Interview with hollowboy

By Deaglan Howlett | Posted Saturday, May 7, 2022

Matthew Kessig has been releasing his fuzzed-out and introspective rock and roll under the name hollowboy since his first single under the name in August 2019. Since then, Matthew has released a handful of more tunes, ranging from early-era Weezer to modern bedroom pop. Throughout these releases there has been a constant with which hollowboy gets its unique sound; that constant being Matthew writing and performing all the instruments on his recordings. His latest single “something in the air” was self-produced and part of the Voices of Freedom: Artists in Support of Ukraine put together by local NJ artists Luke Lenczuk and Nicolas Palermo (Have a Good Season). I reached out to Matthew to tell me more about hollowboy and his songwriting/recording process. Thanks again, Matt! 

Who were your influences when first starting hollowboy? How have they changed over the years?

Honestly, there are a million bands that I could say I have taken inspiration from, but my friends have been my biggest influence. So many of my friends are incredibly talented creatives and push me to be a better musician at all times. There's almost a sort of mushy-competitiveness about it where we all are trying to achieve our own versions of 'success' while also supporting each other. I'm really, really lucky to be surrounded by so many great people that also happen to make great art, so it feels like my music has been shaped by those relationships. But also 1994-2001 era Weezer.

How does hollowboy differ from any of your past projects and bands?

hollowboy essentially began because I was sitting on a stockpile of unreleased songs. I have been in a few bands in my life and loved all of those experiences, but I was never the core songwriter for any of them. I just wanted to have an outlet where I'd have 100% creative control over the music and not have to try and fit my pieces into somebody else's puzzle. It's a blessing and a curse. Sometimes it's nice to have another mind to keep yours in check, but I find myself more attached to these songs than anything else I've done because of it.

You play all the instruments for your own songs. Which instrument do you start with first? What usually follows?

I would say almost all of my songs are written on acoustic guitar. I am an enigma in that I am a musician that gets anxious about being too loud, so if I'm playing at home it's almost always acoustic. That being said, drums are lowkey the most important thing to me. I spent so many years playing drums that it's just a part of my soul now, can't be separated, so while I'm writing the guitar parts I'm envisioning what the drums will be in my head. It's not until I lay down the guitar and drums in GarageBand that I start to figure out any additional parts, which there are typically many of. 

Your latest release "something in the air" was part of the Voices of Freedom: Artists in Support of Ukraine compilation. Can you tell us about that track and how you got involved with this compilation?

Two of my very close friends Nic and Luke put together this compilation. Luke approached me with the details and asked about possibly contributing a song and obviously there was no other answer than yes. 'something in the air' was one of those previously mentioned stockpiled songs that I had written at a time when the world just wasn't feeling right to me. It, unfortunately, felt relevant again, so I sent it over to Luke. They did such an incredible job putting this compilation together and got so many great artists to be a part of it. I recommend everybody please go check it out and donate to the cause. It would mean a lot to us.

"something in the air" is also self-produced and sounds amazing. What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of self-produced recording?

The advantages/disadvantages are essentially the same as the band vs solo question. Working by myself is nice because I have complete creative control and unlimited time to be able to tinker it to how I hear it in my head. Explaining the sound in your head to someone is not easy. The downsides are that I have no idea what I'm doing and nobody can help me. 

All of your songs have a distinct feel since you are the sole instrumentalist. Any plans to record a hollowboy release with other musicians? And how do you think that would change the sound, if at all, to you? 

I've always tried to make hollowboy at least somewhat collaborative throughout. I always send my music to friends and encourage them to give me feedback or even contribute some parts if they have ideas. Speak of the devil, you've ripped a few guitar solos and bass lines on hollowboy tunes. It would be a massive waste for me not to utilize all of the talent I'm surrounded by, so whenever I get the chance I try and get my friends to add their own touch to my songs. 

The thing is that I don't have any plans at all. I pretty much have been operating on my own out of necessity. I sadly don't have unlimited time to dedicate to music even though I wish I could drop everything to do it, so gathering members and regularly practicing is not easy. hollowboy may be a 5-piece one day, who knows, I'm honestly just here to have fun. The second it stops feeling fun is when it'll be over.

Who have you been listening to lately that you can see influencing hollowboy music going forward?

I'm always trying to listen to new bands. Fast, slow, light, heavy, whatever. As long as it's catchy or makes me feel something, it's going to make me want to write a song of my own. “Baby Bye Bye” by Beauty is a hell of a song, though.

You can keep up with all things hollowboy here and support Voices of Freedom here!

Interview with Bobby Mahoney (New EP, "We Go On")

By Deaglan Howlett | Posted Friday, April 15, 2022

Bobby Mahoney and the Seventh Son are no strangers here on Jersey Indie, and we are always anticipating their next release. Their work ethic is unmatched and their appetite for songs with big choruses and hooks just seems to grow more and more with each new single. Bobby and his band had been hard at work for their newest release, “We Go On” (which premiered on 4/8), and we can now hear what they have been working on these past few years. To help celebrate this momentous release, they hosted a two-day Release Weekend at The Saint in Asbury Park with a handful of talent from up and down the East Coast. I caught up with Bobby to take a closer look at their latest singles “Moth to the Flame” and “Lay It On Me”, as well as what’s next for the band. Thanks, Bobby!

When did you start writing for your newest release, “We Go On”?

We started writing these songs in fragments in the later half of 2019. They have definitely been a slow-burn. There are other ideas that have been around longer, but I felt strongly about these as they came together, so they got to cut the line a bit. 

How did writing for this record differ from past Seventh Son records? How have you grown as a songwriter? 

This record was collaborative with all four of us, James McIntosh, Andrew Saul, Jon Chang-Soon, and I writing together. I would come up with skeletons/outlines/hooks in acoustic demo form, then I brought them to the others for us to flesh out as a group. The actual pre-production was done remotely, or in-person but masked and socially distanced due to the pandemic. James and I jammed through songs on his electric drum kit, Andrew and I made home pre-production Logic demos, and Jon and I discussed overall “vibe”, soundscape, structure, and arrangement at length ahead of recording as well. We didn’t know if it was going to be an EP, or the first half of a full length, but we felt the five songs we chose really stood on their own, and were a dense, impactful twenty minutes of music. 

“Moth to the Flame” is a rocker, the song also seems autobiographical. What remains to be your favorite thing about playing live shows?

”Moth to the Flame” is extremely autobiographical! It is about our need to create, despite all the factors that try to deter us from doing so. My favorite thing about playing live is when all the hours of practice and prep come together so I don’t have to think, I can feel. Which sounds silly, but I think there is a Keith Richards quote about something like that. When the four of us lock in, we can ride the energy, follow gut/instinct, and do what we know we can do. There are so many hours of things that are NOT playing the guitar that go into being a musician, so when we get to actually do what we signed up for for 20-60 minutes, and connect with people who care about what we do, it makes it all worth it. 

You’ve been playing shows for quite some time. How do you feel shows have changed if at all since the pandemic? 

I think it would have been a nice change to come back to shows with people being a bit more respectful of other audience members and the performers, but I don’t necessarily think that has happened. I think if anything, we are all now less likely to take it all for granted, at least I would really hope so. Before the pandemic, I caught myself taking live music for granted, and after losing it for over a year, I am extremely thankful for any chance I have to go see a performance or to perform myself. In a lot of ways, nothing has changed, yet everything has changed. We are still in weird times, but things are healing.

Who did you record “We Go On” with? Did you and the group do anything differently from previous recordings that you’re excited about?

We recorded “We Go On” with our good pal Joe Pomarico in his parents' basement in Holmdel, NJ. Aside from home demos and some pre-production phone meetings, we actually only rehearsed these songs a handful of times as a unit before we began tracking in Fall 2020. I wanted the songs to feel fresh, live, real, and given the circumstances, I wanted to capture the basic sound of people playing music in a room together. We tracked drums, bass, and rhythm guitars live over one weekend, and then spent a year overdubbing when we were able to get together, and doing Zoom editing/mixing/production meetings remotely! It was a weird way to make a record, but for this record — these songs, at this moment in time — it worked and I am very proud of what we were able to create.

The songs are “classic Seventh Son” — catchy with loud guitars and drums — but they have a new spin with this current line-up working together that led to some of the most exciting and unique songs we have ever recorded. We definitely wanted to push ourselves in every aspect to put out an EP that we felt represented what we do, and where we would like to go. 

What were you influenced by for your latest single “Lay It On Me”? How did that song come together?

I started taking notes for what became “Lay It On Me” while visiting Paris in August 2019. In the lobby of a hotel, they had old American Western movie posters on the wall, and I wrote some titles and taglines down. Many of our favorite songs were inspired from cinema, and many of the best songs are movies in themselves. Incident at Phantom Hill was too good not to note, and Fistful of Dollars is a classic. The irony of going all the way to France to be inspired by the American “West that never was” isn’t lost on me.

“Flower power and violence” is directly about the protests we saw in 2020 for the murder of George Floyd, the fights many Americans have had to wage on our own soil in order to secure their own rights/freedom in our history — painfully recent history — and present. Who the fuck is anyone to deny another human being the same rights they themselves desire and demand? “Will we find redemption?/Tune in next week.”

The song ultimately is about recognizing our own boundaries, and how much each of us can take on at once without being burnt out, burned, or burnt alive.

Musically, I wanted to focus on dynamics- starting very quiet and then gradually getting louder and louder, until it becomes one of the heavier moments on the EP. 

Thanks to everyone who has supported myself and this project over the years. We are excited to share with you all, and excited to see what the future holds! 

~

You can keep up with Bobby Mahoney and the Seventh Son here. 

Interview with Sara Abdelbarry (Teen Idle)

By Sonia Schnee | Posted Wednesday, April 13, 2022

In February of this year, Asbury Park alt-rock songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Sara Abdelbarry (a.k.a Teen Idle) released her first single in 2 years, entitled “Burning”, and this Friday, 4/15, she’ll also be releasing the official music video for it.

With the exception of drums recorded by Simon Ogilvie and Danny Murray, Sara played all the instruments featured in the song and recorded them in her basement. (Shoutout to Andy Schichter for mixing and Kramer for mastering!)

In March, Sara’s guitar and synth skills plus backing vocals were featured on the Arabic-language song “La ElWa2t Yesra2”, produced in collaboration with Egyptian artist 200 Shams, which you can listen to here.

If you’re craving more by Teen Idle, you can catch Sara performing live on 4/28 at Finnegan’s Pub in Hoboken, NJ with Sonic Blume and ØM-53, and again on 4/29 at Stage Dive in Glassboro, NJ with Awesome Possum, Winkler, and Nadir Bliss.

Sara/Teen Idle is currently working on a full-length album. If you want to be the first to find out when it drops, and stay up-to-date on upcoming shows and other announcements, be sure to follow @teenidlemusic on Instagram and Twitter.

To learn more about the inspiration behind “Burning”, Sara Abdelbarry’s personal and musical journey, and her plans for the future, check out our interview below.

Congratulations on the release of your recent single, “Burning." You had me hooked in the first 18 seconds. I was transported. Would you say “Burning” is a continuation of your past work or a departure from it?

Thank you so much. I’m glad the song was able to transport you — that to me is the best compliment. “Burning” feels like it grew naturally from the sounds of my EP, since I wrote it during the same time, but it’s also strikingly different in some ways (at least to my ears). Some people who listened to the single described it as shoegazey, which is interesting because I think of it as the least shoegaze inspired song I’ve released. The song incorporates a lot of the fuzzy guitars and sonic patterns of my prior releases, but with this song I definitely wanted the focus to be on vocals and lyrics in a way I wasn’t thinking about on my EP.

What can you tell us about the inspiration behind the song? Did you have a clear idea of what you wanted it to be about when you started writing? What was that journey like?

It was definitely a journey. I remember starting the song about 3 years ago when I was a senior in college. The first part I wrote was the instrumental, which I recorded into a computer. I remember thinking there was strong potential there. At that time I wasn’t thinking about subject matter or lyrics at all; I just thought I had a fun guitar riff. The instrumental ended up sitting around until one weekend when I came home from school. I was feeling torn about a crush I had, which sort of characterized my last few months of college, so I started to write some lines of poetry in a notebook. I was just spilling my feelings. Later, when I wanted to put those words to song, I remembered I had the instrumental for “Burning”; luckily it seemed to match up with the words.

I kept tinkering around with certain lyrics. I doubt anyone would think this a song about an unrequited crush by looking only at the lyrics, yet it is! Some of the lyrics are pretty dark without context — “glowing is the sunlight, but all I see is black” — but they‘re about being in a funk because of a complicated crush gone sour. For some reason, whenever I sing the song and get to that lyric, I end up smiling. I think it’s because this seemingly bleak lyric is actually empowering when I think about how tiny of a struggle this crush was in my life compared to what it felt like back then. Almost comically. It’s awesome to feel like you’ve matured.

Where did you record/who did you record with?

I actually produced the song alone and recorded it in my basement, which I turned into a DIY studio. I was lucky to have my friend Danny play live drums on the song and record it at a separate studio. Other than that, I played all the other instruments myself. It was definitely a learning experience, and super fun. You really have to commit to finding certain sounds for a song — in a dream situation they come in five minutes, and other times in five days. It took weeks for this one riff to come out that I think made the whole song. The nice thing about recording at home is that you’re not under some deadline or budget, but I definitely have more fun when friends play on my songs.

Is music-making something that runs in your family? How did you get to where you are today?

Boy, I feel like this is a fun one. I don’t know of anyone in my family, even generations back, who pursued music as a career, but one side of my family is definitely the more creative one — it seems like all my first and second cousins make art in some way, whether singing, visual art, or even tattooing. My mom used to make paint and collage and my grandmother used to write poetry. My dad also makes these doodles that I find artistic.

Back in Egypt, where my family is from, my one side of the family was involved in the film industry, with my grandmother’s first cousin managing to make a name for herself. Some of the family started acting or getting involved with film, so I feel like that’s a major influence for me. Even if it’s film, not music. The sentimentality of Arab cinema is actually a huge influence on my creativity, which I didn’t realize until recently.

The reason I became obsessed with music in the first place was because of family — my older cousins, who I thought were the coolest people ever, would watch MTV with me and illegally download songs for me on LimeWire. This is why I was listening to 50 Cent in kindergarten. I was so into MTV that the first album I ever bought as a child was Sweet Escape by Gwen Stefani, after seeing her music videos on there. This and Kelly Clarkson made me want to be a performer.

What do you hope people will walk away feeling or thinking about when they listen to “Burning”, specifically, and/or your music in general?

Dang, I just hope that you gain something from listening to this song or my other songs. Whether that’s a comforting feeling, a realization about something in your own life after listening to the lyrics, or just a new song that you can add to your playlist and bop your head to. I secretly (yet not so secretly) hope that people are playing “Burning” in the car and feeling nostalgia. I don’t think about this when I write, but it’s cool when someone listens to your song and walks away with a lingering feeling of happiness, hope, reflection, whatever, that they’re thinking about for days.

What’s next on the horizon for you? Are you playing any shows? When can we expect to hear your full-length album?

So many things! I’ve been hard at work on a full-length album for what seems like 5 million years now, so once I get around to reaching out to some people and making the moves I need to finish it, it’ll be out. Hopefully before the end of the year. I’m definitely starting to play more shows in NJ. I’m playing at the basement of Bond Street Bar on 4/7 with Idle Wave, and 4/28 at Finnegan’s Pub in Hoboken with Sonic Blume & 0M-53. Tickets for Hoboken are on sale at the link in my Instagram bio.

Is there anyone who you’d like to give a shout-out to?

Most definitely — everyone who listens to my music and especially those who take the time to message me about it. I appreciate you. Also my parents for being literally the most supportive people ever. Catch them at most of my shows. My mom helped me make some stop motion art for the promo of “Burning,” and it turned out incredible, so go take a look at the Canva video that Spotify plays on your phone with the song! My mom made that.

Is there anything else that you want people to know about you and your work?

I started putting together a compilation during Women’s History Month, which will include female artists from around the area and beyond (as far as Australia) covering songs by other female artists. It will be available on Bandcamp and all proceeds will go to Nomi Network, which helps women who are at risk or victims of human trafficking get a jumpstart on their lives through social and economic assistance. Follow my Bandcamp for notifications when it’s released. I wanted to do something to celebrate talented women making music, but it’s also important that we’ll be doing our small part to raise money for a great cause that empowers women globally.

Do you have any words of advice or encouragement that you'd like to share with people who need it?

When it comes to making music, I feel like the most success is had when people stop focusing on fancy gear or plugins, and instead just try to make the best song they can make. For life in general, my life started to open up in ways I could never have imagined when I stopped giving in to fears. If you take baby steps to get rid of whatever fear holds you back, you’ll see how magically the world starts to open up. Take a step out of your comfort zone! And eventually your old comfort zone will be uncomfortable.

Finally, where can people listen to your music and connect with you online?

You can find me on Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, YouTube, all the usual streaming platforms! Even TikTok which I’m trying to master. My music is also on Bandcamp at teenidle.bandcamp.com

I’m on Instagram and Twitter as @teenidlemusic!

Interview with Ryan Hilsinger (Sleepy Rye)

By Sonia Schnee | Posted Tuesday, March 1, 2022

South Jersey drummer, songwriter, and studio owner Ryan Hilsinger, also known as Sleepy Rye, last month released the first single off of his upcoming debut EP. Blending together multiple influences, his EP A Bit of a Non-Person has a little something for everyone. In addition to getting ready to release his own music, Ryan is also working on a musical compilation via his studio AGL Sounds in Cherry Hill, NJ to benefit multiple charities (reach out to him to get involved). Be sure to check out his EP which drops tomorrow, March 2nd, and to learn more about Ryan and the ways you can collaborate with him, check out our interview below.

(Video and transcript have been edited for time and clarity.)

Thank you so much for taking some time out of your busy day to chat with me.

RYAN HILSINGER: Of course. Thanks for having me, I appreciate it.

First off, what's your name, where are you from, and what do you do?

My name's Ryan, or Sleepy Rye. I'm currently in Cherry Hill, NJ. I run AGL Sounds with Doug Gallo. I've been running this studio for almost five years now. I started recording people years and years before that and just recently decided to start working on my own stuff.

Congratulations on the release of your single "Nameless" which dropped on February 9th. What can you tell us about the inspiration behind that?

So, "Nameless" actually happened after a psychedelic trip, and I woke up the next morning really having no sense of myself at all. It felt like I was re-learning who I was and what I wanted, and I had to challenge everything that I thought I knew.

I actually started writing the lyrics for “Nameless” while I was going through that. So it starts off with "He rises covered in ashes and poison still in his veins." I was writing that covered in ashes. 

That's wild. Is that the first track off of your upcoming EP that you wrote?

I think it is the oldest, yeah. All four of these songs were written at different times, but "Nameless" is the oldest.

Cover art for Sleepy Rye’s upcoming EP, A Bit of a Non-Person.

Very cool. Let's talk about your upcoming EP, A Bit of a Non-Person, which is coming out on March 2nd. Very exciting. What can you tell us about that?

So I actually just officially announced the EP, and I said, "If you liked 'Nameless', listen to the EP.  If you didn't like 'Nameless', pre-save it anyways, so you can talk smack about it. It's not really the same as 'Nameless', but it's got the same kind of vibe. So if you liked 'Nameless', come along. If you didn't like 'Nameless', still come along because it's different enough where you might actually enjoy something.    

What would you describe as the genres you touched upon or the vibe or mood you were going for?

So, the first track off the EP is kind of this jaunty rock vibe. The second track is 'Nameless.' The third track is only bass guitar and vocals, and it's really choral and ethereal. Then the last song is kind of post-rock. It's a love song without the love song vibes. These songs were written so far apart, I was being influenced by something different each time.

Are you performing all the instruments? Did you bring in session musicians?

I did everything on the EP except for master it. It was mastered by Alberto de Icaza. I gotta plug him real quick because he's amazing at what he does. But yeah, everything else – the performance, the writing, the production, the recording, the mixing -- that was all me.

Wow. Is this your first-time kind of doing something like that? I mean, having a studio you had your hands in a bunch of different aspects of that. So what was that like doing that for yourself?

So actually, I released music for the first time under just my name, Ryan Hilsinger, back in 2009 I think. At the time, I was just recording in my parents' basement. I was in high school so I was still living with family. I recorded everything by myself then, but it was just acoustic guitar and vocals. This time around, it was a lot more in-depth. It was maybe more than I was ready to take on when I decided to take it on, but it just happened all of a sudden, and the timing felt right so I did it. 

Who would you describe as your musical influences?

Well, for sure, Incubus. Incubus has been since I was about nine years old when my older brother showed them to me and gave me a CD of theirs. On this album, there's some Minus the Bear in there. There's a little bit of Bayside. I personally love Snarky Puppy and a lot of "neo-soul" is what they're calling it these days, like Lianne La Havas, Tom Misch, and Esperanza Spalding. That's what I've been listening to a lot.

Your music, is a lot of it inspired by things that have happened to you personally? 

The four songs on the EP are all about things that I've experienced, but I have I don’t know how many dozens and dozens or hundreds of songs that will live and die on my hard drive, that I will write about absolutely anything.  

I once went to visit a friend in Philly and I got my days mixed up and she had class the whole day. So I waited and waited and waited in a Starbucks and in different museums, and then when I finally ended up on a bench outside, I wrote a song about a cigarette butt that somebody flicked. So I'll write about whatever.

Do you ever write songs for other people do as a ghostwriter or a credited writer?

So I’m actually starting to do that with the benefit single series that I was talking about. I'm actually, next week, writing a song with Katie Miller, and I started doing collaborations with people in Philly. So I'm hoping to do more of that. I'm hoping to do more songwriting for other people.

And how do you know Katie Miller? You're a drummer, right? So, you've worked on one of her songs?

So actually, we met through the New Brunswick music scene. We just happened to cross paths. But we started working together a little more than two years ago, I think, was the first time that I played with her. I played a show at MilkBoy in Philly with Kate Dressed Up. That was my first show with them back in December, two years ago. Then we were supposed to go on tour and then COVID happened, and she was like, "I still want to work together. Let's keep on doing this music thing," and she asked me to be in the band.

Then after band practice one day, Kate was just like, "Ry, would you happen to be looking for a manager?" Meanwhile, me and my friend had just been talking about how good it would be to have a manager. I was, like "Funny, you should mention that." That's how that aspect of our relationships started. Now we're just super close and at this point she's just a great friend.

So she’s also your manager?

Yep.

Oh, that's so cool! I didn't know she did that. I had an interview with her a couple of weeks ago. She's so modest. She's very smart.

Yeah, she is. Oh my goodness, she is the best.

She knows a lot of things about a lot of things.

She really does, seriously! I am super lucky to have her.

I might have missed a little bit in the beginning (when we started recording our interview). Can you go back to the compilation that you're doing?

Oh, the benefit series?

Yeah, yeah.

So, it's going to be called “Sleep Numbers.”

I bring a band in for a day or two, and we record a single together. I did my first one last month, and I'm just wrapping up work on that.  

Every band is going to choose a charity, they'll come in, we'll either write a song together or just record it if they already have a song written, release it, and all the proceeds go to whatever charity they chose.

That's really cool. Have you done this before? Is this a tradition?

So, I want to turn it into a tradition. My studio, AGL, back when we were located in New Brunswick, we used to do monthly shows where we would record all the shows and run everything through the studio and have a bunch of videographers there. We don't charge anything. It's just for the sake of putting it together,and then the added bonus of the charity on top.

Oh, that’s cool.

Hopefully it becomes a tradition. I’ve already got three in the works.

You’re on a roll. Keep on doing what you're doing!

Where can people reach out if they want to be a part of this iteration or the next iteration?

You can reach out to me on Instagram @sleepyrye.wav, or you can email me at contact@SleepyRye.com.

What does “AGL” stand for? Is there a story behind the name?

So, Doug (Gallo) and I are both massive fans of Incubus. We were thinking of names. Doug threw out the name of this Incubus song, "Just a Phase" Studios. He wanted an acronym for the name, so I suggested Incubus has a song called “Summer Romance (Anti-Gravity Love Song).” So I suggested "Anti-Gravity Love Sounds." That's why the logo is three heart balloons because it’s “anti-gravity.”

Oh my gosh, I see it!

Yeah. So it's Anti-Gravity Love Sounds.

That's really clever. I like that.

We had to find some way to pay homage to Incubus.

How did you meet your co-founder of AGL? Did you guys know each other from high school?

Yeah, actually, we went to high school together, but only for a little bit because he moved and transferred high schools. We went to high school together for two years. During those two years, I was working at a show production company/record label, and we worked with Doug's band at the time, so that's how I started talking to him. Then eventually I joined that band, and then we became another band. Then I moved out to L.A. for a little bit and when I came back, Doug was like, "Hey, are you interested in starting a studio?" I was like, "Yeah, absolutely!"  

I just gave myself a tattoo.

Oh, I see it! Yes! That'll be the thumbnail for the video.

Perfect!

That is really cool. Is there a place that you recommend? Or did you actually sit there and give it to yourself?

I sat there and stick and poked myself.  

True story?

Yeah, actually.

Oh my gosh! OK. You’re multitalented! "He can mix and record everything for you and be your session drummer, and while he's doing that, he can also give you a tattoo on the spot. Anything Incubus-inspired." 

Actually, my friend Abigail just started doing stick and pokes. She’s already an incredible artist, but they just started doing stick and pokes. I was their first person.  

Oh, that's cool. Is that a mushroom?

It's a nice little mushroom. It's a little honey fungus.

That’s awesome!

So, actually, if you're in the Philly area and you're thinking of getting a tattoo, look up The Shape of Sanctum.

Shout-out to Abigail!

Hell yeah!

So, you have a lot of things going on. Aside from being a co-owner of AGL Studios, you're also a session/touring drummer. Of course, you have Sleepy Rye. You've been involved or associated with numerous bands.

Tell us about your musical journey. Do you come from a musical family? 

So it seems like all of my family has some kind of musical talent that they refuse to recognize. My dad was in high school band and had a lot of potential as a drummer. My mom has a beautiful, angelic voice, as does my sister. My sister also played the flute and the violin. My brother played the bass guitar and the trumpet. But it seems that after high school, no one chased it. So I guess I'm the one who chased it after high school. But that was always going to happen because I was banging on pots and pans and playing on toy acoustic guitars since I was five, so it seemed like that was always going to happen.  

I love that. That's a really interesting combination — the drums and the vocals.

What would you say, looking back, have been some of your career highlights or moments that really stand out to you?

Honestly, one of my favorite things is meeting all of the different people that I meet, just everyone that comes through the studio or different bands that hire me for one-offs. Like I just recently, last year, got hired to play drums for a pop artist, Zoe on Venus, exactly a week before the show, with no practice or anything. We just showed up and played the gig and it went great and we had a ton of fun. Just like things like that. I love moments like that and just being able to meet everybody that I meet.

Actually, I would say another highlight has been not necessarily related to my personal journey, whether it's AGL or Sleepy Rye, but I worked for a little while on something called The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus. It's a big tour bus, like that bands go on, and it was gutted and turned into a recording studio.

Oh wow.

Me and two other engineers, we just drove around the country -- well, we didn't drive the bus, there was a bus driver -- but the four of us went around the country teaching kids about music production and making music with the kids. That was the best job I ever had. That was great.

That’s wild! How long ago was that?

That was back in 2017, 2018-ish?

That is really cool.  It's nice to have been able to do that traveling before the pandemic and the world changed.

Yeah, seriously. That 2017, 2018 might be off. The pandemic has completely messed up my sense of time.

Same here. I always think every day is Wednesday. The days of the week don’t matter a whole lot anymore.

Right, seriously.

Is there anything in particular you're looking forward to in 2022, aside of course from releasing your debut EP?  

Well, actually, I have a lot of work that I did this past year that is slated to come out this year, and I'm really, really excited for people to hear it. One of the songs just recently came out. I recorded a 17-piece jazz big band called the Grace Fox Big Band. Amazing. The first song, "I Just Found Out About Love", just came out and it's amazing. I've got a bunch of different projects that I did coming out this year that I'm really excited for.

And, I turned 30.

Ayy! A milestone! How does it feel now being in your 30s?  

Well... we'll see. Haha! I'll give it some time.

To be determined…

Yeah.

It's so interesting how things have changed. A generation ago, it was like 30 was older, but now your 30s are a continuation of your 20s and everything's just gotten pushed back a decade in terms of milestones and things.

Yeah, I like the way my dad described it: Your 30s are the chance to do everything you wanted to do in your 20s, but with more knowledge and more money.

I love that!

That's the energy I'm taking into my 30s.

So, you already mentioned one person. Is there anyone who you'd like to give a shout-out to?

Well, obviously Katie. We talked about her. Shout-out Katie Miller! She's amazing. She's absolutely incredible.

I want to shout-out, actually, my parents. My parents really help keep me grounded long enough to do something like record and mix songs by myself. Thank you, Mom and Dad. I love you both.   

Good son.

Haha! Eh… I'm a sweet son. I don't know about a good son.

There is a distinction!

Do you have any music videos planned?

No. Music videos, to do well, you either need a grand mind or a lot of money, and I don't know if I have either, but I do actually have a canvas video that is paired up with the fourth track on my EP, "Never”, done by KXB Studio. They took my idea and they brought it to life exactly the way I wanted, so that'll be fun. That'll keep you occupied on that four-and-a-half-minute song.

Where can people find you online if they want to listen to your music, if they want to send you a  message? What's the best way to find you, or all the ways to find you?  

So Bandcamp is obviously the quickest and best way to see everything that I've got, and you can contact me through there. That goes straight to my email.

You can stream me on Tidal and Apple Music and Spotify and Deezer. I'm everywhere.

And Instagram, is that your preferred social media?

Yeah. On Instagram, I'm @sleepyrye.wav. @SleepyRye on Twitter. @SleepyRye on Facebook. Sleepy Rye pretty much everywhere.

Nice.  This has been awesome. Thank you again so much.

Of course, of course. Thank you. I really appreciate it. This is my first interview. I had no idea what to expect, but I really, really enjoyed myself. Thank you.

Interview with Christian Sparacio. New Music "About Time" and "I Melt With You"

By Deaglan Howlett | Posted Friday, April 23, 2021

Christian Sparacio is a singer-songwriter hailing from Marlboro, New Jersey. Since first releasing music on SoundCloud back in 2017, Sparacio has released ten new singles, playing shows to support the tunes. The two latest singles include an original, “About Time”, and a cover of the Modern English hit “I Melt With You”. I got to speak with Christian about his songwriting, producing a music video, and the talented musicians who worked on these tracks with him!

Who did you work with on your newest song “About Time”?

For About Time I worked with Rob Chiarappa at The Barbershop Studios in Hopatcong, NJ! Rob is a mad scientist producer with a crazy ear for pulling the potential out of a stripped down song like “About Time” and making it a production masterpiece. 

When did you write this song? 

I wrote “About Time” about 2 years ago between sessions of watching the movie About Time. About halfway through I got super inspired and wrote it, then about a month before recording I wrote the bridge section which was a cool testament to letting songs grow on the back burner. 

Did you approach this song differently from past releases?

I approached this song a bit differently because it was the first that I went all out on a music video for, and also had a way more experimental experience producing it. I sort of let my eclectic production taste speak in. this one and I am super happy with it. 

Who did you work with for the video? How did you find them?

I worked with Chantel Erin and Peter Dolshun on the video. I found Chantel via an Instagram ad for her production company, and met Peter through Chantel. We all quickly became friends and our creative processes meshed super well. Then we enlisted Clotilda Demauro as an actor through backstage.com and she, too, quickly became a friend. 

Who did you work with for the Modern English cover?

For the “Melt with You” cover, I stayed in the family and worked with Rob's brother Mike Chiarappa at DIMM Studios in Freehold, NJ! We wanted a more live sounding track, and I knew the simpler set up at DIMM and Mike's ear for feel would be perfect.  

What made you choose that song in particular to cover?

Well, I actually grappled and experimented with covers for a few months before settling on this one after my friend Jimmy suggested it. He put it perfectly when saying that the original song has heartfelt lyrics disguised by an upbeat 80's rock arrangement. This was my opportunity to match the music to the lyrics and deliver an authentic reimagination to pack a punch to the feels. I am super proud of this one. 

You can keep up with Christian Sparacio on his website.

Interview with Bobby Mahoney (Quarantine Edition)

By Deaglan Howlett | Posted Wednesday, April 14, 2021

Bobby Mahoney and The Seventh Son have been working tirelessly since first emerging from New Brunswick, NJ back in 2012. In the past few years alone, the group has toured the East Coast and Midwest, released a handful of EP’s and singles and even opened up for Bon Jovi at the Prudential Center. Most recently, the group released an acoustic version of their track “Called It Quits”, recorded in New York just before the shutdown started last year. 

When the pandemic first hit a little over a year ago, any lover of music knew it was going to be a little while before they were out seeing live music in any “normal” capacity. While some bands headed to the studio and others dissolved, Bobby took this time to help bring people together during this isolation. His livestreams have helped create an online music community that both inspires and connects musicians and listeners all around the world. I absolutely love what he has been doing with this somewhat new livestream medium and Bobby was kind enough to talk to me about what he's been up to the past year with The Seventh Son and the year of the livestream.

When and where was your last show before the venue lockdown?

B.M.: Our last full band show before the lockdown was at The Saint on February 20th with Latewaves, Lake Lilies, and Earth Telephone, but I also jammed with Matty Carlock at The Stone Pony on Feb. 22nd, played acoustic at Langosta Lounge with Joe Rapolla on March 7th, and then I was on a float with Williams Honor in the Asbury St. Patrick’s Day Parade on the 8th. The next week, the school I teach at went virtual and things hit the fan.

How has the pandemic affected the band (i.e. practices, songwriting, release dates)?

We have definitely rehearsed less than we would have, and we definitely have spent less time in the studio to say the least. We have been able to record 5 songs as a full band so far, but we have more work to do. We have put out a few new videos, a new live track, and new acoustic songs in the meantime, which we are all proud of.

How has the pandemic affected your songwriting, if at all?

I have a lot of songs that I was working on pre-pandemic that have new context to the world we find ourselves in currently. I still write down fragments of ideas and record bits of voice memos most days, and am constantly revising ideas, but I find myself letting them marinade more, living in various states of completion. As we have been in the process of getting vaxxed up, we have been starting to get back in the swing of rehearsals and studio sessions to complete the next batch of songs that I’ve let marinade enough. 

When did you first premiere your Bloody Marys and Coffee show? How did you come up with it?

I believe it was March 22nd, 2020. It started as me feeling unsure of how to help the situation, feeling restless, and wanting to give people a distraction. Part of the restlessness was feeling the need to ‘stay relevant’ and active, which I am sure a lot of our peers can relate to. 

“Called It Quits (Acoustic)” on Bandcamp now!

How many live streams have you done since the pandemic? Did you ever expect this medium to take off the way it has?

I honestly haven’t been counting or keeping track in any way (laughs sheepishly). I didn’t think we would be doing this for this long, or else I would have kept a better record. I would approximate there have been around 50 solo acoustic ‘Bloody Marys and Coffee”, two successful full band live streams, one less successful one early early on before we asked more friends for help, plus many more benefit video contributions and streams over the last year. It's like putting a bandaid on a headshot, but we are making the best of the medium. The best upside is that I get to check in with my friends all around the world once a week, and that's been a gift, and the coolness of it isn’t lost on me. I’m very grateful for all my friends, old and new, who have tuned into any of the streams this year. Some people haven’t missed one. I’m also grateful to have been able to still play with my band in any capacity over the last year, so I will take what I can get. The safety of our friends, and families who could have been directly or indirectly affected by us playing music in a less-than-safe setting has weighed heavy on me, and it continues to. 

Have you been finding yourself writing more or less the past year?

Less in the overall volume of songs, but I still have too many songs that I want to work on. I’m excited to put the band back to work as soon as possible. The gears haven’t stopped turning but they definitely were slowed for a while when it really wasn’t safe to even be in the same room for too long. Now as things are starting to look up a bit (knocks furiously on wood) we can start to rev the engine and get the gears moving faster.

Plans for future releases? Currently working on anything?

Yeah, there will be a new Seventh Son record in the not so distant future. Will it be an EP? Will it be an LP? Will it be a Double Record? Not sure. I really am still figuring that all out. Time and the process will present that information to me when I am ready for it.

You can keep up with all things Bobby Mahoney and The Seventh Son here!

Interview with DUMMY, Kicking Off 2021 Right

By Sonia Schnee | Posted Saturday, March 20, 2021

New Jersey rock/alternative/80s-90s nostalgia quintet DUMMY have certainly been keeping busy. They kicked off 2021 by releasing their debut single and music video, “Suddenly”, on YouTube and all streaming platforms. Then on Valentine’s Day, they released a special second music video, appropriately named “Valentine,” and currently they are planning on releasing a follow up single as well as another music video (follow them on social media for the latest news and announcements).

Check out our interview, below, with the ultra-productive members of DUMMY to learn about their origin story, as well as the inspiration behind their song and music video, “Suddenly.”

Congratulations on the release of your debut single and music video, "Suddenly"! What can you tell us about the inspiration behind the song? 

Thank you so much! The lyrics were not only very personal to Ben, but we wanted the song to resonate and help people struggling with addictive personalities to not feel alone. At some point, everyone goes through a dark period in their life whether it’s a struggling relationship, mental health, substance abuse, or everyday vices that can trap one in a corner of their own self doubt. 

What was the music video-making process like? 

It was such an amazing experience just being able to work with a great crew. We were really excited to put our vision in the hands of Jim Boemio and Calyn Heller, whom we’ve grown a great relationship with as a band through Jim and Jeff’s history of making films for school. It was a long day of shooting but we’re stoked we got it done in a day. With this being our first release we had to make the best first impression, so concentrating on creating a great set and environment that ties perfectly with the mood of the song was extremely important to us.

Where did you record/who did you record with? 

“Suddenly”, along with a handful of unreleased work, was recorded with Mike Morello, at his studio in Hillsborough, New Jersey. There is probably no one we would rather work with who has such a great ear to bring our sound to the max. There’s not a single dull minute with Mike. He keeps it super real and straight to the point when tracking to make everything as proficient and professional as possible. Mike is truly an expert and has become a great friend and member of DUMMY.

Tell us about DUMMY. Who's in the band? Where are you from? How did you find each other?

DUMMY is Ben Nelson, Jeffrey Fetzko, Carlee Ahart, Matt & Cris Nace. Ben met Jeff growing up in the same  town going to the same DIY hardcore shows. After a few years, they reconnected and found a lot in common with one another. They had both gone through similar situations, fed up with working dead end jobs, they wanted to create something big. Summer of 2019 was the beginning of DUMMY.  After finding their sound and writing a new song or two everyday, Ben and Jeff got serious about finding members to help write and mold the sound. After writing a couple songs, they reached out to Cris and Matt Nace, old friends of Ben, who had the musical resume DUMMY was in search of. The Nace brothers perfected the fast paced drum beats and high energy synths, adding the intense energy the old hardcore shows reminded them of. Shortly after,  Ben reached out to Carlee, a high school friend. She became the perfect match for the sound with smooth rhythm guitar. 

How would you describe your style?

We have been describing ourselves simply as a ‘rock’ band. To be honest, we didn't really know how to describe our music. Since our release of ‘Suddenly’ we've been compared to so many different bands reigning from the 80s post-punk era to early 2000s alternative acts. It’s hard to categorize yourself with so many different types of influences we collect for our sound.

Who are your influences?

Ben — Sad Lovers and Giants, The Doors, Joy Division, John Maus.

Jeffrey — Tennis System, Vlad Holiday, The Cure, Turnstile, Beach Fossils

Carlee — My Chemical Romance, Led Zeppelin

Matt — Surf Curse, U2, Viola Beach

Cris — Turnover, Hippo Campus, Kings of Leon

What are you looking forward to in 2021, personally and/or professionally? Is there anyone who you'd like to collaborate with in the future? 

We’re super excited nonetheless to share the unreleased music we have, along with more videos we’ve been producing. Hoping within time we’ll be able to perform live with some of our friends in the area!

Finally, where can people find your music?

https://linktr.ee/Dummy.band

https://dummy.band

Https://dummytheband.com

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Yes! Thank you for taking the time and giving a platform for the voices of amazing artists throughout New Jersey. We cannot be more grateful for you guys reaching out to help promote our debut single along with what you do supporting local music. Much love!

— DUMMY

Idle Wave - "Party Guy" Album Release. Interview with Guy Battaglia

By Deaglan Howlett | Posted Wednesday, February 24, 2021

After their self-titled debut in 2018, Idle Wave are back with their latest release, aptly titled “Party Guy.” While the project remains spearheaded by singer-songwriter Guy Battaglia, he enlisted a new cast of fantastic musicians to help bring his ideas to fruition. This record includes the catchy melodies listeners will remember from their first release, adding a focus on Battaglia’s lyrics and vocals with the track's sometimes sparse instrumentation.  After a delay with the original release date due to the pandemic, “Party Guy” was officially released to the world February 19th, after much anticipation. I recently reached out to Guy to ask him about the creation of this new record and releasing music during a time where live shows are unfeasible.  

When did you first start writing for “Party Guy”? Are these all new songs?

“Party Guy” first began with the song “Home.”

In the Spring of 2019, I’d go for regular walks around my neighborhood, that of which were often accompanied by my own voice, humming along to the spontaneous melodies crafted in my mind. Sometimes these melodies would follow me all the way home, so I’d repeat them out loud and then store them as voice memos in my cell phone. Curating these melodies not only became as habitual as my daily walks, but a way to process my life experience during that time.

Having recently left a suffocating job, I was without a doubt relieved, yet perplexed by what was to come; the next chapter of my life dawned on me as an unsettling and haunting mystery. Through these revelations, I gathered my senses, sat myself down on my bed and pressed record on my phone. Beginning with a two-chord progression and an improvisation of lyrics, one of the spontaneous melodies came adrift. This voice memo would ironically be saved as “Home 44”, as it was one of the many drafts that my voice memo app would default the title name as my phone’s location.

After recording a raw acoustic version of “Home”, I sent the “Home 44” memo to Erik Kase Romero (The Front Bottoms, Stillhungry) and asked him to cut the track with me. Since we were overdue to work on a record together, Erik kindly accepted the project and I began gathering new material. Throughout the Summer, Erik and I reworked the two most Pop-Punk influenced tracks on the record (“Happy” and “Stay”) which were first demoed with Idle Wave’s former band members and respected friends — Joseph Enright, Matthew Herman, Kevin Houston, and Chris Russo. Even though these two songs were originally demoed elsewhere, they needed to be completely reconstructed with Erik to the styles of “Home” and the new Indie-Alternative genre that we were naturally gravitating towards. (You can hear the original demos of “Happy” and “Stay” when you download the deluxe version of “Party Guy,” only on Bandcamp).

By the Fall, most of “Diet”, “All Night”, “My End”, “Sex/Tape”, and “Space” were mapped out or tracked with Erik, and it only took a few more sessions into the Winter to finalize the album. In the several months that carried the recording process from Fall to Winter, we experimented with tape loops, shuffled between guest musicians, and even changed studio locations. Anyhow, as  “Happy” and “Stay” constitute as new songs, despite of their original format, “Sex/Tape” does not. “Sex/Tape” was borrowed from my former Alternative project “Flammable Animals” and was instrumentally reimagined to create a darker and deeper experience then it’s original counterpart, “American Counterpoint.”

For those who are interested, “My End” was the last song to be written for the album. Beginning as just another melody on the acoustic guitar, “My End” startled my own thoughts with feelings of nostalgia. I foresaw “the sounds of my childhood”, and reflected on the sounds of Indie-Rock bands from the 90’s. After listening to the final instrumentation back for the first time, I felt something indescribably large about the song; I knew I’d make it “track 7” on the album from that moment on.

Who did you work with when recording “Party Guy”? Have you worked with these people before? How did that affect the music?

This was my first time collaborating with Erik on my own music. For years I have sat in on sessions with him during college classes or when I was just hanging out at his studio and playing shows with him.

Erik and I were both determined to enter a realm of sounds I’ve never been a part of before. I was particularly inspired by Neutral Milk Hotel’s “In the Aeroplane Over the Sea” and how it was an acoustic driven record with distorted bass and raw drums that just took you away lyrically to a bizarre fantasy land. Although I went in not knowing what to expect, one thing was for certain; I wanted this to be a full-length record.

Featured musicians included either close friends of mine or other talented musicians that I had crossed paths with in the Asbury Park scene. Not only did Erik produce this record with me, but he helped craft bass lines, piano embellishments, and drum machines. I hired two incredibly talented drummers (one of which is a longtime friend of mine), and even did a vocal feature with my friend Brittany Byrne (singer of Skyeline). My long-term friend Samir Bunty Tawalare played drums on the latter half of the record while Chris Donofrio (formerly of Deal Casino), was commissioned during the early Summer sessions. 

How has the pandemic affected your songwriting process?

I’ve spoken to a number of songwriters I look up to who have been cursed with “writer’s block” this year. I am happy to say that has not happened to me (knock on wood). In fact, once we were given a go on proper public safety precautions, my friend Connor Hanson and I began meeting up to work on a follow up record over the summer.  

What has it been like setting up a virtual release show opposed to one in person? Any benefits/drawbacks you feel strongly about?

Honestly, nothing will ever beat a live show. In this Black Mirror era of civilization, live shows are where I meet the people that see the world eye to eye with me; the ones who don’t mind being alone on a Friday night and aren’t afraid to scream their heart out to their favorite songs.

I feel eternally grateful to all who have tuned in to our previous livestreams, and we are making a point to deliver this time; four 4K cameras, a new studio space, a full five-piece band, and some of the most exceptional musicians and engineers I have ever worked with.

Nobody is satisfied with the current state of things, but I’m beyond lucky and thankful for being able to get in a room with people and track 11 songs in one day for this supportive community to experience. I am not exaggerating when I say it blows away some of our previous streams.

Who will be joining you/playing with Idle Wave at the release shows?

For the upcoming ”Party Guy” release show, my extraordinary band will feature:

Connor Hanson (Cloud Hands)

Jon Chang-Soon (J C Soon)

Samir Tawalare (Talk to Plants)                                                            

Brittany Byrne (Skyeline)

Erik Kase Romero (Stillhungry, The Front Bottoms)

Personal favorite part of the record to you? 

I do love all eight of the songs, but “Diet” and “Space” are the ones I’m most excited for people to hear.

You can purchase “Party Guy” by Idle Wave here!

Every Damn Day Releases 30th Anniversary Single

PRESS RELEASE | Posted Monday, February 15, 2021

Every Damn Day celebrat[ed] its 30th Anniversary by releasing a digital single, “Audio,” on February 12, 2021. The instrumental tracks for the song, recorded 30 years ago, were recently discovered via a transfer from tape to digital. Vocals and additional guitars were added late last year. The song pays homage to a high school senior with a cool nickname, a fake ID and a sense of adventure. [Check it out] it on Spotify!

Founded in 1991, EDD became a staple of the Hoboken, New Jersey music scene, appearing frequently at the downtown club Live Tonight! and later Maxwell’s. They also performed in New York at CBGB, the Hard Rock Café, The Cat Club, Desmond’s Tavern, Kenny’s Castaways, Bond Street Café and the Lion’s Den; in Asbury Park at The Stone Pony and The Fast Lane; Brighton Bar in Long Branch; and The Court Tavern in New Brunswick.

Every Damn Day recorded two full-length CDs and several EPs before going on hiatus in 2007 due to scheduling conflicts.

For more information, visit MikeDaly.com or EveryDamnDay.com.

Grin & Bear - "Be Gentle" (Interview)

By Deaglan Howlett | Posted Thursday, February 13, 2020

Be Gentle is the latest record from Wall Township’s Grin & Bear. Forming in 2014, the group has undergone line up changes throughout the years, leading to this latest effort from Brian Perrino. This album, while under the name Grin & Bear, has become more of a collaborative/solo project for Perrino. The record is an absolute powerhouse and a favorite of mine to come out this year. Be Gentle is self reflective and positive, perfect timing for we could all use a little extra positivity today.  I reached out to Brian to pick his brain about the making of this record and he was kind enough to do an interview. Thank you again, Brian!

When did Grin and Bear first form?

Grin & Bear first formed in 2014 during a time when we (Brian, Chris, Will, and Gavin) were all in college spread out over a few different states. I had been working on some songs, and we all naturally started sending ideas back and forth, and it turned into our first release "Range Wars" which ended up being a massively group-oriented effort. We self-recorded and released it in 2015.

How has the band changed over the years?

Since starting the band, we never ended up living in the same place at the same time. We met up when we could and played when we could. We operated that way for a few years and released "Range Wars" and "Everything is Gravy." I had been writing so much and in an effort to get more music out there started recording some acoustic tracks, which turned into "Hair Shirt Pt 1" and shortly after that release, Gavin (bass) made a long-term move to Georgia and we made the decision to end the band.

One day in 2018, I got back into writing and ended up with a few songs that I really loved and wanted to hear full band, so I reached back out to the band to ask if I could transition Grin & Bear into more of a solo project/collaborative effort. That is when Be Gentle began.

When did you start writing for Be Gentle?

In September of 2018, I wrote the songs "India" and "Not Bad" and became 100% sure I wanted to write an album. Every song (with the exception of “First Reaction”) came after that . We went into the studio in July of 2019 and were writing up until the day we left for the studio.

What is your songwriting process like?

Every song started with an acoustic guitar. I would mess around until something caught my interest, and then I would immediately start trying to sing whatever words and melody came out (sometimes using a note in my phone, mostly just trying to see what happens on the spot. There's so much boppin’ around up there, sometimes a pleasing guitar part draws something potent out). If I liked it enough, I would record a demo and then walk around my neighborhood listening to it until I heard something new, and then I would run into my house and record the new part.

This was the most fun I have ever had writing music (I remind myself often that those experiences in themselves are all I need to "get" out of this album). I heard a lot more than just my demos, so I reached out to a lot of my friends to see who was interested and had time to contribute. Some came over and we wrote together, some wrote totally on their own, and one part I didn't even hear until the second to last day of recording. These contributions made the album what it is. They kept it light and fun. I called the album Be Gentle because gentleness made this album possible. I had to remind myself to be gentle a whole lot (and still do).

Who did you record the album with and what was that experience like?

We recorded Be Gentle in Bayonne with Adam Cichocki at Timber Studios. It was the absolute best! Adam's studio is furnished with 2 dogs, 2 bean bags, extremely kind engineers and hosts, and is in close proximity to vegan "chicken" wings that are absolutely fire. Adam is so good at the technical aspect of recording an album that he's able to put you in a creative, stress-free, and positive environment right off the bat. This is not a paid ad for Timber Studios. Be Gentle would not sound the way it does without Adam and I love him!!

Who played on this release?

Okay, here we go.
Your boy (Brian) played a little of everything.
Chris Calabrese (drums, a little vocals)
Gavin Fischer (bass, a lot of backup vocals)
Will Avon (bass, lead guitar)
Matt Baker (bass, keyboard, backup vocals)
Nigel Whitley (bass)
Zach Henry (guest vocals)
Connor Mcarthur (guest vocals)
Stephen Kelly (guest vocals)
Tim Mullooly (guest vocals)
Grace Fox (trumpet)
Adam Cichocki (random stuff here and there, sleigh bells, post track clapping)
Bowser (double bean)

Favorite track on Be Gentle?

I think my favorite track is "India." The bass line at the end (Gavin wrote it) is my favorite part on the album. I danced a lot writing it and lyrically dug into a personal hang-up (pride) that has kept me from enjoying some important aspects of my life.

Upcoming plans?

Working to be more kind and gentle with myself and everyone else. And writing more music with my friends/biggest influences/people I love.