The Squatches, a student cover band that debuted in April and has performed at events including Porchfest, shared their beginnings and plans for the year.

Q: What went into the making of this name — what inspired it?

Harry Greenspan: Freshman year, we would hang out in the dorms, me, Marcus and David, the band started with just us three at a fraternity house. There’s a video called “Sassy the Sasquatch” on YouTube. It’s just something we all used to watch. We were thinking of a name and that was kind of an idea since we all have a connection to it, from watching it together. So we just went with it.

Q: Just the three of you started it. Were you guys roommates? Did you know each other before college?

Harry Greenspan: We all lived in the fraternity house sophomore year.. I had my guitar, so I would play rhythm, and Marcus would sing solo, and David would play the drums. And it was all just for fun.

Q: When did you decide, “Okay, we could actually make something serious out of this?”

Harry Greenspan: Beginning second semester of last year. We played at our fraternity for a band party, and they just were very generous and let us open and we had no prior experience. I’ve never performed music like that on stage.

Q: How long before the first show, did you guys all start practicing together?

Kaleigh Reaves: We started practicing in mid-January, then the first show was the band party in April. It was only a couple months, but we practiced like once or twice a week in the fraternity basement. Typical college musty basement with glass all over the floors, not the greatest equipment. Individually, we had instruments, of course, but not the greatest sound equipment.

Q: What would you say is the biggest struggle working together as a band?

Hunter Spence: In the beginning it was a little hard, just because I’m younger than everyone here. I mean, we are the same fraternity, but I don’t live with these guys, so I don’t get to see them all the time. The first couple practices were just a little bit awkward I guess, just figuring each other out.

Q: Since you’re a cover band, what’s your favorite genre, or is there a specific artist you  like to cover the most?

Kaleigh Reaves: We do a lot of classic rock and indie. Classic rock we love. We did a bunch of Tom Petty in the beginning. That was a big one. “Mary Jane’s Last Dance” is like our signature song.

Harry Greenspan: We’ve kind of moved over to some funky stuff as well. We have two songs by Stevie Wonder. It’s very diverse.

Q: In the future, do you  plan on releasing an original album, or some singles?

Kaleigh Reaves: Last night actually, we finished writing a single, and it sounds really cool. We’re just getting all the logistics worked out now, so we’re gonna start practicing it soon, and hopefully it’ll be at one of our future shows, maybe in November.

Q: What’s your dream venue, or, like, your dream place to play as a band?

Harry Greenspan: Locally, Georgia Theatre or 40 Watt or something like that.

Marcus Trevisan: Madison Square Garden! (laughter from group)

Comments trimmed for length and clarity.

Lily Cincola is a journalism major covering local music.