Nicole Papastavrou: Eye Ra Haze eight stringer gives you a name to remember

Nicole Papastavrou: at Astoria Soundworks.

Eye Ra Haze: When the seductive crooning of Natasha Singer met the crushing sounds of distorted guitars and sovereign drumming, she found a safe haven for her voice and a way to reach the soul of the fan, at the depths of their emotions.
Eye Ra Haze was the natural formation of five heavy music lovers who shared the dream of sculpting a nonpareil sound in the Alternative & Nu metal Genres. Comprised of the irresistible vocals of Natasha singer, Chris Marrone on bass, Nicole Papastavrou on guitar, Kevin Corcoran on drums and Karine Catenacci on keyboard and backing vocals.
Their blend of delicate, ardent melodies and tumultuous rhythm riffs can only be compared to the leaders in a hard rock scene that made for 32% of physical album sales in 2010, alone. They craft each song like a passionate, personal encounter, using dynamics to translate their mood and intentions. During the tremors of their live set, Eye Ra Haze exposes a crude display of skills, taking the audience from love to rage and leaving them hung; craving to know the source of their enigmatic dark side, and their intimidating show of beauty. https://www.facebook.com/eyerahazemusic

Eye Ra Haze - New Beginning [Official Video]

[Shreddelicious] 1 When did you start playing guitar?

Nicole Papastavrou: Metal MondayZ

[Nicole Papastavrou]
I started at the age of 9 or 10. My dad actually made me choose an instrument to play for extra curricular activity. I chose guitar because he used to buy laser discs of Garth Brooks playing live, and I saw him smash his guitar on stage during a concert and thought it was the coolest thing ever.

Funny part is, I still haven't gotten to smash a guitar on stage... one day! He got me private lessons with this guy in Palos Verdes named Will Gernstein. Some of the first stuff I started learning was Zeppelin, Hendrix, and A LOT of Metallica and Pearl Jam.

One time I brought him a Green Day song and he refused to teach it to me, ha! After that I basically started learning more Metallica albums by ear and getting into heavier stuff.

Nicole Papastavrou:

[Shreddelicious] 2 What made you decide to take guitar seriously?

[Nicole Papastavrou]
SERIOUSLY seriously? When I tossed my 3rd year BioChem, Physics, and Calculus books and told my mom I was moving out and going to tour full time. I toured the country a bunch and went around the world a few times playing hardcore/metal.

Didn't ever really profit but it seemed to pay for itself and I would always find temp jobs between tours. Although at the moment the project I'm working on is a lot more promising. Either way, I'll die playing guitar. Its all I really know how to do.

Fear Factory Christploitation Guitar Cover

[Shreddelicious] 3 What are your favourite albums?

Nicole Papastavrou

[Nicole Papastavrou]
Favourite albums? Anything Pantera, Meshuggah, Metallica, Gojira, Deftones, Decapitated, Nile, Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, Fear Factory, Korn.. Thats been my usual rotation.

My favorite guitar players: Dime, Fred Thordendal, Karl Sanders, Munky/Head, Dino Casarez, Zakk Wylde.

Meshuggah Demiurge Guitar Cover

[Shreddelicious] 4 What do you think of the use of social media for promoting your work?

Nicole Papastavrou: New Beginning session

[Nicole Papastavrou]
Social media is so important nowadays to get your name out there and promote your band. Its basically free advertising and is accessible to almost anyone. Plus, the majority of people don't want to pay for music anymore (sad) so if you're new you gotta be either giving away a song or two or at least streaming something.

[Shreddelicious] 5 If you had a chance to play with anyone who would you pick?

Nicole Papastavrou: photo Aga Hairesis

[Nicole Papastavrou]
Korn, Meshuggah, Deftones. I'll take a tour with any of the bands I listed already!

Korn - Here To Stay Guitar Cover

[Shreddelicious] 6 Have you ever had any live show disasters?

Nicole Papastavrou: high class 8 stringer

[Nicole Papastavrou] I wouldn't say any serious live disasters. But disasters happened on lots of tours I've been on, from van breakdowns, to promoters shorting us on guarantees, the band getting chased out of town from a small club in Texas, after show brawls, booking agencies not finishing booking the tour WHILE we were on tour. Its been crazy. I'm definitely on the road to better more organized tours.

[Shreddelicious] 7 How do record your guitar videos?

Nicole Papastavrou: photo Aga Hairesis

[Nicole Papastavrou]
I used to just use my iPhone. But now I record with ProTools, film with my iPhone/iPad, then sync everything and create it in iMovie. Pretty simple for now. www.youtube.com/NicoleERH

Sepultura "Dead Embryonic Cells" Guitar Cover

[Shreddelicious] 8 What do you think of illegal music downloading?

Nicole Papastavrou: 8 String Heaven

[Nicole Papastavrou]
I've never owned a "free downloading" program. And I could probably count on one hand how many times I had someone download something for me, and most of the time its because I had lost the CD or something.

I believe in supporting the artist 100%, but not many people believe this and that's what society has become. No one wants to pay for entertainment anymore, they just want it for free. I regularly buy shit on iTunes, if I like the artist I'm buying the album and listening to it a lot.

Eye Ra Haze - Eye of the Storm (teaser)

[Shreddelicious] 9 Can you tell us a bit about your Guitars and Amps?

Nicole Papastavrou

[Nicole Papastavrou]
Yes! I love gear, I live in a GEAR HOUSE. My main guitars are an Ibanez 7 string (s7420) and a Schecter Omen 8, I definitely want another 7 and 8.

Ibanez 7 string - s7420

Schecter Omen 8

My setup live I go through a full stack Mesa Triple and use an Axe Fx through the FX Loop and create my own custom sounds and effects through that.

My pedalboard is...pretty huge, but not to many pedals if that makes sense. MFC 101 controller for the Axe Fx, Mesa channel switcher(I tap dance), Ernie Ball Volume pedal, Digitech Whammy, Vox Wah, and Boss NS-2. For studio I simply use the Axe Fx.

[Shreddelicious] 10 Can you tell us about your latest recording?

Eye Ra Haze: the shape of things to come

[Nicole Papastavrou]
My latest release from my band Eye Ra Haze is our EP Eye Of The Storm recorded and Co-Produced by Chris "Zeuss" Harris available on all digital outlets. Music video is produced and directed by Don Capria to our song "New Beginning" and is on the Eye Ra Haze YouTube channel

www.youtube.com/EyeRaHaze

Currently in the studio writing the full length with producer Jason Rauch (Breaking Ben, Red), excited for this first album to come out whenever that may be!