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FOREIGN AFFAIRS



Last Updated: 3/21/2009

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Status: Swinger
City: College Station / Bogotá(Col) / all over
State: Texas
Country: US
Signup Date: 8/14/2005

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Thursday, March 27, 2008 

Current mood:  creative

De Zon Clothing is a sweet clothing company out of California.  Check em out on myspace --> myspace.com/dezonclothing


brand new shirt 3/26...get yours now!!

click the banner to visit their online store

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Currently listening:
So Wrong, It's Right
By All Time Low
Release date: 25 September, 2007
12:35 AM 
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Tuesday, March 18, 2008 

Current mood:  cheerful
Just in case some of yall were wondering why you haven’t heard anything about Northgate Music Fest this year, the plan is to move it to August so its not jam packed in with Spring Break, Easter, SXSW, and everything else that’s going on in March.  So keep an eye out for Northgate Music Fest info towards the end of the summer!
7:11 PM 
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Sunday, October 28, 2007 

Worldly music

Foreign Affairs draws on different cultures to create rock songs

By JANET PHELPS
Eagle Staff Writer

The four members of Foreign Affairs are Texas A&M University students, but their influences stretch beyond the campus in College Station.

Band members cite influences that include South American rock music and Albert Einstein. The resulting sound surprises most people at first, the band members said.

The four seniors have spent their college careers pulling the band together, learning instruments along the way and recruiting new members on Facebook, they said.

The band said its hard work is finally paying off. Foreign Affairs released its first full-length album in September.

But the ties that hold Brian Graue, Jake Ragle, Camilo and Andres Tobacio together extend beyond their music.

"We're very good friends," said Camilo Tobacio, who shares vocal and guitar duties with his brother Andres. "Before we're band members, we're friends."

Andres and Camilo Tobacio, who write most of the band's songs, moved from Colombia while still in high school with their family.

The band got the idea for the name Foreign Affairs from the brothers' international experience, members said.

As immigrants, the pair takes a different approach to music. They talk about South American author Jorge Luis Borges, acclaimed Colombian rock group Aterciopelados, Einstein's theory of relativity, outer space and Argentinean singer Fito Paez when discussing influences.

"We don't have American culture, we have Colombian culture," Camilo Tobacio said.

Their music sounds like mainstream alternative rock, Graue said, but the songs are a mix of old and new sounds from South America and the United States.

Members said they look to musicians who have been successful for inspiration, including bands such as The Beatles, The Doors, the Pixies, Weezer and Nirvana.

"These bands are not new and people still listen to them, so they must have been doing something right," Camilo Tobacio said. "We really care about the people who wrote these songs, what they were like, how they made it, who they are."

Most importantly, though, the band tries to make music that is real, members said.

"We kind of use that attitude in our band. We've never said we need to make our music a certain way. It makes our songs, like, true -- not a fad, not the latest trend. We're not trying to be the next cool thing," Graue said.

That might explain why the band released its first album, Light Years, independently. Foreign Affairs turned down an offer from an Austin-based recording label because it was too small and wasn't environmentally or socially conscious, the band members said.

"It just didn't fit," Andres Tobacio said.

Instead, the four spent almost $2,000 to record their 11-song album at a Tyler studio over the summer, traveling to Tyler every weekend for months.

The hardest part was mixing and mastering the album over the summer, they said. They had to collaborate long-distance because members were scattered across the U.S. from Alaska to Dallas, some living with family and others doing internships and working.

The album is a compilation of their best songs since the two brothers first started writing songs five years ago, they said.

When Andres Tobacio came to Texas A&M in 2003, he and Camilo Tobacio, who was still in high school in Tyler, started writing songs by drawing on their experiences in a new country.

Learning English and picking up American teenage culture was tough, and both brothers kept journals with song lyrics and thoughts to work through the hard times, they said.

They were lonely, so playing music and writing songs helped, Andres Tobacio said.

"It was kind of a long-distance band relationship. When I got here we finally started putting songs together," Camilo Tobacio said.

When Camilo Tobacio came to Texas A&M a year later, the two recruited Graue, who lived in the same dorm as Andres Tobacio. Graue, who didn't play an instrument at the time, learned to play the bass guitar as the three engineering majors started playing acoustic open mic nights at Zapatos Cantina in 2004.

But they needed a drummer.

As a part of their recruiting efforts, Camilo Tobacio created a Facebook group asking drummers to try out for the band.

Ragle, a finance major, auditioned, and the three knew immediately that Ragle's drumming style was a perfect fit, Graue said.

The newly formed group recorded a four-song LP two years ago on a laptop and in a home studio which a local musician lent them in exchange for pizza and Diet Coke, Graue said.

With a demo CD in hand, the band played shows in Tyler, Dallas and the Bryan-College Station area.

Since it was a fledgling band with limited resources, they relied on posting fliers to promote shows.

"It's a lot of work, but if you can post 100 fliers and get three extra fans, for us it's worth it," Graue said.

Since finishing their album last month, the four have worked hard at self-promotion, playing CD release parties in Tyler and Dallas.

This week, Foreign Affairs is preparing for a CD release party in its home base Saturday. The group play with local punk rock bands The Flak Jackets, The Hangouts and The Guns of Detroit starting at 9 p.m. at The Roasted Bean, 2551 Texas Ave. in College Station.

As graduation approaches, the four seniors are in a time crunch to get their band off the ground, members said. If things are going well by graduation next year, they'll stay together. If not, Foreign Affairs could be facing another long-distance band relationship.

"For us it's like a race between music and school, which one finishes first," Camilo Tobacio said. "Engineering is kind of a back-up plan."

Although the future of the band is uncertain, Andres and Camilo Tobacio don't plan to stop making music.

"Engineering has no soul. Playing music is how you express yourself. It's kind of our call," Andres Tobacio said.

• Janet Phelps' e-mail address is janet.phelps@theeagle.com.






4:26 PM 
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Thursday, September 13, 2007 

Category: Music

Music Station

By: Ben Johnson

Issue date: 9/13/07 Section: Aggielife

Media Credit: File - The Battalion
(Media Credit: File - The Battalion)    [zoom]

Brothers Andres and Camilo Tobacia came to Tyler, Texas from Bogota, Colombia more than two years ago. Apart from their linguistic limitations, the brothers share a passion for listening to and writing alternative rock music. The pair quickly overcame their English deficit and began writing music with Brian Graue, a senior mechanical engineering major.

The group started playing songs in their respective basements and slowly put together a list of songs, both originals and covers of their favorite artists like Nirvana, Weezer and The Doors. The band performed one open mic after another, finding that more people had an interest in their brand of music than they expected.

"Mostly it's country music-type of acts in this area, but a lot of people here really like alternative rock," Andres Tobacia said. The guys found drummer Jake Ragle on Facebook, and after completing the lineup, they officially dubbed themselves Foreign Affairs.

Foreign Affairs derives their name from the band members' geographic differences. While the Tobacia brothers are from Colombia, Graue and Ragle are from small Texas towns. But that's about where the dissimilarity between the band members ends. All share influences and a predilection toward alternative rock. The band calls upon influences like Pixies, The White Stripes, Modest Mouse and Weezer to create their sound. Among their other influences are Spanish rock bands Enanitos Verdes, Soda Stereo and Aterciopelados. The band is a signature act of the local indie/alternative rock scene - a scene that is surprisingly large and includes bands like The Hangouts, The Kansas City Faggots, Bantam Seed and The Guns of Detroit.

The band is on the brink of releasing their first full-length album, Light Years on Sept. 21.

"I have always had an interest in space and things like deep space and alternate dimensions and stuff like that," Andrés Tobacia said. "Light Years has that kind of feel to it, but I also wanted to capture the idea of a guy being in love somehow with someone light years away. That's kind of what the song 'Wrong Place, Wrong Time' is about."

Camilo Tobacia said the band is ready for their album to make its debut.

"We're just really excited about it," he said. "This album is kind of a collection of some of the best songs we've written over the years, and we're really proud to finally release them. We're really a part of the online generation, so we're eager to finally release these songs on an actual disc."

The CD release party will be held at The Door in Dallas on Sept. 21. The album and its contents will be available on iTunes, as well. If you're interested in finding out more about the band, check out their myspace at www.myspace.com/foreignaffairs.

from the Batt.com [http://media.www.thebatt.com/media/storage/paper657/news/2007/09/13/Aggielife/Music.Station-2965474.shtml]
4:07 AM 
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Tuesday, August 14, 2007 

Current mood:  peaceful

WHEN I'M OUT

What you do, matters to me
'specially what you do when you're alone.
Are you waiting at the door? until I can come home
Are you waiting? Are you waiting?


Always think it twice
pretend you're not alone
your voice gets to me…..don't do this to me, Go!
I know that you're alone
pretend I'm by your side
Don't do this to me…and I won't do it back.

Here I am thinking of you
'specially if you think about my empty bed.
Are you waiting at the door? will you wait until I'm home.
Are you waiting? Are you waiting?

Always think it twice
pretend you're not alone
your voice gets to me…..don't do this to me, Go!
I know that you're alone
pretend I'm by your side
Don't do this to me…and I won't do it..

Giving it Up, giving it up
Giving it Up, giving it up (your thoughts)
Giving it Up, giving it up
Giving it Up, giving it up (your thoughts)

(Tell me that you love me, cause you know I love you.)

 

 

YELLOW AGES
I'll carry on my way Ohh ohh oh! Ohh ohh oh!

Lights out
I'm seeing your face again
I miss the yellow world we saw
back when we were just kids.
But now it's time (ohh ohh)
to say

I'll carry on my way, Ohh ohh oh Ohh ohh oh
We're going separate ways,
but when I get there I'll write you everyday

Your face
It's all that's inside my head.
Never ending nights we spent
hiding under the bed
But now it's time (ohh ohh)
to say

I'll carry on my way, Ohh ohh oh Ohh ohh oh
We're going separate ways,
but when I get there I'll write you everyday

You see, this can't be it
Let's go back (one step back)
One step back (listen, just listen)
Let's go back to what we have!

But now it's time (ohh ohh)
to say

I'll carry on my way!

Ohhhh ohhhh...

I'll carry on my way, Ohh ohh oh Ohh ohh oh
We're going separate ways,
but when I get there I'll write you everyday

I'll carry on my way, Ohh ohh oh Ohh ohh oh
We're going separate ways (we're going separate ways)
but when I get there I'll write you everyday


Wrong Place, Wrong Time

Sometimes I feel I'm far away
from what I think I used to be
Sometimes I think my life is long
So long, I just don't count anymore
Sometimes I want to clear my mind
So I can start all over again.
Sometimes I wish I knew
anything at all...

I want to know (I want to know)
I'm so confused (I'm so confused)
What's going on? (What's going on?)
What's going on?

You and I don't know each other
10.5 light years away
Hold on, my intentions are good
Believe me, all I want to say to you
...Hello...To you..Hello...

Sometimes I feel I'm far away
from what I think I used to be
Sometimes I think my life is long
So long, I just don't count anymore
Sometimes I want to clear my mind
So I can start all over again.
Sometimes I wish I knew
anything at all...

I want to know (I want to know)
I'm so confused (I'm so confused)
What's going on? (What's going on?)
What's going on?

yeah!....

I woke up in the wrong time, I woke up in the wrong place
I'll tell you what I want, I'll tell you what I please
I woke up in the wrong time, I woke up in the wrong place
I'll tell you what I want, I'll tell you what I please...

And that's how I feel everyday!
And that's how I feel everyday!
And that's how I feel everyday!
And that's how I feel everyday!

Oh-Oh Oh-Oh Oh-Oh-ohhh-Oh...

Losing
Feeling, feeling the same.
Where'd you go?
Where could you be?

I'm searching and flying
And swimming and drowning
To get to you, Where could you be?
I'm losing and gaining
And sometimes pretending you look for me
Where could you be?

I'm a dreamer, but I overslept
I'm counting sheep, but the black one is dead.
Da da, da da da da…..

I'm searching and flying
And swimming and drowning
To get to you, Where could you be?
I'm losing and gaining
And sometimes pretending you look for me
Where could you be?

Nothing will be the same (repeat)
(Carry me over to the other side)

I'm searching and flying
And swimming and drowning
To get to you, Where could you be?
I'm losing and gaining
and sometimes pretending you look for me
Where could you be?

I'm searching and flying
And swimming and drowning
To get to you!

Madame Teaser
You know that I want you, yes I do
You know I have fallen for you, yes I do
Tell me what you wanted, me to do
Tell me cause I'm losing my mind

Lay back, stay back, tell me everything.
I know you can be a real tease.

Trust me I've done this, trust me I've done this before
Trust me I've done this, trust me I've done this before

You like to see me crawling, yes you do
You like to pretend we're lovers, yes you do
Help me untie this noose on my throat, let me breath
Help me 'cause I'm losing my mind

Lay back, stay back, tell me everything.
I know you can be a real tease.

Trust me I've done this, trust me I've done this before
Trust me I've done this, trust me I've done this before

Don't make me spill my mind, don't make me, don't make me
Don't make me spill my mind, don't make me please don't make me
Don't make me spill my mind, don't make me, don't make me
Don't make me spill my mind all over the floor, all over the floooor...

Trust me I've done this, trust me I've done this before
Trust me I've done this, trust me I've done this before

Trust me I've done this (Trust me I've done this) I've done this before
Trust me I've done this (Trust me I've done this) I've done this before


4:45 PM 
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Thursday, June 28, 2007 

Current mood:  contemplative

"Light Years" was one of the many names we had for our first album.

Scratching "Supernova", "Nothing", "The dark side of the sun" and "Don Quixote masturbates with his right hand….damn you Cervantes!"

"Light Years" just fitted right.

In "Madame Teaser"… We wanted to sound like we were walking in a dark Forrest. And at some point in "Losing" we wanted to go through a black hole. Talking with pictures became the best way to communicate our recording ideas.


Without knowing, we were building a project that magnified our interest in space...and perhaps space sex.

Some of the songs in the album evoke the following themes:

*Existentialism/depression and curiosity for extraterrestrial love in {"Wrong Place, Wrong Time"}
* Becoming crazy in{"Left Brain"}
* Terrestrial love in{"Losing & Missing"}
* Isolation and love independence ("Yellow Ages")
* Beginning and end of the universe {"God is a father, Nature a Mother"}

and many more universal feelings that we felt that are shared between us and any other specie that exists in the universe…
perhaps 10.5 light years away.  

We hope you like our music….if not...Chewbacca will ass rape you.

Oh…..our Art will be very "space related". FYI. THE CD COVER IS A  SURPRISE.

Soon we'll post our CD and the art within and we'll have some shirts/stickers and meaningless crap like that.

your friends,

FOREIGN AFFAIRS

The thought of the day:

"Emo is too delicate. Trash Rap is degrading. Feminism rules. Glam rock is extinct. Rob Zombie is gay. I am always in the blues. Punk rock is in the heart and in my fist."  

2:57 AM 
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Sunday, April 29, 2007 

Current mood:  excited
Category: Music
6/26:

We're 95% done with the mixing process.  We're still shopping for a place to master the CD, but you can expect a new song to be posted very soon!

5/21:

We're done recording!!  Everything sounds awesome, Waylen and Gizmo did an incredible job with our CD.  Hopefully all the mixing and mastering will be done within the next month so keep checkin back for updates.

we'll update this blog as updates come =)

5/17:

We had a late night session last night recording until 1am.  We're pretty productive at night.  Camilo is doing the last little details on guitar right now then we'll start recording the vocals.  Any suggestions for the album name?...let us know.  We have a few ideas, but we would definately like to hear more!

5/14:

Whats up...its Brian again.  I just finished tracking the last couple songs on bass.  Now Camilo is doing some lead parts on guitar while I eat chips.  That's all for now I guess...pretty slow around here.  Leave me comments to keep me from being too bored.

5/13:

Brian and Jake here.  Drums are done!  Right now Andres is tracking some vocals.  Andres and Jake still haven't left Tyler and they have to be at work in Houston and College Station in the morning haha.  Oh well, we're young right.

Party like a rock star, kick a little ass.  -Jake  =]

5/12:

We're back at it now that finals are over.  Camilo, Andres, and myself got here last night around 7.  We put in a couple hours of work last night tracking some guitars.  After a fun night with friends we're up early and hammering through the guitars.  Jake will be here later today and we plan on doing the last little bit of drum tracking tomorrow morning.  By the end of the weekend we should be about 75% done!  Its sounding really good so far, and we can't wait for everybody to hear it!

Talk to yall soon, -Brian

5/3:

we got a lot done on Sunday...bass and drums are 90% done woot!

we're taking our time with the guitars....Gizmo (our producer guy) is a guitar enthusiest so this is his favorite part....Waylen has a ton of badass guitars to choose from and we're putting a lot of thought into which guitars will sound best for each part of our songs....its a long, tedious process but we're all so stoked!

we're set to head back to Tyler May 11 to finish up guitars and vocals

mad props to Gizmo and Waylen for the hard work they've put in so far...we're happy to be working with these guys...they have great insight and work ethic towards music

4/29:

we recorded 7 drum tracks yesterday and Jake's drum kit sounds really good

we're gonna lay some bass tracks this morning, finish up the drums this afternoon, then start laying some guitar tracks

11:12 AM 
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Tuesday, November 21, 2006 
7:54 PM 
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Sunday, September 03, 2006 

Category: Writing and Poetry

FOREIGN AFFAIRS 
Is a 4 piece band composed of two members that were saved from your profitable charities to the 1-800-help-a-third-world-child foundation.

Earlier times...
Andres & Camilo -guitars and vocals- landed in a small Texan town known as Tyler; to fuse with the local hippie, punk and redneck community.
There they mastered the English language with Shakespeare's Monologues and re-runs of Seinfeld and started composing lyrics. They were later joined by

Present...
Brian Graue-bass- and Devin Murphy-drums- to practice in a garage and record songs in a box....back in their college scene life they were joined by Jake Ragle,     and his powerful drumming.  Together they have recorded 6 songs and made 2 videos with director Cody "grandioso" Clack.

We sound like...
Foreign Affairs sounds like John Lennon on an acid trip while touring with Led Zeppelin, KISS and all of the Heavy Rock and Roll commercial bands. FOREIGN AFFAIRS is the sound of a Threesome between The Beatles, Nirvana and Weezer and secretly The White Stripes are looking, hoping to join the in the action.

Final thought...
When not doing humanitarian aid for the United Nations and UNICEF the band members play and record music. Are we aware of the problems? Yeah! But what else to do but blame governments! Soon we will invade your TV's with a chaotic successful reality show, while promoting our DVD "behind the scenes" and cruising around in our cars with 20 inch wheels. We will have interviews with music magazines while pouring cristal on our top-model groupies and we will join forces with BONO and Coldplay to heal the world.



Soon you can join us too and become dreamers by buying our "Foreign Affairs" bed sheets, CDs, shirts and DVDs at your local WALMART.

3:30 AM 
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Saturday, August 12, 2006 


WE'RE NOT GONNA TAKE IT!

11:34 PM 
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