‘the dt’s’ is a Power Pop band hailing from New Jersey. Fronted by David Cacciatore and Tom Losito, the group crafts straightforward, irresistibly catchy pop tunes that are perfect for live performances. Fittingly, their latest EP, Live at Lakehouse Studios, captures the energy of their live shows, as the title suggests.
How do you balance experimentation with commercial appeal in your music?
We love to experiment in the studio, whether that involves exploring new recording techniques or instrumentation that can add flair to a song. We appreciate songs that are concise and structured with plenty of hooks and melodies, but also those that leave the listener wanting more. Balancing experimentation with memorable melodies is a challenge that we enjoy tackling.
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?
Some lines of text that we hope our listeners will remember are the last lines of our single, “Refresh”: “Don’t hit that refresh, ’cause I know I’ll regret seeing what you’ve been up to, seeing the things that you do.” Throughout the song, the narrator wants to “hit that refresh” to see what this person they used to know has been up to. However, in the end, the narrator realizes that this habit of checking up on this person is unhealthy and ultimately decides not to “hit that refresh.” It’s a song that comes full circle for the narrator, showing growth, which we love!
We also try not to overthink lyrics and prefer having a stream of consciousness for what we are feeling in the moment. We always find ourselves looking to rhyme or finding certain phonetics that make a chorus pop, as the melody is most important to us. We love clever lyricists and wordsmiths like Nick Lowe, Jason Isbell, and John Prine!
Playing music in front of a crowd. What’s all the fun about?
We love playing live and we try to leave everything on stage when we are in front of people, whether it is a big show or a small, intimate one. Many times, people mention to us that it looks like we are having the times of our lives on stage. And truthfully, we are! Putting on a show with crowd involvement, good vibes, and full-throttle energy is what we are all about and what we look forward to the most.
If you could tour the world with two other bands, who would you ask, and why?
We would love to tour with The Lemon Twigs, Silvertwin, The Brook and The Bluff, or Inhaler (yes, we know that is more than 2!). All of these bands are writing incredible songs and we feel our sound would mix very nicely with them. We’ve been admiring their work and content over the last few years!
What compliment you once received will you never forget?
One of our favorite compliments is when people mention that our voices blend nicely together or they love our harmonies. There was one time we were playing an acoustic duo show in South Orange, and a group of choir students from Seton Hall University complimented our vocals and asked if we sang professionally. Neither one of us went to school for music, and we both have limited formal training. So, to hear that from students who are being formally trained in their voices meant a lot to us. Harmonies are something we put a lot of emphasis on and put a lot of practice into, so when people compliment us on that, we are always grateful.
If you could pick three singers to sing harmony vocals on your next record, who would you ask?
Tom: For me, I would have to pick Sir Paul McCartney and Don/Phil Everly.
Dave: Hozier, Noah Kahan, Jon Bon Jovi (Jersey!!).
What’s up for the next couple of months?
In the next couple of months, we have a ton of shows lined up both as a duo and with our full band. We have a great show lined up at the Crossroads in Garwood, NJ on July 18th. The bill will feature a ton of talented friends including Kelli Bruno, Gina Royale, and The Extensions!
We also have a new single coming out on July 5th! We recorded this song a while back with our good friend Joey Papa, and are anxious to finally release it. We think it can become a summer playlist staple! Additionally, we will be focusing on rehearsing some new songs with our band so we can prepare to head back into the studio. Similar to our latest EP, The dt’s Live at Lakehouse Studios, we are excited to get back to the studio to record our new songs and capture the energy of our band!
“LET ‘ER RIP,” the new album by Mark Ward, will be released on June 14. This record is packed with incredibly catchy, classic Power Pop songs. It shines, sounds fantastic, and has even garnered praise from Paul Collins.
Sweet Sweet Music blog sits down with Mark Ward.
Could you share the journey of bringing this record to life? How did all the pieces come together to create the final product?
Having recently relocated from Alaska to Washington State, I left my long-term band, Last Train, behind, along with my valued creative outlet. We had a pretty good run with four albums of edgy Alt-Americana rock and some international airplay. However, arriving in Washington during a pandemic, I found I was really on my own musically. As a guitar player, my songs are admittedly guitar-centric. With that, I can cover most instrumentation and vocals, but I was without a drummer, and my drummer friends in Alaska were busy with their lives. A buddy of mine and fellow collaborator, Chad Reynvaan, suggested I contact Dylan Mandel to play drums. Though he’s in Pennsylvania, we immediately hit it off and started tracking drums remotely. He’s a total pro and, frankly, I could not have finished this project without him.
Was there a particular moment or experience that struck you, signaling that you were onto something special with this project?
Over the years, my songwriting has taken on a much more serious tone, especially with everything that’s going on in the world today. But serious songs can take a toll on both the performer and the listener. While I think it’s important to speak your mind and give voice to a sense of reason, it is equally important to just have some fun. While there are a few serious songs on the record, in this election year, I decided to take a hard departure from that and just write some fun pop songs that don’t necessarily have to mean anything, because that’s also okay. I set out to finish a song I had written a guitar line for some 40 years ago with that sound in mind, and the song “I’ve Been Around” just fell onto the page. It was so refreshing that I decided to write another, and another, and pretty soon I had a pile of power pop songs, because why not? The trick then became how to sequence the album so it didn’t feel disjointed. I think it works, and the album at least leaves you with a sense of hope.
Success can take on different meanings as time goes on. When envisioning success for this new record, what does that picture look like now?
Great question. I’m not a full-time musician and can’t easily play out as I don’t have a band where I live anymore. I’m not really interested in touring as I have a pretty busy, fulfilling life that music is only a part of. In this day and age, there is really no money to be made in the music business unless you’re a mega pop star. So I guess success for me is having my music appreciated, respected, and enjoyed by people who want to hear music that is not force-fed to them by an algorithm. As we used to say in my previous band, if we can sell enough CDs to cover the cost of making the album, it’s a no net loss and therefore a success.
As an artist, the act of baring your emotions to the world is profound. Does this vulnerability come naturally to you, or is it a constant journey of finding comfort?
It comes naturally to me, I suppose. I have always felt lyrics deeply in others’ music and my own. In fact, when you are working on a meaningful song and a line pops into your head that immediately brings you to tears, you know it’s the right line. This happens to me often. The trouble is, it can often be difficult to perform a song like that live. If the lyrics mean something to you and you are feeling the lyrics too much, you can quite literally choke up, which makes it impossible to sing. It’s a fine line, not going too far over the edge.
How would you describe the evolution of your sound in this new album compared to your previous works? Were there intentional shifts in style or themes?
My previous efforts have been tailored to the bands I was in, being mostly Americana, Alt-Country, Cow-Punk, or because there’s a pretty distinct sound of music coming from Alaska, a genre I called “Alaskana.” But my writing has always tended on the more pop side of things. Since my college years, playing in a New Wave band and loving bands like Paul Collins, The Nerves, The Beat, The Heats, 20/20, The Knack, etc., I’ve always had a power pop bent to my writing. With this album, I just decided to go all in for the majority of the songs.
Albums often involve collaboration with various musicians and producers. Could you shed light on how these collaborations contributed to shaping the album’s identity?
My philosophy on making a record is that you just can’t (or shouldn’t) do everything yourself. You need other expertise, ears, and sometimes ideas to make a song worthy of listening to. Dylan Mandel’s drumming gave a cohesive sound to the record. Even though he used three different kits and multiple snares, his drumming is spot on for the sound I was after. I’ve collaborated with my Alaskan buddy Chad Reynvaan, who runs Wattage Studios in Anchorage, on a number of things over the years. He’s been a great resource to bounce things off of as well as add the occasional synthesizer or backup vocal, which he did on this record. The well-respected Anchorage musician and producer, James Glaves, added some tasty keyboard and piano to a couple of songs. The finale of the record includes a list of friends who lent their voices quite literally to the choir on the song “Hope.” The last line still gives me chills. At the recommendation of Paul Collins, I used Justin Perkins at Mystery Room Mastering for the finishing touch. He’s amazing, and I think his efforts provided the final polish the record needed.
Baseball Bat, a power pop band from Nashville, has recently released two strong, catchy songs, building anticipation for their upcoming EP set to drop in mid-June.
In an interview with Sweet Sweet Music blog, Brian Fuzzell explains that these songs have a long history.
Could you share the journey of bringing this record to life?How did all the pieces come together to create the final product?
The four of us worked together and became friends at a Nashville technology company. One day, Jerry came in with the idea that he wanted to form a band called Baseball Bat. He had the name before he had a band. So, the four of us got together to try to play some Weezer songs, but we never did. Instead, we wrote some of our own songs—the first was our own type of theme song, called “Baseball Bat.” Years later, we finally played one or two of those old Weezer songs.
But it took a lot to make these songs come to life as recordings. Over the last 12 years, we’ve recorded most of them twice in separate sessions, and both times, we ended up trashing the recordings. We also kind of, sort of, passively broke up for about six years. But like Voltron, we re-formed two years ago with the goal to give this another shot and truly make some recordings we’re proud of. Fortunately, Jeremy Ferguson agreed to produce, mix, and engineer the sessions. He really captured the sound and energy we’d always hoped for. Another amazing thing that happened is our old friend and former coworker, Brian Murphree, got involved and mastered the recordings. He’s become an incredible mastering engineer with his business, Soundporter Audio Mastering, so it felt great to keep things in the family to finish the project.
With the resurgence of cassettes, imagine curating your inaugural mixtape. Which five songs would be must-adds and why?
Harry Nilsson “Gotta Get Up,” The Posies “Daily Mutilation,” The Replacements “Bastards of Young,” Weezer “El Scorcho,” Tom Petty “Honey Bee.” We love these songs, and they get to the heart of what the four of us collectively love about rock music.
If tasked with introducing your music through three songs, which ones would you choose and what story do they collectively convey to new listeners?
“Let Down,” “Brain Dead,” and “Baseball Bat” (the song) are probably the best introduction to what this Baseball Bat thing is all about. Those three represent our blend of slacker garage-y quirkiness very well.
Where do you see yourself situated within the broader landscape of the music industry? How do you perceive your unique role and contribution?
We have absolutely no role in the music industry at all. Ha! Baseball Bat is more like an art project, existing only for the purpose of friends having some laughs and creating together. Our unique contribution to listeners is to provide the soundtrack to make memories, make babies, have some laughs, and repeat.
In the digital age, visual elements are intertwined with music. How did you approach the album’s visual aesthetics, such as album art and accompanying visuals? How do they complement the sonic experience you’ve crafted?
We keep it pretty simple. Baseball Bat is a garage band at the end of the day, and we like taking a straight-ahead approach to our music and visuals. We try not to overthink, much like the punk and garage rock we grew up on, but that doesn’t mean we want to be boring. Our “logo” came from duct tape letters, and most of our imagery is playful, simple, and fun.
We are inspired by the ones that blew our minds with simple, relatable, not-trying-too-hard releases from bands like Superchunk, Pavement, Tom Petty, The Toadies, and Green Day. Our EP cover for “It’s A Let Down” is an actual photograph from our bass player’s house in East Nashville when his basement flooded and all his vintage toys went everywhere. The natural chaos of that image felt just right for the cover and namesake.
These songs are 10-12 years old, and no matter how good we record them, it’s still just us behind them—a bunch of middle-aged dudes from Nashville, TN playing with heart. It kind of is a letdown, so we lean into it and hope that not taking ourselves too seriously is the key ingredient to make an unassuming set of songs that just wanted to get out into the world sound just right, despite the world not asking for them.
What’s coming up?
THURSDAY, JUNE 6: Cassette release show at The 5 Spot, Nashville, TN
6-8 pm early happy hour rock show with The Robe (Soccer Mommy & Features drummer Rollum Haas side project). We’ll sell the limited edition cassette exclusively at this release show – only 50 copies pressed on assorted colors!
FRIDAY, JUNE 7: Worldwide digital release
Digital and streaming release to all major outlets, including Bandcamp.
Dream Pony draws inspiration from the Ramones, The Velvet Underground, and The Strokes, crafting a unique sound they call Neo Glam. Their music could also be perfectly described as New York Pop. This debut album is simply irresistible.
Defining a song’s completion can be elusive. How do you determine when a composition has reached its final, ready-to-record form?
I think there’s a line to be walked between some part of looseness and some form of structure. We usually have parts and things semi-worked out and understood, but a lot happens when the song is finally being put onto tape.
Usually, we kick it around a bit in the room until we are somewhat satisfied, and then we add things to it as we go. I think the thing is you’re chasing something, but you also need to be open to accept things that come along. Often, these elements present themselves, and when they do, you make the decision.
Striking a balance between experimental artistry and commercial appeal is a challenge. How do you navigate this dynamic within your music?
It’s not something I really think about while writing a song. I feel a good song is a good song, and whether it has commercial viability or not is not really a factor. There are so many amazing unknown songs, important songs to us that, for one reason or another, never really broke through to a commercial market. I think the exercise of writing a song needs to remain separate from any predetermined outcome, and that way, it’s able to form itself the way it wants to.
Lyrics often carry profound meaning. Are there particular lines you hope listeners will always remember from your songs? If so, what’s the significance?
There are a few messages throughout the record. Different things hit you at different times, and also, people receive things in certain ways and have distinct takeaways. I guess that’s the pleasure of writing and reading.
There are a few lines scattered through the album that are hopeful, and I think in general, they are trying to convey to people to stay true to yourself and follow your heart. Lines like in “Sunday Suits,” “some people like to save all their money, some people like to favor their dreams” and “Suspicion Today,” “Do you remember that love, oh what it would feel like, I want you to know”.
Things like that, I just wanted to share some hope and convey that imagination can set you free amongst some of the darker themes that are throughout this album.
Imagine you could collaborate with three co-writers of your choice for new songs. Who would you select, and what qualities or dynamics draw you to them?
That’s a tough one, there are so many! If I had to pick three, it would be John Felice from Real Kids; I just love his songs, energy, and everything about the band’s spirit. They really lift me up. Patti Smith would be another I’d love to have the opportunity to collaborate with. I’d love to see how her process of writing a song unfolds, and I don’t know what I could offer haha, but I’d love to be in the room and see what happens. My third would be Tim Rogers from You Am I; I’ve always been a big fan of his songwriting, and I’d love to see what unfolds. All of this being said, I’d probably be way too shy to be able to do it. I would certainly freeze up and likely say something really silly haha.
In the digital age, visual elements are intertwined with music. How did you approach the album’s visual aesthetics, such as album art and accompanying visuals? How do they complement the sonic experience you’ve crafted?
Being our debut album for Dream Pony, we wanted to create something that reflected the album title Suspicion Today but also Dream Pony as a concept. I wanted to create a dreamlike space for the songs to exist within. I had this concept of something floating around like the bridge in our song “Sunday Suits” and the ethereal being out there, however, casting a shadow below so in some ways it floats but still touches something. We purposefully wanted it to cast that shadow and reflect some kind of tangible illusion. We sourced several objects and various horse statues that we workshopped until we came upon the cloud background and pony plush toy, which we named Tony the pony. The artwork was captured by our great friend and super-talented photographer Ryan Slack at Mediumplex studio in Brooklyn.
Scotland’s Aerial has finally unveiled their highly anticipated album after a decade-long hiatus. Following the success of their 2014 standout, ‘Why Don’t They Teach Heartbreak At School?’, which featured the stellar track ‘A Great Teenager’ ranking at number 38 on my ‘The Best 100 Power Pop Songs of this Century (2000-2020)‘ compilation, the band returns with ‘Activities of Daily Living’. Once again, they hit the mark, particularly resonating with fans of Teenage Fanclub and Fountains of Wayne, as Aerial continues to thrive in that musical sphere. This latest release offers a delightful array of cleverly crafted earworms, showcasing the band’s trademark wit and charm.
Could you share the journey of bringing this record to life? How did all the pieces come together to create the final product?
We started writing the album (Activities of Daily Living) about 3 years ago. Covid afforded us time and boredom. If I remember rightly, Mackie (Mackintosh – the other songwriter in the band) set himself a challenge to write a song a week and deliver a finished demo to me every Monday. I think he told me in order to keep himself honest. I decided to do the same thing and then began a pretty frenetic period of writing and exchanging demos, a bit of one-upmanship and an eventual body of songs that was the basis for the album. In the end we took 14 of them into the studio once lockdown was lifted and over a number of sessions, worked with producers Duncan Cameron and Dave McClean at Riverside Studios in Glasgow to record it.
We have worked with Duncan before (on our debut Back Within Reach). He has produced some of my favourite bands – Teenage Fanclub, BMX Bandits, Trashcan Sinatras – and so we trusted him to bring out the best in the songs. We mixed the album with him too and are really happy with the end result. It’s probably our best sounding record.
Was there a particular moment or experience that struck you, signaling that you were onto something special with this project?
For me personally, I think when I stumbled on the concept of writing a song about wasting time playing video games (Pixelated Youth) – that was one of those moments. It was one of the quickest songs to write for this album. I think I wrote the lyrics in one long, late night session. The theme afforded lots of nostalgic references – power ups on Super Mario, collecting coins on Sonic, game cartridges, dot matrix printers etc. It became a homage to Shigero Miyamoto, the Nintendo programmer who wrote most of those games. I added lots of Game Boy chiptune effects in the final song and I think that fits really well.
The decision to seek opinions on your new songs is intriguing. When did you realize that external perspectives could contribute to your creative process?
Well, I only really seek the views of the rest of the band. We have been doing this long enough and I think have a quiet confidence in what each of us does. And we have strong enough relationships that if something isn’t good enough, it will be called out. For the last album (Why Don’t They Teach Heartbreak At School?) we had a ton of songs to choose from – like about 50 or so. Much of the work there was paring it down and choosing what would form the album. This one was different; we wrote for the album. Each of us has a good enough filter such that if a song makes it to the demo stage, it will probably be a contender. We didn’t throw much away.
In fact, we had so much time and recording tools to hand, that the demos are really well produced. That can be problematic as you can then spend too much time in the studio ‘chasing the demo’. In the end we did use some of those original demos as overdubs.
Success can take on different meanings as time goes on. When envisioning success for this new record, what does that picture look like now?
I am really proud of our previous albums. I think the collection of songs on there really stand up. This is our first one in a few years so I think at the start, success is probably making sure you are not eroding the good work you have done before.
Once you get past that, the concept of success changes. For us, I think success was probably down to two things – getting the songs themselves recorded well and to our satisfaction. And then getting the right label deal. We were quite focused on this one in getting it out on vinyl. And we did that. It is out on Flake Sounds in Japan and we have a limited release of 300 on coloured vinyl – exactly what we were after. The less outcome-focused bit of success for me is getting to spend time as a band in the studio and going on the ride of concept to release. Spending time with your bandmates as you do this is probably the best bit.
Among the gigs you’ve performed, which one holds an indelible place in your memory and why does it stand out?
Oh there are lots of gigs that stand out. For me, when we played T in the Park many years ago – that was really special. It’s the main music festival in Scotland – or it was at the time as it’s moved on and rebranded now – but it’s the one I grew up going to with my friends. To go there as a band and experience backstage, the other bands, the most generous rider we’d ever had – it was great. A real highlight.
Lyrics often carry profound meaning. Are there particular lines you hope listeners will always remember from your songs? If so, what’s the significance?
I still think Why Don’t They Teach Heartbreak At School? is a great song and album title. I can say that because Mackie came up with it, not me. It made promotion for that record very, very easy. Most reviewers had their own reflection on the phrase and were hooked. I think we got a lot of listens as a result.
Arguably, it meant that coming up with the title for this album was trickier, but we all gravitated to Activities of Daily Living pretty early on and I think it works well. It fits in with what we were doing when we wrote it. Like everyone, we were stuck in a cycle of eat, sleep, work, repeat over covid – our activities of daily living. That’s ultimately what the album is about.
Aerial’s new album ‘Activities of Daily Living’ is out now on Flake Sounds.
Released on Eco-Mix Coloured Vinyl. Limited to 300 signed & numbered copies.
Now that More Kicks is a thing of the past, James Sullivan, with Vital Signs, has delivered an exceptional record. It’s sophisticated, melodic, narrative-driven, and utterly intriguing! Here is a restless writer at the top of the songwriting game.
You can discover ‘Day Late Dollar Short’ featured on the Best Power Pop of 2024 Spotify Playlist.
James, your record is truly beautiful and diverse. Did refining your sound after More Kicks disbanded come naturally?
Thanks! I actually finished this record before More Kicks ended. We’d finished the second record, Punch Drunk, and everything was at the pressing plant with Dirtnap and Stardumb. So we were sort of planning some touring around that release, but it was all 9-12 months in the future. I’d been writing so much for the two years leading up to that point and I didn’t want to stop. I also knew my lease was running out on the little studio space I rent, so I had about three months before I would have to move out of that.
So it was kind of a no-brainer to just keep on writing and recording. Honestly, I was a little worried about my state of mind without new music actively happening and I was quite burned out from writing so much for More Kicks, so making a new record on my own was an easy decision to make. I didn’t necessarily think it would be another album because there is always a chance that it turns out completely shit. Especially without the tasteful filter of Paolo and Kris (bass and drums from More Kicks) being applied to the songs. But as long as I was writing and recording something new, I knew I would feel okay.
Then I finished the ten songs and Punch Drunk was almost ready, so it was time to go and tour that thing. Vital Signs was done and even mastered, but it was just sitting on my computer. Six months later, I realized I didn’t want to do More Kicks anymore and I even had a completed record ready to go, so I finally got my arse in gear to get it released. I sent it to Stefan at Stardumb to see if he’d be interested – god bless him, he was – sorted out the artwork. Then that all takes a little while again, and here we are.
So the sound was just an amalgamation of physical limitations and the freedom of it not needing to be played by three people on a stage. There are so many limitations when making the record like that on my own. I record everything on an 8-track tape machine so I only have eight tracks to play with. Plus my own limited recording capabilities, I can’t play the drums and I suck at piano so that comes into play as well. Tiny cupboard-sized ‘studio’, loads of noise coming from everywhere in the building. In my head, I was going to make a huge orchestral piece, but that is simply not possible in those surroundings haha.
In terms of refining that sound, I just wanted it to have more space than my previous records. Less frenetic, more textures, a broader feel. I often wish I could embrace jam band aesthetics but that is essentially impossible if you’re playing things on your own and it’s all on tape so you can’t edit anything after recording. Plus, I’m quite a brutal editor of my own stuff, so what starts off in my head as ‘this will be a really long and tedious drone instrumental with almost no melody’ ends up becoming quite a concise pop song.
Your lyrics are captivating. Is writing them a smooth process for you?
Ah well thank you! I would say quite smooth, yes. I usually make a little demo of the song while I’m writing and the lyrics come last. I have nonsense placeholders in there while writing and then figure out what they should actually be once the music is at least mostly structured and worked out.
So I’m usually quite tired by the time it comes to writing the words. I like to write them very quickly and usually about 90% of those tired lyrics are there in the final version – just some tweaks here and there for better phrasing etc. Sometimes I think that might be why I often seem quite sad in the words – I’m just a bit tired by that point.
I usually write the chorus first and work backward to fill in the verses. That seems to help with the flow of setting the scene and the theme, and then getting a good payoff with the chorus. So the second verse can often be difficult because I’ve got a narrative that ‘ends’ with a chorus, but I have to continue the story for the second verse somehow. But yeah, I would say once the chorus words are in place, the rest of the words seem to come quite quickly.
I’m intrigued by ‘Guilty as Charged’. Can you share how that song came to be?
I had already started recording and while I was listening back to what I’d done, it all felt quite unambitious and nice. Exactly this idea of expanding the horizon is where I was going with Guilty As Charged, and also the song which precedes it, ‘Dronify’.
I was missing live drums on what I’d recorded. My friend Marco had played drums on Day Late Dollar Short and they sounded really nice. So I looped a few bars of him playing that song and just droned a bass riff over the top for four minutes. At this point, I realized I should essentially abandon structure and just go with the drone – so spoken word would be a good idea. I used that a bit on my first record ‘Light Years’ on the song ‘Lea Bridge’ so I liked the idea of returning to that.
I was reading ‘Nickel Boys’ by Colson Whitehead and he described someone as looking like they were ‘upholstered into their suit’. All disheveled and creased. I loved that. So I thought a character piece about whoever that person is would make for a great vignette. I wrote those words so fucking quickly, I’m not sure where it came from. The whole courtroom scene, the grotesque spectacle of a man getting sucked into thin air from within this horrible green linen suit. It really felt so freeing to write like that. A complete stream of consciousness that was absolutely not related to me or my life at all.
Many times I almost deleted that from the record because it felt thematically separate from everything else. If anyone had said to me ‘Erm, I’m not too sure about Guilty As Charged’, I would have definitely just thought, fuck it, and dropped it. But luckily, nobody heard the record except me until it was all finished. I’m glad it’s there.
Creating Vital Signs as a solo project must have been quite different from working with a band. What was that experience like?
Quick, instinctive, a little worrying because there is really no objective voice in the room at all. There is every chance that everything I’m recording is truly awful and I can’t tell because I’m far too close to the whole thing.
So it feels higher risk in one sense, but also lower risk in the sense that I have zero expectations for anything. Nobody is waiting for a James Sullivan solo record. I’m not even waiting for a James Sullivan solo record. I could quite easily finish a set of songs and then just do nothing with them and carry on with my life – as I almost did with these. But then, the ego in me can’t quite resist sharing them with the world in case other people also get a kick out of them.
Your new sound really showcases your vocal talents. Was this something you consciously aimed for?
Not at all, but I really appreciate that. With the self-recorded, straight to tape thing, I have to sing everything from start to finish in one take because I don’t have long enough arms to punch in the recording from where the microphone is in the room in relation to where the tape machine is. So it’s all in one take, or do the whole thing again. Which is mostly how I do it anyway – but this time it’s the only way I can physically do it.
I can definitely sing in tune; I don’t usually have problems with that. So having that one-take restriction probably adds a certain edge or sense of jeopardy to things. It definitely makes it feel more alive and, yep, more real.
What kind of compliment about Vital Signs would make you especially happy?
Christ, that’s quite difficult. I’m one of those dickheads who claims to not care about reviews but then when I get a nice one, I feel really good about it.
I think if people realize that I’m consciously trying new things, that I’m not scared of alienating listeners, that I am really really keen to not repeat myself, that makes me happy. I will scrap entire songs if they feel slightly too similar to something I’ve written before when it would be much easier to just tweak it slightly and record it. In fact, probably that would be an easier thing for listeners to get their heads around. I could have written More Kicks songs forever but I would have known I was cheating myself.
So I think if somebody told me I was a restless writer, that would make me very happy.
Rob Carroll has recently produced an incredible tune that truly resonates with me, evoking strong echoes of “That Thing You Do!” It exudes the same vibrant energy and freshness. Both tracks are undeniably catchy, embedding themselves in your mind for days on end. Prepare to be enchanted and unable to shake it off – you’ll simply adore it.
You can discover ‘just about had it!!!’ featured on the Best Power Pop of 2024 Spotify Playlist.
Could you share the journey of bringing this record to life? How did all the pieces come together to create the final product?
So this song “just about had it!!!” is the first release from my new EP. I have been sitting on 50-100 songs I’ve written over the last few years and finally decided to start putting as many as possible out into the world. I wrote these songs myself, as well as played all of the instruments and recorded and mixed everything. It is a very satisfying process to do all the work myself, but it is time consuming and hard to remain objective.
The decision to seek opinions on your new songs is intriguing. When did you realize that external perspectives could contribute to your creative process?
As much as I love pop music and hope to reach as many people as possible with my music, I rarely write with external perspectives in mind. I take into consideration things that might make a song more streamlined (length, chords, density, etc) but rarely write from a place where others are guiding the decisions. That being said, I definitely rely on friends and peers for feedback and take their critiques to heart. I may not always agree, or even follow their advice, but I always listen to it. Wearing all of these hats can make you lose objectivity. Even if I feel their idea is not right for the current song, there have been many instances where I’ve implemented their advice and ideas into new songs I write.
Success can take on different meanings as time goes on. When envisioning success for this new record, what does that picture look like now?
I’m a professional musician full-time. I already make a living from music and in many ways have found certain forms of success. For that reason, the meaning of success for my original music comes in the form of its completion. Having a finished product that I am proud of is what I look forward to most when creating. If streams and followers are gained along the way that’s amazing, but reaching the finish line each time (in a better, more efficient way) is what I strive for.
Defining a song’s completion can be elusive. How do you determine when a composition has reached its final, ready-to-record form?
The ready-to-record stage is actually the easy part for me. When I write I typically try to get “the bones” of a song out first. This means at least a verse and chorus with a melody. If I can get a bridge by this stage as well, that’s awesome. The music tends to be easier and quicker for me, so I will often hunker down and force out some form of lyrics at this point as well. Lyrics have gotten easier over time, but I need to have them in place. If I don’t, the song will sit in my voice memos and often be forgotten. Having lyrics, melody and form for a song complete will ensure that I know that song is ready and find the time to record it. Once I start recording, that’s typically where the infinity of decisions can bog me down. I tend to move fast, but if I’m not careful the arrangement stage can really slow me down.
Lyrics often carry profound meaning. Are there particular lines you hope listeners will always remember from your songs? If so, what’s the significance?
It’s funny because, as a listener, I really don’t care about lyrics. They can’t be egregiously bad, but most of the time I’m not listening to them. As a writer however, I do tend to obsess over my words, meter, rhymes, etc. I want to be proud of what I’m writing, but I also want listeners to be moved as well. It would be nice if listeners enjoyed my lyrics, or thought they were well written, but what is more important to me is that they can relate to the ideas and emotions. If they can make a connection to my music through the words then I’ve done my job.
Performing music before an audience holds a unique allure. What aspects of this experience contribute to the excitement and enjoyment for you?
Being a performer for a living, I get many chances to connect with audiences and thrive off of this feeling every week. It’s even more amazing when you are playing for an audience of people that are interested specifically in you and your music. So often music is relegated to a background role at bars, restaurants and parties. When you get the chance to lock in with a crowd and perform your own music… there is really nothing quite like that.
While you can’t dictate how people interpret your music, are there specific elements you wish to highlight that set your songs apart?
I love awesome harmony, pop music and good songwriting. If people associate those things with my music I’d be incredibly happy.
With the record completed and the music released, do you believe the pinnacle of enjoyment has been reached, or is this just the beginning of an exciting phase?
As I mentioned before, it is definitely the culmination of a lot of hard work. To be able to look back on a finished release is a great feeling. It’s also the start of two different phases. One is trying to build a connection between your audience and this new batch of music. The other is building momentum and energy to start this whole process again from the ground up. Every time you go to record it feels like the first time. Sure, you’ve learned so many things and have gotten better and faster but staring at the blank project session I always seem to think, “can i do this again? Do I still have the ability?” It’s always intimidating but there’s no better feeling than pushing through that and creating more music.
Lava Fangs’ forthcoming album, “Sub Auroram,” is introduced by the irresistibly catchy single “Where Did She Go.” Jamie Coghill and Andrew Horne delve into their experiences crafting what they describe as the challenging process of creating their sophomore record.
You can discover ‘Where Did She Go’ featured on the Best Power Pop of 2024 Spotify Playlist.
Could you share the journey of bringing this record to life? How did all the pieces come together to create the final product?
Jamie – “Where Did She Go” is the lead single from our “difficult second album” … It’s an expression I’ve heard many times since becoming a fan of music as a kid. For the most part I pooh-poohed such a silly expression; How can a second album be difficult? As a fan of music I can think of many bands whose second album is an all time favourite. As a musician, being allowed the opportunity to make ANY album is a privilege and should be immune to such trivialities as being difficult!
As a middle aged musician at the dusty end of several careers in bands who *almost* got somewhere, I can now look on that expression with the road-worn experience of having been involved in a few “difficult second albums” myself. It’s remarkable and lucky really for any band to be around long enough to make it to the second album. The first album is full of excitement and the momentum of being a fresh new band and having a backlog of songs you’re eager to get out into the world and establish your sound with. The follow up album feels the pressure of having to live up to that effortless enthusiasm and momentum the first album had. The first album comes together instinctively, almost as if by accident. The second album has to be planned and meticulously thought out – yet it’s still supposed to somehow sound “fresh”.
The Lava Fangs “difficult second album”, Sub Auroram didn’t start out difficult. In fact we had almost all of the songs written and demoed within a year of releasing our debut. But then the world hit a speed bump that no bands have had to endure in the past – a bloody global pandemic! By the time we were finally able to get together and begin recording it had been a difficult couple of years and we’d all had COVID. I was still getting over it when we went into the studio with Paul Maybury (Rocket Science/The Pink Tiles) to track guitars, bass and drums to 24 track tape. We then spent the next year overdubbing and mixing it ourselves whenever our schedules allowed.
Listening to “Where Did She Go” now, I’m thankful that none of that “difficulty” comes through. It’s just as fresh and exciting as if it were from our debut record. Having four contributing songwriters gives Lava Fangs a fairly unique and diverse sound that only a handful of other bands share (readers of this blog are no doubt aware of Canada’s Sloan … can you think of any others?). For the most part Lava Fangs write songs individually then bring them to the band to add our combined flavour with arrangements, lyric and backing vocal suggestions, but “Where Did She Go” is one of our rare collaborations. Drew (guitar/vocals) brought us a song that we all loved but something was missing so I wrote some lyrics, a vocal melody and a pre chorus to tie all Drew’s bits up into a finished sounding song. I’m very proud of it as a group effort.
Was there a particular moment or experience that struck you, signaling that you were onto something special with this project?
Andrew – when I start to write a song, my process is stumbling across a few chords or melodies that I think sound cool. For “Where Did She Go” the initial verse chord progression sounded great to my ears. Then I tinkered with it till it was ready to present to the band.
From there, the band decides if the song has merit to continue. Jamie added a pre chorus and vocal melody so I guess it had legs!
Sometimes when you are deep in the process with a song it’s difficult to see outside of what you are doing. You have to shut out your inner critic and appreciate what you have created. For me, I find that once the band has given the song a thumbs up I can sit back and be proud of what we have done. The separation of time certainly helps too.
The decision to seek opinions on your new songs is intriguing. When did you realize that external perspectives could contribute to your creative process?
Jamie – Sweet sweet validation!! We all crave it don’t we? Especially on an artistic level. Is it really art if nobody appreciates it? Actually yes, but validation is also nice. As far as other people’s opinions contributing to my own creative process, I think it’s an intangible influence. I don’t write a song thinking about what people might say or think about it, I prefer the creative spark to come naturally and take shape instinctively and then decide whether or not I think it’s worth sharing with the world. Other people’s opinions only serve to encourage me and give me the confidence to keep making music – which is important and helpful, but not essential.
Andrew – I concur with Jamie on this one, validation spurns us (me) to continue on with creative pursuits. With any creative venture self-doubt rears its head constantly. Any positive words from respected peers/friends goes a long way. This affirms that what you are doing is worth pursuing and to trust in your instincts.
Success can take on different meanings as time goes on. When envisioning success for this new record, what does that picture look like now?
Jamie – This is so very true and a great observation! My measure of success when I was in my twenties is very different from how I feel today. For me, this album is already a big success even before it’s released! The fact that Wally and Jo from Cheersquad Records and Tapes were willing and enthusiastic to work with us to release it on their label is a success Lava Fangs haven’t achieved before. Having the opportunity to release 2 digital singles leading up to our second full length album on vinyl is a huge achievement for us. If people like it once it comes out in May (and maybe buy a few copies of the LP), it will just be icing on the cake. A big delicious success cake!
Andrew – At this stage in my/our musical journey, respect from my peers is how I’d like measure success. Having Cheersquad Records and Tapes deeming Lava Fangs worthy of release feels pretty successful to me.
Within this collection, do you feel that the best song you’ve ever written finds its home? If not, what distinguishes this record’s essence from your prior work?
Jamie – Our coming Album, Sub Auroram, feels like a more mature and thoughtful collection of songs to me. It’s definitely our best album as a whole. Personally it’s going to be hard to top “Line Up For A Broken Heart” and “I’m No Good For You” from our debut LP. Those songs came to me unexpectedly from out of nowhere and I’m very proud of them and may never write anything better than those two. Sub Auroram and its songs may not feel like it has the one-two punch of our exciting and energetic debut LP but it definitely has way more musical depth and is arguably a much stronger collection of songs. [See my solo project The Jimmy C and the movie soundtrack for Brides Of Satan for the best song I think I’ve ever written: “Learning To Live To Death”!]
Speaking for the rest of the band though, I’d say probably YES! Wesley’s “Lost For Words” is an excellent song for our newest/youngest songwriter (they haven’t been writing songs as long as the rest of us) and I expect even better songs are in their future. Drew’s “Photograph” is a stunningly mature song and I wish I’d written it. Stu’s songs on this album are also very very strong but my favourite of his songs is “Spitting Nails” from Sons Of Lee Marvin’s Minimum Underdrag LP from a few years ago. Look it up, you won’t be disappointed.
As an artist, the act of baring your emotions to the world is profound. Does this vulnerability come naturally to you, or is it a constant journey of finding comfort?
Andrew – Feeling inadequate is a rich vein to mine for lyrical themes. Hiding your true meaning behind metaphor, double speak and just plain lyrical nonsense says I’m not all that comfortable wearing my heart on my sleeve…just yet.
Imagine you could collaborate with three co-writers of your choice for new songs. Who would you select, and what qualities or dynamics draw you to them?
Jamie – I’m pretty lucky to already have three top shelf collaborators in Lava Fangs, but my three fantasy favourites would be:
1) Andy Partridge. He’s easily THE BEST songwriter in music history. XTC are a sorely underrated band and Andy’s humour mixed with emotional depth and massive talent are just incredible. His angular approach to guitar is amazing too.
2) Jeff Lynne. The immensity of Jeff Lynne’s genius will never be appreciated because ELO got too popular. People dismiss ELO as mainstream disco fodder (less so in recent years) but it’s clear why he got to work with the remaining Beatles in the 90s and all those legends in the 80s. If I could be transported to 1970 and replace Bev Bevan in the late era Move/fledgling ELO with him and Roy Wood, I’d be in creative heaven! Such a creative time and Jeff’s vocal harmonies and arranging are pop perfection!
3) There’s so many others but I think I’ll pick Roland Orzabal. Pop genius and Tears For Fears’ “Everybody Loves A Happy Ending” album is a proper masterpiece. He’s often very sincere in his music and not afraid to risk it all artistically.
And I’ll kick myself for not choosing Gruff Rhys, Lee Hazlewood, Andy Sturmer (Jellyfish), Jay and Chris from Sloan (and Pat and Andrew), and Max Comaskey from Dirty Fences – how much fun that would be!!!!
Andrew – Again I find myself concurring with Jamie about being spoilt with 3 excellent collaborators. Each time one of the ‘Fangs’ presents a new song or idea I’m excited to see what they’ve come up with. That’s a pretty cool place to be! And, knowing that my band mates will interpret my ideas in a particular way influences the way I write. Absolutely!
However, in no particular order these folks would be cool to pen a tune with –
• Kim Salmon & Spencer P Jones I’m cheating and making them a package deal. At the top of their game both could write songs with interesting & unique musical content and lyrics. Their songs have great depth & humour all in one go. Both absolute treasures in the Australian music alumni.
• Harry Vander & George Young. I could add them to this list for the Easybeats alone however they went on to churn out great songs in any style you liked (as long it was rock, pop or disco) for decades.
• Lee Hazlewood. Do I need to elaborate? [Jamie – HELL YEAH LEE HAZLEWOOD!!!!]
Honourable mentions of Gene Clark, Alex Chilton, Beck, Dolly Parton, T Swift (I think you’d get a bang-up working lunch with T Swiz is all)
Among the gigs you’ve performed, which one holds an indelible place in your memory and why does it stand out?
Andrew – The one we are about to perform in a drainage ditch at a rouge ‘generator’ skateboard party I think will be pretty memorable.
Or, that time I played support to Arthur Lee. What made that special? Arthur Lee!!
Jamie – In bands other than Lava Fangs, I got to drum in front of thousands of people at Melbourne’s Arts Centre forecourt playing AC/DC songs for an exhibition opening … that was pretty cool … but not as cool as the time I was playing at a tiny pub in Adelaide and threw my drum sticks above my head and walked off stage when a guy grabbed my arm and pointed to the dart board behind the drum kit with my sticks balancing perfectly on the ledge above! One in a million chance.
Defining a song’s completion can be elusive. How do you determine when a composition has reached its final, ready-to-record form?
Jamie – I feel like I’m pretty good at this, but it’s not necessarily a skill. It’s pure instinct for me. It’s finished when I can’t hear anything wrong or missing. It helps also to be time poor, both with Lava Fangs and my solo music as The Jimmy C, it’s about getting the most out of limited time. It’s actually an advantage to have kids and work stopping you from spending days and days on one song and never feeling fully satisfied because it won’t meet your expectations. If you have a set amount of time to get it done, it’s done when the time runs out!
Striking a balance between experimental artistry and commercial appeal is a challenge. How do you navigate this dynamic within your music?
Jamie – Commercial appeal? Never heard of it! Be true to your art – but pick a lane. Write the best kind of song you can within the parameters of your chosen style or genre. I’ve never had commercial appeal but I do try to write accessible songs. I respect the craft of songwriting and so don’t get too experimental within a song itself, but I really enjoy experimenting with genres and the structure of an album as a whole.
Andrew – Never tried. Making stupid noises with a memory man is more fun than being appealing commercially.
Lyrics often carry profound meaning. Are there particular lines you hope listeners will always remember from your songs? If so, what’s the significance?
Jamie – See “She’s So Cool” from our Unclarity EP from last December. Some of my most profoundly silly lyrics. I’m very proud to have the word “precipitation” feature in the chorus backing vocals.
I think Stu probably has the greatest gift for turn of phrase and cleverness in his lyrics within the Lava Fangs band. Go check out some Stu songs in our back catalogue.
Can you recall the last instance when you felt the immediate certainty of having penned a hit song?
Jamie – I have never, and will never write a “hit”, but I have written a few songs that I think can stand up along side the music I love as a music fan – and it’s an incredible feeling when you’re rising to that level. It’s always a surprise to me when I finish writing or recording a song that doesn’t sound shit! If I can write a song as good as the worst song by my favourite bands then I know I’m achieving something very rare.
Andrew – I write shit songs all the time…oh right you said hit song. I’ll let you know.
With the resurgence of cassettes, imagine curating your inaugural mixtape. Which five songs would be must-adds and why?
Jamie – I sure do love curating a good mixtape/CD/playlist! I’m surrounded by cassettes all day every day so they’re still a very familiar medium for me.:
• The Last Plimsoll by Stackridge – a pop opera masterpiece! Complex, richly musical and a tune you can whistle!
• Cybele’s Reverie by Stereolab – It’s vintage Yéyé pop with 90s indie cred … cracking track!
• Harold Faltermeyer’s theme from Fletch – just to catch the listener off guard! It’s so 80s and synthy and arguably way better than Axel F.
• Fade Away by Sloan – Jay Ferguson’s Action Pact album closer. It’s a real hidden gem in the Sloan catalogue and it hits me right in the feels.
• And lastly; More Than He’ll Have To Give by John D. Loudermilk – Just a beautiful gentle simple song about never being better than others but being the right person for someone. Could be swapped with Waiting For Someone by The Tokens from their incredible concept album Intercourse.
And all the songs I haven’t mentioned are causing me great pain … Homefront Cameo by Cotton Mather, Change For The World by Charles Bradley, King Kong by The Jimmy Castor Bunch, Ladybird by Tears For Fears … ouch! Let me dub you a 10 tape collection on C-90s!
Andrew – Ahhhh the mixed tape. The romantic calling card of yesteryear!
I’d have to include songs by The Stooges (Ashetons only please!) ok ok I’d pick Dirt from Funhouse. Nancy Sinatra would deffo feature! But what song? Sugar Town for a subtle drug reference, ‘Boots’ is way too obvious; Summer Wine I think would be a great choice but then again Bang Bang is bloody ace! Can we get a cheer from the back for Billy Strange and his arrangement of that song??
Big Star has always a place on such tapes, and I’d wager lots of people first heard Big Star in this format. Thirteen would be a great addition if your intent was to woo.
What’s that three? Two more to go.
Always a big fan of Australian 80’s indie music I’d have to include the Beasts of Bourbon or Scientists (don’t ask me to pick a song) and before you flip that tape over lets hear from Redd Kross – I saw them steal the show (over the Hoodoo Gurus) with a rendition of ‘Jimmy’s Fantasy’ so that one!
While you can’t dictate how people interpret your music, are there specific elements you wish to highlight that set your songs apart?
Jamie – Definitely the fact that we four Fangs all contribute songs and arrangements and ideas to each other’s songs. Many bands have a dominant songwriter and other members who are just happy to play their part. With us you get four different flavours and sets of influences which I think diversifies us thematically and stylistically from most other bands.
If tasked with introducing your music through three songs, which ones would you choose and what story do they collectively convey to new listeners?
Jamie – Ouch, yet another “Sophie’s Choice” … I have to mention “Line Up For A Broken Heart” because I wrote it and I’m very proud of it. It’s the main track that makes people consider us a power pop band. The other side of Lava Fangs is our “garage surf rock” side. A good example of this is a song you’ll have to wait until May to hear when our new album comes out; “Dancing For Satan” – a song that shows our silly side co-written by Wesley (bass/vocals) and Stu Manchu (guitar/vocals). My third and difficult final choice is “Where Did She Go”, our current single. Those three should be enough to convince anyone that we’re worth listening to and then people can look deeper into some of Stu’s garage punk tracks or Drew’s melodic 70s rock, Wesley’s indie pop … and our more moody and contemplative moments … and there’s so much more coming in May with our Sub Auroram LP!
In a hypothetical scenario where you could tour with two other bands, who would be your ideal companions and what synergies do you envision?
Jamie – I’d love to share a stage with Dirty Fences from New York. Their energy and antics would make for such a fun night. I’d also love to play with Canada’s Sloan even though they’d make me feel completely inadequate because they’re so amazing musically … If this were a time travelling fantasy I’d play with Jellyfish in 1993 and look even more inadequate. But what a story I’d have to tell!!
Andrew – Mudhoney & Mudhoney. Call it a life ambition.
Studio moments often hold a touch of magic. Could you recount an instance that stands out as the most enchanting during your creative process?
Andrew – I could not tell you of one instance of a creative stand out, we have many.
Creative epiphanies keep you coming back to the practice room when your regular life leaves you beat. It’s those times working on a great song or someone comes up with a cool part that is immediately apparent; that’s the magic that keeps you coming back time and time again.
Jamie – We giggle a lot in the studio. It’s lucky we handle most of our production and recording ourselves or we’d thoroughly piss people off.
How would you describe the evolution of your sound in this new album compared to your previous works? Were there intentional shifts in style or themes?
Jamie – Our first EP, 2017’s Black Rain, was a very noisy DIY garage affair, but still has a few hints of melodic evolution to come. Our Debut LP added the power pop flavours to the garage and punk and also introduced more thought to the production and arrangements with more vocal harmonies and musical textures. Our new album sounds more mature still in production and song writing. We still capture some frantic garage energy in places but we’ve evolved to give the concept of melody a little more respect. Our next project will probably rebel from this thoughtfulness and devolve into noise rock chaos … onwards and sideways!!
“(…) stuff with hooky memorable riffs, big vocal melodies, jangly guitars, busy rhythm sections, and a lot of energy,” is how Steve Bailey describes the sound of Sorry Darling. In this interview, he and Liz Wagner introduce the band from Brooklyn, NY, and take us through the making of ‘See This Through‘, the beautiful EP recently released.
You can discover ‘Sorry Darling’ featured on the Best Power Pop of 2024 Spotify Playlist.
Could you share the journey of bringing this record to life? How did all the pieces come together to create the final product?
Steve – The majority of the songs on the EP had been gestating for about 5 years across a few different iterations of the band. Initially Liz and I had started Sorry Darling as sort of a stylistic diversion from our respective bands at times (shoutout to The Sharp Shadows, Wild Yawp, the Significant Looks, and Blaze Pascal!) It was meant to be primarily acoustic but as it became clear that we really liked writing together and that we simply wanted to rock more, the lineups got bigger and the songs got louder. The definitive lineup of Sorry Darling came together a year or so ago and by then we were itching to get into the studio, so once the songs had been learned we wasted no time getting in there.
Stylistically I feel like ‘See This Through’ is sort of a greatest hits of what we love in pop and rock music – stuff with hooky memorable riffs, big vocal melodies, jangly guitars, busy rhythm sections, and a lot of energy. I think the artists we individually like are all over the map but together make a really compelling mix sonically.
Was there a particular moment or experience that struck you, signaling that you were onto something special with this project?
Steve – I think it was early in the recording process at Studio G when we first heard ‘In Theory’ on the big studio monitors and realized that we rocked harder than we had initially thought we did! It’s one thing to learn the songs and play them together in a small room, but another entirely to work with a great engineer like Jeff Berner and hear yourself sounding as big and awesome as your favorite records do. If you can have that out of body experience of listening to yourself and forget it’s you, then you’re going places.
The decision to seek opinions on your new songs is intriguing. When did you realize that external perspectives could contribute to your creative process?
Steve – I think it’s useful when you are working on them in the studio. Personally I like to keep those processes internal save for a few trusted musical compatriots because I don’t want to second-guess my own artistic intent. I think too much committee can take away what’s unique about your music.
Liz – I think it mattered most to me to see which song of the 6 hit who and why. It was validating and exciting to share with our closest musical allies and friends and hear that all 6 got a chance to be somebody’s favorite.
As an artist, the act of baring your emotions to the world is profound. Does this vulnerability come naturally to you, or is it a constant journey of finding comfort?
Steve – An interesting question. For me personally I think part of writing pop music is less about my own personal vulnerability and more about reflecting situations that evoke that for people writ large. All of the songs originate from real experiences, but I am less interested in what people think Steve Bailey Himself™ gets up to and more interested in how they can relate these feelings to people and situations from their own lives. I think when that happens you get a real conversation going.
Liz – Agreed, a very interesting question. I hope that my Liz Wagner Biro Herself™ stories resonate and evoke memories and feelings for listeners as Steve said but I’d be lying if I didn’t say these two songs especially weren’t deeply personal! Writing vulnerably, playing vulnerably, singing vulnerably, etc. absolutely come naturally because I am a heart-on-my-sleeve kinda gal but woof, the post-show/post-release vulnerability/visibility hangover is real… That part is less natural. I have a complicated relationship to being perceived.
Imagine you could collaborate with three co-writers of your choice for new songs. Who would you select, and what qualities or dynamics draw you to them?
Steve – Chrissie Hynde for her way with words and attitude. Stuart Adamson (RIP) for his gorgeous melancholy and otherworldly guitar wizardry. Jessica Dobson of Deep Sea Diver for someone newer and closer to home for both of the above. She’s incredible and has such a personal musical language that still feels familiar and inviting.
Liz – Wow what a question… I am deeply moved and see myself in the lyrics of Katie Gavin of MUNA, Fiona Apple, and Jenny Lewis and right now the poetry of it all is what has me most captured.
Striking a balance between experimental artistry and commercial appeal is a challenge. How do you navigate this dynamic within your music?
Steve – I’ll be the first to say that I’m not a terribly experimental person when it comes to music. Weirdly I think the internet now is divided between people aggressively dedicated to niche artistry and people who want the most bone-headed hooks ever. I seek to exist between those two worlds in the way I feel the best bands always were – using interesting ideas in service of really memorable material.
Liz – I am similarly unsure of where to strike that balance in a particularly conscious way. I think, or at least I hope, we toe the line of the expected and the unexpected. I love throwing something just a little weird behind the more “bone-headed hooks”, as Steve defined them. I think because our personal influences are so diverse the art ends up being harder to put your finger on than any of us knew when we first brought in a song or a riff or whatever.
Lyrics often carry profound meaning. Are there particular lines you hope listeners will always remember from your songs? If so, what’s the significance?
Liz – Honestly, I want them to remember all the words always and sing along at shows cause that’s just so fun when it happens!
With the resurgence of cassettes, imagine curating your inaugural mixtape. Which five songs would be must-adds and why?
Steve – “In a Big Country” by Big Country, “Baba O’Riley” by the Who, “Brass in Pocket” by the Pretenders, “Material Girl” by Madonna, and “Shadow of a Doubt” by Sonic Youth. All of them live in my brain eternally, so might as well try and trap them on this cassette tape.
Liz – Ohhhh shit what a question… since Steve went retro I’ll stay (mostly) current – “The Wire” by Haim, “Best Left” by The Beths, “Honey” by Maggie Rogers, “Loudspeaker” by MUNA, and “When You’re Gone” by the Cranberries.
While you can’t dictate how people interpret your music, are there specific elements you wish to highlight that set your songs apart?
Steve – I think the level of craft we bring to the table makes us special. Bands these days either tend to be one-note fuzzy riff lords or navel-gazing indie/emo and we’re neither. I don’t think you should have to veer that far to either extreme to be heavy or to share a feeling. The best bands did it all and did it with style. I think we’re formed in that tradition.
Liz – I’d agree we’re trying to do it all, and I think again that’s a place where our diverse tastes and backgrounds converge really beautifully. I want our music to be equally enjoyed by you, your toddler, and your boomer mom and feedback thus far is that we’ve done that!
In a hypothetical scenario where you could tour with two other bands, who would be your ideal companions and what synergies do you envision?
Steve – The Beths and Charly Bliss would be super fun. I think all three of us value big hooks and on songcraft, so I think it’d be a match made in heaven.
Liz – I second The Beths, no question. It’s the one band all four of us passionately agree on! And I’d love to tour with Jenny Lewis, I think our songwriting is compatible and we’ve always said we’re for fans of Rilo Kiley.
Among the compliments you’ve received, is there one that remains etched in your memory? If so, what made it particularly unforgettable?
Steve – A friend of mine told me that my guitar style was instantly recognizable and that felt like a real accomplishment. Guitars may be back on the rise but I don’t know that song-focused guitar playing totally is just yet. I think we have a lot of enthusiastic strummers out there, but I don’t know that Millenials/Zoomers have too many guitar heroes that aren’t TikTok or YouTube people. I’m not an insane shredder but I do think I have certain musical tics that combined give me a sound that isn’t really in step with what most people seem to do lately.
Liz – One of my moments is actually something Steve said to me once after I expressed some self-conciousness about a particular vocal performance – he said something along the lines of “lots of people have voices that are nice to listen to but not everyone has a voice that makes them feel the way that you can.” I’ve really dined out on that feedback for a while now, so thanks buddy.
Where do you see yourself situated within the broader landscape of the music industry? How do you perceive your unique role and contribution?
Steve – Our generation has spent its entire adult life being talked down to. I think a lot of our generation’s music shows the hallmarks of being browbeaten, or suffering from arrested development (i.e. emo). With Sorry Darling I think we deal with a lot of the same feelings and situations but we’re not writing downer music that sounds like surrender. There’s some attitude there, there’s some ‘fuck you’ in the joyful energy, and there’s some maturity to how we handle the subject matter. I think that’s really important and I hope that inspires others to do the same.
Liz – Well said. I hope our songs help people feel less alone, that’s my biggest hope within art in general.
Envision recruiting three singers to provide harmony vocals on your next record. Who would you invite, and what qualities do they possess that resonate with you?
Steve – HAIM. Because they are HAIM.
Liz – Haha I am cool with that.
With the record completed and the music released, do you believe the pinnacle of enjoyment has been reached, or is this just the beginning of an exciting phase?
“Pleased With Me” stands as the irresistibly catchy debut single by SOFTJAW, hailing from Long Beach, California. Serving as a vibrant ode to the golden era of Power Pop, the track channels the spirit of influential bands like The Nerves and Cheap Trick.
In a musical landscape where acts such as Young Guv, The Whiffs, and The Prize pay homage to these iconic predecessors, SOFTJAW joins the ranks, affirming that the genre is indeed very much alive and thriving.
Sweet Sweet Music blog graciously provides a platform for the band to introduce themselves.
You can discover ‘Pleased With Me’ featured on the Best Power Pop of 2024 Spotify Playlist.
Could you share the journey of bringing this record to life? How did all the pieces come together to create the final product?
Dustin: Once Tanner and I got together for this project, the songs started taking shape right away. A few weeks later, we recruited Vinny and Dan, played a few shows, and hit the studio. It happened really quickly.
Tanner: I met Dustin at the local bar, and he dead ass came up to me and said he wanted to start a power pop band, and he wanted me in it because I rock so goddamn hard, and something along the lines of “you’re too badass to not be in a band with me,” and I was all, “you’re right”… Just kidding, I was wearing a Big Star shirt, and he asked if I liked The Nerves. I said, “that’s like a top-five favorite of all time.” Everything just got easier when Vin and Dan hopped on; it felt like they really made it a heavy-hitting group, and I’m so stoked to rock with these fellas.
Was there a particular moment or experience that struck you, signaling that you were onto something special with this project?
Dustin: The fact that we sounded pretty good right off the bat was it for me.
Tanner: It was probably when Dustin and I started singing together the first time we practiced; it’s not easy to find other rockers who wanna sing their ass off and harmonize like we do, and it was pretty instant that I knew this was gonna be fun.
Vinny: I knew when I heard the demos the songs were great, but hearing how good they sound live is pretty wild. I’m mostly talking about the harmonies. It’s always pretty amazing. The guys are pop freaks.
The decision to seek opinions on your new songs is intriguing. When did you realize that external perspectives could contribute to your creative process?
Tanner: To quote White Reaper, “if it makes the girls dance, the boys will dance with ’em.”
Success can take on different meanings as time goes on. When envisioning success for this new record, what does that picture look like now?
Tanner: To be quite honest, all I want to do is rock and roll; whatever lets me do that more is a success to me.
Dustin: Same; I just want to play rock and roll music.
Vinny: A million bucks (each) in Spotify streaming royalties and performing at the halftime show for Super Bowl XXXXXVII.
Defining a song’s completion can be elusive. How do you determine when a composition has reached its final, ready-to-record form?
Dustin: We don’t really put a ton of thought into it. Once we’ve played the song at a show, it’s alive and ready to be printed.
Vinny: I always try to err on having a song be too short rather than too long. Someone can always repeat a song that’s too short, but if they skip a song halfway through, then you probably overstayed your welcome.
With the resurgence of cassettes, imagine curating your inaugural mixtape. Which five songs would be must-adds and why?
Dustin:
The Nerves – “When You Find Out”
Teenage Fanclub – “Sparky’s Dream”
The Lemon Twigs – “My Golden Years”
Brower – “Where Is The Magic?”
The Gants – “I Wonder”
Vinny:
Pavement – “Gold Soundz”
Pavement – “Harness Your Hopes”
Pavement – “Frontwards”
Pavement – “Kentucky Cocktail”
Pavement – “In the Mouth a Desert”
Tanner:
“On Top of the World” – Cheap Trick
“Starry Eyes” – The Records
“Thorns and Roses” – Exploding Hearts
“No Substitute” – The Shivers
“Somewhere to Fall” – The Uni Boys
These are absolute smash hits that get everyone jumping and moving.
In a hypothetical scenario where you could tour with two other bands, who would be your ideal companions and what synergies do you envision?
Dustin: Slade and XTC would be killer. The Who is up there as well for me.
Vinny: I dunno, I’d love to watch DEVO every night for 4-5 weeks, but I could see them being assholes to the opening band. Tenacious D seemed to have a pretty good vibe when I saw them soundcheck. Maybe them and Guns N’ Roses for intentional and unintentional comedic relief.
Tanner: I’m on a giant Cheap Trick kick, in particular the Heaven Tonight record, so probably them but during that era. I would love to tour with Vacation from Cincinnati; I saw them play when I was on my first U.S. tour, and they are the nicest and most rowdy boys; their songs rip face. Touring Japan with the Uni Boys would be sick too and should totally happen.
Among the compliments you’ve received, is there one that remains etched in your memory? If so, what made it particularly unforgettable?
Dustin: At our last show, someone compared us to MC5, which is insane.
Vinny: “Good set.”
Where do you see yourself situated within the broader landscape of the music industry? How do you perceive your unique role and contribution?
Tanner: SOFTJAW is gonna be the band you can’t get out of your head, big, phat, and catchy! No fooling around with this rock and roll shit; we are taking over the planet, baby, all in the name of rock.
Envision recruiting three singers to provide harmony vocals on your next record. Who would you invite, and what qualities do they possess that resonate with you?
Dustin: John, Paul, and George. I learned all of John’s vocal parts as a kid. That’s how I learned how to harmonize.
Vinny: Man, honestly, Dustin, Tanner, and Dan are all insanely good at harmonies. Why go out for burgers when you’ve got steak at home?
Looking ahead to the next couple of months, what exciting plans or projects are on the horizon for you?
Dustin: Bunch of new songs and recordings. Lots of shows planned.
Vinny: SOFTJAW mini-tour/album, becoming so famous.
Albums often involve collaboration with various musicians and producers. Could you shed light on how these collaborations contributed to shaping the album’s identity?
Tanner: The way I see it, I’m the young gun in the band; everyone has some insane chops, and I have the most respect for the boys, so I always feel like I gotta push to keep up with these dudes. Working with Dustin and writing these tracks has definitely put a fire under my butt. Dustin comes to me with a demo that sounds like a masterpiece, and I send him shitty voice memo demos; the skill and ease that he puts out tracks makes for a healthy competitive energy; I’m always trying to write the next catchy riff or jolly chorus, and that drive keeps me moving. Ala Paul and John or Buzz and Woody.
Dustin: We balance each other out with our songwriting styles for sure. When Tanner picks up a guitar and starts singing, it’s instantly rock and roll, and he writes killer jams. Kid’s got the magic.
In the digital age, visual elements are intertwined with music. How did you approach the album’s visual aesthetics, such as album art and accompanying visuals? How do they complement the sonic experience you’ve crafted?
Tanner: My girlfriend and I designed the single covers; she is a wizard with editing, and I love her very much, and I’m just soaking up ideas from what’s around or what I rock with.
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