Interview with Young Rising Sons

Hello! It is Adam. Welcome back to bring in a backwards, a podcast where both legendary and rising artists tell their own personal stories of how they achieve stardom. On this episode, we had a chance to chat with Steve Patrick of the band, young rising sons, over zoom video. Steve was born and raised in red bank, New Jersey, and he talks about how he got into music. He's actually a multi-instrumentalist he's the drummer of young rising sons, because there's not a lot of drummers. You said he was one of two drummers, really in his, his hometown. So he kind of had to pick a litter when it came to being in bands. Young rising sons started without a vocalist. When the band was in York city, they're at a bar watching Andy perform actually an acoustic solo set. 4 (2m 13s): They knew that he had to be the singer of their band. So they approached him and some joining the band. They start writing songs in Steve's mother's basement. They put out an EAP, they have huge success with the song high that ends up getting them signed to a major label. And from there basically they're on tour for a couple of years straight. He talks about releasing the next EAP. Having one of the band members quit on them around 20 16, 20 17, the hiatus the band took in 2018 and how during the pandemic, they decided to get the band back together, start releasing songs. They've put out an EAP and their first full length record, which is called still point in a turning world. 4 (2m 59s): You can watch our interview with Steve on our Facebook page and YouTube channel at bringing it backwards. It would be awesome if you subscribe to our channel like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Tech-Talk at bringing back pod. And if you're listening to this on Spotify, apple music, Google podcasts, we would love it. If you follow us there as well, and hook us up with a five star review, 5 (3m 22s): We'd appreciate your support. If you follow and subscribe to our podcasts, wherever you listen to podcasts, 4 (3m 28s): We're bringing it backwards with young rising sons. So I'm Adam, and this is about you, the band, the journey of music and the new record. 6 (3m 38s): Yeah. 4 (3m 39s): Sweet. 6 (3m 40s): Pumped to be here, Adam. 4 (3m 42s): Yeah. So band started in what red bank? New Jersey is that where you're originally from? 6 (3m 47s): Yeah, so originally we started red bank, New Jersey, me and Julian both grew up around that area and played in a lot of opposing local bands essentially. And then, you know, one day decided like everything that the local scene was offering, wasn't really what we wanted to do. And, and kind of joined forces, started abandoned. We were looking for a singer and happened to pop into a place in New York city and just sign and he's singing and we're like, this, this is the guy we need him to sing. So, you know, we, we invited them over for a practice and it was like a very quick like chemistry and we became fast friends. And, you know, as they say, the rest is history 4 (4m 26s): Right on. I did read it. It's interesting. Cause I was, I don't know much about a Jersey or red bank, New Jersey and Sebastian Bach lived there for a minute 6 (4m 38s): From, Yeah. He's one of those guys that like, you would kind of randomly run into my brother a few years back, just bumped into him and like started FaceTiming me. And he was like, he's like, you guys both play music. You should hang out. I was like, yeah, definitely. Yeah. 4 (4m 54s): That'd be amazing. And they filmed the was some of Kevin Smith's early films there too, right? 6 (5m 1s): Yeah. So it's funny. They, I'm not sure it's there any longer. So I've, since I've since moved to Brooklyn, but you know, go back pretty often. I have a lot of family down there and it's like still, you know, where our band is, is from originally. So we like to, you know, keep tabs on everything. But Kevin Smith had a comic book shop there for awhile. And then even the town that I grew up in, which was right outside a red bank on the street I grew up on, he actually, that's sort of like clerks is filmed. Everything is at that, this place quick stop, which is like right down the road. Yeah. That's Kind of a fun, little like hit, like, I'm pretty sure Kevin Smith worked there back in the day. And he used to like sell my milk to my dad when he, when he was like, you know, before he became a director or anything. 6 (5m 42s): Yeah. Pretty crazy. 4 (5m 43s): That is so wild. That is crazy. Wow. Okay. So w with, with music though, you're drummer, was that always your instrument? Is that the first section we learned? 6 (5m 54s): So it's funny. I kind of started, I think the reason why I kind of had a natural knack for like the melody and stuff like that. And songwriting was because my dad would put on queen records and just put me at the piano and be like, hopefully he figures this out. Kind of start tapping some stuff out here and there. But drums after that, like was my main, I begged my parents for a drum kit when I was like 11 years old and kind of just stuck with it. So that's always been like my primary instrument, but I, I do happen to play everything. But when we were forming this band, it was kind of like, all right, no one else could play drums. Steve you're playing drums. And I was like, sure, that sounds great. But you know, I write, I write with everyone, we'd, you know, I could play guitar, bass, piano, and pretty much everyone else can too. 6 (6m 39s): So it's kind of a fun, we'll switch instruments here, here and there, except for drums. They're the one that no one else seemed to figure out yet. 4 (6m 46s): That's funny. That's always the hardest instrument for S to find, like, if you're in a band, it's like the drummer man. I, I put my, I have a son he's turning seven next month and we got him a drum drum kit, like right in the beginning of the quarantine. And I'm like, okay, this kid has way too much energy need to get him something. So we got him a drum set, but he has the electric drums. So Destroying the neighborhood, but he likes it. And I was just thinking like, you know, that's the instrument that you could kind of decide which band you want to play with because the driver's always hard to find 6 (7m 19s): That is, you know, kind of going back to the first question, you know, the band starting in red bank, that's kind of exactly what I did. I, I was one of only two drummers that were in the area in red bank and another, the other one that I've played with a lot, actually, the other drummer was this guy, Jack Wallace, who now is the drummer of DNC and the Jonas brothers. Wow. So him and I, him and I both just kind of were like, everyone's drummer for a little while when we were like 15, 16 years old, it was cool because we were able to make friends with a bunch of really talented musicians and kind of pick and choose the folks that we wanted to play with. 4 (7m 53s): Were you in, were you in drum line or anything like that in school or in the band at school? 6 (7m 57s): No, I saw I was in the band, but I played saxophone and like very quickly discovered that was not my instrument and wanted to make the jump to drums at the, the, my, the teacher that I had at the time was like, just maybe focus on one thing. And I was like, no, those are my instrument. I promise. 4 (8m 13s): Okay. You, did you say your dad was a musician or played? 6 (8m 18s): So he was just a huge music fan. It's kind of a running theme in our entire band. All of us are, are massive. Like come from families who didn't necessarily play music, but were his masks and music fans. And it kind of gave us like a pretty eclectic taste in music. You know, all of our homes growing up, we were surrounded by our family listening to like a lot of Motown temptations, four tops into like classic rock stuff and queen and the Beatles. And it kind of shaped all of us. And it's a big part of how we all became friends, because we all had these kind of similar upbringings and musical families that weren't so much musicians, but were music lovers 4 (8m 58s): And really also pretty supportive of what you guys wanted to do. Sorry. I was playing in a band. 6 (9m 4s): Yeah. We we've been really fortunate in that sense that we all, like, even when we were kids, my parents, especially, I was like, I'm, I'm not going to college. I'm going to go do music instead. And, you know, there was a hesitation, but they were like, okay, if you really love this, like, let's see where it goes. And I think kind of the same for everybody else as well. It's, it's, we're fortunate to have had such a great support system behind us. 4 (9m 30s): You said you guys saw Andy playing at a bar in New York where you living at the time, or he just happened to be playing a set. And he's from the area you guys grew up in, in red bank or? 6 (9m 42s): Yeah. Yeah. So he actually, Andy's originally from Columbus, Ohio, and he was going to school at the new school in 4 (9m 50s): New York sun, New York city. 6 (9m 52s): Yeah. And just was happened. I, he, he was in like another band at the time a bit, but he was going to school actually for a vocal jazz. So I think he was just kind of playing just like one-off set at this, this place that we would always, it was kind of it's, it's now a seven 11, which is sad, but we'd always go in there. And I probably rightfully so. I went in there when I was definitely underage, like all the time. Sorry. And we just happening on him, we saw this guy singing. We were like, wow, he's he just has such a powerful voice. He was able to like, I, I'm not sure if you've ever seen us live, but Andy is just like the one consistent thing every night, his voice is just, it's incredible. 6 (10m 34s): So we were like, we really need to work with this guy. And luckily we vibe, like he wound up being a really cool guy and, and, you know, that's been a fun ride. 4 (10m 45s): Were you guys just like in the city or are you living there at that point? 6 (10m 48s): So, no, we, yeah, we were actually just in the city. We, we would always go. We just, you know, being from Jersey, it's not too far of a ride in and, you know, take the train in, take the ticket drive in whatever we would always kind of frequent this place on, on weekends. I would just kind of pop over because we had a lot of friends that lived in the city and, you know, growing up in like the tri-state, there's so many, so many friends in this area in New York and Brooklyn, it's like, it's impossible to not kind of eventually wind up in New York at the end of the night anyway. 4 (11m 18s): Okay. So once you, you know, you see him play, convince him to join the banner, however that conversation went, what, what's next? You guys start writing songs together, or did you have songs done that you just needed a vocalist for? Or how does the band start? 6 (11m 36s): Yeah, so it's kind of funny. We, we did have some songs that were written and because at the time, you know, Julian and I were playing together and we had another guitar player who was our original guitar player, Dylan, and we had all written some stuff together and just, you know, we kind of presented the songs to Andy, but we were like, you know, we kind of felt that it was unfair to just have a guy come in and just sing the songs that were written for him. And, and he was, you know, is a very talented songwriter. So we had a couple like that and then immediately kind of got into the room and started putting our heads together and writing and realizing how, how kind of complimentary he was to us, because he did have this kind of music theory background. 6 (12m 18s): He went to school for music. The rest of us were more, you know, songwriters from the standpoint of like, it just kind of came out of us and he was able to re refine it all a little bit. So it was a really kind of good combination when he joined them. So then we wrote songs for a little bit and then wound up writing our R like debut EAP that kind of, we just put it out there and it, it clicked and people like them, like, okay, this formula seems, seems to work. So it's been really cool. 4 (12m 46s): Yeah. So you put that EPO out and then quickly, I mean, that's not the song high got massive, you know, exposure and it does amazing. And is that what landed you the guys to deal with then Interscope? 6 (12m 59s): Yes. Yeah. So that was kind of a crazy, you know, cause we just, we got together and like our whole thing was always just like, look, just do what feels right. And natural and just kind of go for it and not really put a lot of pressure around it. And we did and we put out high and, and like all of us, I was still working. I worked at a grocery store and I remember like my phone blowing up and then being like, Hey, so I think we're signing a record deal. Like you should, you have to leave work. So I just kinda was like, okay. Yeah. Which is probably the funniest way to ever quit a job, just talking to my manager and be like, so I have to go, I'm signing to a record company. And they were like, so you'd be back tomorrow. I was like, I don't think I'm coming back ever. 6 (13m 40s): I don't know. 4 (13m 42s): But it was, 6 (13m 44s): Yeah. So yeah, it just kind of was like a wild ride. Like it just from the start, just for whatever reason, it just kinda clicked and, and people resonated with it and we, we just ran with it. It's been really fun ever since. 4 (13m 55s): That's funny that reminds me. Have you ever seen the documentary dig about the Brian Jonestown massacre and dandy? Warhols like touring and stuff. 6 (14m 3s): Like someone recommended that to me. 4 (14m 7s): Oh, it's yeah. It's, there's a part in it. When one of the members of brand Jonestown massacre, they like send them out here. They're going to like sign a deal. I figured out what label it is. So they send them out to sign, to be like the face of the band to sign this deal. And he's got to stay in this hotel and he checks in and he tells that like the girl like asks, you know, what's your name? And he, and he tells her, he's like, oh, I'm blah, blah, blah. And Emma, I'm about to become a real big deal. Like that's his whole thing is like, I'm about to be a big deal. And he starts just, he's just saying it to all these people. It's really funny. And just kind of remind you that I'm about to be signed this record deal. So like, 6 (14m 43s): Yeah. Yeah. It was kind of a weird, I mean, me, especially I'm on the hand a person who's just like, I don't, I don't what's happening. I don't believe any of this. I'm just trying to do what I do and just kind of embrace it. So yeah, it was kind of like a funny conversation to have, 4 (14m 60s): But that's, 6 (15m 1s): That's pretty on brand. I love that. 4 (15m 3s): So you guys, what had some success with the song and then Interscope kind of comes around, like when you, when you put the record out, how do you start seeing success with it? Was it people showing up to your shows? Was it like online? 6 (15m 17s): Yeah. I mean a little little from column a, a little from column B, we originally started working with this guy ship Goodman who really kind of like helped us navigate the music industry to start. Cause we kinda knew nothing. We were just like writing. We literally were writing these songs in my parents' basement and just like drop these songs and like started getting a lot of traction with them. And we saw like, you know, our, we put like high on like YouTube and wound up getting like thousands and thousands and thousands of views within the first like 24 hours. And, and then all of these companies are kind of knocking at your door. So we were working with chef and he really kind of helped us navigate like the initial hurdles of like what the hell is going on. 6 (16m 1s): And then we immediately, you know, Interscope just felt like the right home for us at the time. And we wound up going there and then immediately just kind of got on the road and, and every show we played, we just saw more and more people showing up and seeing the words. And it was really surreal for us. Cause we were, again, like I said, like a multiple for that, we're just like working jobs, writing music and not really expecting any of this. We were just doing it because we love doing it. Like we would, we'd be doing the same thing regardless. Cause it's just, this is what we do. It's what we know best. 4 (16m 30s): Right, right. Wow. So once you, did you ever go back to the grocery store? Was that legit your last day there? 6 (16m 37s): That was my last day there. Like shit I've done it now. Like I showed up, like I think especially after things really kind of like popped off, we toured like pretty much nonstop for the first like year before we were able to take a little bit of time and like collect ourselves and process it. Then I did go there cause I had went home to visit my parents. At that point. It just popped in and just like the middle of the afternoon, it was like, Hey, sorry, I'm late for my shift and my manager, his loss. And he was like cracking up about that. It was cool. They were really supportive and like everyone there was really, really prompt and it was just like a really bizarre thing. Yeah. 4 (17m 13s): That's so cool though. 6 (17m 16s): My dog is slowly trying to find that. Yeah. He's like a pit boxer mix bandit and he's, he's descending. Now's a good time to interfere. Sorry. 4 (17m 25s): All good. I love doing these zoom things because this happens the other day I was interviewing someone in their dog at barking. I'm like, I don't care. Like behind the curtain look to like everything. I love that. 6 (17m 36s): Yeah. That's hanging in my apartment in Brooklyn. 4 (17m 39s): Exactly. Amazing. So on that first EAP is when you did a ton of touring, like you said a year on the road or did you have, you know, that next CP yet? Or were you working on that as you are touring? 6 (17m 53s): Yeah, kind of all at the same time we, we discovered quickly that it, you know, just, just touring on, on that level. We were doing a lot of like radio promo and press and stuff like that. And I think doing it and trying to write music at the same time, like we realized just how difficult it is. So we did have like another IEP that we had started and every time we were home, we were really just in the studio and even on the road, we were still like working and writing and stuff like that. Yeah. So we kind of were like touring nonstop and then we had a little break and then put out that, that second AP, the kids will be fine and just kind of continued, continued like writing and touring for a really, really long time actually. 6 (18m 34s): And then I think it kinda, we kind of hit like a gradual, just like low and all of us. I think we're just a little bit, a little bit just like tired and burned out. And it was just kind of a long time. So we took a little break and then pivoted and then came back and like during the pandemic. Cause we just felt like that was the right time to kind of bring yrs back out there. 4 (18m 56s): Well, on those early, just to touch on that, you know, the radio stuff I've come from radio. I did it for a long time, over 15 years. And just like seeing like, so you were doing like promotional stuff, like where are you playing? Like the shows that the radio stations will put together? Like tell me about that experience. 6 (19m 14s): All of it really. So we, I mean, especially when you're touring, like our day basically consisted of like we would finish a show in whatever city it was say we finished in like Phoenix the night before and the next day we'd have to be in Denver 10:00 AM to do like radio. So we would just pack our stuff up, drive through the night, get there and get to the radio station. You do performance and do an interview. You do all your liners, stuff like that. And you're doing it, you're doing it on like, you know, two hours of sleep and that you slept in a van kind of all bent out of shape. And then yeah. And then you show up and you're trying your best to look like a presentable human being. But it was great. It was an awesome experience. You go there and everyone is just like very pumped to see you. 6 (19m 55s): And it's a really cool, I don't know you, I met a lot. We met a lot of very cool people going to radio stations. Cause they're just fans of music. They're lovers of music and that's why everyone gets into it. So it's like, it was good. It was nice people to be greeted by on like zero hours of sleep. Very high over after driving 600 miles. Yeah, 4 (20m 13s): Sure, sure. I'm curious just because I'm being on the other side of it, you have to have these artists like, like just that you brought up liners. That's funny because I remember having, you know, you'd have to be like, oh Hey, can you do like a, you know, you're listening to blah, blah, blah. And then like, whatever the tagline is or you try to like it, like how annoying does that become? Like it's almost to get the fake like, oh, this is my favorite radio station, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. 6 (20m 42s): I honestly like, it's one of those things that like the charm of it. Cause you, you grow like, you know, you grew writing and playing music and you're always like, man, I wish I could do that. So I feel like the charm of it never really wears off. It always is fun. Like I don't think there was ever a time that we were ever like, like, all right, let me try it again. Like we were just always pumped. Like it was just so easy, so cool to us. No matter how many times you did it. So, but I, you know, I'm sure if you're like, like Billie Eilish and you're doing it a thousand times for however many years, it probably gets exhausting after. 4 (21m 16s): That's just funny. I remember like one of our thing was, is like 'em when I'm in San Diego, I listened to the station. I was on, it was like, have these people a I've never listened to this station and probably are only in San Diego for like a very minimal period of time to play whatever show they have and then they're out. But it's just, yeah, I can imagine being in like, you know, Connecticut or something or I don't, that's not a very good, like some random city and you're like, oh, what are you doing? Blah, blah, blah. I listened to this station that I've never heard of. 6 (21m 47s): Yeah, I was, yeah. When I'm in Kansas city, it's like, we've been there like three times Africans. 4 (21m 53s): They're like, we're only listening to this station 6 (21m 56s): At all times. Yeah. It definitely like I get how it can be a little weird and feel disingenuous, but I will say like just that, just the opportunity to do it and be there and kind of see how they all operate is it was always cool and exciting to us. So we never, we were never like, all right, let's do this. 4 (22m 13s): Yeah. Like you said, once you become too. Yeah. Billie Eilish level where you're like, oh my gosh, I do 6 (22m 22s): That. 4 (22m 22s): Oh no, no, no. 6 (22m 24s): All 4 (22m 24s): Good. All good. What was it like then having, you know, you had an airplay on the radio, like, was that cool to experience that? 6 (22m 32s): Yeah, I think I, cause yeah, honestly there's two moments where it really stuck out to me that were really, really awesome. One was the first time we were all together and we heard it. We, we had just landed in LA and we got in an Uber to go to an Airbnb and we were out there or a couple days before our tour started, so you're getting ready. And we literally got in the car, like put our bags down, like, you know, sat down. And the first song that played on the radio was our song. And all of us were like losing our minds because I think at first we thought that our Uber driver may have recognized us and then like put it on or something. It was with us, but he had no idea. So we're all just going nuts. And I'm like, he's like, what's wrong with these people? 6 (23m 15s): And yeah, we were like filming the radio and like we had to like, like crank up the music and it was really cool. Cause it was the first time that all of us had that, that moment together. It was very surreal. Very cool. And then I would say the second time would be the first time my parents are on the radio. And I remember I stopped home in between tours to go. And it was like the radio station that I grew up listening to. And so I literally stopped home and just to turn my car around in the driveway and I was going to, we're going to go get like breakfast or something like that. And it was playing and like my, my parents, my dad was so proud. He's like yelling to my neighbors. They're like in the driveway, it's like, there's tons of the radio, our neighbors like cool. We don't care things that are really funny, just like a situation. 6 (23m 59s): So those are two, it's always, it's really, really cool. Very surreal. And I dunno, we hit something that we like do not take for granted. It's a really great, great experience. 4 (24m 9s): I love to hear that story. That's so cool. Was it K rock that was playing you guys. Okay. Yeah. I grew up in San Diego and I was on the radio in San Diego and then San Francisco, I think we played you guys when I was in San Francisco, live on a five or now it's like Dan FM or something like that. I don't even know. But yeah, but it's, what's funny to me is, so I interviewed this girl the other day and she has like a new, like Tik TOK hit. Right. And I guess she's doing the radio thing and she was on kiss FM and they asked her like, like, what is it like, you know, with the radio or whatever. And she like total, like gen Z was like, I don't ever listen to the radio, like straight up total. 4 (24m 55s): I was like, oh man, like, that's so funny to hear just being like, that was like the, that's why I love hearing stories like yours. Like it was so cool because you'll either get that or like what the hell is a radio? 6 (25m 6s): Yeah. Just, yeah. There's definitely like, I think, I think my, our generation was probably like the, the last one that was like, this is, this is so cool. Yeah. Like your parents listened to it, stuff like that. So you're around it more. Yeah. I'm sure Jen like all these like Tik TOK, like gen Z kids are probably like, who's listening to that radio. 4 (25m 26s): Yeah. What is a dinosaur that's in the car? Like I thought that was just some SOS thing. 6 (25m 34s): The music on NFTs now 4 (25m 38s): That's funny. Yeah. It's like, I guess if you, I mean the now would be like, if you've got playlists that are like editorial playlist, which is, but I think that's so much more powerful, but to be honest, unless you get picked up by all stations anyway. Sorry. I keep cutting you off. 6 (25m 54s): No, no, absolutely. Yeah. I mean it's now it's kind of funny, it's it? It's really great in a way, because it is kind of the sum of all parts and there's so many different ways to kind of get your music out there. And that's a really exciting thing too. So it's like, it does, it's opened up. I still don't like radio, especially if there's, I think, you know, most people are still listening to radio more than you think. It's like, I think we see it in such a little like bubble the, like you go outside and ask any random stranger. They're like, where do you find music? And they listen to the radio in their car. They're not like, unless they're like a huge music lover like you or me or someone else. Like, I feel like most people just they're like, yeah, just play. Whatever is going to, you want to play in a man, I'll listen to it. So there's really great discovery tools out there from, from, you know, apple music to Spotify, to radio, to whatever 4 (26m 41s): It is really interesting. I mean, prior to the pandemic, this is when I did, I stopped doing radio, like kind of when the pandemic was going. But it's interesting. Like when I had stopped that was like still the number one place, people discovered new music and I'm like, how is this where people are discovering new music? Like, it just blew my mind. I still couldn't like grasp it. And I was in the industry. I'm like, I don't understand this. Like, Yeah. But it's like, you have to also look at it. Like you can't cater to the music lovers because there's not, I mean the music nerds, I guess more, it would be like me and then people that are just kind of fans are laving on as background music. That's more the norm than somebody that's like really invested in it 6 (27m 25s): A hundred percent. Oh yeah. Like something like you were, you or me are going to, like, there could be no ways to find music and we're going to find music like at exactly the regular person is just like path of least resistance. Just play it for me. I want something I can move my hips to while I cooked something in my kitchen and not have to think about it. Yeah. And that's great. And that's why, that's why radio is such a powerful tool. It really is. It's amazing 4 (27m 51s): With then you guys put a record on 2016 undefeatable two plus two. 6 (27m 56s): Yeah. So that was, yeah, that was kind of like a single with a couple additional songs that we wanted to put on there. Yeah. And that was, I feel like just kind of like a, a strange, strange time for us. It was like kind of right. As to give everyone like a history on our band, our, our guitar player, who was like one of the founding members with me, I left the band on like really good terms. We love him. He was just ready for something different in his life. And I think a little bit burned out on, on like doing the band thing and wanted to pivot to being a songwriter. And we like were very supportive, but it kind of left us for a little bit trying to kind of reposition and, and, you know, figure out like, okay, like, do we go forward as a three-piece? 6 (28m 40s): Do we go forward as this? And it was like kind of our first elephant do just being a three piece and like kind of, kind of launching things like that. And so we put on undefeatable and then like shortly after that, we, we already knew max who was our current guitar player and started working with him and realizing, you know, what he kind of brought as a songwriter as well. And it helped us in a way, I think kind of figure out exactly who we were because, you know, you changed the recipe a little bit and suddenly you're, you're not really sure exactly what you are or what your like Sonic capabilities are. And it was kind of like a tumultuous, but really fun time to kind of rediscover who we were as a band. 6 (29m 21s): And that, that was kind of the start of it, I think, with that track. 4 (29m 25s): And then you guys put out a few, a handful of singles, right. Guitar player. And was it different writings as with a new member in there or? 6 (29m 34s): Yeah, definitely. I think just max as a guitarist has just a completely different like background and the things that he likes to play. And, and I think our music is because it is alternative music is so guitar driven that it was like kind of fun to, to have him come along. Cause I feel like a lot of stuff in the past was like very rock like influenced, but very folky at the same time. And, and max kind of came along as he's like obsessive Motley crew and all of these really kind of like fun, like eighties rock bands. So he's a little bit more hands-on and like the heavy guitar parts and stuff like that. So it was kind of like a cool time, like figuring out exactly what, what worked sonically for our band, but also would allow everyone to kind of showcase the things that they're interested in musically 4 (30m 22s): And then around what, like a year in or so couple of years in is when the band takes a hiatus for awhile. 6 (30m 30s): Yeah. Yeah. So we, right before that, we had released sad and then, you know, I think we all were just kind of tired. We had toured non-stop for essentially like what, at that 0.4 or five years, it was kind of relentless touring and releasing music. And we stopped when we started the band and like things on it popped off, we were just kind of kids. And then we were like all a little bit older. They're all slowing down a little bit. And just wanting to kind of like take a little bit to kind of focus on other things and, and wound up actually being really cool for us. We kind of started a new project temporarily and just were like, we're just going to write everything, produce everything ourselves and, and just kind of let it be a very loose project that has no expectations, no nothing, because you know, after five years of doing one thing, it's like, there's a certain sound that people expect premium a certain everything we were like, we'll just let this be what it is. 6 (31m 26s): And it really kind of taught us Andy in particular, how to just self produce everything and find the sounds that we were looking for. And it was really, really great. Then the pandemic started and we were like, all right, the world needs young, rising sends music back. Cause things just felt really grim, really dark. And we're a band who just always, really tried to lean into like finding the, the optimism and everything. And like even when you know, our songs are, are a heavier subject, our whole thing is always looking at it as like a glass half full kind of thing. So it felt like an appropriate time to come back. And we saw resell that even in like our numbers, like we looked at our Spotify streaming numbers and they were just steadily climbing after we did nothing as that band for a year. 6 (32m 12s): And then we were like, okay, people need this right now. So we decided to just kind of like launch and come back and we felt re-energized and refreshed and kinda more capable than ever. We were like, we didn't, we, and, and in, in that process in between, we had left Interscope and stopped working with our, one of our longtime, like producers. And we were like, we're just going to do this ourselves and do it the way we did when we first started in the band, which was just like write songs in my mom's basement, which we still do, which was like, yeah, she's like the biggest supporter of we have a studio in Brooklyn now, but you know, we'll still go down there and just write some songs in the basement. That's like, you know, all the time and all the things and pass, but we it's like the more things change, the more they stay the same. 6 (32m 54s): And it was, it was kind of like really nice and refreshing to get back to our roots. And, and that was kind of a big way in how we created this, this newest album and kind of all the singles we released in between. So that's been really, really a fun journey, if anything else 4 (33m 8s): That's amazing. And this is what your first like real full length album, right? 6 (33m 13s): Yeah. Yeah. It's a long time coming. We've been telling fans it was coming since 2015, which like, you know, challenging, like, you know, being on a major label and kind of bopping around and doing that. It's, there's a lot more politics involved in that stuff. Not, not like I don't mean it in a negative way. It's just there it's a different animal, 4 (33m 34s): Right? 6 (33m 34s): Yeah, exactly. So this was like, finally we were like, okay, we have a ton of time. We're not touring. We're not doing anything. We're going to sit down and we're going to rent. And now it's, well, we have like, basically like forties unreleased songs at this point. So we could drop another two full albums in the next like month. If we wanted to, it's been, it's been really cool to kind of like pick and choose stuff and have the time to, to find the cohesive songs that really worked together and tell the story that we're trying to tell. 4 (34m 3s): And we're a lot of these because you put out some songs in 2020, and then you put out another EAP, right. Swirls, another Group of songs and 20 last year, 2021. And now you have a full record out, like, were these all songs from the same kind of, or is it just like, okay, we're going to write, write, write, write, write, and then we can clump these together that needs together. Or these started after maybe swirl or after some of those earlier singles came out. 6 (34m 28s): It's kind of funny. It's like a little bit of all of that. I think we, for each like body of work that we had, like from, from swirl to the album, now we had an idea of like the, the types of songs and the content of the songs that we wanted to have on each like release essentially. So we kind of worked backwards from that, like, okay, this is our general game plan. These are the things we want to write about for this release, for this release to kind of tell a story and, and to also have like a cohesive thought process on all of them. And then they were kind of written all over the place, knowing that like, these are the dates we want to release them. 6 (35m 8s): And these are the songs. And like the things that were kind of as like funny how we, we almost work backwards from having like a general game plan. And then I started writing songs and then we're like, oh, this song doesn't belong on either of them, but this song is really good. Okay. How do we make this work? And it was just kind of like a, a fun exercise on our own of just trying to create and create, create, create, and then kind of figure out a home for the match. So, yeah, we, it just, it was, I feel like a fun grade of process that was kind of for, for us, like just something we had never had a chance to do before, and really be thoughtful about everything and not be touring the entire time we're doing it in a long time. So it was really a nice 4 (35m 47s): That's awesome. And with the, with the record, are you guys doing a tour to support it or? 6 (35m 52s): Yeah. So it is, it is something that's in the works. I think just like post pandemic touring is like the hunger games. It's like crazy. Like you, you try and get like a venue and they're like, okay, there's like 17 holds on this venue. And like for this specific day, good luck. And you're just like, all right, hopefully they pick us up. It's in the works. I think things now are opening up more and more and more. And it is definitely a plan to tour this record. Cause I think for us live shows are like our bread and butter. It's the thing we really love the most aside from writing and creating and like putting songs out there, it's just being able to perform those songs and, and in front of people who like connect with them and sing lyrics back to us, that's like, that is the highlight of our entire life. 6 (36m 38s): It's why we do what we love doing that that's the best part. Yeah. So we're really, really pumped and looking forward to it. So it's in the works. I promise. 4 (36m 44s): Awesome. Awesome. Well, thank you so much for doing this, Steve. I appreciate it. I have actually two quick questions. One is if you've thought of investing in maybe like some Velcro shoes, but I did see that you haven't had an issue with tying 6 (36m 59s): Your 4 (36m 59s): Shoes. 6 (37m 1s): It's not every single one of those photos is statement by max. There's like hundreds of them. I'm not even kidding. I don't know what it is. And I actually, I know exactly what it is. I refuse to have ever double knot my shoes. And I also have this like weird thing when, when we're like sitting down in the studio and we're like talking, I tie my shoes like loose just cause I don't want them to be too tight. And then we all get up and we start walking somewhere and I forget that I like didn't tie them well. And then I'm like, I gotta, I gotta, I gotta put these in sport mode right now. It's probably time to Velcro shoes. 4 (37m 37s): That's awesome, man. I just saw that Instagram post I was dying. I'm like, cause I clicked it and I'm like, and I was viewing it on my computer. So it wasn't like, I was like, oh, this is fun. There's a few. And then it's like so many, 6 (37m 48s): There's so many, there's definitely gonna be like a part two and three. It's embarrassing, but this is who I am. 4 (37m 55s): That's so good. And my last real question is if you have any advice for aspiring artists. 6 (38m 2s): Oh man. Yeah. I think especially with like songwriting and creating music and everything is just, don't be afraid to be herself. And I know that's super cliche and it sounds so stupid, but I think that's what people gravitate towards. Like, especially in a world today where there are so many different formats to consume music and, and like everything is so content-based where it's like video and Tik TOK and YouTube and podcasts and any of that. So I think people are very like fans and viewers are very smart and they can see through any contrived BS nowadays because there's so many formats to really experience who people are. 6 (38m 43s): So just be yourself. That's the most interesting thing in the world. And people really genuinely will connect with that because everyone just wants to feel like they're kind of accepted. And I feel like songwriting is the same thing. It's like you write the things that mean something to you and people are going to connect with it because everyone's watching