learn; you just have to be willing to try things.

What advice would you give others just beginning their creative adventures?
Ashley: Learn to trust your gut and intuition. It won’t fail you.
Cal: Do what you love, not what you think will get you love.