INTERVIEW: Ivan & The Parazol talk differences between LA and Budapest, and announce new LP

IVAN & THE PARAZOL, a four-piece Budapestian band carrying the spirit of 70’s glam-rock and incorporation of modern psych-rock instrumentation, making for an amalgam reminiscent of a Brian May–Kevin Parker compound, with their flamboyant guitar solos and overdriven octave-pedals on guitars. The Budapest-based band have explored many facets of the live world during the last few years – performing a number of times at SXSW, CBGB, Reeperbahn, main-staging the Sziget Festival, supporting Deep Purple at their Budapest stop of their arena tour, fresh off their 2017 support Rival Sons tour, while also attaining an MTV EMA award-winners for Best Central European Act; the band are by no-means finding their feet in regards to rearing their stylistic sound.
Hey Ivan & The Parazol – welcome to BBM. What’s the most exciting thing that’s happened to you guys this year?
Ivan: We recorded our new LP at the legendary EastWest studios in L.A. Singing in a room where Frank Sinatra did ‘My Way’ is quite a blast…
Balint: Our 7 stop EU tour with Rival Sons was such an incredible experience. Great venues, amazing audience, and of course an awesome band.
For those who haven’t heard your music yet, how would you best describe your sound?
Balint: It’s exotic, post-traumatic rock ‘n roll.
Bex: A kind of art nouveau – it contains a little bit of every music genre we like, but it’s founded on rock ‘n roll.
How does everyday life in Budapest differ with that of L.A?
Ivan: The beer is much cheaper in Budapest.
Máté: We don’t really know what everyday life is like there, we’ve only spent a couple of dream-like days in L.A. Of course, the two cities are very different, both with a whole other culture, but still it felt like home to me. You can’t help but love L.A.
Balint: In L.A. time stops. The weather is nice all the time. You understand a lot of things because of that.
How did the project Ivan & The Parazol materialise?
Máté: It happened really fast, we had our first show just about a month after the band was formed. But only after two years of hard work and learning from being in a band together did we release our first album. This way, by the time people really started to talk about us in Hungary, we were ready as a band, with strong debut material.
Where do you all tend to write your music, do you think it influences your style at all?
Ivan: Absolutely. From your daily schedule, to the environment, everything influences your songs. We really like to go on a songwriting camp, or something similar to that. Taking a few days off, just for writing music in the countryside where nobody disturbs us, and we also don’t disturb the neighbours.

When was the last time you guys had a proper holiday and where did you go?
Ivan: I went to NYC this august with my girlfriend. Travelling is a great experience overall. Last year I was able to visit India, that was something I was always dreaming of. If you’re a weird lookin’ lad, that plays in a rock ‘n roll band, sometimes around your third album, you gotta visit India. That’s what I say.
Máté: We went to Crete with my girlfriend after our small tour with the Rival Sons this summer, and spent an eventful four days there.
Bex: I often spend my holidays on festivals where we perform. I really love to explore people, bands and terrains all around the world. 
Bálint: I went to an Island in Croatia with my girlfriend and friends. Sun & the ocean is fuel to your body & soul.
Who would be your dream collab?
Ivan: It would be David Bowie. Absolutely.
Máté: We could do something nice with Iggy Pop.
Balint: Tough question. I wanna say Kevin Parker.
Bex: I think I already had this one: when the band was only 3 years old, we opened the stage before Deep Purple.
Each of you, name a record you couldn’t live without?
Ivan: Deep Purple / Made In Japan
Máté: Kasabian / West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
Balint: Led Zeppelin / I.
Bex: Muse / 2^nd law
Stream ‘Nr. 1003’ below now. The ‘Exotic Post-Traumatic’ full-length will be released in March 2019.