Interview – Hypnotic Bolt

Hypnotic Hangout: The Criticals

Cover photo by: Brittany Hernandez

Nashville’s newest rock band, The Criticals, just stepped onto the ‘touring band’ scene. Formed by Parker Forbes and Cole Shugart in 2019, the band has already reached multitudes of success with their songs, “Treat Ya Better” and “High Life Clinic”.

We had the opportunity to get a glimpse into their start and new life as a touring band. Forbes and Shugart invited us to sit down with them at their show in the small but forgiving town of Bowling Green, Kentucky.

What were your major influences growing up vs. now?

Shugart: Ultimately Parker and I had parents that had very good music collections and we grew up in the era of iTunes so our records are all over the place. The record that really brought Parker and I together was The Stone Roses’ self-titled album.

Forbes: I used to go to the library in Nashville and check out as many CDs as they’d let me. It would go from hip-hop to pop to rock to country, I loved it all honestly.

What was the first concert you went to?

Shugart: Mine was James Taylor at Starwood when I was 3. It was an amphitheater that used to exist in Nashville.

Forbes: Mine was in Memphis and I saw Justin Timberlake and Timbaland in 2006.

If you could go to any concert, which one would it be?

Shugart: Plant and Page, I would love a Led Zeppelin reunion.

Forbes: Elton John, he’s probably my favorite artist ever.

Desert island bands?

Shugart: Jane’s Addiction, David Grey, and U2, that’s a big catalog.

Forbes: Elton John, LCD Soundsystem, The Beatles.

Shugart: (laughing) Wait, I change mine from U2 to The Beatles, that’s a pretty good one.

Can you explain a little about tour life and how it’s been for you guys on the road?

Forbes: We’re finally just starting to do it. We thought when we were 18 we’d be doing it right out of high school. It gets tiring sometimes but we’re all best friends so that’s very nice and we always hang out with each other in Nashville when we’re not doing stuff so it’s not a business transaction when we go on tour. It comes down to the experience of all of it.

Shugart: I’ve had a pretty good time honestly, no complaints.

Forbes: At the end of the day, you’re out there to play shows and spend time with people.

Any favorite cities that you’ve played in?

Both: New York, baby!

Shugart: Yeah that was a pretty surreal moment for us.

What are some artists that you would want to work with in the future? Music-wise? Tour wise?

Shugart: The dream producer for me is obviously Rick Ruben and probably Mark Ronson. As far as other artists, I would love to do a feature with Lil Yachty or Playboi Carti or someone like that. Like a disco track with Travis Scott or something would be sick.

What is the progression of your band?

Forbes: We played in a bunch of different bands together and we practically grew up together. I’ve known him (Shugart) for over half my life.

Shugart: We met at a camp called ‘Kids on Stage’ in Franklin, TN when we were 11.

Forbes: I originally started out as a drummer, I didn’t start singing until I was 15 or 16. After going to school in LA for two years, I decided my goal when I got home was to start a kick-ass rock band. I hadn’t spoken to him (Shugart) in a while so I hit him up and we began playing together again.

How did you come up with the band name?

Forbes: I was watching tv late at night and a Life Alert commercial came up with the flashing words critical, critical, critical. And I worked with that.

What does your songwriting process look like?

Both: It’s different every single time.

Forbes: We’ve had songs where we sit and record it all in one day and others we’ve worked on tirelessly.

Shugart: Sometimes the idea happens and it takes a while for the rest of it to come together.

Forbes: Like with (the song) “1952”.

Shugart: Yeah that was originally two songs that we framed inside together.

Final Thoughts

Nashville has been long overdue for a solid rock band, and The Criticals are more than anyone could have hoped for. Their music takes you back to a generation that younger rock fans wished they lived through.

They have perfected the craft of mystery, sex, drugs, and rock & roll. Each song leaves you with a craving for more of the sound they have created.

When it comes to a live performance they are nothing short of entertaining. With a timeless edge and alluring energy, The Criticals are bringing back rock one gig at a time.

You can stream The Criticals on all streaming platforms as well as follow them on Instagram to stay up to date with their music and upcoming shows.

Authors: Jenna McGuff and Brittany Hernandez

New Album Release: Vista Kicks

Originating from California, Vista Kicks surprised listeners when they released their third full length album, Chateau Mae Mae on April 10th.

Comprised of Derek Thomas (lead vocals), Sam Plecker (guitar), Trevor Sutton (bass), and Nolan Le Vine (drums), Vista Kicks had the opportunity to write alongside singer-songwriter Audra Mae.

Oklahoma native, Audra Mae has made a name for herself in the world of music. By collaborating with and writing songs beside various musicians, Mae is a very well respected artist.

Spending their summer months writing in Music City (Nashville, TN), the members of Vista Kicks and Mae collaborated to produce Chateau Mae Mae. Combining Mae’s soulful folk sound with Vista Kicks’ classic rock sound, this album caters to all music lovers.

We had the opportunity to ask the members of Vista Kicks and lead singer, Derek Thomas some of our most pressing questions about the release of Chateau Mae Mae.

Open up your windows, allow the sunlight in, close your eyes, and let Chateau Mae Mae transport you to a different time.

How is this album different from anything you have released?

VK: On all of our other releases, we’ve written as a unit- just the four of us. The main difference about Chateau Mae Mae is that we co-wrote every song on the record between ourselves, Audra Mae, and different Nashville writers Natalie Hemby, Madi Diaz, Kerr Harrison, Benjy Davis, and David Borne.

What were some of your main inspirations for this release?

VK: Really, the experience of being in Nashville. Audra flew us out, housed us, and invited people over to write songs breakfast, lunch, and dinner for two weeks straight!

I guess something about lowering our walls and allowing outside people into our headspace…that was the inspiration for this release. A group effort that is something way different and way more than the 4 of us (or 5, including Audra) could have created alone.

How did you meet Audra Mae and decide to collaborate with her?

Thomas: We knew Audra from Los Angeles. She lived nearby and we’d hung out with her multiple times before she moved to Nashville.

A few tours ago, we were passing through Nashville and she came to the show, we invited her to come sing with us because Sam had been sick and he couldn’t sing for a few days. She had to postpone her flight plans and instead of departing from Nashville, she agreed to come with us to Memphis and leave from there.

While listening to songs and talking about life, I suggested it would be cool to someday make a record together. We both agreed and thought the other wasn’t serious, so we let months go by before reaching out again.

In May, I called Audra and said, “Are we doing this thing or what?” She laughed and said, “Hell yes we are.” She took it from there. Sam and I hopped on a plane and stayed with her for two weeks. No plan, no songs written, no real idea of anything. “I guess we’ll see what happens.” I said to Sam on the plane.

What was the process of writing this album and working together with Audra Mae?

Thomas: Every day at Audra’s house was packed with writing songs, cooking food, going out to bars, staying up till the sun came up, and lots of laughter.

We took any and every opportunity to make a song out of this and that. It was an inspiring time. It felt like a magical two weeks. Like a dream come true, writing with Audra and all of her friends who are now also our friends, the experience was a gift.

We didn’t think we were making a record, I think in the beginning we thought it would just be fun to make a song or two. By the end of two weeks, we had written over twenty songs.

What was your experience like writing these songs in Nashville?

VK: It was intense! Writing on the level we did… I think over those two weeks in Nashville, we wrote 20-25+ songs. But like we said, we were writing about 3 a day, one for breakfast, lunch and dinner. That’s how that city works though… they’re songwriting machines out there. In Vista Kicks, we consider ourselves songwriters over singers, musicians, whatever… so you could imagine how inspiring it was for us to be there.

Do you feel that your sound has changed in any way because of this collaboration?

VK: Totally. I really feel a sense of maturity and growth when I listen to Chateau Mae Mae. There’s more confidence in the vocals and everyone’s playing. I think writing an album with other people challenged us in new ways but it was also reassuring and exciting to be working with such great writers.

Since not a lot of listeners knew that you were releasing new music, what made you decide to keep it a secret until the release?

VK: There was a lot of question on how we were going to release the album. I’m not sure we kept it a very good secret because we played “While we still have the time” on tour the last year or so and had Audra open a show at The El Rey singing tunes from the record haha.. Ultimately, we decided it was such a special piece of music that it just deserved to be out and listened to. This year we signed on with some new publishing and wanted to release it with them and that just happened to fall during this whole covid-19 pandemic.

What do you want your listeners to know about this release and what it means to you?

VK: Take the record as you want: we think the record is great and we’re all proud of it! We think we’ve raised our own personal bar of songwriting, recording, production etc… We took a lot of side steps from our normal tendencies… but that’s what it’s all about! Change and growth. We started recording again this last February for the next VK album — It’s fun to see how the the Nashville record has clawed into us. We’ve definitely learned some new tricks that we’re going to take along the way…

FINAL THOUGHTS

Vista Kicks is one of the very first bands that we ever wrote about on this blog, so this album was a very special and long awaited one for us and for many dedicated VK fans. Chateau Mae Mae is different from previous albums that they have released, but is a work of art nonetheless.

This album offers a perfect blend of heartfelt ballads and textured sounds. It’s a softer album from the “Marceline” band, but the vocals from both Vista Kicks and Audra Mae are flawless and passionate. Audra Mae’s addition to the album is a game changer, and brings an effortless tone to the table.

You can stream Chateau Mae Mae on all music platforms. You can also follow Vista Kicks and Audra Mae on Instagram for updates and other content.

We hope you’re all healthy and safe. Don’t forget to wash your hands and support your local bands!

Hypnotic Hangout: Briston Maroney

‘Hangin Round’ at taco bell

It was 1AM in Asheville, North Carolina and a cool breeze swept through the Taco Bell parking lot. The purple fluorescent lights lit up the sidewalk. The only noise was the passing of cars, and Briston Maroney clearing his throat as he sat down next to us on the curb. After playing a packed show at the Mothlight, we were able to sit down with the Knoxville native to get a little more insight on Maroney and his music.

We briefly discussed his tattoos and their stories before jumping into our real questions. Pointing to his black inked outline of Texas, he laughed, “This one is probably my favorite, by far”.

Of course, we needed to know where his passion for music is rooted, and what inspires him to write such personal verses. He adjusted his navy blue hat and scooted a little closer to us, “My grandpa turned me onto a lot of country music when I was younger like Waylon Jennings and Townes Van Zandt,” he laughed before saying, ” I was and still am into that kind of folkier country music. I’ve always wanted to be a cowboy. I have the tattoo and the boots so maybe by 25 I’ll either become a cowboy or just hang up the hat”.

When you listen to the “Caroline” singer, you almost feel as if he opened up your journal or crept into your thoughts and just wrote songs about your worst break-up or deepest fears. We asked,

“So, we want to know about the song writing process but more specifically the emotions that are going into every line. Do you have to be in love to write a song about being in love? Do you have to be going through something difficult in order to write on that experience? Is it more based on feelings or more expeirence based?”

He nodded his head silently, looking at the gravel beneath our feet. “I feel like songs that last and that are genuine are true feelings. I think you can write a love song about being in love in the moment, but I believe you have to have felt those feelings and be wanting to feel those feelings. For me, it’s hard to not make it personal. There are amazing artist who have the ability to just pull words that make sense without having to feel all of that [feelings] in the moment. I just can’t.”

‘SMALL TALK’

Maroney recently went on a UK tour with the Wallows, we were curious to know how this might have shifted his career as a whole, “How do you feel this affected your career and was it a big stepping stone for you?” Maroney responded with “Short term and long term it changed a lot of things for us. It was really important for us as people.” Maroney revealed that he feels closer to his band mates because of these experiences on the road.

Indiana

Maroney released his third album, Indiana on May 17th, 2019. So of course we had to ask, “What does Indiana mean to you compared to the other albums you’ve released?” Maroney went on to explain It was the first one they signed with Atlantic Recording Co.

“It was four songs that I had written in a period of time when I was living with my mom in Florida. Those songs were about living there with her and moving back to Nashville. It was the end of an era and it was an awesome experience to make.” He continued with “I feel like it was the first step towards speaking for what I want to stand for.”

Desert island bands

After much consideration, Maroney carefully chose these three musicians to be stranded on a deserted island with:

Neil Young
Jimi Hendrix
Graham Nash

A special message from briston

Going into this interview we knew that Maroney is an enlightened person and we wanted to convey any messages that he wanted to give to our readers. “I want people to feel relieved when they listen to this music to know that someone else is feeling the way that they feel. Life is complicated and people experience really intense things. I want it to be a symbol of sharing intense experiences {his music}.”

“And finally what do you want your listeners to know about anything?” Briston smiled and replied “My phone number.” We both laughed thinking he was joking. But then he went on to say “865-291-7761, you can text me if you want. Life is pretty short and I’m trying to put my feelings to the side for a little bit, and be nice to everyone.” He started laughing and said genuinely ” I want them to know my effing phone number.”

What’s next?

Briston Maroney is currently on his first head-lining tour in Europe and America and has recently released a new single “Chattanooga” which you can find on all music streaming platforms.

A Hypnotic Hangout: Bedon

“Untitled”

Greenville August 9th- Bedon Lancaster and his band were getting ready for their show at the Radio Room. While on their tour through the south, we had the opportunity to sit down and talk with the “Lazy Eyes” singer about his music.

Not “Tired Tired Tired of Talking”

When asked about his major musical influences, Lancaster replied with some of his favorite artists: Pinegrove, Bon Iver, and Whitney. He then went on to explain why these artists were so unique to him and how they play an important role in creating his music. “They’re very formidable songwriters with amazing music behind it. I love music that you can just get lost in.”

Lancaster explained that besides his musical influences, he writes most of his songs based around relationships and the people around him. He revealed that he takes in the energy surrounding him, internalizes it, and uses it for his music.

Band on the run

Because of his crazy touring schedule, the “Mooky Blaylock” singer has played a variety of shows. Ranging from house shows to college shows, Lancaster let us in on his favorite type of crowd to perform for. “I love any show with an audience who is there to participate. We’re going to do our thing no matter what, we’ll still have our show, but having people jump up down and go crazy is what really makes the show.”

Deserted Island Bands

Lancaster didn’t hesitate when we asked him what his three deserted island bands would be. With his diverse taste in music he replied with:

Pinegrove
Bon Iver
Originally Sturgill Simpson but wisely changed to Led Zeppelin

“look how We’ve grown”

We have been anticipating new music from the “Untitled” singer for quite some time now, and he revealed to us that he is expecting to release an album in February of next year. Coincidentally the date that Lancaster has chosen is a palindrome which in our opinion makes it worth the wait.

Final Thoughts

Bedon is an artist who isn’t afraid to experiment with new sounds and outlets. He proves this by utilizing various instruments in his music and performances. Reigning from Oxford, Mississippi, this group puts on an amazing show while goofing around and smiling the whole time.

Lancaster wants his listeners to know that you can call him Don or Be-don. He laughed and said, “It’s pronounced Bedon, but I don’t really care. You can call me whatever you want.”

Make sure to follow Bedon and his crew on Instragram and social media to stay updated with any upcoming tours and releases!

A HYPNOTIC HANGOUT: WHITEHALL

DOWNTOWN ALIVE!

JUNE 27, 2019– Downtown Greenville, SC was crawling with people; all of them rushing towards NOMA square for Downtown Alive!, a weekly festival hosted by the Metropolitan Arts Council. People crowded around a stage as Whitehall, an idie/rock band from Charleston, began to play.

The sun was beating down on the band as they played, but this didn’t stop the band from keeping the energy and crowd up. Many people began to dance around and cheer as the band played some originals like, “Flammable” and “Vacation Home”, and a few covers like “Dear Prudence” and “Stacy’s Mom”.

This group of four guys brings a type of energy that you can’t resist being apart of. They all contribute to the spark of happiness you get when you listen to their tuneful music. Their vigour combined with their sound, makes you want to bounce out of your seat and dance around.

NOT SO ‘WASTED’ TIME WITH WHITEHALL

Lucky for us, we got the opportunity to speak with the Ocean Fiction band and learn a little bit more about who they are.

The Charleston natives all met their freshman year of College of Charleston, and they have been a inseparable ever since. The reason they began the band in the first place is because of a previous member who thought forming a band would be cool (And he was totally right).

The name for the band was actually the hardest part of forming the band. Their lead singer Paddy laughed and stated, “We all had tons of ideas, but none of them were good. They were all awful, actually”.

The second part of forming a band would typically be finding the right sound, but accoring to their guitarist, Avery, they all contribute something, and it feels natural. He said, “When I listen to music, I listen to the actual music part and not much of the lyrics, and I appriciate that more. But, some of us are more into the lyric’s meaning. So, we all find something that inspires us and we go from there”.

DESERT ISLAND BANDS

We have a new segment where we ask bands what three bands they would want to be stuck on a desert island with. For Whitehall, a lot of thought went into their answers. Each of them had ideas for the vibe of their deserted island so they chose wisely. These are their answers:

Avery (guitar): The Clash, Pile, and Kendrick Lamar
Davis (drums): Dave Grohl, Katy Perry, and The Beatles
Paddy (vocals and guitar): John Mayer, Tom Petty, and The Rolling Stones
Brennan (bass): Miles Davis, Guns and Roses, and Queen

FInal Thoughts

Whitehall is a band made up of four of the sweetest guys, who make the grooviest tunes. They just finished up the second part of their ‘Pamplemousse’ tour. But, until their next tour you can stream their most recent album, Ocean Fiction and all of their other stuff on ALL music platforms.

A Hypnotic Hangout: Illiterate Light

Georgia Theatre 5/9– The Illiterate Light duo ended their set with “Growin’ Down” and walked off the stage while the crowd cheered. Their initial thoughts are filled with excitement and positivity about their performance. We got to sit down and talk with Jake (drums, vocals) and Jeff (guitar, vocals) in Athens while they were touring with Shakey Graves.

Mission Accomplished

Illiterate Light is a rock duo from Virginia and their music has been spread far and wide since we last saw them in December. From recently playing Shaky Knees, to upcoming festivals like Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo, Illiterate Light has grown immensely.

After the show, Jeff described to us that “It’s an interesting feeling to play to hundreds of people who have no idea who we are. You kind of have to win the crowd over a little bit.” They make it their mission to impress the crowd with their set. And we believe that they did just that. After seeing them open for Post Animal a couple months ago, we fell in love with their sound and that encouraged us to learn more about them and download their music. At the end of their set on this night in Athens, the crowd was clapping and in awe of the musical ability that these two people possess.

Illiterate Light makes an effort to hang out by their merch table and talk to people after their set. They relayed to us that they really enjoy meeting new people and spreading their music to others. So, if you ever want to chat with these guys, you know where to find them!

Inspirations

Many different artists, have influenced Illiterate Light’s music. Jeff described that he is most inspired by artists like Flaming Lips, Led Zeppelin, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Foo Fighters. Jake explained that he has been listening to a lot of St. Vincent, SZA, Kendrick Lamar, and Big Thief recently. Jeff described that “Artists like Neil Young, Fleet Foxes, My Morning Jacket, and Wilco were my go-to. I really wanted to craft my musical vision based off of these artists.”

Jake told us that he likes to mix aspects of various performers in order to find something that fits with the music that Illiterate Light creates. “I have a really strong love for very weird performers. We like to have the energy for sure and have fun.”

“It sets us apart”

If you’ve ever seen this band live, you have probably seen the beloved floral crop top that Jake wears. One thing that stood out to us when we first saw them, was that half-way during the show, Jake took off his shirt and underneath that shirt, he wore a pink floral top. On this night, we were eagerly waiting to see if the tradition remained and when he showed it off, we were excited to get the chance to ask about the origin of the ritual.

“While touring in another band, while living in Virginia, we used to tour by bike. I wanted to keep the sun off my back while remaining cool. I stopped into a thrift store and was sorting through the racks when I found it. At first, I started wearing it as a joke but eventually it started feeling natural.”

Shaky Knees: “It was killer”

After recently playing Shaky Knees, Jeff relayed to us that “It felt weird performing on the main stage, the stage where Tame Impala played and then having people come up to us and congratulate us on our performance.” There are a lot of new faces at their shows and the continuous growth of the band has brought them many opportunities and experiences. “Some days we truly don’t know what to do with it, but I think that’s a good thing. It means the timing is right for our band.”

“Have you grown up yet? Does the war make sense?”

The songwriting process is always a very important one. Illiterate Light described for us where they get their inspiration for writing. They try to write songs that are moving between their emotional and relational lives. “Also our observations of our culture and of the world at large. Therefore, we don’t stray away from writing about politics and war. We want to be a part of the conversation.” With the world that we live in today, it’s important that there are artists in the industry discussing these topics.

The Show

Before the interview, we had the opportunity to take pictures of the band while singing and dancing to their songs. They opened with their hit “Nuthin’s Fair” and had the whole crowd bobbing their heads and moving to the music. They played through songs off of their EP, Sweet Beast and played an outstanding cover of “Vampire Blues” by Neil Young. You could tell that the crowd was surprised that two people could create the sounds that they were creating. By the end of their set, you could tell that the audience was impressed and eager to listen to more of their stuff!

What’s next for illiterate light?

The band recently signed with Atlantic Records and is planning to release an album in October! They have an EP on Spotify, Sweet Beast, which you should definitely check out! They actually just released a new single a couple days ago called “Carolina Lorelei.” Illiterate Light (@illiteratelight) is constantly creating new music and they will be going on multiple tours throughout the rest of the year. If they come around to your town, you should treat yourself and go! Seeing them perform live is a great time!

A Hypnotic Hangout: Nordista Freeze

‘First time’ MEETING

MAY 7, 2019– It was a gloomy evening in Clemson, SC but as Nordista Freeze and his band showed up, a light was cast over Nana’s Banana Cabana. We got the chance to sit down with the Cosmic Haus singer before a night full of dancing and singing ensued.

Freeze is a Nashville native, but he spends most of his time on the road. When we asked him how he made time for other things he explained, “That’s the million dollar question,” he sighed, looking down at his knees and then back up at us; smiling he continued, “I just really care about it [music], a lot”.

He used the USA Olympic Fab Five team, as an example of what dedication looks like because of all the stuff they had to miss out on in order to perfect their skills. He went on to say “I take it really seriously and I work on it as much as I can”.

When you listen to his most recent album, Cosmic Haus you get a sense of ’60s intertwined with electric pop. His music is full of energy and it makes you want to dance around your living room. Freeze gets inspiration from his favorite band, the Beach Boys. Which is evident when you see his songs “Wysteria” and “Florida” live.

A TRAVELING BAND

Freeze and his crew (Bryce- keys and guitar, Johnny/Future Crib- drums, Grant- guitar, and Sam- bass) travel far and wide to play for new crowds and meet new people. His band is made up of people that he has grown up with and all of them bring something unique to the stage during the show.

We asked him to tell us about his favorite place that he has played so far and he told us, “We play wherever the people are. I have a pretty unique relationship with every city,” he paused, looking onto the crowd of people standing around and socializing, “I’m pretty experiential and moment based, so it’s hard to pick a favorite.”

Each city means different things for Freeze and his band, and they always make an effort to become pals with everyone they come across. It is important to them that they make relatioships with the people that come out and watch them play. The venues that they choose are ones that have a more intimate setting.

He explained, “I think you can make a lot more relationships here [Nana’s Banana Cabana], than sitting in a green room and walking onto a stage and maybe signing an autograph after. I respect bands like that, but I want to meet people”.

TIME FOR A ‘GOOD TIME’

The show was full of energy and moving bodies. Pure enjoyment radiated off of Freeze and his band as they jumped around and played. During some parts of the show, Freeze ran around in the crowd. The energy was nothing but upbeat and exciting.

Freeze was truly a sight to see, as he shook his tamborine and danced around during the instramental parts of “Hey Gigi”. His way of interacting with a crowd and making them dance is unique, and not something you ever expect. If you ever get the chance to see him play, take it and let your hair down. We promise, you will not be disappointed.

What’s Next?

The “Homecoming Queen” singer is going to work on recording new music later this month and over the course of this summer. Thanks to his drummer, Johnny, they have a basement to record some of their songs onto tapes. He is also working on creating new content like music videos.

He is also in the midst of booking more shows this summer, because he wants to reach as many people as possible. So, be on the look out for those dates and go jump around with him and his lovely band.

Stay Groovy and check out Nordista Freeze on Instagram, as well as the rest of his crew and their projects/music: Bryce, Sam, Grant, and Johnny. You can also stream his music on all streaming platforms, so go give him a listen!

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A Hypnotic Hangout: Daddy’s Beemer

‘Time we killed’ before the show

APRIL 19, 2019-We had the pleasure of sitting down with local SC natives, Daddy’s Beemer at the Radio Room here in Greenville. From their Clemson roots to their recent travles, we got some insight on this tight-knit trio. Consisting of Brady Sklar, Dan Fetterolf, and Wesley Heaton, Daddy’s Beemer has made a name for themselves in South Carolina’s music scene.

The three of them met at Clemson University, through a student run radio station. After Daddy’s Beemer took off, they headed up to Charlotte, North Carolina in hopes that it would make touring travels easier. Now, they’re in the process of moving down to Charleston, SC.

When on the topic of moving around, we asked if it inspired their song writing process in any way. Lead singer, Brady Sklar was quick to answer with a simple, “Yes.” He further explained, “A lot of artists talk about how you need to live your life to be able to write songs about it. Otherwise, you’re going to write about things you haven’t done because you haven’t been doing anything.” They believe new experiences, people, and points of view can be useful in their song writing process. Dan Fetterolf, guitarist/drummer, said that seeing bands that he looks up to inspires the actual music part.

Music inspirations play a key role in the band’s sound. Bands like Steely Dan, Otis Redding, The Strokes, and Carole King have had a huge influence on the band and their sound. Last month, the members of Daddy’s Beemer, headed to Texas to play at SXSW. Some of the artists that they performed beside have been great influencers such as, Briston Maroney, Shane T, Big Thief, and Mommy’s Little Boy.

The bassist, Wesley Heaton explained that, “We weren’t sure what it was going to be like, because we had never been. We had been to other festivals like Bonnaroo on our own, but this was completely different from that because it was more of a networking thing.” The band was able to show their music to new audiences and meet new people while attending the festival and touring.

‘Penthesilea’

Sklar describes one of their singles, “Penthesilea” as an eulogy to a parrot that Fetterolf had right before they started the band. Sklar went on to explain that the song is named after the parrot and the lyrics describe the longing and grief that they have for the parrot. Fetterolf went on to show us a colorful tattoo that he got on his chest in honor of his pet.

Final Thoughts

Daddy’s Beemer recently released two new singles, “Indoors” and “Serotonin.” During this interview, they explained that they are writing new songs for a full-length album. Keep your eyes peeled and follow @dadsbeem on Instagram to stay updated with any new releases! This interview was super fun and we want to thank the members of Daddy’s Beemer for giving us the opportunity to sit down and talk with them!

A Hypnotic Hangout: Mommy’s Little Boy

‘Wasting All of My Time’ on Valentine’s Day

February 14 is the day of love, and it also happened to be the day that Mommy’s Little Boy released his first full-length album. Jake Derting, from Denton, Texas sat down with us to discuss his album Wasting All of My Time.

In 2018, he released his first self-titled EP, Mommy’s Little Boy. This EP was his way of introducing his music to the world. His most popular song “She Cries”, just recently hit 2000 streams on Spotify, so check that out if you haven’t already.

The Sound of Mommy’s Little Boy

The “She Cries” singer gets a lot of his musical inspiration from artists like Roy Orbison, Current Joys, Lala Lala, Surf Curse and a local Denton friend, Ian Salazar. Throughout a lot of the songwriting process, Jake listened to these artists and gained a new perspective on what sound he wanted to create.

Jake described that he gets his inspiration for his music from observing people in his life and putting it in his perspective. He said that “The way I write is that I perceive things and I watch people’s lives and then I can write about it from my perspective”. He went on to talk about how he had lived with some friends from college this past semester, and how all of them were individually going through stuff. He took it as an opportunity to put himself in their shoes and write about those experiences.

In his song “Wasting Time”, Jake incorporated an acoustic guitar with multiple pedals and pitch shifter to get different sounds from the same instruments. He’s been passionate about music from a young age and has the ability to play many instruments.

When we asked about how he would define his genre of music, Jake said, “I don’t think that I could really put into one genre.” He described his music as a mixture of Dream Pop, Low-Fi, Bedroom Pop, and Punk. With this new album, he has been able to shape his sound into his own and now when you listen to his music, you know it’s a Mommy’s Little Boy song.

“Things Are Great” and so is “Oatmeal”

Two of the most influential songs on Wasting All of My Time are “Oatmeal” and “Things Are Great”. Jake relayed to us that after working for hours recording different parts of what was originally a nameless song, he was craving oatmeal and the name of that song was born. We all shared a laugh about our mutual love for oatmeal. He continued to say that he poured out all of his “angst” into this song and it easily became one of his favorites off of the album.

He saw “Things Are Great” as a song that he could go somewhere with. He used this particular song to shape not only his sound but his message.

A Wake-Up Call

When we asked about why he titled the album Wasting All of My Time which was pulled from his song “Wasting Time”, he described that he had an awakening and decided to settle down. He went on to say that his first record was just for fun, and nothing too serious. With this new album, he discovered that this was a true passion of his and he dedicated more time and effort into it.

A Message from Mommy’s Little Boy

Jake is super proud of this album and he wants his listeners to know that you shouldn’t waste your time doing things that you aren’t passionate about. He hopes for people to listen to his music and become inspired to not give up on their goals and aspirations.

He laughed and sat back in his chair. He stated, “Actually I have been filming a music video for Things Are Great and it should be out in a couple weeks!”

Keep an eye out for any new projects and releases from Mommy’s Little Boy. Check out his music on all music platforms! We want to thank Jake for taking the time to have this interview with us, go check him out!!