It feels like it's been forever since we've done a good old fashioned chat interview here on Hearts Bleed Radio. In my defense, I've been doing a shit ton of booking (May has 5 friggin' Fridays!). This week we have a showcase on Friday at Matchless and Saturday at Pet Rescue. You should probably come to both of them, because, whoever you are, I don't seen you enough and we need to hang out more. So... Friday's lineup is great. Opening up is me, Stephen Otto Perry, playing solo, like I never do. Second we have White Like Fire, all the way from Pittsburgh, PA (they are awesome!) and Shelter Dogs (Brian LaRue's other other band, which he fronts). Next is Let's Be Loveless, and closing out the night is The Black Black. I can't say enough about this lineup, it's diverse but it works. Anyway, we had some chat action with Abby and Eric from Let's Be Loveless. Here's the transcript:
Hearts Bleed Radio: You guys have been busy in the studio. You have a single and a B-side dropping this week and an EP on the way?
Eric: Well, we just mixed/mastered 2 songs out of about 7 tunes we've been painstakingly writing/recording. It's been a year process. We get a little obsessive when recording. We are hoping to drop one of them this week, and maybe another in May to keep people interested.
Abby: We are super excited to release these songs.
HBR: Which one is dropping this week?
Eric: Well, not sure. Which one do you think works. Stephen, You are like the 3rd person to hear them. Ha.
Abby: We'll get back to you on which single we're releasing, but it will either be "Hostages" or "A Boy's Irrational Bedtime Fear" or "Death to the Moon."
HBR: Do you enjoy recording?
Abby: Recording is actually my favorite part of the process. Liquor helps a lot when doing vocals.
HBR: Really? Haha, it's my least favorite.
Eric: Yeah, I'm a fan of writing/recording. It's when I feel like I'm actually creating something.
Abby: Yes, it's like giving birth.
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| Abby and Eric, I'm not even going to describe this picture, it's too perfect. |
HBR: I think "A Boy's Irrational Bedtime Fear" is the first single.
Eric: I think so too. It's a rocker, and has awesome Smiths'y title.
HBR: What's that song about?
Abby: I'm a pretty fearful person, so it's a play on all my worries. I imagined tons of monsters (like most kids) did when I was younger.
HBR: My bedroom in the house I grew up in was the room in which my great aunt died. The title of the song brings back some freaky memories for me.
Abby: Whoa!!! That is freaky.
HBR: Eric, were you afraid of anything as a kid?
Eric: Bees, dude, they sting! Still am honestly. There, I just opened up to you guys.
Abby: Here's just a few of my fears: monsters, spiders, the water/ocean, heights, robbers, bad guys, etc... I was always afraid of all those horror movie villains, esp. cause I have long hair like most victims do.
Eric: Oh, and the incredible hulk TV show. That guy freaked me out.
Abby: What? Lou??? No way.
HBR: Abby, you're afraid of the ocean? You seem like a seafaring person. (is that a weird thing to think about someone?)
Abby: Yep, sure am. I may be one of the few Californians who gets anxious at all the beautiful beaches. I can't swim. So yes, scared of drowning. Maybe Lou could save me... But anyway, the lyrics may also be a reference to The Walking Dead and zombies. I was thinking of a mom singing a twisted lullaby to her kid during a zombie apocalypse.
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| Just a normal day in the fictional Let's Be Loveless house. |
HBR: How do you guys work, like, as a band? Where do songs come from and how do they get finalized?
Eric: We all have such rigid schedules that we have to be insanely prepared when we get together. Especially with Chris and Gary since they travel far to get to our space. Usually we jam out ideas until it feels good. If Abby gets inspired by some of the ideas, we demo the crap out of them at my place with layers and layers of vocals. It's really a test of working within boundaries. We don't have time like we used to when we were younger, so it's really a matter of making sure we make the most of our time together. From everyone. Between the four of us there is so much talent that we need to solidify our best assets and make the end means our best statement with out stepping on each other toes... And within 3 min pop songs.
HBR: How do you think that affects the end result? How would it be different if you all lived in the same house?
Abby: In San Francisco, I was in a few bands and did live/date my bandmate, and it can be really great... But it can also get messy. I think Let's Be Loveless is really efficient with the writing, We'd probably hate each other if we lived together. Lots of pillow fighting... Unless we got a dog, then the Band Dog would make us all friends again.
HBR: Sometimes I kinda like having limited time because it helps you focus.
Eric: I agree with that too stephen. I like writing songs with 2-3 chords sometimes. It trims the fat.
Abby: Ha, you only need 3 chords in rock n' roll. But the truth is, we have so much material, it's great to finally get a lot of them out.
Eric: Actually, I don't think we made it to 4 chords yet? Or did we Abby?
Abby: I haven't been keeping track. Hee.
HBR: A lot of your stuff may be simple chord-wise, but it has a really interesting and complex texture. How do you guys get that sound, and are you generally on the same page as far as like, the "sonic color" of everything is concerned?
Eric: Well, Our secret weapon is our rhythm section. They are like the best.
Abby: I'm a huge fan of dreamy vocals and oohs and ahhhs, Beach Boys stuff, but I think we all bring something unique. Chris and Gary are great, Eric's guitars really are special, and then my soft vocals just finish it.
Eric: I don't know what we would do without them. Gary and Chris lay down a solid beat and rhythm, and it gives abby and I a good foundation to experiment and add as much color as we need to.
Abby: J Pop meets The Jesus Mary Chain.
HBR: Eric, give me the pedal rundown real quick.
Eric: Ha. I hate pedals. I'd have one if it was in vogue.
HBR: Your sound is great though, tell us your secrets!
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| Eric's rig from his POV. |
Eric: No secrets. Just hours of noodling scales on my couch while watching TV. If a player has more than 4 pedals he/she doesn't know what he/she is doing. (unless you are the Edge) Also, I'm a little old school when it comes to tone. I like getting different tones from where I pick and how hard I pick. and volume and tone knobs are there for a reason. No point in buying a $200 pedal to help with that.
HBR: Do you guys dream a lot?
Abby: Sleep dream? Yes.
Eric: I dreamt I was getting eaten by cats last week.
Abby: Yummy
Eric: For them!
HBR: Eric, what do you think that means?
Abby: I think I know what it means...
Eric: Oh god, I don't know. I'm sure I'm emotionally stable. No worries here...
Abby: sssseeeecrettts... I'll just say I think it's about women. Funny, I often have animals in my dreams. One recurring nightmare I have is a wolf chasing me at a picnic. It started as a kid and I'll still have it once in a while.
HBR: Is that an anxiety dream?
Abby: Yes, I'd love to turn it into a music video of some kind.
HBR: I have one where I'm driving a car over a bridge and the incline keeps getting steeper and the lane keeps getting narrower, and it feels like I'm going to fall over backwards, and then I wake up.
Abby: Whoa, All 3 of these would be great short films.
HBR: Concept album?
Eric: Ha. Maybe? That's quite an endeavor.
HBR: Ok, I'm going to let you guys go. We have the single coming out, the show on Friday (which is also Eric's birthday), what else do you have coming up?
Eric: Northside Fest. New EP, and a Release Party.
HBR: Northside HBR show! Almost forgot.
Abby: We have some videos we'd like to release soon too, some will be an acoustic version of our songs. So excited about all these things!!! We love HBR!
HBR: Haha, awwww. Well thanks for taking the time! I think it's best we all go to bed now and dream our hellish anxiety nightmares.
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See you at the show!
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