Today we’d like to introduce you to Dean Dooley
Hi Dean, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started Vagrant Tide just a little over a year ago but I had been working on some of the songs since 2021/22. The music we play is a style that I have always loved and decided that it was finally time to make a go at it. I’ve been making music with the other guys in the band (Jon Sevier on drums and Ray Lara in bass), in one shape or form, since 2015. Having that good history with them, it wasn’t too much of a gamble to try something new.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Honestly? So far, so good. There were some initial hiccups with trying to get everyone to lean into this style. We’ve always played rock or punk, but adding a reggae element took a little getting used to.
But once we began to get on the same page, the jams and practices became much more productive. It used to take a few weeks to get a song nailed down, but anymore, we can have one ready to go within a single practice or two.
And now that we are gigging, we know that the wheels arent going to fall off and we’ve built a confidence in the sound. Everything has just gotten so much easier in that time.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on? What are you known for? What sets you apart from others and what are you most proud of?
What do I do? I’m the lead singer and sing writer for Vagrant Tide. We play reggae rock music. It’s kind of a heavier Sublime kind of sound. Actually, if you were to take a heavier Sublime and add some surf rock elements and a bit of wannabe Elvis, you’d have the sound down pretty well. We definitely aren’t re-inventing the wheel but we’re bringing a fun batch of songs that people seem to enjoy. I try to make sure every song has a good groove and memorable sound. I think each of the songs is unique and I want the listener to be able to clearly distinguish them.
What am I most proud of? Honestly, I’m most proud that this group exists. This is my first time taking the lead in a band and putting songs that I’ve written out to the world. I’m really proud that Jon and Ray are helping me bring this to life.
What sets us apart? Again, we are not re-inventing the wheel, but, I’d say the songs are what sets us apart. You’ll find plenty of other bands that play this same style. My goal is for people to be able to recognize a Vagrant Tide song as soon as they hear it.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
Risk is necessary for any type of growth. Be it personal growth or trying to grow your project. For some people, taking risks is very easy, but for most of us, it’s the scariest thing in the world. I think every aspect of having a band is a risk. What if no one shows up at the gig? What if no one listens? What if this thing actually takes off?
I may be strange in thinking this, but I look at it as, “who cares?” If no one shows up, I’ll still have fun playing. If no one listens, I’ll still be proud of the songs. If the whole thing were to fall apart, then fine, at least we had some fun.
The thing about risk is that, no matter how big the gamble, the Sun will still rise tomorrow and you’ll have either taken the chance and know the outcome or you’ll still be wondering what could have been.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vagrant_tide
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/vagrant_tide
- Other: You can find Vagrant Tide on any of the major streaming services.
