Dear Reader,
I sat down with staff member Raffy Landestoy to talk about our favorite thing: music.
Alex Reineke
All right, Raffy, how’s it going?
Raffy Landestoy
Good.
AR
So, three weeks ago we recorded an EP in ElectronicaLab… Well, how did you get into this technology? What made you say, “Yeah, I’ll sit for three hours listening to this guy sing and complain about every take”?
RL
Growing up, no one really cared about my passions. It was always “do your work, get good grades.” Once I got to college, I realized I wanted more than academics. Engineering is cool, but my passion is music—and helping other people make music. That’s what it is: supporting each other. So helping you record, helping others… even though I still need to mix your tracks—I haven’t looked at the files yet…
AR
You think I’ve thought about them?
RL
They’re always in the back of my mind… But yeah, supporting small groups here in the lab, and the huge, untapped Western Mass music community. It’s honestly better than Boston’s scene.
AR
I believe that. My artist friends don’t want to move to Boston either. So what got you into the Western Mass scene? How do you even find something underground?
RL
You don’t dig—it’s just there. My intro to lesser‑known bands was Holder. I saw them freshman year at a show in Oyster… first nontraditional concert, no stage, just a court. Hardcore, moshing… It seems intimidating, but people are aware of each other. Sure, there’s the occasional bad cookie, but everyone knows who they are and keeps them from ruining it. We pick each other up.
AR
You love supporting the scene. You recorded Eson’s group here…
RL
Yeah, Ben and his friends come to jam.
AR
How are they not a band?
RL
Ben’s trying. Everyone else is iffy. I told him I’d be in a band with him.
AR
Same. Let’s do it.
RL
We also have a freshman punk band that’s recorded here. And we just got a jazz drummer—
AR
Shreyas! I love that guy!
RL
He’s bringing his drum set after spring break and leaving it here.
AR
I’m curious: there are recording studios in the library, practice rooms, etc. Why do people love this space?
RL
Because it’s secluded. Not many people know about it. I want people to know, but I also like the quiet. One of Ben’s friends said, “Why have I never heard of this place?” And I said, “It’s only for ECE students. You’re only here because of Ben.”
AR
Ben is our top recruiter.
RL
I know so many non‑ECE musicians who’d love this space, but I can’t bring them in.
AR
And honestly, we deserve a secluded area. We’re stressed, under pressure. M5 gives people space to be artistic. Electrical and computer engineers are artists and engineers.
RL
I agree, but I also think we need to be more creative. We follow a predetermined path—learn skills, do Arduino project, a BeagleBone project… People post on LinkedIn like, “I plotted two sine waves.” Cool, but you could turn that into a triangle wave, a square wave, build a VCO, make a synthesizer. People do the minimum to present themselves to companies. If I were a CEO, I’d want creativity. That’s what changes the world.
AR
So what kills creativity in ECE?
RL
Too much work. Too much academia kills creativity. You focus on facts, not interests. I’m walking a thin line saying this, but managing this space, doing engineering during hell‑mester… I want to make music, but I don’t have time. I almost dropped out last spring.
AR
Wait—what?
RL
I was going to transfer to Berklee. I had my audition date. I was about to email the dean. What stopped me was a talk with my childhood friend. I was lying on that hill behind the back door, telling him everything. He said, “You have the studio, right? What happens to it if you leave?” And I realized… I didn’t want to leave this space. If you truly want something, you’ll still do it, no matter how hard engineering is.
AR
That’s wild. I relate. Last semester was awful. Every week I’d lie in bed thinking, “This isn’t worth it.” I called my grandmother, and she said, “So what’s the worst that happens?” I said, “I fail a class.” And she said, “Then it’s easier the second time.” Somehow that stuck.
RL
Engineering is one of the most rewarding majors.
AR
I agree. Even if some days I don’t want to leave my apartment.
RL
Yeah…
AR
Anyway, this was great. Thank you, Raffy
.
RL
Of course.
