The new band Le Voyage, featuring front man Joel Sanders with Zack Pliska on drums, Danny Khan on Bass, Alex Norris on keys and Ryan Wood on guitar, has an undeniable, if groovier, 90’s character.

Their first full album comes out in March, but you can catch Le Voyage at The Loving Touch January 17th.

How did you get together?

Sanders: I used to play Bass for Mick Basset and the Marthas. That’s how I met [manager] Lee Majors. I told him I had been working on an album and I’d like to put a band together. He helped me book our first show.

So you booked the show prior to being formed?

Woods: Oh yeah.

Sanders: Well no…

Pliska: That’s exactly what happened.

Sanders: First, he wanted to hear what I was working on, so I gave him a CD of the music I was making and he really liked it. He started making some phone calls and found out there was an open spot at PJ’s Lager House. Luckily I have some cool friends who are really talented musicians. I got everybody together and we all started learning the songs. Everyone is kinda putting their own spin on everything and it’s really coming together.

Is this band a collaborative effort or is there one person driving the band?

Sanders: I think our first shows are going to be focused on music that I’ve been writing, I’ve been working on this album for close to a year now, but I’d like to work towards a collaborative thing. I really like everyone’s style and influences. In the future we’re going to try and write music as a band.

What are some of your influences?

Sanders: All the songs range differently in terms of style. Especially on the record, we don’t play a lot of those songs yet. The Gorilliaz, Pink Floyd, Yes, Radiohead, Muse, maybe some Zeppelin, The Police. Various electronic acts like Boards of Canada and Apex Twins, stuff like that. Progressive pop rock.

Woods: Industrial Post. . . virtuous

Sanders: Post alternative.

Pliska: Post virtuous! I got it! Yes!

What Detroit acts are you fans of?

Pliska: Stevie Wonder

Sanders: I’m a big fan of Almost Free. I love Andy Bird. He’s an excellent guitar player and I really like his voice. He has an excellent style. George Morris obviously, he’s very talented and his band is great. His drummer is awesome.

Pliska: Citizen Smile is great as well.

Sanders: The Hand Grenades also.

Khan: The only things I can think of are like, James Jamerson from the old Motown days and 90% of all the Motown records. I’m just learning the modern local scene.

What are some of the challenges and opportunities for musicians working in Detroit?

Sanders: The challenge is really just trying to get fans. My goal, and I think everybody’s goal is just to play good shows and see how it goes and try and get people interested in the music. It’s a thrill to go up on stage and perform music you care about in a passionate way. But you’ve got to find people who dig that music and of course there’s always room for failure.

Pliska: People know about the Lager House and about bands playing here but the challenge is to get all the people outside of our little bubble who don’t know about it to be interested in it.

Sanders: Another big challenge for us is the promotional aspect of it. There’s Facebook and social media and you can say ‘Hey like our page!’ but most people just delete it. You have to think of ways to get people interested in your band when no one even knows you.

Pliska: Plus all the bars in Royal Oak and stuff, they’re not going to host the kind of bands that play at the Lager House.

Kahn: Unless they’re dance-y as fuck, which we can do.

If you could play with anyone, living or dead, current or retired, who would it be?

Pliska: Miles Davis

Sanders: Pink Floyd

Kahn: There’s way too many to name. Django Rienhart, John Coltrane, Miles Davis is a given. Can’t deny it.

Norris: Dallas Green, from City in Color.

Woods: Either Jimmy Hendrix, or Stevie Ray Vaughn, but only high on cocaine.