Seeking Empire
Alan Kao moved from Guam to the Bay Area in the mid- 1990s because of our thriving music scene. In 2001, he started a band called Mud that eventually played venues like Shoreline Amphitheatre and the Warfield.
Kao is now part of Seeking Empire, a great San Francisco indie rock band fronted by female vocalist Nikki Aclaro. Their self- titled EP was released in 2011.
Lineup: Nikki Aclaro, vocals; Paul Thomas, vocals, bass; Phil Pristia, vocals, guitar; Alan Kao, guitar; Nick White, drums. Was there a band you heard when you were young that inspired you to become a musician?
AK: Faith No More was the band that did it for me. My band had the opportunity to open for them a very long time ago when I was a kid living back home on Guam. That was a defining moment in time where everything changed for me.
How does living in the Bay Area affect your music?
NW: Growing up and living in the Bay Area has greatly affected the way I see music. Being able to see live shows constantly definitely made me want to play. Being able to have a place like the Gilman just a train ride away was huge. Watching bands like Screw 32, Rancid, Green Day not only play but also develop was hugely inspirational.
Which of your lyrics best defines your band and why?
PP: “It’s running through my head, What we gonna do love? I’ll chase this ’ til I’m dead, you know it’s true love.” This lyric is about my relentless desire to make music for the rest of my life, and I feel that this is the mission statement for Seeking Empire. This project started out as a way for us to keep music alive in our lives despite our full- time jobs we have to live with.
Check it out: www.facebook.com/seekingempire.
Next gig: 8 p. m. Thursday, April 23. With Happy Fangs, New Diplomat. $ 14. Great American Music Hall, 859 O’Farrell St., S. F. ( 415) 885- 0750. www.slimspresents.com.