INDIE BAND OF THE WEEK - A FOREIGN AFFAIR

Who are you and what is your role in the band?

My name is Alex Strobaugh and I am the vocalist/front man of A Foreign Affair

How did the band get started?

The band kind of started by mutual friends getting together after I left a band called Incredible Me. It began with our old drummer Andrew and he was close friends with our guitarist Jared Cambridge. We were the core of the band that kind of started everything. Then after going through a few different members we ran into Nick Blevins at a party. He’s was ridiculously drunk because it was his birthday but he brought out a acoustic guitar and still played incredibly well! After jamming out to some Circa Survive songs throughout that night we knew he would be a great fit and asked him to be a part of the band. Lastly, our bassist Jordan was a familiar acquaintance of ours being that he was in a lot of local bands in the same scene as us and once we started jamming we knew he’d be a great fit as well. 

Who are your influences and how do they play a role in your sound?

Our influences kind of vary from person to person but the band has been shaped by the music that we are surrounded by. Dance Gavin Dance has always been a big part of the Sacramento scene and it’s safe to say that has influenced us all as musicians. Our guitarist Jared is also amazing with electronic music so we strive to have electronic nuances incorporated into our rock sound and are influenced by bands like PVRIS or even Sacramento’s own Tycho. 

What has been your most meaningful experience being in this band so far?

The most meaningful experience for me in this band was being able to play a benefit show called, “Louder Than Love” at Ace of Spades. Louder Than Love was a tribute show for Chris Cornell (Sound Garden) and Chester Bennington (Linkin Park). The proceeds of the show went to NAMI (the National Alliance on Mental Illness) and it was a rewarding experience to pay tribute to the musicians I grew up listening too.

Favorite memory from a show you’ve played or a place you’ve travelled?

My favorite memory from a show was at Concert in the Park. I grew up watching bands there as a kid and the response and love that we received from the crowd was incredible. The best part was being able to grab “Kenny the Dancing Man” up on stage with us during our set. For those who aren’t familiar with Kenny he’s known here as a charismatic guy that has built a reputation in Sacramento for dancing like nobody’s watching. It was hard for me to keep my composure while singing because I was laughing so hard the entire time. 

What do you hope to accomplish with your music?

I hope to accomplish what all my favorite bands have done for me and that is to create a sense of understanding with my music. Growing up as a troubled teen there’s always this sense of isolation but music bridges that gap by bringing people together and thats what has always drawn me to it. 

Something about you that no one knows?

Something about me that not many people know is I was nicknamed AJ hammerhead because as a toddler I used to bang my head against the walls of our house. I guess you can say I started head banging pretty early on in my life haha. 

What is next for the band?

What’s next for the band is to keep writing and recording music, playing shows, and doing what we love as much as we possibly can! 

Connect with A Foreign Affair: