Meet DAZR | Rock Band formed at Clemson University

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

Hi DAZR, what makes you happy? Why?
Music makes us happy because we get to get together with our friends, we get to be creative, and we are able to express ourselves in different ways. We’re all college kids so in all of our classes there are grades, tests we have to study for, deadlines we have to meet, etc. so when it comes to music it’s like an escape for us. There’s no right or wrong. We get to do what we love and be in our own world for a little while.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Our lead guitarist, Grant Hendrix, had always wanted to start a band and was greatly influenced by Van Halen, Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, etc. and one day decided to go for it and try to start his own rock band. He got help from Caroline, who is now our marketing and social media manager, to design a flier to put up around Clemson University’s campus to try to find a drummer, vocalist, and bassist. Grant got a text from our bassist, Shranko, saying “need bassist?.” He just got straight to the point. Grant and Shranko then got together and jammed but after playing immediately knew they were going to be in a band together. We only planned on playing for about an hour but ended up playing for about 3 or 4 hours. Still looking for a drummer and a vocalist, after hearing Grant’s brother Austin sing “Too Young To Fall in Love” by Motley Crüe, and after a little convincing, Austin became our singer. Last but not least, our drummer, Felipe, was on the way home from taking an exam on campus in Horzendolf Hall, and was waiting at a crosswalk to cross the road when he saw Grant’s flier. He saw the influences on the flier and he missed playing music so he texted Grant and sent him some videos. He originally was indecisive because he had a lot going on and he didn’t have anywhere to keep his kit. He told Grant he wasn’t going to be able to be a part of the band. Grant told him it was all good but to let him know if he ever wanted to jam. Later, Felipe was in California where he had the chance to jam with a guitarist while he was out there and it made him realize that he wanted to play with Grant and the rest of the band when he came back to Clemson and then the rest is history.

The first time all four of us played together, was something we will always remember. It was a pretty surreal moment actually. We played “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns N’ Roses for the first time together, it was one of the only songs we all collectively knew fully. We all felt an instant connection while we were playing and we were all speechless when the song ended. We knew at that moment that we had something truly special and we were all very motivated from the beginning to take this band as far as we can.

One thing we realized is that life is all about sending it and you have to go after what you want and make it happen. Even when there are setbacks, you just have to keep going and keep trying.

We want to say to the world to keep an eye out for us. We are in the process of writing originals and we can’t wait to get them recorded and get them out in the world to share with everyone.

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?
In Clemson, definitely check out Study Hall. It’s the only club-like bar here. It’s a very popular spot in Clemson. There’s a lot of live music there and it’s the biggest bar in Clemson. It has an outdoor upstairs area with a bar as well as a bar downstairs along with a stage where there is usually live music or a dj. There’s also a dance floor in front of the stage that always has a bunch of people having a good time. It’s a great place to hang out with your friends and listen to music. The night life in Clemson is usually pretty active and there are a number of bars to visit. Most of the bars run weekly specials and host some kind of activity such as karaoke, trivia night, bingo, etc. There are also a couple dessert shops, and some activities like axe throwing downtown. Football games are also a huge deal up here. Tailgating for college football in the south is huge, not to mention being at a school that has some National Championship titles and a great football program. Other sports teams such as baseball, soccer, basketball, and softball are also great to watch and a good way to spend the afternoon. Being located in the upstate, there are plenty of places to be outside. Walker golf course is located right near campus. There is Lake Hartwell right there in Clemson and Lake Keowee is not too far away. There are also a lot of places to hike near Clemson such as Table Rock State Park and Issaqueena Falls. A botanical garden is located right in Clemson as well as T. Ed Garrison Arena where events like rodeos, bull riding, and other events take place. Other activities such as visiting the geology museum or taking a tour of the historic buildings such as Fort Hill Plantation is among some of the many things to do in Clemson.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Shoutout to our parents for putting up with our noise throughout the years. To all the people who created music before us and inspired us to start playing music in the first place; bands like Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, Rush, Van Halen, and other legendary rock bands from the 70s and 80s. We also want to give a shoutout to our marketing and social media manager, Caroline Hendrix. And we want to thank the people who have supported us from the very beginning. We wouldn’t be where we are right now without any of these people.

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