Defcon 7

Campus Spotlight: Defcon 7

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Posted: 10/30/07

Defcon 7 is a Houston-based hard-rock band. Band members Fraz Malik (guitar, vocals), Ray Falcon (guitar), Robert Annand (keys, vocals) and Carlos Anguiano (drums) are students at the University, and Michael Angelo Gonzalez (bass, vocals) graduated last year.

They are currently focusing on writing and recording a new album and will be playing on campus on Nov. 2. For more information, check out their Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/defconse7en.

Cauldron: What is the story behind Defcon 7?
Fraz Malik: Me and Ray played in another band for a while, but when we met Carlos and Mike, that was it. From there, we played at school a few times, Fitzgerald's five or six times in the summer and different pubs around Houston. We added Robert on keyboards, who cemented our lineup. We're playing at the David Landry show on Nov. 2. Right now we're taking a break. The D. Landry show will be our last show for a few months.

C: What is your creative process?
FM: I just write anything that I'm feeling at the time down on paper. It doesn't make sense half the time. It ranges from my emotions to social issues and politics.
Ray Falcon: Lyrics are all Fraz.
FM: Either Ray or myself will come up with a guitar line and then Carlos will jump in on drums automatically, as if he's known the song for years. Then Mike finds the key and jumps in too.
RF: It's basically a jam process.

C: What will the new record be like?
FM: Mike has a little recording station in his house so we're gonna try to lay the tracks down separately. Coming up with songs isn't the hard thing.
RF: We're basically using Mike's set-up to get a more intimate sound instead of a garage-type sound.
FM: We're trying to incorporate other styles of music into our sound. Mike likes electronic dance music, Carlos listens to Spanish rock.

C: What has been your biggest moment as a band?
RF: The last Fitzgerald's show.
FM: We played on the main stage for the finals in Battle of the Bands. Our chemistry was just on that night.

C: What does "Defcon 7" mean?
FM: Defcon is "threat level."
RF: It's a military thing. People think the higher the number is, the more severe the situation, but it's the other way around. 7 is actually very insignificant.
FM: We just like the number 7.