The Untold Story of How STARSET Was Born

Today on Rock Feed, we’re joined by Dustin Bates, frontman of Starset, for a wide-ranging conversation ahead of the release of their brand new album Silos, out now.

Dustin opens up about leaving behind a PhD program to chase his music dreams, how Starset was formed, and the intense creative process that went into this ambitious new record. We dive into his sci-fi storytelling, the evolution of Starset’s cinematic sound, and why this album started out as singles before transforming into a full-fledged project.

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0:00 — Dustin Bates Joins Rock Feed + “Silos” Release
0:27 — From Singles to Full Album: Why “Silos”
1:59 — Sci-Fi Roots & Engineering Background
2:26 — Epic Records Deal… Then Dropped
3:10 — “My Demons” Breaks Through
3:34 — Walking Away from a PhD: No-Brainer Risk
4:08 — “Everyone Thought I Was Crazy”
4:27 — Early Influences: Phil Collins to Metallica
6:03 — Building the Starset Sound: Zimmer, Sigur Rós, Orchestral + Electronic
6:42 — Anthem Writing: Hooks that Stick
7:06 — Solo vs Co-Writes, Interludes, 18-Hour Days
7:43 — Writing on a Train: Lyric Lock-In
8:34 — Where Inspiration Really Comes From
9:20 — Work Ethic, Growing Up with Less
10:00 — The All-In Loan: Recording Without a Label
11:17 — Radio Games, Signing, and Recoupment Reality
12:20 — “It’s Like an 800% Loan”: Label Economics
12:41 — Keeping the Edge: Refusing the Comfort Blanket
14:58 — What “Silos” Sounds Like + Next Album Already
15:51 — No Tour Yet: Building a Bigger Return
16:18 — The AI Video Backlash: What Really Happened
17:27 — Tech Evolves: From Synths to AI
18:00 — Covers, Not Composers: What AI Can (and Can’t) Do
18:39 — Pro-Tech, Not Anti-Art: Using Tools, Hiring Artists
21:58 — AI & Society: Jobs, Churn, and the Future
23:47 — Closing Thoughts & Mutual Respect