Jon Dunbar is a copy editor at The Korea Times, as well as editor of the Foreign Community page and curator of the Korea Times Archive. If you have suggestions for possible articles, or wish to contribute articles yourself, contact jdunbar@koreatimes.co.kr.
Busan rock band Daisy Gun wants you to put down the phone
Busan band Daisy Gun performs at Ol' 55 in Busan, Oct. 14, 2023. Courtesy of Nikki Bell
By Jon Dunbar
When you go to a concert these days, it seems like everyone around you has their cellphone out — capturing what everyone else is recording, messaging friends or maybe just doomscrolling on social media.
With the new single "Square Eyes," the Busan-based rock band Daisy Gun takes aim at this culture that is consumed through smart devices.
"It's a bit of a political number, and is basically about how people spend too much time on their phones making them susceptible to a whole lot of nonsense," Louis Cilliers, the band's South African guitarist and vocalist, told The Korea Times.
"After a few heated arguments about not trusting everything you read online, I started writing the lyrics with the idea of disinformation spreading through social media. People are very comfortable in their echo chambers and are naive enough to believe anyone with a strong enough rhetoric."
He added that the lyrics also touch on our overreliance on phones.
"There's a phrase in the chorus, 'with square eyes, and a turtleneck,' that references the posture that develops from the overuse of phones," he said.
But he was quick to add that he doesn't want to discourage live music fans from enjoying concerts however they like.
"I will point out however, we don't entirely have an issue with people taking videos at shows. Even though I am more of the opinion that the audience should engage in the moment rather than document it, it is nice to go home after a gig and seeing someone shared your show."
The band is planning to release a few more singles over the coming months, with hopes for a music video soon and completing a full EP by the end of the year.
They do their recording mostly by themselves, with drums recorded with additional help from Bae Jin-su at Club Realize. Mastering is done by a friend in South Africa.
The three members of Busan band Daisy Gun in a dark alley / Courtesy of Liz Day
Daisy Gun was founded in 2018 by Cilliers and bassist Marnus Wessels, two friends from South Africa who used to have a band together before moving to Korea. They named the band after a toy BB gun.
"We would always get up to all kinds of mischief with those when we were kids. We thought it would sound kinda cool," Cilliers said. "It has nothing to do with Guns & Roses, I promise you!"
They started out as a trio, and have gone through a few lineup changes, becoming a quartet before shrinking back to three members.
"Members came and went since then," Cilliers said. "Some of them wanted something different, others moved back home. Now we're a three-piece again and we're very happy. We wouldn't mind having a fourth member again, but we're not actively looking for someone at the moment."
The third member is Ben May on drums. May, an American, has also been part of other local Busan projects like One Drop East and The Rice Paddies, as well as doing stand-up comedy.
With Daisy Gun, they put out a sound that is best described as a combination of alt-rock, prog-rock, hard rock and loud indie, with smaller influences including blues, emo and even a bit of a country twang.
"We draw inspiration from various genres and bands," Cilliers said. "Marnus loves Muse and Biffy Clyro. I am a huge Queens of the Stone Age fan. And Ben, like any other Tool fan, is completely obsessed with Tool."
The three members of Busan band Daisy Gun in a well-lit alley / Courtesy of Liz Day
Cilliers identifies himself as the chief songwriter of the band. "My lyrics are about all kinds of nonsense, but overall they're about personal experiences, like love, heartbreak, family, etc.," he said. "I often use a lot of half-written lyrics from when I was younger. Being in Korea, away from all of that, allows me to reflect on those experiences and add a different perspective to it."
About their most recent recording, "Work Sucks, I Know," released early last year, Cilliers mentioned a potential conflict of interest, saying Wessels is the head teacher at the school where he works. "So I wrote the song for him. Lol Just kidding!" he said.
"Work is work, you know? Sometimes it sucks. Especially when you're sitting inside a building on a beautiful sunny day. I was listening to The Beatles, and a few songs like 'A Hard Day's Night' and 'Eight Days a Week' inspired me to write 'Work Sucks, I Know.'"
Yet, the two of them have stayed together in the band for about eight years already. What is the secret to Daisy Gun's longevity? "Why the power of friendship of course!" Cilliers said.
"It's not easy being in a band. It costs a lot of time, money and energy, but there's nothing like making sweet jams with your homies. Actually, being friends helps a lot," he added.
They remain an integral part of Busan's live music scene, which they characterize as "small but supportive."
"We are very happy to be a part of it," Cilliers said. "While I love the community, I would love for it to grow. There's some great talent out here!"
Daisy Gun will take part in Busan Calling on June 20, performing at Nogada Music Pub at 8 p.m. The band's new single "Square Eyes" is set for release on June 17.
Follow @daisygunband on Instagram, or visit linktr.ee/daisygun for all your Daisy Gun needs.