Today we’d like to introduce you to Ray Garza
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’ve been playing in bands since High School, so for about 20 years now (whoa). Over the years I’ve had the pleasure of pretty much only playing with close friends, which really helped me develop my playing and finding my songwriting voice.
The first band I led with my songs was called Poly Action, which was formed in 2015. We put out two records, Baby’s First Rock n’Roll (2017) and Human Behavior (2020) before pandemic lockdown hit. We had a new record and a tour planned that we were forced to cancel. That was hard.
During lockdown, I experienced a lot of big, sudden change. My marriage ended, and I was living alone for the first time. I did a lot of soul searching and by the time things started to open up again, I didn’t recognize the version of myself that led Poly Action. The songs I had written in Poly Action were big, bombastic, and even silly (see The Accident of 1993 off of Baby’s First Rock n’Roll). During lockdown, my songs had become more melancholy, introspective, and even confessional. I felt like I was being musically honest for the first time. I decided to put Poly Action on an indefinite hiatus.
Out of those ashes came Small Engine Fire – which started from the gentle push from my best friend Gianni Sarmiento. Him and I have been musically linked for about ten years now. I play guitar in his band Space Tan, and we both play in Lola Tried. We are in three bands together! He told me that he thought my songs need to be more open and he offered to play drums for me. It was just the push I needed to start thinking about putting a band around my songs again.
Small Engine Fire played our first show in 2022 and we just put out an EP called Better By Now. We’re excited to play more shows and to continue to support the Austin music community.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
2020/pandemic lockdown was both a source of struggle and transformation for me. Prior to lockdown, I was really wrapped up in the rat race of navigating the “business” side of being in a band. Things like trying to get onto bigger shows, or getting too consumed by metrics like monthly listeners and social media followers had really taken up a big part of my scope, and I didn’t even really know it at the time. When things came to a grinding halt in 2020, I was able to sit quietly for the first time ever. I realized that I had sort of lost touch with why I like playing music. Those metrics that I was so wrapped up in, though important, should not be the sole motivator for making art, nor should it have any influence on the process. I’ve learned that thinking about those things has a gravitational pull that I have to be mindful not to get stuck in. I feel like I have a healthier perspective of myself and how to be in a band.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Small Engine Fire is an emolectric cry-fi band influenced by artists like Wilco, Grandaddy and Supergrass. The band started as a vehicle for my songs, but as we enter 2025, the writing process has become more collaborative. We’re excited to share newer songs with more creative voices in them.
We’re most proud of the support we have received from our friends and the community in the couple of years we’ve been a band. Coming to shows and sharing our music means a lot and we’re so lucky to have received the support we’ve had.
What sets us apart from others? You’ll just have to come to a show to find out!
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Honesty.
I’ve always maintained that everyone has a radar for authenticity, even if its subconscious. You can just tell when you’re witnessing something truthful and vulnerable, it hits you differently, even if it’s not the most polished thing you’ve seen or heard. I think thats a really beautiful thing to see someone put themselves out there. It transcends genres for me. When you boil it down to watching someone do something they love, it really opens you up to different styles or genres that you may not have thought yourself fond of.
When you’re really being truthful, you get nervous about sharing it with people. When that feeling comes, that is a sign to keep moving in that direction.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://smallenginefire.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/smallenginefire
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/smallenginefire
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@smallenginefire
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6PJgDA5q3xcdkffmqzXw0I
Image Credits
Photos by Mia Naome Al-Taher
