‘Game Day‘ is Star Collector’s fifth album. Sweet Sweet Music spoke to Vic Wayne about how this record came about.

What was the moment you knew you were on to something?

I think I knew I was on to something when the songs just flowed out, one after another. I think as a writer, this is a good signal to dig in. For a Power Pop record, it’s a pretty intense one lyrically… Musically, the band gave the tunes a right ass-kickin’, and I knew from the get-go that our current personnel would come through with the mod-tastic goods but stay true to the emotional centers of the songs, whatever they may be.

How did this record come together?

Some powerful, chaotic, life-altering shit went down in my life and it was a bit foreign to me, honestly. I found that writing was a way out of the darkness. It’s therapeutic…and being creative also just feels good, like you’re doing something meaningful, even if only for yourself initially.

The recording process was the other end of the spectrum… great fun! Our longtime drummer, Ringo, moved away in ’18 so we were fortunate to have current stickman, Adrian Buckley, who we’d known for years, just slide in. Big bonus is that he’s also a damn fine recording engineer so, once the beds were done at a big studio here, I produced, and we overdubbed with him at the controls.

My younger brother, Adam, who’d also filled in for us on bass when we were ‘bottomless’ many times, (ie: our first tour to Europe), came on board and was simply brilliant. His playing is a wonderful cross between Bruce Thomas & Entwhistle, with a superb sense of melody (see Macca).

Steve, my longtime guitarist/vocalist/co-writer, really brought the guitar-goods like a champ, and I hacked away like the mediocre guitarist I am.

Haha… It was tops to have both Adrian and Ad sing on it too as they both have great voices that complimented mine & Steve’s nicely.

We also had Kevin Kane (Grapes of Wrath) play a blistering guitar duel with Steve; and Evan Foster (Boss Martians, Dirty Sidewalks, Sonics) co-produce a track with me and sing on it.

When did you decide to start asking for opinions on the new songs?

Well, if you mean once the record was finished… we felt pretty sure which songs would work as singles, which are the first 2 we did videos for, “Rip It Off” and “Game Day”, the title track, plus the one we’re working on like little Energizer Bunnies right now (okay, to be fair, it’s mostly Steve doing the vids… I’m about as technically proficient at video work as I am at playing lead guitar… “and the answer is none… none more proficient” *cue “Big Bottom*).

What always fascinates me is which songs people gravitate to on albums. One that surprised me a bit is all the love for the song “Green Eyes” we’ve received. Obviously, it made the cut to be on the album but didn’t call that one. What does feel good is that pretty much every song so far has shown up in different folks’ faves, so that tells me it’s not a couple of singles plus so much filler! Haha.

The meaning of success has changed over the years. What would success look like for the new record?

With the way the industry is today and from my little corner of perception, success to me is that we completed the record, and it sounds like it did in my head when the songs were written (better, in fact).

After that, because it’s an important record for me personally, and for the band after a fairly sizable break between albums, success is what it accomplishes emotionally and creatively.

After that, getting played on radio and having reviewers appreciate it is just the gravy, but still worth considering the cause, I mean, if you put blood, sweat, and fears into recording for a year (after writing and rehearsing for 2 more), you kinda want people to hear it. If not it’s, “if a tree falls…”. I will say that the Power Pop community has been stellar in supporting it so far and we’re most grateful, and that includes, of course, Sweet Sweet Music!

How great is the urge to stay creative? To keep writing songs and lyrics?  

Like the urge to purge after too much tequila; or the urge to cough after your first teenage smoke; or the urge to share your first sexual experience with your best friend; or the urge after your first big coffee in the morning…haha.

Seriously, though, it’s been incredibly strong these past few years. Aside from the aforementioned heavy inspiration in my life, the lockdown has allowed me more time to write.

I think I’ve got about 5 new ones done and another 2-3 co-writes with Steve so I figure about ¾’s of our next album is written already. Now, getting into the rehearsal room is another thing altogether…

As an artist, you chose to show your emotions to the world. Is it always comfortable to do so?  

Great question. I’d say for me, yeah. Ultimately, music is an emotional ride. As a word guy who loves language, it’s essential.

Musically, though, the pure joy of hitting the chorus in Katrina & The Waves’ “Do You Want Crying?” or the way you can’t NOT sing along to the tail of “Hey Jude”; or the way my brother, Adam’s (solo) song, “Rainy Day”, can bring me to tears every fucking time; or how the sheer ferocity of “The Real Me” (The Who) can make you wanna jump around the room playing air guitar with a Hot Wheels track… damn… and, as a dad, don’t even get me started on “Cats In The Cradle”!

You can pick 3 co-writers to write new songs with. Who? … and Why?  

Well, aside from my own band, I’m gonna cheat & do this in categories as it’s WAY too hard to pick just 3:

3 who’ve passed on: John Lennon (no reason required), David Bowie (think it’d be ethereal and expansive), Adam Schlesinger (that pop sensibility!)

3 living Brits: Paul Weller (from ‘All Mod Cons’ through to ‘Sound Affects’… kinda my musical bible right there), Pete Townshend (see Paul Weller), Jimmy Page (riff-tastic-orgasmic, and I write the words!), (cheat) Glenn Tilbrook (that pop sensibility part deux and I write the words again!), would’ve added Noel Gallagher, Richard Ashcroft & Ian McCulloch but somehow I think the clash of “who writes the lyrics” might be an issue. Haha.

3 living Americans: David Fagin (Solo, ex-The Rosenbergs) (that melodic sensibility – big fan), Dave Grohl (feel like it’d be non-stop laughter and still get results), Dave Pirner (whether it’s vogue to dig Soul Asylum or not, I’ve always been a fan of his writing)… “3! 3! 3 Daves in 1!”

3 living Canadians: Kevin Kane (Grapes of Wrath – who I did co-produce & co-write with on our ‘Flash-Arrows & The Money Shot’ album – great talent and a personal connection); Mark Bandola & Rob Vandeven from The Lucy Show – super band no one knows, originally from Canada though they did live/record in the UK), Craig Northey (Odds) (you guessed it… that pop sensibility once again!)

What’s the gig you will always remember? And why?

My #1 is, unquestionably, The Jam at Kerrisdale Arena here in Vancouver, their last North American date before they split. My teenage mod band et them, I  got a pound note autographed… childhood dream, really. I actually got to relive my story in the book, ‘The Jam – The Day I Was There’.

After that, 4^th row on the floor to see The Kinks as a teen, or the jaw-dropping visual extravaganza that was KISS in their heyday when I was but a pup!

Lyrics are too often taken for granted. What is the line of text or are the lines of text that you hope listeners will remember? And why?  

I’ll give you 2: From “Start To Shine” from our ‘Flash-Arrows & The Money Shot’ album:

“Ain’t it obvious to you?

Don’t need no shrink to think it through

You’re lying naked with the truth

Start to fade or start to shine

And go further out… further out this time…”

(Pretty much my mantra about doing what makes you shine with this one little life we’re given).

And: From “Game Day”, the title track from the new album:

“It’s Game Day and I’ve gotta be strong

Game Day splayed out on the lawn

It’s Mayday and the Sirens’ Song

Now there ain’t no losin’ at all”

(It encapsulates all the pain and turmoil that brought me and this album into the light after much darkness. It’s deeply personal but I think many can relate that sometimes we find clarity in having to make hard, frightening, life-defining decisions)

When was the last time you thought ‘I just wrote a hit!’?

Haha… “There’s no way to answer this dangerous question and maintain my country’s humble politeness!.. HOWEVER, gun to my head, I feel if this were an earlier era in popular music, both “Rip It Off” & “Game Day” from our new album couldashouldwoulda… I felt like they had that magic when they were being written and the band made them even better, but, really what the hell do I know? I’m just some guy… standing in front of a girl…wait…

Is recording a record easier than getting it heard nowadays?

Yes, a thousand times yes.

Cassettes are back. Which 5 five songs would make your first mixtape?

Geez, are they really?? Hmmm… the only format more sonically questionable than 8-tracks. Let me mull on this one…

Recording music. What’s all the fun about?

I absolutely love the process. It can be ‘pulling out hair, chunks at a time’ occasionally when, for example, a mix is just eluding you, but hearing your songs come together (right now, over me… sorry…) really is a magical mystery tour at times (a Beatles Two-fer!).

Especially so when you’re working with really fine players who just make it pop, as they say… nothing like it. I’ve been mighty fortunate to have Steve as the Starsky to my Hutch all these years, and working with my brother Ad again, well, you do the math. Brothers, man. Adrian is a killer skin-basher and engineer too, and having guests like Kevin Kane, Evan Foster (and previously Paul Myers) come in and bring their magic is the icing on the musical cake.

Playing music in front of a crowd. What’s all the fun about?

Playing live is such a different animal than recording or writing. For us, it’s a way to let loose the scissor kicks, turn up the amps, and experience the immediacy that only performing can bring.

It’s breaking strings, breaking sticks, having your guitar strap fall off mid-song, guessing at your harmonies when the monitors aren’t cutting it, and falling into the drum kit after an ill-timed jump. It’s the danger of putting yourself and your songs out there to be judged by the audience, but, hey, Death or Glory! (I’m really riffing on song titles now… watch out).

You can’t control the way people ‘hear’ your music. But if you could make them aware of certain aspects, you think, set your songs apart. What would they be?

I would say musically we straddle genres, even if our main thrust is kinda mod-based rock/power pop. We always sneak bits of garage, new wave, arena/riff-rock, folk, and splashes of prog into the mix so a bit unpredictable, I suppose. You’re not getting 10-12 of the same formula every song after song. Lyrically, I really put a yeoman’s effort into making sure each line, each word chosen is the right one (for me at least) much to Steve’s chagrin when it comes to harmonies (haha)… and, unlike straight pop music, I tend to write about a lot of deep, personal shit. To me, ‘if it don’t mean somethin’, it don’t mean nothin’!

They expect ‘the roaring 20s v2.0’. What kind of party are you looking for?

One that plays “Lips Like Sugar”, “Start!”, “The Real Me”, “She Said She Said”, “D’You Know What I Mean?”, “Better Things”, “Good Girls Don’t”, “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” and “Bittersweet Symphony” so I can sing along at the top of my lungs, and then hits “Love Shack” HARD! Haha. Hey, maybe that’s my mixtape right there!

‘Sun Goes Down’ sounds like a greatest hits. Ten songs and it’s all good, very good. The same quality you heard, for example, on Paul Kelly’s early records.

Sweet Sweet Music spoke to singer-songwriter Tyler Asay.

Your music reminds me of Paul Kelly’s earlier records. Are you aware of his music? If so, makes sense? If not, who are you influenced by?

Yes, I know Paul Kelly! I’ve yet to go deep on his music but I bought a used copy of his greatest hits at the record store I work at (Main Street Music in Philadelphia) because “Love Never Runs On Time” came on and immediately fell in love with it. I definitely know what you mean, The Tisburys and my songwriting are influenced by artists like Kelly, Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, and anyone who can deliver a message within 3 minutes with a beautiful melody. 

Other influences include indie-rock from the mid-2000’s such as Wilco, Sharon Van Etten, and The National. I’ve always been drawn to the artier side of rock, and lyrically there’s a lot of abstract themes that are intended to be dug into to pull your meanings from. Also, I love cool guitar solos so there’s a lot of those on the record played by our lead guitarist John Domenico. 

‘Sun Goes Down’ has that Greatest Hits feel. You didn’t accept any fillers?

It’s not that I don’t accept any fillers but I believe that with all great records, every song could be a single. That’s how I treat every song we work on. If it doesn’t have a memorable hook or something to say, then it most likely won’t go further than the initial writing phase, or I will keep working on it until a hook reveals itself. That mindset goes back to my first favorite band (The Beatles). 

Going forward, I believe in building a catalog of great songs that in turn create their own world within the music. All the artists I look up to are constantly trying new things and referencing their older work while pushing forward so I’m looking forward to doing that ourselves. 

How did ‘Sun Goes Down’ came about?

It originally started as an EP that we began recording late in 2019 after we finished our previous record (Wax Nostalgic), but the pandemic gave us extra time to take stock of what we were doing, adding more songs, and flesh out the arrangements. We recorded most of the album remotely by emailing tracks back and forth with our engineer and mixing via Zoom, but I think it turned out pretty well regardless.

The song that sparked this whole album was “Fading Light,” which was written when we were finishing up Wax Nostalgic, and I originally wanted to put it on that album but it felt more like the start of a new era for us. “Fading Light” ended up becoming the pseudo-title track and the rest of the album was built around it. For this record, we tried to replicate our live show as best as possible (which is funny because we weren’t in the same rooms when it was recorded).

The meaning of success has changed over the years. What would success look like for the new record?

Success can look different for every artist, but for me, I think it comes down to staying inspired and creating connections with people. As long as we keep making records, each one will be better than the previous one, and hopefully, more people will connect with the songs. My favorite thing to do is write songs, so for someone else to hear a song I wrote and sing it while they’re driving with the windows down the way I have with the songs I love, then I know I’ve done my job. 

Recording music. What’s all the fun about?

While I do miss playing live, the aspect of music I love the most is songwriting and building an album in the studio. We recorded it all with our friend Justin Nazario at his home studio (Sound Splitter Studio in the suburbs of Philly), and we have such a good relationship with him that making music was laid back, relaxed, exciting, and fun. After quarantining for a while and we knew we were safe, I would go to Justin’s to get final mixes together for the album. We would be mixing in John or Doug’s parts and jumping up and down with the musical surprises that kept jumping out, especially on songs like “Young & Decent.”

Playing music in front of a crowd. What’s all the fun about?

The pandemic halting live music has been tough, but it has given me time to rethink how to go about performing. I miss playing for crowds and all of our friends singing along to our songs, so I’m going to appreciate it when they come back, but I’ve been able to take stock of what we had and how to improve it going forward. Our shows have always been about just going up there and having fun, whether we’d been well-rehearsed or not, but I am looking forward to really dialing in the live sound and sounding tight on stage. There’s still going to be some antics, and we do enjoy jamming quite a bit, but we’re going to tighten up the ship. But to get back to that feeling of playing music with my friends again, I can’t wait.

Chris Church’s new record Game Dirt will be released by Big Stir Records on March 27.

Game Dirt sounds different than for example Backwards Compatible or Limitations Of Source Tape, but what else would you expect from a musical chameleon.

Sweet Sweet Music spoke to Chris about how the new record came about.

All song titles consist of one word. There must be an idea behind that?

If you want to call “just being sassy” an idea… Seriously though, I think if one were to put on one’s disbelief suspenders for just a moment, it would be possible for one to excavate at least a chunk of meaning from reading the titles in order. If so, then, yes, you’re absolutely right, it IS a concept album! Or maybe a series of acronyms for the insane.

Every time I hear ‘Learn’ I start singing ‘Breakin’ rocks in the hot sun I fought the law and the law won’. Weird how the mind works or not so weird?

I’m sure I ripped off somebody. Might as well be Marshall Crenshaw’s favorite rock star ever to have been murdered by gangsters.

Your sound changed a bit or quite a bit, didn’t it? I think I hear Nick Lowe might have inspired you every now and then and I haven’t thought I heard that influence before.

I don’t know if I have a “sound”. I guess if I’m doing pop rock I probably am somewhat identifiable. I’ve done music in lots of genres, from progressive metal to goth pop to folky Americana to experimental to pure crap. I don’t know what I will end up doing next. I suppose one of the reasons Game Dirt sounds different than my last few is that I played all the instruments, and I’m not a very good drummer. I had a vibe in mind, and I only worked on the songs that felt elastic enough for me to shape as the mood dictated. There are several different versions of some of them. As for the Nick Lowe comparison, I’ll say two things – thanks, and I wish!

How did this one come about?

I got busy in my studio recording almost daily after my job was ended due to covid. I don’t think any of the subject matter is directly related to the pandemic, though. It’s just a bunch of songs. It was great to not be “on the clock”, though. I felt free about it. I also worked a lot on other things, including an album my friend Ben Gibbs has made in the studio with my wife Lori Franklin producing. It’s fantastic and I can’t wait for people to have a chance to hear it. It will give off a similar vibe perhaps, as it was recorded simultaneously, but it’s a whole other animal. I’ve done quite a few things down in that basement studio over the last 9 months or so, but I have started a new job, so who knows what’s next?

You should be proud Chris, you are writing quality songs and have been writing them for a long time now. Is it harder to get a compliment than it is to give one?

No! (Haha). Seriously, I appreciate that. I want to like stuff, and I still like a lot of my stuff, so that’s pretty much what it’s about for me. I probably should care more about what people think, but I think I have gotten a little better at appreciating positivity. It’s not a big deal.

Catspaw is Matthew Sweet’s fifteenth studio album. And, as with every good record he delivers, the quality of the songs is compared to the quality that can be heard on Girlfriend or 100% Fun.

That good? Yes, that good!

The sound is slightly different though. As New Noise writes: ‘The sweet-as-honey melodies are still there, but the music is a little slower and the vibe a little darker.’.

Sweet Sweet Music spoke to Matthew Sweet about how Catspaw came about.

You made Catspaw almost all by yourself. What was the moment you knew you were on to something?

 I think when I started playing lead guitar, it made me happy. I was having fun!

How did Catspaw come together?

It really wasn’t so different than I would usually approach a record, except I had decided to play lead myself. The instrumentation was also very basic.

People talk about your guitar sound. Proud of how your guitar sounds? It determines the overall sound (and I hope you take that as a compliment). Was that what you wanted?

Sometimes I think the guitar sound comes mostly from how and what you play. I try lots of different amps and guitars (I used Novo guitars on this), but they all seem to usually work.

When you release a new record, it is usually compared to 100% Fun or Girlfriend. Often they write ‘his best records since …’. Most of the time it is a compliment. Do you take it as a compliment?

Yes, I do. 

When did you decide to start asking for opinions on the new songs?

I don’t know if I ever really ask for opinions, other than what people like. Once a record is released, I get an idea from the reaction.

You manage to keep the quality of your songs very high, for a very long time now. Do lyrics and melodies always come easy or is it hard work?

It sounds strange to say, but it’s really the easiest part for me, not what I would call hard work. Maybe happy work.

The meaning of success has changed over the years. What would success look like for Catspaw?

Success these days to me is just making a new record. I think I would do it regardless of what it brings. But I do like hearing if people have good feelings from it.

When do you decide to start recording a song? Any specific Matthew Sweet-quality-criteria?

I kind of record the good and the bad without judgement. I never know which ideas will blossom into something nice until it’s happening.

As an artist, you chose to show your emotions to the world. Is it always comfortable to do so?

I don’t think of the world or its reaction, only how I feel. Then I just put it out there. I like emotions, it’s hard for me to imagine not putting them out there. I guess I feel more comfortable with that than if I tried to hide them.

What’s the gig you will always remember? And why?

We had a huge outdoor gig in Chicago in the mid-90s that was memorable just for the vibe and its incredibly huge crowd. The newspaper had the headline ‘’the Pope, the Bulls, and Matthew Sweet” which I guess all happened that weekend.

When was the last time you thought ‘I just wrote a hit!’?

I don’t think I ever thought that in my life!

Is recording a record easier than getting it heard nowadays?

Yes of course. But it’s the part I enjoy most, so it’s ok.

Recording music. What’s all the fun about?

Creating something out of nothing is magical. It’s what art is all about.

Playing music in front of a crowd. What’s all the fun about?

To see and share with others what the music has meant to them is humbling and satisfying. I love to think it’s helped others in their lives.

You can’t control the way people ‘hear’ your music. But if you could make them aware of certain aspects, you think, set your songs apart. What would they be?

Once the music goes into the world, I really have no control. People are free to make of it what they will. I am extremely grateful to get to do what I do at this age.

Being a one-man-band, did that bring ultimate freedom, or was it mainly a logical way of recording because of the situation the world is in?

I recorded and completed the record before the pandemic hit, even though it does seem to fit with its isolation.

I started out, before I ever made records, on my own multitracking, so it was really like a return to when I started in a way.

They expect ‘the roaring 20s v2.0’. What kind of party are you looking for?

The 20s were incredible. But fascism was also on the rise. I’m looking for the good side, freedom, and hope!

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Omnivore Recordings is proud to announce the release of Catspaw—written, produced, recorded, mixed, and entirely preformed (save ferocious drumming from Ric Menck of Velvet Crush) by Matthew at his home studio. Mastered by Bob Ludwig, the Hofner bass and Novo guitars sing and howl, harkening back to classics like Girlfriend and Altered Beast—all while retaining the hooks that dig into the listener. Well, like a cat’s paw.

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Thank you, Cary Baker (at Conqueroo)

Following on from his debut 2016 record, Long Way Back Down, Melbourne-based singer-songwriter Lucas James returns in 2021 with a new project, Midnight Drags, and a new album Bad Business. Co-produced by esteemed Australian guitarist Ash Naylor (Even, Paul Kelly) and mixed by engineer Matt Wallace (Faith No More, The Replacements).

Power Pop, Classic Rock, a bit of Soul, you can hear it all on Bad Business. Nine strong, very catchy stories.

What was the moment you knew you were on to something?

I think the moment I thought these tracks were pretty solid was when the band got together and first started rehearsing the tracks, until then I had only heard them an acoustic guitar (which is generally what I write all my songs on) and although I was happy with them I couldn’t hear the finished product in my head. The first few jams were exciting and the songs started to take on a new life altogether. I think that’s when we knew we might be onto something a little cool. 

The meaning of success has changed over the years. What would success look like for the new record?

First and foremost, success for me is being proud and 100% happy with my music when it is released. Secondary to that is other people enjoying the album. I’m not looking at sales figures or streams as markers for success really (although it’s cool to get a few dollars here and there!) .. it’s just really nice when somebody you don’t know says ‘I love this song!’ when talking about your music. 

As an artist, you chose to show your emotions to the world. Is it always comfortable to do so?

I think earlier in my songwriting journey I was much more reluctant to be 100 percent honest in my lyrics and kept things a little more superficial but as I’ve gotten older I’m much more comfortable being honest about my feelings and insecurities with myself and others. I still write songs about ‘characters’ but they usually have a little me or somebody I know in the story as well. But a wise man once said ‘don’t let the truth get in the way of a good story’.

Is recording a record easier than getting it heard nowadays?

I think so yes.. anybody can make music, anytime and anywhere with the way technology is now.. you can do it on a phone, tablet, or laptop and make something really special. Bedroom producers are taking over and I think it’s pretty cool. Back in the day, you could only produce decent-sounding music if you had access to some type of recording equipment which was usually found in recording studios so it was a costly exercise.

Getting music heard is another thing altogether, that side comes down to a mixture of word of mouth, pr/promotion, and/or luck but the number 1 thing is, having good songs! But, you might be one of the lucky ones who put their first-ever song on Soundcloud and the world goes bananas for it and you sign a mega-deal with a record label and eat caviar and drink champagne for the rest of your life..? 

Cassettes are back. Which 5 five songs would make your first mixtape?

Tough question, but I’ll try…

My Old School: Steely Dan

I’ve been listening to a lot of ‘the Dan’ lately and I love them so much, I could have picked any of their songs but I do love the feel of this one.. very fun and as usual, the musicianship is off the charts.

Friday On My Mind: The Easybeats

This is an Australian band from the ’60s and I seriously rate this track as one of the best pop tracks ever written. It’s a complex and interesting chord progression that builds tension throughout with the euphoric release of the super hooky chorus. Killer song. Fun fact, the band included George Young on guitar who was the older brother of Malcolm, and Angus Young who went on to form AC/DC.

I Was Made To Love Her: Stevie Wonder

Just an awesome song, everything about it makes me happy.

Southern Girls: Cheap Trick

Again, I could have chosen at least 10 or more other tracks but this is so much fun… Cheap Trick was a big influence on my and my music.. they were heavy yet very poppy and they were a ‘fun’ band that didn’t take themselves too seriously… I love that about them.

Just: Radiohead

What can I say, Radiohead is amazing and this song of The Bends has everything. Jonny Greenwood is a guitar god!

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released February 26, 2021

Lucas James – Vocals, Guitar, Synth, Percussion
Ash Naylor – Guitar, Backing Vocals
Warren Booth – Bass
Brett Wolfenden – Drums

Additional Musicians
Sefi Carmel – Strings/String Arrangements
Daniel Frankel – Piano/Electric Piano/Perc
Wez Prictor – Piano
Hugo Lee – Saxophone
Bill McDonald – Bass on Tracks 2 & 5
Nate Barnes – Drums on Track 5

Recorded at Hot Bias Recording Studio
Mixed by Matt Wallace
Mastered by Lucas James

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The Restless Dreams of Youth is Tamar Berk’s first solo record. Her music has been compared to that of Liz Phair and Juliana Hatfield. You could also compare her sound to that of Gretchen’s Wheel.

Beautiful, thoughtful Indie Pop that sometimes jumps up to dance.

Sweet Sweet Music spoke to Tamar about how The Restless Dreams of Youth came about.

What was the moment you knew you were on to something?

I was in my little basement home studio in Chicago and I sat down and wrote and recorded a demo of Shadow Clues. I liked the song and felt that it had some cool imagery and was different from many of the songs I tend to write. I felt that it tapped into something very honest and that’s when I thought that maybe I could put together a solo album.

How did this record come together?

Once I decided that at some point I would be putting something out, it was a matter of writing the other songs, finding the demos that I wanted to rework, and starting recording them by myself in my studio. After I felt like I had a collection of songs that told the story I wanted, I found some incredible musicians in San Diego and we started rehearsing the songs to be ready to record in the studio.

But then Covid happened and I had to rethink the whole thing.

So I went back to my demos and reworked them so they had click-tracks and called my friend Matt Walker to play drums on the album. Matt has played with Morrissey, Smashing Pumpkins, Garbage, and many more and he’s also a composer himself so I knew he would breathe some new life into the songs. He was living in Chicago so we worked over the wire.  

The meaning of success has changed over the years. What would success look like for the new record?

I don’t know if the meaning of success has changed for everyone, but for me it has. I will always want people to love my music, play my music and share my music, and today, I can find my audience and my audience will find me.  That feels like success to me. 

How great is the urge to stay creative?  To keep writing songs and lyrics?

I’ve been writing songs since I was a teen so that urge never goes away. And I think for many when you put something out that you’re proud of, you end up inspiring yourself and feeling more confident in your abilities. 

Teen Creeps is from Belgium and Forever is the new record. You hear fuzzy guitars contrasting with pop melodies, in the same way Hüsker Dü did, or Sloan on the first record.

A wonderful Saturday night record.

Sweet Sweet Music spoke to Bert about how Forever came about.

How did this record come together?

We wrote most of the songs for “Forever” while touring with our debut album “Birthmarks”, so most of the material was already being played live during those shows.

Once we knew we had a good collection of songs, we set out for Audioworkx, a recording studio in Hoogeloon, The Netherlands, and recorded all the songs live over the course of 5 days. Because we’ve been playing them on the road already, it was an organic, smooth recording session. We always track everything live in the same room, so it’s all about capturing our performance, and I think we succeeded at doing that rather well!

The meaning of success has changed over the years. What would success look like for the new record?

We hope that the record can offer a well-needed distraction in these weird times. So we just hope that as many people as possible will hear it! And to be out on the road playing these songs in some form in the near future off course. Just playing a regular show would feel like a victory!

Cassettes are back. Which 5 five songs would make your first mixtape?

Cloud Nothings – “Stay Useless”

Bill Withers – “Use Me”

Miriam Makeba – “Pata Pata”

Hüsker Dü – “Don’t Want to Know if You Are Lonely”

Neil Young – “Harvest Moon”

Recording music. What’s all the fun about?

You can create an entire universe with just sound! Capturing the energy of people playing together, making up songs, endlessly tweaking all the details, … What’s not to like?

Playing music in front of a crowd. What’s all the fun about?

Presenting what you’ve worked so hard on can be very rewarding. Songs only seem to become ‘real’ once they’re out there, making a connection with the audience. We sure miss playing live a lot…Teen Creeps is all about going out there, playing loud, and screaming your heart out. I think we all crave for some live music!

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Seeing Shapes can be found on Sweet Sweet Music’s favorite Power Pop songs of 2021 playlist.

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I’m not a big fan of Jeff Lynne’s productions and I’m not a fan of Elvis Costello. Timmy Sean’s new record sounds like a Jeff Lynne-produced Elvis Costello record and yet I just think it’s AMAZING!

Sweet Sweet Music spoke to Timmy about his Power Pop Rock Opera!

How did this record come together?

To make a short story long, I started the pandemic with a large pile of song ideas, most of them essentially without lyrics, which almost always is the last step for me. The music usually comes to me with much more ease than words, and to be honest, it often tends to feel a bit like homework to get the lyrics knocked out. That being said, 2020 gave me plenty to write about.

I live in Los Angeles, and I kept saying it felt like we were living in a strange supernatural horror movie. The songs that I did have lyrics for felt to me like the beginning of a story. So jumping off of that first chapter, inspired by everything happening in the world, and with some extra time on my hands, thanks to the lockdown, I decided to give a shot at stitching together something that I always wanted to attempt: a rock opera.

To write about everything without being too literal, the virus became a monster attack, the politics in the US became a cult called the “Red Eyed Army,” and at least at the beginning of the tale, the lead character was kind of an alternate universe version of myself at 18 when I dropped out of college to play music full time.

About 10 months later of sitting alone in my studio, I had A Tale From The Other Side.

When did you decide to start asking for opinions on the new songs?

I’ve spent the last year essentially just with my girlfriend, and I am constantly pitching new song ideas to her. She grew up in a musical family, and I always tell her she has the best set of ears of any flavor chemist around. To quote the great David St. Hubbins of Spinal Tap, “she is very honest, she is brutally frank,” but it’s a great sounding board to have. If I can win her over on a song, I usually have a good feeling of whether it’s working or not. With the pandemic, she ended up being about the only person who heard these songs before I had something close to a finished mix.

The meaning of success has changed over the years. What would success look like for the new record?

I’d be happy to move a few physical copies, get some streams, and maybe some nice reviews. I would consider that a success, especially because it has been a decade since I released my last full-length solo album (Songs From & Inspired By Noisewater, which was also my first.) That being said, I’d love for the album to be received well enough (and get a sufficient number of people vaccinated) that there would be an audience for a live version of it in some sort of hybrid concert/movie/musical form.

I’ve been privileged to play music for a living since I was a teenager, and it might be kind of sacrilege to say, but I get more enjoyment out of putting on a big production than the act of playing an instrument live (ducks for cover). So there’s nothing I’d love more than turning this into kind of a KISS concert meets big “popcorn movie” meets Off-Broadway musical. So, if there are any investors out there…

How great is the urge to stay creative? To keep writing songs and lyrics?

I’m constantly coming up with song ideas – whether it’s sitting at the piano, driving in my car, or waking up in the middle of the night to reach for my phone and hum a melody I dreamt into the voice memos app. I recently checked, and I have about 3,000 song ideas (though plenty of lousy ones) sitting in my phone, so it usually just comes down to giving myself deadlines to get things over the finish line.

After a bit of a record label and management debacle in the early 10’s, by 2014 I had a huge backlog of recorded material that I finally just decided to put out on my own. In the next few years, I self-released two EP’s from my synth-pop project Sir Video that I recorded with multi-platinum producer (and all-around swell guy) Kenny Gioia, several covers, and 53 fresh recordings for a “Songs Of The Week” project that I released to subscribers on Bandcamp in 2015.

I later compiled the covers and subscription tunes into a two-disc collection called Weeks, but even before the pandemic, I was ready to force myself to finish another proper solo album in 2020. Though it’s been a devastating year for so many, fortunately, all of my close friends and immediate family have been taking every precaution, and so far, no one has been hit seriously by the virus.

For me, the time has just been a gift to be single-mindedly creative and able to work through all of these half-finished recordings I’ve had piling up again.  

You can pick 3 co-writers to write new songs with. Who? … and Why?

Number 1 will always be Paul McCartney for me. My father and uncles have performed in the world’s longest-running Beatles tribute show in the world since before I was born, so The Beatles will always be inextricably tied to pretty much every part of my life.

I played along with their version of Twist & Shout on drums in a school talent show in kindergarten, and I haven’t looked back since. To meet Paul would be enough, but to write together would be the ultimate “I’m good here on this earth” moment. If I did come back down to earth in that situation, I’d try to push him towards some of his earlier works’ melodic choices.

Number 2 would be Butch Walker. I’ve been a fan of his since I was a teenager staying up late to watch 120 Minutes on MTV and caught the Marvelous 3 “Freak Of The Week” video, but he’s mapped out such an amazing career of making great solo material, producing records for some of my favorite rock bands, and writing hits for pop stars.

He’s someone I would love to model my career after, and his American Love Story album that he released last year was also a big inspiration for the direction of A Tale From The Other Side. I’m someone who usually can find something to like in all kinds of music, so to pick his brain on his approach to “writing hits” vs. “writing for himself” as a producer multi-instrumentalist who can do it all, would be an invaluable experience. Plus, he just seems like a cool dude to grab a beer with.

Number 3 is a close call between some guys who can all write a great melody: Rivers Cuomo, Dave Grohl, Ben Folds, Brian Wilson, Jeff Lynne, and Jon Brion. (I’m kind of cheating at this by naming so many.) They’re all musical heroes of mine – Dave Grohl as a drummer turned one-man-band, Ben Folds as a lyricist, Brian Wilson as a composer, Jeff Lynne as a producer, Jon Brion as just an overall genius – but I’d probably give the edge to Rivers.

I very closely associate my journey to adulthood with Weezer’s first three albums. The Blue Album came out when I was in elementary school, Pinkerton in middle school, and Green Album my senior year of high school.

All three seemed to perfectly encapsulate what I was going through at those times and they all left a life-long impression on me. Just like Butch, Rivers also has a knack for writing for both modern pop and rock, and I’d love to just sit in a room seeing how his brain works writing a song. I feel like his mind is on a completely different level than mine. The guy’s truly just unique, and that seems like a really exciting writing session.  

Is recording a record easier than getting it heard nowadays?

Absolutely. Especially as someone who can jump between multiple instruments and at least marginally knows how to lay some tracks down to sound close to what’s in my head, the recording comes fairly easy for me at this point on my own.

The hardest thing is getting people to give a listen to something when they’re inundated with content 24/7 from every angle. Also, as someone who doesn’t like to be pushy or a nuisance, “I don’t want to bother you” can sometimes be a failing strategy to get someone to take notice. The squeaky wheel gets the grease…but squeaking is obnoxious!

Recording music. What’s all the fun about?

For me, there’s usually a point during the recording of a song where it clicks into place. Sometimes it’s pretty early on and the basic tracks just “gel.” Other times, it’ll be a guitar part, or a synth line, or a harmony, and suddenly the song finally comes alive and grabs your ears. I live for that moment. I also just love to be able to get the sound from my head out for other people to hear.

When I come up with a song idea, I’m usually hearing drum parts, bass lines, and guitar parts in my head instantly. Then it’s just a race to try to get those ideas down before I lose whatever spark there is right out of the gate. I’ve found it’s a hard thing to recapture if I lose it, but it’s so much fun when it works.

They expect ‘the roaring 20s v2.0’. What kind of party are you looking for?

I wasn’t ever a huge partygoer, but I would head to a movie theater just about every week before the pandemic hit, and am a big basketball fan. If I can sit in a theater watching a Marvel movie or catch a 76ers game with some friends, mask-less drinking a soda and munching on some popcorn without any fear of catching a deadly virus…man, that sounds like a party!

THIS IS DOLPH CHANEY will be released on February 20 (Big Stir Records).

Sweet Sweet Music spoke to Dolph Chaney about the clear production and arrangements Nick Bertling brought to the songs, trying to communicate emotionally and about being more of a sumo wrestler.

The cover of your previous record was a picture of a dilapidated house, the cover of your new record is a picture of you, proud as a peacock, it seems.  A change happened?  Or am I looking for meanings that are not there?

Well, it’s a coincidence, but it certainly reflects all that happened in the past year to build my confidence and resilience.  Both pictures were taken in my backyard: REBUILDING PERMIT’s cover shows my small studio shed (Studio Dolphty), and my wife took my portrait on THIS IS DOLPH CHANEY less than 100 feet from it.  We wanted to match the directness of the title and of the clear production and arrangements Nick Bertling brought to the songs.

You sound very vulnerable at times.  That seems to me to be a conscious choice.  Isn’t that very difficult?  I can also imagine that it will be a challenge when you need multiple vocal takes?

The #1 most important thing for me in a vocal (mine or anyone else’s) is whether the singer is committed enough that I believe what they’re trying to communicate emotionally.  So if it’s a choice between a take that is mistake-free or one with flaws that gets closer to the meaning between the lines, I’ll take the flawed one every time.  Several times for the album I would tell Nick I needed to do a vocal over because “it’s fine… but I just don’t buy the vocal, let me try again.” 

How did that big guitar sound happen?

I need to give credit here to Nick — both as a producer and as my fellow guitarist on the album. From an engineering & mixing standpoint, he layers a lot of guitar tracks (usually around 8) to make that big sound.  For my contribution, a lot of it comes from me having a very heavy-handed attack and from using medium/heavy strings and heavy picks.  Some players are like gymnasts; I’m more of a sumo wrestler!

How did this record come together?

This is the second time (after LOUDNESS 2 11) that I’ve released an album of new and improved versions of my old songs.  This time, it came from Nick & I enjoying each other’s 2020 albums (REBUILDING PERMIT and GREEN MEADOWS SKETCHBOOK).  Then, he saw me play a live stream show (at the Woody Radio Facebook page) and said to me that he loved my songs but felt that my previous albums hadn’t done them justice and that he had ideas of how to fix that!  Hearing his work, I knew Nick had all of the skills as a player and producer to get the job done.  We did two songs first as a trial – the single “Now I Am A Man,” and the epic middle of the album “Meaningless” – and it went so well that we went on to make the full album.  

How great is the urge to stay creative?  To keep writing songs and lyrics?

I wish I were more prolific than I am.  In the ’90s, when I was in my 20s, I used to write around 30 songs a year, half of which would be worthy of release. Now, I go months with no new songs, and then I’ll get 3-5 in a burst of a couple of weeks.  I only wrote 2 in all of 2020, plus a bridge for the new album’s version of “Cuddle Party.” But immediately as soon as I sent Nick my approval of final mixes for THIS IS DOLPH CHANEY, a new song came right to me — and more ideas are starting to bubble to the surface gradually.  Staying musically active is crucial to my mental health, so I try to play every day and coax the ideas to come.  I would say that my very happiest and most fulfilled feeling in life is whenever I’ve just written a song that I’m certain is good.  And all the support I’ve gotten from Big Stir, fans, radio, and writers like you has (as my song puts it) “helped me believe that I can.”

I Don’t Hear A Single writes: For all this variety, the home runs are when the catchy Pop rings out. A Piece Of The Action is great US Pop Rock and the outstanding Little Miss Sunshine is a beauty of a song. It is very California Harmonic Pop with little hints of Toytown. All in all Radiophonic Supersonic is a more than great listen.

Sweet Sweet Music spoke to Dave about his latest record ‘Radiophonic Supersonic’, Brad Jones, carrying another one over the finish line.

How did this record come together?

Once I have nine or ten songs that I think are viable, I try to tackle the few tracks that aren’t simple guitar/bass/drum arrangements, to get a handle on the instrumentation and production.  Once I feel I’m putting those songs across successfully in the recording environment, then I know that tracking for the rest of the album will go smoothly.  At the same time, I have to find the money to cover expenses, because none of my solo albums have been bankrolled by anyone else.

What was the moment you knew you were on to something?

For this album, the two songs that seemed the most daunting to record were “Indelible” and “The Boy Wonders.”  As the arrangements started coming together, I could tell that the hardest part of making the album was over.  Next, I sent them to Brad Jones to ask him if they sounded like something he’d enjoy mixing, and luckily for me, he did.  After we chatted about my vision for the album, his ideas about the songs, and the cost, we were off to the races.

Is recording a record easier than getting it heard nowadays?

Recording is easier than ever, and there’s so much support available for learning more.  If your record’s good and accessible, there are plenty of places to be heard.  I guess that answer depends on what your goals are and who you’d like to hear it.

You can pick 3 co-writers to write new songs with. Who? … and Why

The top of the list would have to include Elvis Costello, Neil Finn, and Glenn Tilbrook, because they’d be a pleasure to write and hang with and strong collaborators who would not only up my game on a particular song, but improve my songwriting game in general — as they have just by studying their music.

The meaning of success has changed over the years. What would success look like for the new record?

Ain’t it the truth?  I think it starts with admitting to yourself, “I carried another one over the finish line and I’m proud of the work.”  And if other people like it, that’s a bonus.