Interview with Liily

2 (27s): What's going on. It is Adam. Welcome back to bringing it backwards. I podcast where we're both legendary and rising artists tell their own personal stories of how they achieved stardom. On this episode, we had a chance to chat with Dylan and Charlie of the band, Lily, over zoom video, both Dylan and Charlie were born and raised in Los Angeles. And they talk about how they got into music. Dylan started out in musical theater and he was always curious about singing. So he joined the school of rock when he was like six years old. And that's where he met max. Who's the drummer of a Lily. Charlie didn't find his way into music until a little bit later, he took guitar lessons at an early age, but it never really stuck until he was supposed to go hang out with a friend of his and his friend canceled their hang session because he had to go to band practice. 2 (1m 12s): And at that point Charlie's like, oh, like it was crushing. He really wanted to be in a band. At this point, he ended up joining the band. It wasn't until high school that Dylan, Charlie and max and their guitar player, Sam all got together and formed Lily. They ended up getting signed really early, got signed at a high school to a label. They talked about putting out their first EAP, some awesome stories from their very first tour in 2018, putting out this most recent record TV or not TV and all about the new music they have coming out very soon as well. You can watch our interview with Lily on our Facebook page and YouTube channel app bring in a backwards. It would be awesome if you subscribed to our channel like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Tik TOK. 2 (1m 54s): Add bringing back pod. And if you're listening to this on either apple podcasts or Spotify, it'd be amazing if you follow us there and hook us up with a five star review. I mean the world 3 (2m 6s): We'd appreciate your support. If you follow and subscribe to our podcasts, wherever you listen to podcasts, 2 (2m 12s): We're bringing it backwards with Lily. Thanks so much for doing this. Basically. I want to know about the ban, the orange store origin story, and how you guys got into music. And of course, we'll talk about the new record as well. 0 (2m 26s): Cool. Great. 2 (2m 27s): Wait. So are you both from LA originally born and 0 (2m 30s): Raised, born and raised. 2 (2m 31s): Wow. Not many 0 (2m 33s): Max was max is actually born in Florida. Yeah. But forget about that has no recollection. 2 (2m 39s): He has no recollection. Okay. So you're both born. Did you grow up together? 0 (2m 43s): Yeah. I mean, pretty much like we've known each other since we were like 14, we played little league together. Yeah. But like, we didn't know, we didn't know each other, but we, I remember him. Yeah. 2 (2m 55s): You weren't on the same team you just played against, which 0 (2m 57s): I remember him too. I just like, we didn't really, I was bigger when I was a kid and he was as skinny as he is now the skinniest kid on the team. 2 (3m 9s): Right on, well, well, Dylan, how'd you get the music? 4 (3m 14s): I mean, I feel like how most kids at a young age get into music was pretty much going to afterschool music program. And I did that and it was, it was, it was really relaxed. It was, it was not even like a serious thing until I developed a real love for it. And that was like starting to do shows outside of that program because the program would put on shows or whatever and we'd perform through there. But then I started forming my own bands and it all developed through there. And I think it just, you know, came very smoothly. You know, 2 (3m 54s): What age are you or when you're in that afterschool program? 4 (3m 58s): I was one of like six or seven. Now, if I'm at max. 2 (4m 3s): Okay. So you guys met at this afterschool thing? 4 (4m 8s): Me and max S I, Sam came at like right when I left and then he met max there. I met Sam. He was like dating somebody that I went to school with and I was kind of in a friend group with, so it all kind of reconnected. And I reconnected with max through that and it was just, yeah. And then max went to high school with him for a year and they were like the only people they had really spoken to at that school. Yeah. It just kind of all came together at once and they formed a band, they needed a singer and they asked me to, to join. 2 (4m 45s): That's awesome. That is awesome. Well, what was the first century learn at this afterschool thing? 4 (4m 50s): Instrument. 2 (4m 51s): Yeah. 4 (4m 53s): So I started singing there and then like by the second, because they would do like, each month was like a, like a theme to show, like we do Beatles or rolling stones or whatever. 2 (5m 5s): So you actually got to do cool songs, like just teaching trash. 4 (5m 9s): Yeah. Do you know the school of rock? 2 (5m 11s): I do. 4 (5m 13s): Yeah. So shows. Yeah. So my first show was the stones and I only saying, cause I kind of came in halfway and I didn't know how to play guitar at the time. Cause I was six years old, but no excuse, but you know, 2 (5m 28s): But still, I mean, that's rad. Have you guys learned those songs, even that young of an age? Right? I mean six. 0 (5m 34s): I actually don't know what made you want to start singing first instead of something else. 4 (5m 39s): It was, it was the easiest thing. Cause I 0 (5m 40s): Mean, I didn't know, 4 (5m 41s): In a sense, in a sense, I mean I sang all the time. I would always like sing at home and then it, it was like, it was a little more than just kind of like humming, like I'd sing all the time I'd done. Like at that point I'd done school talent shows and like, like 0 (5m 58s): That musical theater at that point. 4 (5m 60s): Yeah. I forgot about that. I did musical theater. I forgot about that when I was younger. 0 (6m 4s): That 4 (6m 4s): Makes sense. I did like little shop before the sound of music. And 2 (6m 10s): So you were always interested in that? Yeah. Yeah. It sounds like it. Yeah. 4 (6m 14s): My dad, my, my dad's a musician. I've just always been around it. So it kind of fell into place. And then, yeah, I think by the time, by the time, like I progressed through the school of rock, I started learning other instruments and yeah. 2 (6m 32s): But you said your dad's a musician. Is he like what you did for a career? 4 (6m 38s): No. No, 2 (6m 39s): We just played. 4 (6m 40s): Yeah. That's 0 (6m 41s): Cool. 2 (6m 42s): That's cool though. I mean, he must be stoked that you're you're, you know, succeeding in this industry. I would imagine. Yeah. That's awesome. I will try. How about you? How'd you get the music? 0 (6m 57s): It was like, I was, I don't know. How did I get into music? I mean, obviously I'm an, I'm an only child. So the only real doorway into music I had was just whatever my parents exposed me to. And like, I was super obsessed with what, when I was a kid with the Harry Potter soundtrack, remember my dad got me the soundtrack for my birthday one year, listen to that in the car all the time. But it wasn't, it wasn't, there wasn't any sort of like through line to it, if that makes sense. 0 (7m 48s): Like, I just, I'm just like listening to that soundtrack all the time. And my dad was a big, massive attack fan, so I liked that a lot. 2 (7m 55s): That's rad. 0 (7m 57s): Yeah. He he's, he was into all the trip hop stuff and my mom was super into like earth, wind and fire and slammed the family stone. So I listened to that a lot and like, I mean, like we were talking about earlier, like I was just kind of like all my friends played baseball, so I would, I played baseball and then like, I remember at one point it was sort of like, oh, I'll just do that. That's cool. And my mom had encouraged me to take guitar lessons when I was a kid and I just didn't really like it. I like the idea of me playing guitar because I thought that would make everybody think I was cooler obviously, but I didn't really attach onto it. 0 (8m 42s): And it wasn't until I was 12 or 13 that I was going to hang out with a friend of mine. And he, he told me at the last second that he couldn't cause he had band practice. And I was so gutted because I thought that was so cool. And I felt so just bad about myself. Cause I think even at that point in my life, I think I wanted to be a cook. I want to be a chef. And then when he said, when he bailed on me for band practice, I just thought that was the coolest thing I'd ever heard. And later that day after I was assaulting, he called me again. And he said that his singer didn't want to sing and play bass at the same time. 0 (9m 25s): And for some reason I owned a bass. There was, 2 (9m 29s): But he didn't play it. 0 (9m 30s): I didn't play it. But my friend called me up and he's like, Hey, you have a bass. Right. And I was like, yeah, he's like play it. And I was like, absolutely, I could play it. And then I went over to his house and became the bass player and that, and then I had an identity, which was awesome. 2 (9m 45s): And you obviously, you like the base and continue to play it from there. 0 (9m 48s): Oh, it was cool. Like, like we played like rage against the machine songs. 2 (9m 53s): Damn. That's a good one. As a bass player to quickly 0 (9m 58s): Became like my favorite bass player. Cause I didn't, I didn't even, I didn't think twice about it until like you start learning some of those songs and 5 (10m 6s): Facebook has invested $13 billion in teams and technology to enhance safety over the last five years. Over the last few months, they've taken down 1.7 billion fake accounts. Learn more about their ongoing work@aboutthatfb.com slash safety. 6 (10m 21s): The general insurance presents ordering a sandwich with shack and hall of fame announcer Michael buffer 7 (10m 27s): Beef. What do you want, Michael, 8 (10m 28s): The scanner ready for pest Rami on wrong. 7 (10m 32s): Turns out Michael buffer talks like that all the time. And it turns out the general is a quality insurance company. That's been saving people money for nearly 60 years 8 (10m 40s): Spicy Mustang 7 (10m 43s): For a great low rate in nearly 60 years of quality coverage, make the right call and go with the general, 6 (10m 47s): The general auto insurance services, Inc insurance agency, Nashville, Tennessee, some restrictions apply. 0 (10m 52s): They're really fun to play and, and yeah. And then, and then, and then that, and then, and then I almost immediately started taking that as seriously as I possibly could. 2 (11m 2s): Okay. And you, did you guys say that you both met at that a school of rock or? No, I met max there 0 (11m 10s): Happening was I went to this really awful high school for a year. And 2 (11m 20s): Why was it awful? It was just like a regular school or is that art school? 0 (11m 23s): It was an all boys Catholic school. 2 (11m 25s): Oh, okay. 0 (11m 26s): Which is kind of mind boggling to me that those are still even around, especially in Southern California. Yeah, it was, it was borderline, it was like borderline of conversion camp. It was absolutely the most tumultuous, ridiculous environment I'd ever been in up until that point, Weirdly enough, they also offered a music theory program. It was like the closest I could get to just sort of continuing to pursue it through academia and max was in that class and he was the only other kid that I'd met up until that point that I could remotely identify with. 2 (12m 7s): I see both went to the Catholic 0 (12m 9s): School. Yeah. Max ended up staying there for four years though. He couldn't figure out what else you want. And he started getting busy musically a lot quicker than we did. So he was gone all the time. So it didn't really, he was fine with it, but yeah. So I mean, I mean that, and that was coming up on, that was like nine years ago now when I met max and very shortly after that, him and I started playing together and he had known Sam and that's how I got involved with everything. 4 (12m 35s): You know, it's crazy by 2026, I would have known max for 20 years. 0 (12m 40s): Wow. 4 (12m 41s): That's insane. But on the, 2 (12m 44s): It's not very far away either. You really want to hear it. Wow. Well, were you playing in other bands in Dylan before you guys want to? 4 (12m 52s): We, we had jammed a little bit before, like 0 (12m 56s): We 4 (12m 56s): Had freshman year of high school or something like that. And then our, yeah, this, you know, 0 (13m 10s): Yeah. 4 (13m 10s): Just, I I've been in just a bunch of bands. So like we didn't like released music or anything like that, but it was, you know, I high school, less, I was in bands more, it was like middle school that I really was active playing shows middle school. I kind of took, I mean the high school, I kind of took a break until I junior year. And that's when I joined Lilly. 2 (13m 34s): That's interesting that you were playing more shows in middle school because most kids aren't playing out on. 4 (13m 41s): Yeah. I just, I took my like academics, like a little more. Like I wanted to take my academics a little more seriously, like during high school obviously. Cause it's this really where it matters. Right. I ended up not doing that. 0 (13m 57s): We'd give it a shot though. I remember he took like, yeah, 4 (13m 60s): Well, cause I, I knew I messed up kind of my, like I, I did really well. Freshman year, sophomore and junior year. I really messed up then I didn't like fail any classes, but I just, wasn't not enough to like go to good colleges. So like year I was like, all right, let's get every AP class I could ever imagine on my schedule. And then halfway through, I was like, I don't want to go to college. You know, I didn't have any buyer, so I didn't apply. And then I just kind of, yeah. 2 (14m 32s): Did the band form when you guys are still in high school or 4 (14m 36s): Junior year? 0 (14m 37s): Oh, really lucky. So, you know, cause we were all max, Dylan and I are in the same grade and Sam was a year younger than us. So we got offered a record deal. Our seat, like before we graduated high school. Yeah. 4 (14m 55s): He didn't sign until like, I don't think we signed until like the end of 2017 now, 0 (15m 0s): But it still was like, it was enough for me cause I, I was planning on going and it, but it was enough for me to defer and then I just never went back. 4 (15m 9s): Yeah, we were. 0 (15m 11s): Yeah. 2 (15m 12s): Like how did that all kind of come together where you just playing a bunch of shows in LA and 0 (15m 16s): We're playing as many shows as we could. And, and this, 4 (15m 20s): We set up, we set up our own show at this venue in Hollywood and someone I knew was telling me that, you know, they had a friend who was starting a label and she was pretty young. So I didn't, I took it as like, you know, like a school friend or somebody that was like not very experienced. So I was like, all right, just have them come over. It's like, not that big of a deal, but ended up being this guy, Andrew shack, who is pretty influential in the rap, I guess the rap community. Like the eighties, nineties. 0 (15m 57s): Yeah. I feel like ran priority records for a 4 (15m 60s): Period of time. Wow. 2 (16m 2s): Oh wow. 4 (16m 3s): And he was starting his own label where he really wanted to develop artists. And so he came to the show, wanted to see us. He liked, I guess he liked what we saw. Cause he went to go see us at a proper venue. You can call the smell of proper venue, but it was, it was more proper than the one we had played before. And you know, he liked us. He wanted to meet at his office and we ended up signing. So, or, you know, negotiating the sign. Yeah. 0 (16m 38s): So yeah. So we're just like, we got lucky. 2 (16m 42s): Well, I mean, you're getting signed in your senior year of high school coming out of high school. You obviously differ Charlie, not going to go to college. This is something. And w what do they do for you right away? I mean, how, cause sometimes you'll get, some bands will get signed and then it's just like, okay, now go figure out what you're going to do. Like they, you, there must've been some sort of plan if you're like, I'm not going to go to college. Now 4 (17m 4s): They were eager to get us in the studio. It was just, you know, Charlie and max were in different bands at the time. Like find the space where everybody was comfortable and, you know, getting ready to record songs and whatever, because we had a bunch of songs that, you know, we had written throughout high school and we're like, you know, let's just look more at them. 0 (17m 27s): I mean, cause it was like, there, there was, I forget about that too. Cause if there is, it was as exciting as it was, it was like a highly stressful time too, because max and I were kind of involved with bands that were kind of, they were touring that they yeah, they 4 (17m 45s): Legitimately tour. 0 (17m 48s): So there was this element of like, well I like max and I were kind of on cruise control and it w there was a sense of security and what we were already doing max more so than me, but I still had aspects of that and what I was doing, and we had talked, there was always this sense of like, oh cool. Like we'll just keep doing all these other bands and working. And then once like Lily gets to a place where we're at like the same level or bigger than these other bands. And we'll just kind of like glide Ryan out and over to being in Lily a hundred percent of the time. And it was the stress came from realizing that that was not how it was going to work out. 0 (18m 31s): You know? Like there's no way we could devote the time needed to get Lily to a place where we could just casually jump ship on the other things do that first. Totally. So there was this like a shit, like I do really like Lily, but I don't know. And max had like a panic attack at one point, you know, it got really, but we fucking, you know, we did it cause you know, this was like, this was our band and none of the other bands were our bands. And we'd like, I remember I had a manager call me from one of the other bands that I was in. Cause I had just said like, look, I don't want to do this anymore. Like I just want to do my band. 0 (19m 11s): And he had called me and he was, he was, he was a fucking asshole. He had manage, he would, he was also managing this band. I probably shouldn't say their name just, but he was managing this other band that had like a radio hit around that time. And he was trying, the point of his call was trying to convince me to stay. 2 (19m 38s): Right. He's like, I've got this other band, that's doing radio things. 0 (19m 42s): I'm 2 (19m 42s): Like, fuck I'm to leave this. 0 (19m 44s): I'm like fucking 18 years old at the time. Right. And he's like, oh your story, man. Like, so this, this fucking big band I'm working for. Right? Like their original bass player wanted to quit to join his, to just be in his band. Right. Right. And he ended up quitting to just do his band. And now he is a lifeguard at a public pool. I was just like, fuck you for telling me that like, God damn cause that like just, it scared the shit out of me. Cause obviously 2 (20m 20s): Of course, 0 (20m 21s): Yeah. You're going to be like, oh fuck, great. Like I'm making this decision now I'm going to be a fucking janitor. You know, that's also such a classist thing to say. It was just fucked. The whole thing was fucked. I ended up working out like I, you know, like it was not, it's great. It's all good. Now. Like we clearly made the right decision. Yeah. 2 (20m 39s): Right. But still, I mean to scare you at that, because that would be terrifying, right? Yeah. You don't want to leave because if this does something, but it's not even giving you your band, any sort of credit at all like that, but he's basically saying these guys, aren't going to be able to do anything. So you need to stay with us. 0 (20m 55s): Yeah. I remember even at the same time, like the father of the singer of this other band, I was in confronted me about it too. And fully was just like, yo, if you were in my band, I'd kick your fucking teeth then 2 (21m 9s): Jeez. 0 (21m 11s): It was, it was, it was insane. I mean that 4 (21m 14s): Ultimately at the end of the day, that's just like music. 0 (21m 18s): Everybody 4 (21m 19s): Tries to lead by fear. 2 (21m 21s): Right. 4 (21m 22s): And so you, you, you live your life as a musician being fearful of everything, you 0 (21m 25s): Know, that's why we're terrified of confrontation. 2 (21m 28s): Oh wow. To be threatened like that by somebody's dad would be like, whoa, man, that's pumped the brakes too. Like I'm a child and you want to kick my teeth in because I'm like, yeah, that's pretty nuts. Okay. Well obviously made the right decision. You stay in the band and you goes, they put you in the studio right away. And are you referring to 4 (21m 51s): When we were able to, it was, they were eager. They were eager to put us in the store. It wasn't, we can't, they can't take any of the blame, 2 (21m 59s): But was that what came out as far as like, I can feel anybody in this town was that 4 (22m 5s): I try to emphasize. It was really just everything that we had from high school from junior year til, you know, I mean, even before that, cause I wasn't even in the band when they wrote half the stuff instrumentally. So it was pretty much from sophomore year till that year after high school that we kind of feel like about like three or four years before we actually released anything. You 0 (22m 30s): Know, 2 (22m 31s): Could you put that record out in 2019? Is that what I saw? 0 (22m 34s): Yeah. 2 (22m 35s): So yeah. So that was a while, right? I mean, if you started the band in 2016 and then you said you graduated, what 2017 or something like that, 0 (22m 43s): We put it 2 (22m 45s): In 2019. If you're going in the studio almost, you know, if they're kind of pushing you towards the studio right away and you hadn't even graduated high school yet. So I mean, it sounds like it was, I mean, that's pretty, so they put that record out. Obviously I'm looking just like Spotify numbers obviously. And it's like, you know, a couple of songs have four or 5 million, 6 million plays. Like, was that something that gradually happened or did you have a song that kind of got picked up quickly and got eyes on you? Or like what do 4 (23m 13s): Toro? I pretty much got us. Most of the stuff we did Just because, you know, it's, it's, it's a radio rock song. That's what the, I'm not, not saying it hit radio or anything, but that's sort of 2 (23m 28s): A vibe, 4 (23m 29s): But I love it. And you know, people kind of liked it, so, 2 (23m 34s): And they just find it online. Like how did, how did people find it? 0 (23m 38s): Yeah. I mean, yeah, it kind of found it online. We got a lot of help on that one too, you know, like we've got a lot of playlists or whatever on that river cat core, but 2 (23m 52s): I know cat Corbett 0 (23m 54s): A little bit like 4 (23m 57s): Video did really well to the music. There was a lot of that. It was just, it was purely just an alt rock song that kind of followed that like the trope of an alt rock song. And so I think It did really well. Yeah. 2 (24m 14s): Yeah. 0 (24m 15s): It helped us get to where we are now, you know? Yeah, 2 (24m 17s): For sure. For sure. Were you able to, I mean, Charlie, you said you had experienced touring prior to this band and when was the first time that you guys had a chance to tour as Lily and 0 (24m 28s): It was a November, 2018. We did like five shows with, what the fuck are they called? 4 (24m 41s): Oh my God, this is so bad. Yeah. They have that song. That dude, what the fuck is that song? Oh my God. Or band Bronco. Francia. Broncho. 2 (24m 54s): Oh, okay. Yeah. Wow. That's a, that's a cool band to tour with right away. 4 (24m 59s): We were really excited about it. 0 (25m 1s): Yeah. We really like those guys, but yeah, that we did, we did five shows kind of on the east coast. And you know, we, what was funny about that too, is we, cause I had, like, I had had a few experiences with tour managers, just being really shady and awful. Who I, you know, you kind of just like you show up to the tour, you meet the tour manager then in there and you're sort of thrust into this situation where within like 48 hours, you have to be able to understand if you can hang out with this guy or girl, you know? 0 (25m 42s): And so I'd had so many experiences with these people just being fucking terrible. And so we meet this guy in like a Hampton Inn in Nashville. 4 (25m 51s): We had no previous contact other than this 0 (25m 53s): Guy, he looks like, I don't know. I mean, he's kinda this like long greasy hair, kind of scruffy looking just road, dog. Right. And you know, we go down, I'm like, Hey, I'm, Charlie's like, yo, what's up? I'm Justin. Nice to meet you. And I'm, I'm sorta like, oh fuck. Right. And immediately though, he turns out to be like the chillest guy we have ever met. Right. So we do a few shows with them and him and I were hanging out one night and we just kind of bonded over our love of twin peaks 2 (26m 37s): Right on the show. 0 (26m 38s): Yeah. And then, so we have a few days off in New York when we get to New York and I wake up one morning, it's like 10 30 in the morning and I get a text from Justin. He's like, yo, what are you doing? And I'm like, nothing. He's like, I'm at this Chinese restaurant. Like come hang out with me. Right. And so I get to this Chinese restaurant and he is just like hat on glasses on, in the back booth of this Chinese restaurant just completely hung over. Right. And he's like, Hey, how's it going, man? Like, what's going on? And he's like, check this out. And he pulls up his sleeve and he's got this giant Lily tattoo on his arm. 4 (27m 19s): It's like, 0 (27m 21s): I've known this guy for three days and he's just like, yo check this shit out. Right. Wow. That's amazing. And he goes, well, we're going to go to my friend's house. Like come with me. I'm like, okay. And we walk probably five miles into downtown Manhattan. Right. We get to this super gnarly looking apartment building. Right. I'm like, Justin, what are the fuck? Our weight. And he buzzes one of the apartments and on the speaker, I just hear all these dogs barking. Right. This guy's like, well, who the fuck is it? Right? 2 (27m 53s): Oh man. 0 (27m 54s): It's Justin. And he's like who? And then he gives the guy on the speaker a nickname. Right. And he's like, oh, okay, cool. And he lets us in and we're getting closer to this door where all the dog sounds are coming from. Right. And the door opens and it's Dana Ashbrook from twin peaks. 2 (28m 16s): Wow. 0 (28m 19s): It was, he had, he didn't tell me at all and he opens up the door and he was like, oh shit, what's up Justin? And, and he was the nicest guy I'd ever met. It was so cool. So 2 (28m 30s): That's awesome. Yeah. Wow. That's I thought you were going to say he's in the Chinese restaurant and then like David Lynch's in there or something like that. 0 (28m 38s): That 2 (28m 39s): Was even a hundred thousand times cooler of a story. You have a tattoo, but you're going to, 0 (28m 45s): I forgot to mention that he was home is with Bobby Briggs. 2 (28m 48s): Yeah. That's so awesome. So that was the first tour that you guys had done and then that's crazy. And how has that, I mean, that's a rad story from that touring experience, but what was it like for you, Dylan, that was at your first tour you had ever done? 4 (29m 2s): It was fun. I think it was just a, it was just a nice experience to like, you know, get out on the road and it, it, it went swimmingly. I think there was, I didn't have any issues. Like I wasn't, I didn't run into any problems. 2 (29m 22s): Yeah. Do you feel like that kind of solidified the fact that you were like, this is a band, like we're really signed, like we're really doing something. Yeah. 4 (29m 31s): And then, and then everything followed, you know, we started getting festivals and like actual, full length support tours. And so it was, yeah. It just, everything kind of fell into our laps really quickly. 2 (29m 43s): Yeah. That's amazing. Well, with the, I mean, you had a big record right. In 2019, and then how quickly after that does the pandemic hit and I'm sure that was a big ranch and everything. Cause you probably had some momentum going at that point. 0 (29m 57s): Yeah. 2019 was like a really big year for us. I mean, it was sort of, we were doing stuff up until 4 (30m 3s): We got to live it out. Like it wasn't, it wasn't like we had anything important really set up for the fall of that year. Yeah. 0 (30m 8s): Yeah. Like, like it, we like our whole cycle had kind of really come to its end after December, 2019. So I mean, dude, it definitely like, it definitely killed some momentum, but I mean it killed momentum for fucking everybody. 4 (30m 25s): No, in all honesty though, we were trying to record a record and they didn't really want us to stop touring. So we weren't able to do that ever. So when the pandemic hit, we actually could set aside time to, 2 (30m 41s): To work on work on record. And 4 (30m 43s): I hate to say this because, you know, unfortunately people got really sick and passed away during the pandemic, but it was a blessing in disguise for us creatively and as a band business, whatever. 2 (30m 55s): So you were able to write and record this record over the course of the last year and a half. 0 (31m 2s): We went into the studio I think in July of 2020. Yeah. 2 (31m 8s): Sorry, go 0 (31m 9s): Ahead. No, no. Yeah. And then it, and then it came out October last year. 2 (31m 13s): Yeah. And I mean, or these, it must've been a different vibe though. Cause these are songs that you, that weren't from, you know, sophomore year of high school, all the way to now. I mean, to write all the songs kind of together and like that, like what was that like? 0 (31m 28s): Well, I mean, it was like, I think this record was extremely important for us as a band because it, it just came from a very different place. You know, it was this sort of hyper that sort of hyper kinetic energy that you just have when you're 18 years old where everything, it's almost like a it's like this it's like a, it's like everything sort of has like a gravitational pull to it. You know, like, especially with the momentum of like, okay, we're just out of high school. We have all these songs, we just got a record deal. Like everything just sort of happened so quickly and re and, and, and that you don't have any time to figure out what you're doing or why you're doing it. 0 (32m 22s): You're just so stoked that it's happening. 2 (32m 24s): Right. I mean, it's moving so quickly and you already had these other songs that were working and you have the record that you're pushing. And, 0 (32m 31s): And this other thing too, because like, you know, we're just like a high school band in LA, right? Like your entire musical ecosystem is like the size of a cardboard box. You know, you're not really aware of what is happening culturally with music at all. I mean, I mean, you kind of are in your periphery, but I mean, I don't think re we really were, we were just kind of in our little world and it wasn't until we started going out on tour and meeting other bands and seeing other bands and sort of 5 (33m 8s): Facebook leads the industry and stopping bad actors online. That's because they've invested $13 billion in teams and technology to enhance safety over the last five years, it's working over the last few months, they've taken down 1.7 billion fake accounts to stop bad actors from doing harm, but working to reduce harmful and elicit content on their platforms is never done. Learn more about how they're helping people connect and share safely at about.fb.com/safety 9 (33m 37s): Career builder is made for people who have that thing. You know, those superpowers that make you good at your job, the skills you bring to work and career builder knows those skills make you write for other jobs to higher paying jobs with benefits jobs. You never thought of trying, are you a people person work from home as a customer service rep, are you organized? And like driving become a delivery driver, you have the skills it takes and careerbuilder.com has the jobs to get you hired fast, visit careerbuilder.com. 10 (34m 8s): When so much of life is about the big moments, it's the details in the all new 2022 grand wagon air that makes the small moments truly special. Take joy in American premium design with available Walnut trips and technology like the available 23 speaker Macintosh reference entertainment system. And with seating for up to eight, no detail is overlooked because it's the details that make every journey grand, the grand wagon here, grand adventures return, ragged air is a registered trademark of FCA us, LLC 0 (34m 39s): Getting inspired by other bands and other things that are happening around the world at the same time that we're writing our songs, that you start to think about why you're in a band and what kind of music you want to make and what kind of person you want to be and all that sort of shit. So when we start, when we, you know, when we finally came around to like really writing this record, like we kind of approached it very much, just like, okay, like we're going to do exactly what we want to do. And like, you know, and we ran into, like, we ran into like a lot of troubles with just sort of trying to keep that sentiment of like the kind of like, fuck you. 0 (35m 20s): We're just doing what we want. And I think by sticking to our guns and really trying to follow through with that idea, it brought it, in my opinion, it kind of legitimize what we do a lot more and not even speaking on like the record's behalf, like I love record. And I think it's great, but I just think as like, for people who make music together, I think the process of making this record really did legitimize what we do and how we feel about each other. I don't know if that kind of answers your question 2 (35m 51s): As it does. It does. For sure. And, and it sounds like if the pandemic almost had like some sort of effect on, on the record, You had that much time to sit and be with it, right? Yeah. 0 (36m 2s): I think, I think it did in LA and I think it did in a really a very real-world sense, you know? Like, I, I don't think, cause that's the thing I realized about this band. Like I don't think we, I don't think we internalized stuff like at the, I think we do it in a very passive way, if that makes sense. Like, it's sort of like, okay, yeah, obviously sucks that we can't tour right now. And the state of the world right now just kind of sucks, but like, that's that, that doesn't become the catalyst for us to like, like to funnel that shit into the art, you know, like it's not about the music, isn't a representation of, you know, where, sorry, let me figure out what I'm trying to say here. 0 (36m 50s): The music is that what I mean, when I say passively, it's like, the music is not actively a representation of like what's going on in our own lives and like sort of like funneling these, you know, you know, tribulations and fears and worries about what's happening right now. It all happens very subconscious, 4 (37m 9s): Less serious. Yeah. Yeah. A lot of people, they have this weird sense of anger, which is fine. They can do that, but it's like, then you, then you find people, they write, they start writing songs about the pandemic and you're like, fuck you, you know, 0 (37m 26s): That's exactly the, that's the 4 (37m 30s): No, it's it's to a certain point to where it's like, you know, you can do that, but then you're starting to take yourself too seriously. And then it's just like, 0 (37m 39s): It just becomes, 4 (37m 41s): Just write your own, write your own shit. Just if you, if you calm down, then you're going to probably write the best shit that you'll ever write. Or you don't, I don't know. Fuck. Sorry. Should not be cussing 2 (37m 54s): Know you can cost, man. Okay. 4 (37m 56s): All right. Cool. 2 (37m 57s): Yeah. I, I came from 15 years on the radio where nobody could say anything bad and if it happened, it was like 4 (38m 5s): To say you have a really good radio voice. 2 (38m 7s): I appreciate that. Thank you. I did radio in San Diego at a 91 acts. I dunno if that's how I knew who Kat Corbett is. And I did radio in San Francisco for a while, but yeah, but I like this because I can just chat with people and if somebody cusses and they can do whatever, but yeah, I love it. So that's so cool. Like, I mean, the record's awesome. And I saw you guys playing BottleRock, which is so sick and the line up there is huge. 0 (38m 34s): Yeah. It's going to be great. 2 (38m 36s): Are you guys always, are you writing new music now? Is it something that is constant 0 (38m 40s): We're working on? Yeah. We're working on the next thing right now. Yeah. Cool. We're trying to get out as fast as possible. 2 (38m 49s): Well, you still have the record that, that record didn't come out that long ago. I mean, in October, 0 (38m 54s): I don't feel like, like the shelf life of records these days is just like criminally short. I don't know. 4 (39m 3s): And I feel, I, I feel like, I feel like we have something, I feel like with this record, we're like almost there and this new thing that we're working on. I, I just, 0 (39m 14s): That's better. 4 (39m 15s): I want to get it out. You know what I mean? It's like, it's, it's, it's more, I don't want to say self-aware but more self-realized in a sense. And it's just going to be more of a like continuous song to song record versus like the last one that was all kind of all over the place, which is cool. But that was just kind of the case of spanning it over an entire, you know, two year pandemic. This 2 (39m 50s): It's not a concept, but it flows a bit nicer. 4 (39m 54s): Yeah. There's a lot better from what we have right now, 0 (39m 58s): But yet this, I think this process has been a lot more fun too. Cause the last record I think there was this, there was like a, which was, I was just, I think it was great about it, but there was like a huge sense of eagerness and frustration, which I think like a big, a couple of big motivators for that last record. Cause there was almost this, like, we just wanted to do everything, you know? And there was kind of, I think we were frustrated with ourselves that we didn't want to get pigeonholed into being one, this one type of band. 0 (40m 39s): And there was an eagerness to do it as fast as possible. And this time around, it's just been a lot more relaxed. I just, I don't think we feel like we need to prove ourselves to anybody at this point. 2 (40m 55s): That was going to be my next question. Do you feel like you kind of had that on your shoulders with, with this latest, latest record TV? Not TV 0 (41m 3s): For me? Definitely. 4 (41m 4s): I think you have to 2 (41m 5s): Follow up this big song and everything else, you know, you have some eyes on you and all that. 0 (41m 10s): I mean, honestly, dude, I think, I mean, at least speaking on my behalf, but I feel like I could speak on behalf of the whole band. Like part of my attitude was kind of like, yeah, well fuck that big song. You know what I mean? Like I'm not going to be like, fuck trying to write it like a bigger song. Like I don't want to do that. I want to know there was part of me that just wanted the antithesis of that. 4 (41m 30s): I just wanted like a good song versus big song and you know, the good song could went big, but at the end of the day, it's like I said, it shouldn't be the motivation. I'm trying to write a big song. And I think the, the difference between the first two things versus what we're writing now is the EAP. And both the first record were written out of fear, but two separate fears. The first DP was like, was like, we need to get music out. Like, you know, it's like we got it, we have to do this. Like we need to do something that's safe. 4 (42m 11s): You know, the S the second, the F the first full length record was like, all right, how can we get the farthest away from the, from the EPA and really legitimize ourselves as like a real band, you know, and this thing that we're writing right now, it's so relaxed. And it's just like, let's just make a good record. And there might be some fears in that, but it's not the overarching theme, you know, it's really just let's create a good record without any sort of, you know, talk of no bullshit. 2 (42m 47s): Yeah. Well, I can't wait to hear it. Like I said, I like the record. You just put a release and obviously the EPR amazing, amazing albums, but are you guys going to put weight and put this thing together as an EAP? Or like, obviously the game now, like you said, shelf life is so short. Is that something that you're going to put out a song and a song and a song and a song, and then finally, you know, it'll come out as a full 0 (43m 9s): Piece kind of where we're at with 4 (43m 12s): Whatever, whatever we have. It's just going to, you know, if it's an AP, if it's an album 0 (43m 16s): Great. You know, 2 (43m 17s): Cool. Well, I can't wait to hear it. That's awesome. And I appreciate you both so much for doing this. Thank you so much. Yeah. I have one more quick question. If I can get an answer from both of you, if you have any advice for aspiring artists, 0 (43m 32s): I have any advice for aspiring artists. My advice would just be to not worry. 4 (43m 41s): Yeah. 0 (43m 42s): It's just, it, it doesn't add anything to your life positively by worrying. If you want to do it, just give it a shot. And if it works out, that's fantastic. And if it doesn't, that's okay too. 4 (43m 56s): Like I said before, like, don't take it so serious. Like really just, you know, do what feels right. Obviously, if you want to, if you want to make a career out of this, then you have to like be consistent in writing, but that will come naturally if you really care about it. So I think just take it as less as, not as, not as like a super serious thing in, in the creative sense.