Check out PARKWILD's debut single, here:
http://open.spotify.com/track/2nB2Mb2vx0rMci5GTyn3PQ
By Sonia Schnee | Posted Friday, January 19, 2018
Today, NJ/Minnesota alt-pop duo PARKWILD are releasing their debut single, "Too Late." Check out our interview with Austin Zudeck and Justin Thunstrom, below, and learn about their journey to becoming "PARKWILD."
What are your names, Where are you from, and Where are you based now?
We’re Austin Zudeck and Justin Thunstrom, collectively known as PARKWILD.
I [Austin] grew up in Livingston, NJ.
I [Justin] grew up in Minnesota.
We both currently live in New York, but we operate out of our studio in Roseland, NJ most of the time.
Tell us about your new single. How would you describe your sound?
Our debut single "Too Late" was recorded in our studio in Roseland. We initially wrote the song on a writing trip to Los Angeles where we were writing predominantly for other artists, as we are also writer/producers. We wrote the song with Nick Seeley, Andrew Tinker and Emily Vaughn, and after we wrote it we knew it had to be for PARKWILD instead of someone else. It just felt right and came from such a personal place for both of us. We’ve been trying for years to discover what truly felt like our sound, and once we it hit, we just knew. In terms of our sound, we fall somewhere between Imagine Dragons, One Republic, and the darkness of Halsey.
What's been your personal journey? What has inspired you to do what you do? Are there any artists, bands, or producers who you'd love to collaborate with one day?
From age 2, I [Austin] used to carry a guitar around wherever I would go. When most kids carried a blanket, I carried a guitar. I started as a child actor from a very young age. Though I only landed a handful of gigs, I was finding myself regularly involved in various theatrical productions. I realized that I gravitated heavily towards the music side of it, rather than the acting. Around that same time, at age 13, I got asked to fill in on lead vocals for a friend's band and was hooked. I picked up guitar, and bought a recording rig, and the rest was history. I haven’t stopped since and don’t plan on stopping as long as I have something to say that other people will relate to. To me, music is all about communication, and as long as I can do that, I’m going to keep doing that. I’d love to collaborate with Ryan Tedder of One Republic, as he is so much of what I aspire to be.
I [Justin] first discovered music at the age of 3 when I would be at my grandma’s house where she had a piano. Starting from an early age, I would hit random keys and would find the ones that sounded good together and essentially learned all the chords and key signatures without knowing what they were called. A few years later, I took drum and guitar lessons, leading me to combine all of these skills into music production. After I discovered producing, I was obsessed and haven’t ever turned back. I have always been inspired by people around me, inside and outside music, who have had an impact on me personally and subsequently musically. I am also inspired by the process of creating music as well; those moments in the studio when a little idea inspires everyone to come together and create something amazing. It would be awesome to collaborate with The Futuristics as they have been a long-time inspiration.
What words of advice or encouragement would you give to someone who wants to follow a similar passion, or is maybe facing obstacles similar to what you've faced?
Just dive in. We know that it might seem impossible, whether financially, or for a million different reasons, but we believe that if you go in 110% without any other options, there is no other path except success. Justin and I have been able to take that mindset and commit ourselves entirely to music, and it's what we now have the privilege of doing every day for a living because we didn’t give ourselves any other option.
What's next on the horizon for PARKWILD? Do you have any shows coming up? Plans for the next album?
Our single "Too Late" is out now, so we are doing a lot of campaigning around that. Additionally, we are already planning on our second single release for our song "We’ll Never Change," which will be coming out in March. Other than that, we are going to start playing some shows later this spring/summer, and we will continue writing and producing for PARKWILD and various other artists.
Finally, how can people find you online?
Facebook: @parkwildmusic
Twitter: @parkwildmusic
Instagram: @parkwild
Youtube: @parkwild -- content coming soon