WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.879 Hey, this is Sonia from Weakend Friends, and 00:00:01.879 --> 00:00:04.139 you're listening to My Weekly Mixtape with Brian 00:00:04.139 --> 00:00:18.559 Colburn. What is going on, friends? Welcome to 00:00:18.559 --> 00:00:21.199 My Weekly Mixtape, the show that takes the classic 00:00:21.199 --> 00:00:24.300 mixtape approach to building a modern playlist. 00:00:24.460 --> 00:00:27.160 I'm your host, Brian Colburn. And as I've said 00:00:27.160 --> 00:00:29.420 many times over the years, I'd like to think 00:00:29.420 --> 00:00:33.039 of My Weekly Mixtape as a community, not just 00:00:33.039 --> 00:00:36.320 a show, and every mixtaper listening is just 00:00:36.320 --> 00:00:39.679 as much a part of the conversation as I am. Last 00:00:39.679 --> 00:00:42.799 October, Patreon mixtaper Chad Lamasa was raving 00:00:42.799 --> 00:00:45.479 about a new album he'd picked up, Weakend Friends 00:00:45.479 --> 00:00:48.280 Feels Like Hell. And after sitting down with 00:00:48.280 --> 00:00:51.579 the album myself, I immediately agreed with his 00:00:51.579 --> 00:00:54.880 passion for this album. Hence why the band has 00:00:54.880 --> 00:00:58.500 continued to come up in conversations since the 00:00:58.500 --> 00:01:01.240 album's release. So tonight, I'm grateful to 00:01:01.240 --> 00:01:03.899 take that conversation to the next level as I'm 00:01:03.899 --> 00:01:06.859 joined by Sonia Storino of Weekend Friends. Sonia, 00:01:06.879 --> 00:01:09.700 thank you so much for joining me tonight. Yeah, 00:01:09.739 --> 00:01:12.640 thanks for having me. Start to be on. So since 00:01:12.640 --> 00:01:14.599 it's your first time on the show, let's start 00:01:14.599 --> 00:01:18.019 with the basics. What does the word mixtape mean 00:01:18.019 --> 00:01:21.319 to you? I feel like it feels very nostalgic. 00:01:22.620 --> 00:01:28.000 It's something I was a little bit, I guess I'm 00:01:28.000 --> 00:01:29.879 a little too young for the mix tape, but a little 00:01:29.879 --> 00:01:34.519 too old to not know what a mix CD is. So I remember 00:01:34.519 --> 00:01:37.959 making mixes growing up, like in the heyday of 00:01:37.959 --> 00:01:41.359 downloading songs and burning them on CDs and 00:01:41.359 --> 00:01:43.340 giving them to your friends. But I think it just, 00:01:43.459 --> 00:01:46.680 yeah, good way to share music. Well, as I mentioned 00:01:46.680 --> 00:01:48.560 at the top of the show, we're here to talk about 00:01:48.560 --> 00:02:21.349 the band's latest release, Feels Like Hell. you 00:02:21.349 --> 00:02:25.129 just don't move the same so i stalk you from 00:02:25.129 --> 00:02:29.669 the screen and it makes me feel insane i used 00:02:29.669 --> 00:02:33.169 to be around and now you're just these lights 00:02:33.169 --> 00:02:40.870 and sounds kicking things off tonight with a 00:02:40.870 --> 00:02:44.150 little sneak peek of the song nosebleed as a 00:02:44.150 --> 00:02:47.370 fan this album feels like the culmination of 00:02:47.370 --> 00:02:50.360 what would be a decade -long journey especially 00:02:50.360 --> 00:02:53.439 considering your Gloomy Tunes EP came out in 00:02:53.439 --> 00:02:57.099 2015. Can you talk about the band's musical evolution 00:02:57.099 --> 00:03:00.780 over the last 10 years and how it led you to 00:03:00.780 --> 00:03:04.360 Feels Like Hell? Yeah, we've just constantly 00:03:04.360 --> 00:03:07.919 been doing the thing. I know that's what every 00:03:07.919 --> 00:03:10.039 band can say, but we've been working hard and 00:03:10.039 --> 00:03:13.319 really just diving into trying to write good 00:03:13.319 --> 00:03:16.659 songs. I think the main ethos of the band for 00:03:16.659 --> 00:03:21.199 me has always been I want to be a fan of my own 00:03:21.199 --> 00:03:23.740 music. So whatever project, whatever record we're 00:03:23.740 --> 00:03:26.699 making, I'm writing music to be a fan of those 00:03:26.699 --> 00:03:29.259 songs. I want to feel like they're songs I would 00:03:29.259 --> 00:03:31.719 listen to or enjoy listening to if I wasn't making 00:03:31.719 --> 00:03:34.159 them. And that stayed through the whole time. 00:03:34.539 --> 00:03:37.680 I think as a band, we've grown quite a lot. We've 00:03:37.680 --> 00:03:42.259 had some lineup changes with our drummer. Annie's 00:03:42.259 --> 00:03:45.120 recorded and engineered everything and produced 00:03:45.120 --> 00:03:47.900 everything we've ever made. She's grown tremendously 00:03:47.900 --> 00:03:50.460 in that. And I mean, it's always been awesome, 00:03:50.520 --> 00:03:53.560 but so much growth. And then just Annie and I 00:03:53.560 --> 00:03:55.879 working more collaboratively, even just at the 00:03:55.879 --> 00:03:58.819 starting stages of songwriting and co -writing 00:03:58.819 --> 00:04:01.979 has been like a new development in the most recent 00:04:01.979 --> 00:04:05.639 years of our band. So just, yeah, always growth 00:04:05.639 --> 00:04:07.539 while still maintaining like the same ethos of 00:04:07.539 --> 00:04:09.580 just like wanting to make music that like you 00:04:09.580 --> 00:04:12.840 actually care about. Well, what drew me initially 00:04:12.840 --> 00:04:15.780 to the band is that I am personally very much 00:04:15.780 --> 00:04:19.540 a musical chameleon. So when I hear a band that 00:04:19.540 --> 00:04:23.519 I can't easily describe to someone, you have 00:04:23.519 --> 00:04:26.339 my attention. So if someone were to ask me if 00:04:26.339 --> 00:04:29.959 Weekend Friends were punk, emo, alternative rock, 00:04:30.240 --> 00:04:36.139 indie or pop, my answer would be yes. Nice. So 00:04:36.139 --> 00:04:39.180 how do you strike a balance between genres while 00:04:39.180 --> 00:04:41.920 staying authentic? to what you want to create 00:04:41.920 --> 00:04:47.060 as an artist. Yeah. Um, it's interesting. You 00:04:47.060 --> 00:04:49.839 mentioned that because I just love so much music. 00:04:50.079 --> 00:04:51.959 There's so many different kinds of music that 00:04:51.959 --> 00:04:54.699 I listened to. And I think a lot of artists share 00:04:54.699 --> 00:04:57.420 that, but I never found myself as like a music 00:04:57.420 --> 00:04:59.660 listener to be like pigeonholed into like one 00:04:59.660 --> 00:05:02.180 genre. I've always been all over the map since 00:05:02.180 --> 00:05:04.939 I was a kid, you know? And I think a lot of times 00:05:04.939 --> 00:05:07.920 like you tend to pigeonhole yourself genre wise. 00:05:08.660 --> 00:05:11.100 because enjoyment of art and enjoyment of music 00:05:11.100 --> 00:05:13.060 can also be a place where when you're growing 00:05:13.060 --> 00:05:15.839 up and when you're younger where you find your 00:05:15.839 --> 00:05:17.939 self -expression and you find like who you are 00:05:17.939 --> 00:05:21.959 as a person and I guess I've just like always 00:05:21.959 --> 00:05:25.139 been like a mess of a person I don't know I've 00:05:25.139 --> 00:05:28.500 like really just liked so much shit and I don't 00:05:28.500 --> 00:05:31.819 really think genre specific when I'm writing 00:05:31.819 --> 00:05:34.680 I feel as though every song is telling its own 00:05:34.680 --> 00:05:37.800 story and has its own like character or its own 00:05:37.800 --> 00:05:40.899 set of characters. And I kind of just approach 00:05:40.899 --> 00:05:45.040 songwriting in that way. And in a sense of like, 00:05:45.079 --> 00:05:47.459 be true to the character of the song, sort of 00:05:47.459 --> 00:05:49.839 as if you were like, you know, it was like a 00:05:49.839 --> 00:05:52.759 movie or like, you know, every, you're not going 00:05:52.759 --> 00:05:55.220 to like keep making the same movie over and over 00:05:55.220 --> 00:05:56.759 again. So I just don't want to keep writing the 00:05:56.759 --> 00:05:58.300 same song. I think there are things that are 00:05:58.300 --> 00:06:00.360 through line, like, you know, my voice and our 00:06:00.360 --> 00:06:03.639 sound, but Yeah, I guess it's just it's really 00:06:03.639 --> 00:06:06.980 all over the map for me. Now, the band has worked 00:06:06.980 --> 00:06:10.459 with Don Giovanni Records since 2018's Common 00:06:10.459 --> 00:06:13.439 Blah. Can you talk about that relationship and 00:06:13.439 --> 00:06:16.620 what the label brings to the band? Yeah, we love 00:06:16.620 --> 00:06:19.000 Joe at Don Giovanni. It's a small operation. 00:06:19.399 --> 00:06:22.639 When we signed on with them, it was very much 00:06:22.639 --> 00:06:29.040 like told to us, this is a very indie DIY label. 00:06:29.660 --> 00:06:31.860 they had worked and continue to work with amazing 00:06:31.860 --> 00:06:34.079 artists have put out some of my favorite records 00:06:34.079 --> 00:06:37.680 but it really is a small operation and with that 00:06:37.680 --> 00:06:42.060 you get a lot of real face time with the people 00:06:42.060 --> 00:06:44.740 who are working behind the label and they're 00:06:44.740 --> 00:06:48.000 humans and it always has felt like in a world 00:06:48.000 --> 00:06:50.379 where everything is just so driven to be like 00:06:50.379 --> 00:06:53.819 content like sell your soul like do anything 00:06:53.819 --> 00:06:55.660 you can like we're gonna take all your money 00:06:55.660 --> 00:06:59.439 like there was never any of that at all from 00:06:59.439 --> 00:07:02.100 Don Giovanni which is is really supportive and 00:07:02.100 --> 00:07:06.160 I think the more and more I do this the more 00:07:06.160 --> 00:07:08.180 I realize like the people who come at you and 00:07:08.180 --> 00:07:11.060 try to like flash all these like promises and 00:07:11.060 --> 00:07:12.959 like dangle the carrot in front of you are the 00:07:12.959 --> 00:07:15.240 most bullshit and the people who are actually 00:07:15.240 --> 00:07:17.040 there to like help you and support you will just 00:07:17.040 --> 00:07:18.819 like show up and be there and be there consistently 00:07:18.819 --> 00:07:21.199 and be down to listen and will be like honest 00:07:22.279 --> 00:07:24.459 And that's always been my experience with Andre 00:07:24.459 --> 00:07:26.899 Bonney and with Joe, just like super honest and 00:07:26.899 --> 00:07:29.319 there to meet you in the middle and to work with 00:07:29.319 --> 00:07:33.079 you. Well, as a whole, Feels Like Hell tackles 00:07:33.079 --> 00:07:36.220 some heavy themes, both musically and lyrically. 00:07:36.480 --> 00:07:39.839 So on one side of the spectrum, you have anxiety 00:07:39.839 --> 00:07:43.279 and burnout, but on the other, survival. And 00:07:43.279 --> 00:07:46.120 I think that becomes immediately clear as soon 00:07:46.120 --> 00:07:49.259 as you press play on Tough Luck, Bleed Me Out. 00:08:47.399 --> 00:08:50.000 Can you talk about how those themes weave throughout 00:08:50.000 --> 00:08:55.720 the album as a whole? Yeah. I'm someone who's 00:08:55.720 --> 00:08:58.820 very aware of the world around me, and I have 00:08:58.820 --> 00:09:02.620 sensitivities to all types of emotion. I guess 00:09:02.620 --> 00:09:04.759 that's just describing being human, but it's 00:09:04.759 --> 00:09:06.960 not always a given these days. Right, right. 00:09:07.539 --> 00:09:10.740 And we're living in a time where there's just 00:09:10.740 --> 00:09:15.620 a lot of newness to how people go about being 00:09:15.620 --> 00:09:19.409 terrible. how people plan to destroy our planet 00:09:19.409 --> 00:09:24.029 and it could be very overwhelming and sometimes 00:09:24.029 --> 00:09:26.990 it could feel very hopeless and there's this 00:09:26.990 --> 00:09:30.049 like through line I think for people to feel 00:09:30.049 --> 00:09:33.450 like nihilistic about it because of that and 00:09:33.450 --> 00:09:35.950 want to just be like well let it all burn whatever 00:09:35.950 --> 00:09:40.269 but what I've always learned through making music 00:09:40.269 --> 00:09:43.919 and just as a person is that there's so much 00:09:43.919 --> 00:09:46.480 more power in community and and like surviving 00:09:46.480 --> 00:09:48.720 it and being hopeful so where there's like a 00:09:48.720 --> 00:09:51.379 lot of catharsis on those like negative feelings 00:09:51.379 --> 00:09:54.460 and emotions and observations on this record 00:09:54.460 --> 00:09:57.340 or in any of the music i write whether they're 00:09:57.340 --> 00:09:59.879 looking inwardly or outwardly at the same time 00:09:59.879 --> 00:10:01.580 like i like that you bring up survival because 00:10:01.580 --> 00:10:03.620 it's it's the times we're living through and 00:10:03.620 --> 00:10:05.500 and i believe that like you know you'll always 00:10:05.500 --> 00:10:09.299 get to the other side and the other side is also 00:10:09.299 --> 00:10:12.970 the reality that there is a lot of good and there's 00:10:12.970 --> 00:10:16.070 a lot to live for and there's a lot to show up 00:10:16.070 --> 00:10:18.809 for and when we go play these songs live and 00:10:18.809 --> 00:10:20.909 you see people like connecting and relating and 00:10:20.909 --> 00:10:22.909 singing along it's like that's the reason why 00:10:22.909 --> 00:10:24.529 you survive that's the reason why you keep making 00:10:24.529 --> 00:10:26.889 art and creating that's really actually quite 00:10:26.889 --> 00:10:30.850 beautiful that it certainly is now in the liner 00:10:30.850 --> 00:10:33.330 notes you talked about having a few years of 00:10:33.330 --> 00:10:35.950 writer's block leading up to this album yeah 00:10:35.950 --> 00:10:39.509 can you dive into how you took what conceivably 00:10:40.029 --> 00:10:41.990 could have been a breaking point for the band 00:10:41.990 --> 00:10:44.529 and how you turned it into a breakthrough instead? 00:10:45.629 --> 00:10:51.289 Yeah. After our second record quitter, we had 00:10:51.289 --> 00:10:53.950 been touring a lot. COVID had just happened and 00:10:53.950 --> 00:10:57.350 then things did start opening up again. And we 00:10:57.350 --> 00:10:59.450 started just hitting the road and playing a ton 00:10:59.450 --> 00:11:01.370 of shows. And a lot of that was support tours 00:11:01.370 --> 00:11:03.570 for bigger bands where we were the opening act 00:11:03.570 --> 00:11:07.230 and just getting out and doing that. we did so 00:11:07.230 --> 00:11:09.429 much of that and then when i would come home 00:11:09.429 --> 00:11:13.450 like when you tour at that level it's really 00:11:13.450 --> 00:11:16.230 exhausting and there's really no way to sugarcoat 00:11:16.230 --> 00:11:18.509 it it's like that time you get on stage you feel 00:11:18.509 --> 00:11:21.669 like a fucking superhero and you feel like you're 00:11:21.669 --> 00:11:23.909 just out there doing the coolest thing in the 00:11:23.909 --> 00:11:26.669 world but the reality outside of that is just 00:11:26.669 --> 00:11:28.950 like a lot of grind and a lot of struggle and 00:11:28.950 --> 00:11:32.539 a lot of like sleeping in weird places and not 00:11:32.539 --> 00:11:35.000 sleeping at all and not treating your body well 00:11:35.000 --> 00:11:38.259 not treating your mind well and so I think grinding 00:11:38.259 --> 00:11:41.639 at that level and and as a band for as long as 00:11:41.639 --> 00:11:43.960 we did and as long as we kind of still are at 00:11:43.960 --> 00:11:47.659 times it made me feel like really burnt out and 00:11:47.659 --> 00:11:49.879 so when I would come home and then sit down to 00:11:49.879 --> 00:11:53.039 like write or create you know it's hard to want 00:11:53.039 --> 00:11:54.840 to get in that headspace and write and create 00:11:54.840 --> 00:11:57.559 when you have this like negative connotation 00:11:57.559 --> 00:12:01.090 to like the art itself because now it's become 00:12:01.090 --> 00:12:03.909 this like thing that's causing a lot of like 00:12:03.909 --> 00:12:07.009 hardship in your life which is a lot to deal 00:12:07.009 --> 00:12:08.730 with especially because it's something you ultimately 00:12:08.730 --> 00:12:12.350 do love and that makes you you and so I think 00:12:12.350 --> 00:12:15.350 like refinding a relationship with music and 00:12:15.350 --> 00:12:20.029 creating music that felt safe and that felt fun 00:12:20.029 --> 00:12:23.730 and that felt like removed from those feelings 00:12:23.730 --> 00:12:26.309 of burnout and those feelings of like stress 00:12:26.309 --> 00:12:29.129 and hardship and the grind. That was something 00:12:29.129 --> 00:12:32.710 that just took time and I'm happy we got there. 00:12:32.750 --> 00:12:34.730 I'm happy we got through it and we're able to 00:12:34.730 --> 00:12:37.470 again, turn it around and then make the record 00:12:37.470 --> 00:12:40.269 we did. And I'm so proud of this record and I'm 00:12:40.269 --> 00:12:42.750 so happy to see people finding it and finding 00:12:42.750 --> 00:12:44.409 our band for the first time through this record. 00:12:44.990 --> 00:12:47.990 So, and I'm so happy ultimately to be in a place 00:12:47.990 --> 00:12:53.629 where I just feel so much more positive about. 00:12:54.490 --> 00:12:57.190 making art and making music and getting to tour 00:12:57.190 --> 00:12:59.970 and getting to be in a band. And that's a lot 00:12:59.970 --> 00:13:01.830 of like self -work as well. But yeah, we turned 00:13:01.830 --> 00:13:06.149 it around. So when you're writing material, have 00:13:06.149 --> 00:13:08.350 there been moments where you're leaning into 00:13:08.350 --> 00:13:10.710 that honesty that you're talking about, even 00:13:10.710 --> 00:13:13.830 when it's raw and it cuts you to your core, that 00:13:13.830 --> 00:13:16.669 ends up creating the strongest connection with 00:13:16.669 --> 00:13:22.100 fans? I think so. I feel like while I am writing, 00:13:22.179 --> 00:13:25.279 the emotion never feels like really there for 00:13:25.279 --> 00:13:28.120 me. Like I usually if I'm writing something, 00:13:28.200 --> 00:13:30.019 I've already kind of processed the emotion of 00:13:30.019 --> 00:13:33.159 it beforehand. And so I'm not like feeling it 00:13:33.159 --> 00:13:35.259 like necessarily like in like it almost like 00:13:35.259 --> 00:13:37.039 you're almost like a conduit to it. Like it comes 00:13:37.039 --> 00:13:39.580 back to your your brain from like a past memory 00:13:39.580 --> 00:13:41.519 and then you're like putting it into a song. 00:13:41.940 --> 00:13:43.840 So it's interesting because sometimes I'll write 00:13:43.840 --> 00:13:46.299 something and it is really emotional and it's 00:13:46.299 --> 00:13:48.659 like not until we get. So far, like we get on 00:13:48.659 --> 00:13:50.980 stage and then play it and like hear people screaming 00:13:50.980 --> 00:13:53.600 it back and like really connecting with it or 00:13:53.600 --> 00:13:56.379 like sharing their stories that then like those 00:13:56.379 --> 00:13:59.720 emotions I went through or witnessed become real 00:13:59.720 --> 00:14:02.200 again. And you're just like, it's so nice to 00:14:02.200 --> 00:14:07.980 like have that together, I guess. Well, just 00:14:07.980 --> 00:14:10.220 a quick reminder to anyone listening, you can 00:14:10.220 --> 00:14:12.759 hear the full versions of all the songs we're 00:14:12.759 --> 00:14:15.440 talking about tonight on all the streaming services. 00:14:15.580 --> 00:14:18.539 But let's be honest. Physical media is always 00:14:18.539 --> 00:14:21.980 better. So be sure to grab a copy of Feels Like 00:14:21.980 --> 00:14:25.879 Hell on vinyl or CD, either via Weekend Friends 00:14:25.879 --> 00:14:29.720 Bandcamp page, or even better, from their merch 00:14:29.720 --> 00:14:34.100 booth at their live show. But just as a reminder, 00:14:34.279 --> 00:14:36.519 you can also hear all the songs we're discussing 00:14:36.519 --> 00:14:39.820 tonight via the playlist I embedded on the episode 00:14:39.820 --> 00:14:45.789 page over at myweeklymixtape .com. Now, the band's 00:14:45.789 --> 00:14:49.169 collaborated with the insanely prolific Buckethead 00:14:49.169 --> 00:14:52.850 on NPC, which, for those that don't know the 00:14:52.850 --> 00:14:55.629 vernacular, it's in the video game world as well 00:14:55.629 --> 00:14:59.169 as modern slang known as non -player character. 00:14:59.830 --> 00:15:03.610 Honestly, I couldn't imagine a more perfect musical 00:15:03.610 --> 00:15:07.710 mind to help bring that concept to life. His 00:15:07.710 --> 00:15:11.850 guitar solo in this track starts off like a glitch 00:15:11.850 --> 00:15:15.360 in a video game. That paints the musical picture 00:15:15.360 --> 00:15:18.620 more perfect than I can even describe here. Just 00:15:18.620 --> 00:15:54.259 take a listen for yourself. Now, was that solo 00:15:54.259 --> 00:15:57.480 entirely Buckethead's vision or did you share 00:15:57.480 --> 00:15:59.960 the concept of the song with him beforehand? 00:16:00.940 --> 00:16:06.539 Yeah, we spoke about it. So we got into the studio 00:16:06.539 --> 00:16:08.799 and he's just someone who loves to like share 00:16:08.799 --> 00:16:11.679 music and share his process and share what he's 00:16:11.679 --> 00:16:13.980 working on and like very collaborative energy 00:16:13.980 --> 00:16:18.120 or has been at least to us. And we kind of talked 00:16:18.120 --> 00:16:21.399 about like having him guest solo on a song and. 00:16:21.919 --> 00:16:25.539 When that song finally came together, I wanted 00:16:25.539 --> 00:16:29.039 that sound of like if you're an NPC and you're 00:16:29.039 --> 00:16:31.179 living in this like manufactured or artificial 00:16:31.179 --> 00:16:35.340 universe, the idea of it just like tearing apart 00:16:35.340 --> 00:16:39.299 and like glitching out and kind of just ripping 00:16:39.299 --> 00:16:43.519 the whole thing apart in this like big glitch 00:16:43.519 --> 00:16:46.460 explosion. And I was like, I think I know the 00:16:46.460 --> 00:16:49.200 guy who can play guitar exactly like that. So 00:16:49.200 --> 00:16:52.529 I did. i did send that like as like a an idea 00:16:52.529 --> 00:16:54.870 but then i also love how he starts with that 00:16:54.870 --> 00:16:57.509 and it's just like crazy like it does feel like 00:16:57.509 --> 00:17:00.009 the computer is about to explode uh fabric of 00:17:00.009 --> 00:17:02.330 reality is just splitting apart but then he also 00:17:02.330 --> 00:17:03.970 has like there's like some of my favorite little 00:17:03.970 --> 00:17:07.549 like melody licks in the back half of the solo 00:17:07.549 --> 00:17:11.150 that are just like really lovely and and so cool 00:17:11.150 --> 00:17:14.049 um because i'm i'm a very like melodic guitar 00:17:14.049 --> 00:17:17.609 solo kind of person with like i mean If I'm left 00:17:17.609 --> 00:17:19.849 to my own devices. So I like that he kind of 00:17:19.849 --> 00:17:24.210 blended both worlds. And it's like, so him. It's 00:17:24.210 --> 00:17:25.670 so Buckethead. You like know that's who that 00:17:25.670 --> 00:17:28.589 is as soon as you hear it. And did the collaboration 00:17:28.589 --> 00:17:31.869 maybe introduce your band to people that maybe 00:17:31.869 --> 00:17:34.630 heard of you through Buckethead? Yeah, certainly. 00:17:34.789 --> 00:17:38.190 I mean, we got to open for him in L .A. back 00:17:38.190 --> 00:17:40.430 in December. And there were a lot of people who 00:17:40.430 --> 00:17:42.410 then came out to some of our West Coast dates 00:17:42.410 --> 00:17:44.910 who were at that show. and it's really cool they're 00:17:44.910 --> 00:17:47.829 always like such nice fans like we had they like 00:17:47.829 --> 00:17:49.809 come up to the merch booth after like had chat 00:17:49.809 --> 00:17:52.750 with them like always have like such a nice like 00:17:52.750 --> 00:17:55.369 spirit and story to share like definitely like 00:17:55.369 --> 00:17:57.470 in the best way possible i mean there's like 00:17:57.470 --> 00:18:00.130 music nerds like people who just like love music 00:18:00.130 --> 00:18:02.309 i mean i think if you do like buckethead you're 00:18:02.309 --> 00:18:05.269 kind of a music nerd which is awesome i mean 00:18:05.269 --> 00:18:07.650 he's released like hundreds of records and is 00:18:07.650 --> 00:18:10.390 just you know always putting on new material 00:18:10.390 --> 00:18:13.789 um so Yeah, it was really cool to see them at 00:18:13.789 --> 00:18:15.789 our shows. And I never really thought there would 00:18:15.789 --> 00:18:19.809 be like a crossover. And I guess like I was a 00:18:19.809 --> 00:18:22.009 little worried when we were paying to open that 00:18:22.009 --> 00:18:24.930 show that like people would not receive us as 00:18:24.930 --> 00:18:26.910 well or just like think it was weird that we 00:18:26.910 --> 00:18:29.230 were there. But they were all super excited. 00:18:29.289 --> 00:18:31.349 And, you know, there was a lot of people who 00:18:31.349 --> 00:18:34.289 really liked our stuff. So that's awesome. Well, 00:18:34.349 --> 00:18:36.609 next, I want to touch on one of my personal favorite 00:18:36.609 --> 00:18:39.289 tracks on the album, that being Smoke and Mirrors. 00:19:02.700 --> 00:19:06.339 This is one of the most visceral moments on Feels 00:19:06.339 --> 00:19:08.920 Like Hell. Yet, like we talked about earlier, 00:19:09.339 --> 00:19:12.559 to me, this song has that sense of survival in 00:19:12.559 --> 00:19:16.240 the lyrics, choosing self -preservation over 00:19:16.240 --> 00:19:19.680 resentment as you walk away from something that's 00:19:19.680 --> 00:19:23.539 completely one -sided. Looking back, what did 00:19:23.539 --> 00:19:26.700 that moment of preservation teach you about yourself, 00:19:26.839 --> 00:19:30.940 both as maybe a person and as a songwriter? yeah 00:19:30.940 --> 00:19:33.299 you always have to set boundaries and that's 00:19:33.299 --> 00:19:37.740 something i have only recently come around to 00:19:37.740 --> 00:19:40.420 i think setting boundaries is so great i've always 00:19:40.420 --> 00:19:42.960 been known in the past not really anymore but 00:19:42.960 --> 00:19:44.579 i used to have a little bit of a temper and i 00:19:44.579 --> 00:19:46.359 would like let things get to me and i could be 00:19:46.359 --> 00:19:50.900 i'm italian so i can be a little spicy at times 00:19:50.900 --> 00:19:55.200 and get a little aggro but uh i in more recent 00:19:55.200 --> 00:19:57.259 times like just like advocating for yourself 00:19:57.259 --> 00:20:01.200 setting boundaries and like when you're in situations 00:20:01.200 --> 00:20:03.859 where you are being taken advantage of, or you 00:20:03.859 --> 00:20:07.440 feel like, you know, that tension, all you need 00:20:07.440 --> 00:20:09.059 to do is just be like, I think a little Eric 00:20:09.059 --> 00:20:10.980 is like, I can't hold this ladder anymore. I 00:20:10.980 --> 00:20:14.200 got to climb it for myself is just be like, it's 00:20:14.200 --> 00:20:17.220 good to be helpful. It's good to be there, but 00:20:17.220 --> 00:20:19.259 you have to know that point where it's like, 00:20:19.339 --> 00:20:21.880 okay, and now I need to like put my own, put 00:20:21.880 --> 00:20:24.619 my own, like, you know, life jacket on and my 00:20:24.619 --> 00:20:28.829 own, you know, mask on before. I can help others. 00:20:29.390 --> 00:20:31.430 And then, yeah, like as a songwriter, I guess 00:20:31.430 --> 00:20:33.670 with that one, it was just like a really cathartic 00:20:33.670 --> 00:20:37.509 one to bust out, I guess, you know, especially 00:20:37.509 --> 00:20:40.289 if like the wound is fresh in those situations 00:20:40.289 --> 00:20:43.490 with some of that animosity, it could feel, it 00:20:43.490 --> 00:20:47.410 was like really nice to put that down. I think 00:20:47.410 --> 00:20:49.349 I could speak for a lot of people when I say 00:20:49.349 --> 00:20:51.690 that that catharsis comes from maybe the songwriting 00:20:51.690 --> 00:20:54.509 as well as in the audience hearing that song, 00:20:54.529 --> 00:20:56.230 because it's something a lot of people can relate 00:20:56.230 --> 00:21:00.420 to. in one facet or another. Definitely. Now, 00:21:00.440 --> 00:21:03.180 another thing I love about this album, and here's 00:21:03.180 --> 00:21:06.960 where my music nerd comes into play, song dynamics. 00:21:07.480 --> 00:21:09.960 I've talked about this on the show before with 00:21:09.960 --> 00:21:12.859 Eric Bass of Shinedown and Chris Gerringer of 00:21:12.859 --> 00:21:15.660 Sterling Sound. And if Annie were on the call 00:21:15.660 --> 00:21:18.720 tonight, I'd be asking her this from a recording 00:21:18.720 --> 00:21:21.579 perspective, but I want to ask you this from 00:21:21.579 --> 00:21:24.900 a songwriting perspective. When I hear tracks 00:21:24.900 --> 00:21:29.349 like Nosebleed, and Queen of Town, both of those 00:21:29.349 --> 00:21:33.990 tracks feel hyper -focused on this roller coaster 00:21:33.990 --> 00:21:39.269 of loud into quiet passages. Was that something 00:21:39.269 --> 00:21:43.029 the band wrote with intent, or was that a product 00:21:43.029 --> 00:21:46.009 of Annie's, as you mentioned, incredible studio 00:21:46.009 --> 00:21:50.400 mastery on full display? Well, I feel like Annie 00:21:50.400 --> 00:21:54.420 is amazing at capturing that. I have always leaned 00:21:54.420 --> 00:21:58.160 a little into the drama. I love pop music. I 00:21:58.160 --> 00:22:02.779 love the drama in pop music. And I love the loud, 00:22:02.839 --> 00:22:05.579 quiet. I love a dramatic song. Again, I'm Italian, 00:22:05.799 --> 00:22:07.920 right? It's like, I feel like there's so much 00:22:07.920 --> 00:22:11.299 drama in that culture and in the music of that 00:22:11.299 --> 00:22:13.500 culture. Like growing up with like Italian music, 00:22:13.579 --> 00:22:16.960 actually, my parents are from Italy. So I have 00:22:16.960 --> 00:22:20.099 a very... strong connection, I guess, or experience 00:22:20.099 --> 00:22:23.720 with the culture. And yeah, I love, I just like 00:22:23.720 --> 00:22:26.539 love drama. I love, I love a dramatic song. I 00:22:26.539 --> 00:22:29.339 love a song that has range. I find myself like 00:22:29.339 --> 00:22:31.720 so bored sometimes when something's just a little 00:22:31.720 --> 00:22:35.460 too streamlined. So yeah, it makes it fun for 00:22:35.460 --> 00:22:38.980 me. I just, it feels fun to do. Well, now I'm 00:22:38.980 --> 00:22:41.160 going to tap into a song that I'm sure you've 00:22:41.160 --> 00:22:44.799 talked about at nauseam and I hate to spoil past 00:22:44.799 --> 00:22:47.710 episodes of the show, but This past December, 00:22:48.049 --> 00:22:52.049 Weekend Friends cover of Edna Swapp's Torn kicked 00:22:52.049 --> 00:23:21.539 off my Sound of Cover Songs 2025 episode. And 00:23:21.539 --> 00:23:25.339 while so many people know Torn from Natalie Imbruglia's 00:23:25.339 --> 00:23:29.099 iconic pop take on the track, I feel like your 00:23:29.099 --> 00:23:32.160 band's version honors both the spirit of the 00:23:32.160 --> 00:23:36.539 original song while moving it fully into Weekend 00:23:36.539 --> 00:23:40.680 Friends universe to the point where it no longer 00:23:40.680 --> 00:23:44.200 feels like a cover song. It just feels like a 00:23:44.200 --> 00:23:47.819 natural extension of the tracks on Feels Like 00:23:47.819 --> 00:23:50.559 Hell. Can you talk about the band's approach 00:23:50.559 --> 00:23:53.380 to covering this track and maybe what the mindset 00:23:53.380 --> 00:23:57.720 in closing the album with it was? Yeah. So I'll 00:23:57.720 --> 00:23:59.279 start at the end of your question because I think 00:23:59.279 --> 00:24:02.160 closing the album with it for me felt like a 00:24:02.160 --> 00:24:05.779 bonus track. In my mind, the album ends at Great 00:24:05.779 --> 00:24:09.059 Expectations and then Torn was like the bonus 00:24:09.059 --> 00:24:12.099 track because we did release Torn before the 00:24:12.099 --> 00:24:16.700 album rollout started to happen. And again, that's 00:24:16.700 --> 00:24:19.259 how I can. That's. how I decided to put that 00:24:19.259 --> 00:24:22.259 last or we decided to set that one last. Yeah, 00:24:22.319 --> 00:24:24.279 that song just came about out of the fact that 00:24:24.279 --> 00:24:26.720 we were like doing a cover would be fun. And 00:24:26.720 --> 00:24:29.440 we already had done a version of it for our Patreon 00:24:29.440 --> 00:24:32.960 page years ago. We would do like this, like a 00:24:32.960 --> 00:24:35.539 subscriber poll and have different themes and 00:24:35.539 --> 00:24:38.000 have people pick what song they wanted us to 00:24:38.000 --> 00:24:41.980 do. And that one was like one of the top voted 00:24:41.980 --> 00:24:44.569 on. And then years later, we were heading out 00:24:44.569 --> 00:24:46.250 on tour with our friends in the band Slothrust, 00:24:46.369 --> 00:24:49.009 who are this incredible band and great friends 00:24:49.009 --> 00:24:53.670 of ours. This was in like early 2024. And we 00:24:53.670 --> 00:24:55.049 were like, let's shake up our set. Like we're 00:24:55.049 --> 00:24:57.309 the opening band. One of the things they do a 00:24:57.309 --> 00:25:00.890 lot is they do a lot of covers and they do these 00:25:00.890 --> 00:25:02.950 awesome covers. They did a cover of Genuine's 00:25:02.950 --> 00:25:06.130 Pony and they completely revamped it into like 00:25:06.130 --> 00:25:10.130 this like really heavy guitar rock song. You 00:25:10.130 --> 00:25:11.910 know, they've done like Britney Spears songs 00:25:11.910 --> 00:25:14.930 before when we've been on tour with them. I think 00:25:14.930 --> 00:25:17.710 they did a Splish Splash, the Taking a Bath song. 00:25:18.150 --> 00:25:20.650 Oh, Bobby Darin. They've done Sex and Candy, 00:25:20.829 --> 00:25:27.410 like so many great covers. And I was like, I 00:25:27.410 --> 00:25:29.170 think their fans would dig it. Like, let's just 00:25:29.170 --> 00:25:30.970 let's bust out Torn. Like, that was so fun to 00:25:30.970 --> 00:25:34.250 record for the Patreon. Like, let's dust it off 00:25:34.250 --> 00:25:38.680 and let's put it in the set. And we did. Yeah, 00:25:38.720 --> 00:25:42.579 people went feral for it when we unleashed it 00:25:42.579 --> 00:25:44.920 on that crowd. And then it just kind of became 00:25:44.920 --> 00:25:49.140 this thing at live shows. And so while we were 00:25:49.140 --> 00:25:51.480 gearing up to make the new record, we're like, 00:25:51.559 --> 00:25:53.779 well, let's release Torn as a single. Let's just 00:25:53.779 --> 00:25:55.680 put it out there. People are loving it live. 00:25:55.819 --> 00:25:57.900 It's like a fun thing to do to kind of launch 00:25:57.900 --> 00:26:01.019 into this new chapter. And then it just, like 00:26:01.019 --> 00:26:04.619 you said, kind of did feel like we really embodied 00:26:04.619 --> 00:26:08.240 it. So I wanted to keep it. on the record. I 00:26:08.240 --> 00:26:10.500 thought that was like, you know, it felt like 00:26:10.500 --> 00:26:13.059 it belonged on the Feels Like Hell record. And 00:26:13.059 --> 00:26:15.619 like, so we just tacked it on the end there. 00:26:16.420 --> 00:26:19.480 Okay. So when you listen back to Feels Like Hell 00:26:19.480 --> 00:26:22.400 from start to finish as an album, is there a 00:26:22.400 --> 00:26:25.539 song now in hindsight that surprises you the 00:26:25.539 --> 00:26:30.660 most, either emotionally or simply how the final 00:26:30.660 --> 00:26:33.579 recording turned out compared to what it sounded 00:26:33.579 --> 00:26:36.509 like in your head? During the writing stages. 00:26:38.089 --> 00:26:40.170 Like during the right, like where it completely 00:26:40.170 --> 00:26:45.630 took a life of its own. Yeah. I am. All right. 00:26:45.690 --> 00:26:50.789 That's a good question. Making me think, I guess 00:26:50.789 --> 00:26:56.430 I would say NPC because I kind of had that one 00:26:56.430 --> 00:26:59.890 that started off as just that like little opening 00:26:59.890 --> 00:27:04.160 riff and like. There was so many iterations of 00:27:04.160 --> 00:27:06.019 it. There was like, I think like a voice demo 00:27:06.019 --> 00:27:08.880 where like the lyrics are like not anything what 00:27:08.880 --> 00:27:11.259 they ended up being. And it was one of those 00:27:11.259 --> 00:27:15.480 ones like I really didn't like it. Like we started 00:27:15.480 --> 00:27:18.279 writing it and I was like, I don't know about 00:27:18.279 --> 00:27:21.519 this song. Like it's not, I can't see the vision. 00:27:21.599 --> 00:27:26.500 And Annie really pushed for us to continue exploring 00:27:26.500 --> 00:27:28.500 that one because I think she really liked the 00:27:28.500 --> 00:27:31.170 like. lyrics and like the concept of it because 00:27:31.170 --> 00:27:33.369 it was just something so different so we kept 00:27:33.369 --> 00:27:36.089 hammering away at it and then once it actually 00:27:36.089 --> 00:27:38.490 was tracked and we started really like layering 00:27:38.490 --> 00:27:40.849 onto it i was like oh yeah this song rocks like 00:27:40.849 --> 00:27:42.809 this is really cool and it's one of my favorites 00:27:42.809 --> 00:27:44.670 to play live now and i think one of my favorites 00:27:44.670 --> 00:27:48.150 on the record but in the creating it and like 00:27:48.150 --> 00:27:50.849 writing it definitely not it was like one of 00:27:50.849 --> 00:27:52.250 those ones i'm like i don't even know if i want 00:27:52.250 --> 00:27:54.970 to keep doing this um but happy we stuck with 00:27:54.970 --> 00:27:58.140 it thanks i'm glad you did too Now, we've talked 00:27:58.140 --> 00:28:01.079 a lot about the singular songs on the album, 00:28:01.140 --> 00:28:03.359 but I also want to reflect on Feels Like Hell 00:28:03.359 --> 00:28:06.700 as an album itself. Because when you think about 00:28:06.700 --> 00:28:09.779 Annie's two piano interludes, they feel like 00:28:09.779 --> 00:28:14.160 part of Feels Like Hell's overarching story versus, 00:28:14.279 --> 00:28:17.480 let's just say, two passages amongst a collection 00:28:17.480 --> 00:28:21.839 of songs. Is the album experience something that's 00:28:21.839 --> 00:28:25.779 important to the band in a streaming era? where 00:28:25.779 --> 00:28:28.319 the majority of the focus is usually pointed 00:28:28.319 --> 00:28:34.000 towards a hit single. Yeah, I love an album. 00:28:34.119 --> 00:28:37.119 I buy records. I am someone who just loves to 00:28:37.119 --> 00:28:40.200 put on a record. I love to just cook and have 00:28:40.200 --> 00:28:42.200 a record on the background, or I honestly like 00:28:42.200 --> 00:28:44.619 to just sit and actually immerse myself and listen 00:28:44.619 --> 00:28:47.759 to a record. I love little interludes. I love 00:28:47.759 --> 00:28:50.900 a tasteful little throwback or callback to a 00:28:50.900 --> 00:28:55.019 theme. I love a well -crafted record. Something 00:28:55.019 --> 00:28:57.859 I with this record, we made a conscious decision 00:28:57.859 --> 00:29:01.819 to try to do. I love lyrics that call back and 00:29:01.819 --> 00:29:05.119 reference like an earlier song. Yeah, it's so 00:29:05.119 --> 00:29:08.299 fun to create and make a record in that way. 00:29:08.680 --> 00:29:11.000 And the interludes are just like, I think such 00:29:11.000 --> 00:29:13.339 little fun things on this record, like the NPC 00:29:13.339 --> 00:29:16.039 one or the one right before NPC is like just 00:29:16.039 --> 00:29:18.819 like Annie was just like sitting, playing that 00:29:18.819 --> 00:29:20.720 on the piano in the studio. I'm like, yo, let's 00:29:20.720 --> 00:29:22.259 track that. That's like so cool. Like it's just 00:29:22.259 --> 00:29:39.180 like slowed down version of the melody. And then 00:29:39.180 --> 00:29:42.079 the one right before Great Expectations coming 00:29:42.079 --> 00:29:58.599 out of Not For Nothing. That piano part is actually 00:29:58.599 --> 00:30:01.980 in the layers of Not For Nothing. And she was 00:30:01.980 --> 00:30:04.880 soloing it to like edit something in Pro Tools 00:30:04.880 --> 00:30:07.880 with it. And then I was just like, hey, actually. 00:30:08.349 --> 00:30:09.990 keep looping that but like make it sound like 00:30:09.990 --> 00:30:11.809 it's like weird and then i'm gonna do this like 00:30:11.809 --> 00:30:13.690 stuff where i turn on like every single pedal 00:30:13.690 --> 00:30:15.650 on my like delay pedal on my guitar and like 00:30:15.650 --> 00:30:18.170 shout out to like walrus audio i was using like 00:30:18.170 --> 00:30:19.809 a bunch of their pedals to make all like that 00:30:19.809 --> 00:30:22.430 weird undulating kind of glitchy guitar noise 00:30:22.430 --> 00:30:24.950 on it and like those are so fun like it was something 00:30:24.950 --> 00:30:27.490 i just like wanted to do and i i love i love 00:30:27.490 --> 00:30:30.730 a record and i i'm so over the like adhd like 00:30:30.730 --> 00:30:34.990 single driven tiktok content bullshit that the 00:30:34.990 --> 00:30:38.960 music industry has become I understand, but I 00:30:38.960 --> 00:30:40.980 hate it. And I will always be someone who's like, 00:30:41.019 --> 00:30:44.279 buy vinyl records, go sequel shows, make time 00:30:44.279 --> 00:30:46.339 for the art you care about. I love reading books. 00:30:46.420 --> 00:30:50.660 I'm trying to slow my brain down as much as possible 00:30:50.660 --> 00:30:53.240 these days and just like immerse myself in the 00:30:53.240 --> 00:30:56.140 things I'm actually enjoying and not feel like 00:30:56.140 --> 00:30:58.640 constantly distracted. So like, yeah, crafting 00:30:58.640 --> 00:31:01.140 an album all the way. I'm going to dive into 00:31:01.140 --> 00:31:04.299 that a little bit, staying on topic of this album 00:31:04.299 --> 00:31:06.839 story, because when you take it beyond the music, 00:31:07.079 --> 00:31:10.859 you're personally responsible for the album's 00:31:10.859 --> 00:31:15.319 artwork, photography and design. Is there a story 00:31:15.319 --> 00:31:18.740 behind the album art in general? Because for 00:31:18.740 --> 00:31:22.759 me, the color contrast immediately grabs my attention. 00:31:29.920 --> 00:31:33.740 the album or CD you pick up in the store that 00:31:33.740 --> 00:31:35.740 it catches your eye and then you put it in and 00:31:35.740 --> 00:31:38.180 you listen to it and you read the liner notes, 00:31:38.319 --> 00:31:42.839 it feels more impactful than when I see a band 00:31:42.839 --> 00:31:45.920 and unfortunately more and more bands utilizing 00:31:45.920 --> 00:31:50.160 AI for their art just for a new single or an 00:31:50.160 --> 00:31:54.160 album cover in that dual role as a musician and 00:31:54.160 --> 00:31:57.799 a designer. Do you feel like the feels like hell 00:31:57.799 --> 00:32:00.920 visuals are an extension of the songs on the 00:32:00.920 --> 00:32:04.480 album or a separate creative lane for you as 00:32:04.480 --> 00:32:08.799 a photographer? So, yeah, because I took the 00:32:08.799 --> 00:32:10.299 photos and did all that. That was like my first 00:32:10.299 --> 00:32:15.200 time ever attempting that. And I wanted something 00:32:15.200 --> 00:32:20.500 that like caught the eye. I do like I love like 00:32:20.500 --> 00:32:24.970 a bright, loud record cover. But I always felt 00:32:24.970 --> 00:32:29.230 like this record had like a blue feeling to me, 00:32:29.369 --> 00:32:34.269 like kind of just like sunset blue and the sunset 00:32:34.269 --> 00:32:37.529 over the water. That image kind of kept coming 00:32:37.529 --> 00:32:41.369 to my mind for some reason. And so when I like 00:32:41.369 --> 00:32:44.089 went in to like make the album cover, I had these 00:32:44.089 --> 00:32:46.829 photos that I had taken on a vacation in Italy. 00:32:46.910 --> 00:32:49.630 We were in Sorrento and there are these little 00:32:49.630 --> 00:32:53.259 like beach cabana huts. I took that photo and 00:32:53.259 --> 00:32:56.680 I'm really loving that photo. And then I pulled 00:32:56.680 --> 00:32:59.259 in a bunch of other images or just like textures 00:32:59.259 --> 00:33:02.480 originally for the album cover. And then I put 00:33:02.480 --> 00:33:06.680 those in there and I, I honestly can't tell you 00:33:06.680 --> 00:33:08.759 what I pressed it. Like if I had to recreate 00:33:08.759 --> 00:33:11.759 it in Photoshop, I would not know how, like I'm, 00:33:11.759 --> 00:33:15.000 I'm a designer. I like, I didn't go to school 00:33:15.000 --> 00:33:18.359 for graphic design. I work marketing for a concert 00:33:18.359 --> 00:33:20.730 venue and I make a lot of the, like I. you know 00:33:20.730 --> 00:33:24.009 i'll uh localize a lot of the the posters and 00:33:24.009 --> 00:33:27.470 the ad mat and stuff so i know how to use photoshop 00:33:27.470 --> 00:33:30.990 but i really kind of just started like pressing 00:33:30.990 --> 00:33:34.109 stuff until it like looked really cool and then 00:33:34.109 --> 00:33:36.769 i was like oh sick i think the only good concrete 00:33:36.769 --> 00:33:39.170 idea i had is i wanted the feels like hell like 00:33:39.170 --> 00:33:41.970 the text on the front really big like that and 00:33:41.970 --> 00:33:44.509 like the hell kind of like you know melting away 00:33:44.509 --> 00:33:47.789 and then everything else i kind of just like 00:33:47.789 --> 00:33:51.069 felt like i was the painter with a blank canvas 00:33:51.069 --> 00:33:52.630 and you're like throwing stuff at the canvas 00:33:52.630 --> 00:33:54.670 and you're just like going crazy. And like, that's 00:33:54.670 --> 00:33:57.589 kind of how I made the album art, but it feels 00:33:57.589 --> 00:34:00.490 so locked into me. Like I love, I love it. I 00:34:00.490 --> 00:34:03.069 love the colors. I love the palette. I loved 00:34:03.069 --> 00:34:05.109 getting to be the person who spearheaded it. 00:34:05.990 --> 00:34:08.469 And just a reminder, all the songs we're talking 00:34:08.469 --> 00:34:10.690 about tonight, you can hear over on the episode 00:34:10.690 --> 00:34:15.710 page at myweeklymixtape .com. Now I want to pivot 00:34:15.710 --> 00:34:17.840 a little bit and talk about. some live things 00:34:17.840 --> 00:34:19.960 now because we've talked about studio recordings 00:34:19.960 --> 00:34:22.500 for a while and the band is hitting the road 00:34:22.500 --> 00:34:25.079 with the wonder years and knuckle puck which 00:34:25.079 --> 00:34:28.440 feels like a chef's kiss pairing if you ask me 00:34:28.440 --> 00:34:31.860 as a fan earlier we talked about the evolution 00:34:31.860 --> 00:34:35.280 of the band's music how would you describe the 00:34:35.280 --> 00:34:39.099 evolution of weekend friends live show over that 00:34:39.099 --> 00:34:42.139 same time frame especially given what you've 00:34:42.139 --> 00:34:43.980 learned from all the bands you've shared the 00:34:43.980 --> 00:34:48.260 stage with yeah I think we've locked into something 00:34:48.260 --> 00:34:53.500 new. That's really where I've always wanted to 00:34:53.500 --> 00:34:55.960 be. There's a level of confidence that comes 00:34:55.960 --> 00:34:58.239 from just like touring a lot and doing it a lot. 00:34:58.300 --> 00:35:01.199 And I think in and around the same time where 00:35:01.199 --> 00:35:03.599 like, I like to think that like writer's block 00:35:03.599 --> 00:35:08.300 stopped happening. I just really made it a conscious 00:35:08.300 --> 00:35:11.579 decision to be like. you have to approach this 00:35:11.579 --> 00:35:13.559 with like a thousand percent confidence so when 00:35:13.559 --> 00:35:15.519 you're on stage like that is what you're meant 00:35:15.519 --> 00:35:18.360 to do you are there you are justified being there 00:35:18.360 --> 00:35:19.780 and you need you're just gonna give the best 00:35:19.780 --> 00:35:23.800 performance ever and I have completely locked 00:35:23.800 --> 00:35:26.280 into that and it's like my favorite time I get 00:35:26.280 --> 00:35:28.800 to spend in my life is like getting to just perform 00:35:28.800 --> 00:35:32.019 and be on stage and I feel like even Annie is 00:35:32.019 --> 00:35:34.280 like locked in she's got her thing where she's 00:35:34.280 --> 00:35:37.429 just so like the most energetic live performer 00:35:37.429 --> 00:35:39.250 I think I've ever seen in my whole entire life. 00:35:39.309 --> 00:35:41.789 She's like an energizer bunny. And yeah, we're 00:35:41.789 --> 00:35:43.650 just like, I mean, always trying to like bring 00:35:43.650 --> 00:35:45.849 the production of it all up. We tour with our 00:35:45.849 --> 00:35:49.090 amazing friend, Kyle Hussey. He does our front 00:35:49.090 --> 00:35:52.289 of house. So he, he's our sound guy and it just 00:35:52.289 --> 00:35:56.210 sounds so good out in the room. And just that, 00:35:56.230 --> 00:35:58.309 that helps with the confidence is having someone 00:35:58.309 --> 00:36:01.219 who feels like that extension. of the band uh 00:36:01.219 --> 00:36:03.639 who really understands the music loves the project 00:36:03.639 --> 00:36:07.300 and like is there to like elevate it i mean where 00:36:07.300 --> 00:36:09.900 i think production where you can put it in and 00:36:09.900 --> 00:36:12.239 and i think that that elevates the show as well 00:36:12.239 --> 00:36:14.400 and we're always just trying to do it in whatever 00:36:14.400 --> 00:36:16.639 capacity we can to give people a show that's 00:36:16.639 --> 00:36:18.480 like worth their money but where it starts is 00:36:18.480 --> 00:36:21.079 really your attitude and and bringing that confidence 00:36:21.079 --> 00:36:23.800 and bringing that joy and bringing that honesty 00:36:24.539 --> 00:36:26.860 To the stage, I think after years of just doing 00:36:26.860 --> 00:36:28.860 it and like you said, seeing other amazing artists 00:36:28.860 --> 00:36:31.679 do it and hearing their process, I think we've 00:36:31.679 --> 00:36:33.119 just gotten to a point where it feels really 00:36:33.119 --> 00:36:38.440 locked in. And touring itself over the last decade, 00:36:38.719 --> 00:36:41.539 how has it changed for you both positively and 00:36:41.539 --> 00:36:45.099 maybe in terms of new challenges? Yeah, well, 00:36:45.179 --> 00:36:47.179 we're not sleeping on floors anymore, which is 00:36:47.179 --> 00:36:50.900 great or in our vehicle. So that's much improved. 00:36:51.440 --> 00:36:54.679 We actually get hotel rooms and. Like I said, 00:36:54.739 --> 00:36:56.599 like that being able to set boundaries for myself 00:36:56.599 --> 00:36:59.900 as well and just be like, I need to like also 00:36:59.900 --> 00:37:03.719 not. I used to try to just like manage everything 00:37:03.719 --> 00:37:05.940 on my own. I still do tour manage for us. And 00:37:05.940 --> 00:37:08.000 I'm pretty heavily involved in the day to day 00:37:08.000 --> 00:37:10.380 of the tour world and production and making sure 00:37:10.380 --> 00:37:13.260 everything is what it's supposed to be. But like 00:37:13.260 --> 00:37:15.800 we've been able to like hire on amazing crew. 00:37:15.880 --> 00:37:18.679 We have our friend Justin Labate, who is an amazing 00:37:18.679 --> 00:37:21.199 photographer, videographer, who also like helps 00:37:21.199 --> 00:37:23.659 with our merch. And then like having our friend 00:37:23.659 --> 00:37:25.760 Kyle out there with us, who's an incredible front 00:37:25.760 --> 00:37:28.260 of house engineer, just being able to afford 00:37:28.260 --> 00:37:31.360 those luxuries and to afford to bring those amazing 00:37:31.360 --> 00:37:34.179 people on the road with us has taken stuff off 00:37:34.179 --> 00:37:36.820 my plate and allowed me to just immerse myself 00:37:36.820 --> 00:37:39.659 more in like prioritizing the performance and 00:37:39.659 --> 00:37:42.940 prioritizing the art and trusting the team to 00:37:42.940 --> 00:37:45.119 really handle a lot of things that otherwise 00:37:45.119 --> 00:37:48.039 I was really trying to also do myself, which 00:37:48.039 --> 00:37:51.449 was like stressing me out. So that's really awesome 00:37:51.449 --> 00:37:54.230 to just have that, again, luxury and have that 00:37:54.230 --> 00:37:57.289 privilege to be at a point in making music and 00:37:57.289 --> 00:38:00.369 being a band where we could barely but afford 00:38:00.369 --> 00:38:06.750 that. And I'm so grateful for that because it's 00:38:06.750 --> 00:38:10.150 so nice being able to do that. But I also am 00:38:10.150 --> 00:38:15.309 happy that I've learned how to also allow people 00:38:15.309 --> 00:38:19.239 to be the team. and trust people like it's a 00:38:19.239 --> 00:38:21.860 really growth in trusting your team and trusting 00:38:21.860 --> 00:38:25.280 the people around you and working together and 00:38:25.280 --> 00:38:29.539 watching them shine is is just as special as 00:38:29.539 --> 00:38:32.699 like getting that moment for myself and so I 00:38:32.699 --> 00:38:34.619 love them and I'm proud of everybody we have 00:38:34.619 --> 00:38:37.380 with us and yeah and I guess challenges for the 00:38:37.380 --> 00:38:40.300 future is just like you know as you grow then 00:38:40.300 --> 00:38:42.239 there's like other financial things that might 00:38:42.239 --> 00:38:45.019 come in the way or like it might become You know, 00:38:45.039 --> 00:38:46.900 you just tour more and then it's like you're 00:38:46.900 --> 00:38:49.320 away from home more often. You know, obviously, 00:38:49.440 --> 00:38:51.320 like the amount that we tour now, we have we 00:38:51.320 --> 00:38:54.480 have stuff on the horizon that's going to have 00:38:54.480 --> 00:38:57.519 us away from home quite a lot. And being able 00:38:57.519 --> 00:39:00.239 to be OK with that is like something I hope. 00:39:00.320 --> 00:39:02.639 And at this point, like physically, I feel greater 00:39:02.639 --> 00:39:04.699 than I've ever felt. Like I always feel good 00:39:04.699 --> 00:39:08.530 on the road. Like I I prioritize like. really 00:39:08.530 --> 00:39:11.570 healthy habits out there uh which is you know 00:39:11.570 --> 00:39:13.469 to preserve my voice and preserve my energy because 00:39:13.469 --> 00:39:15.349 at the end of the day is like again we want to 00:39:15.349 --> 00:39:17.070 make that show the best show possible for the 00:39:17.070 --> 00:39:19.869 people who are coming out to it and now for the 00:39:19.869 --> 00:39:23.010 double -edged sword question when it comes to 00:39:23.010 --> 00:39:26.369 touring or maybe even in general would you say 00:39:26.369 --> 00:39:29.650 streaming has impacted the band in a positive 00:39:29.650 --> 00:39:32.409 or negative way given all the stuff we said about 00:39:32.409 --> 00:39:36.110 physical media so far I have nothing to base 00:39:36.110 --> 00:39:37.969 it on because we've always been a band in the 00:39:37.969 --> 00:39:39.829 streaming age and that's where it's been like 00:39:39.829 --> 00:39:43.469 the the main way people get music so because 00:39:43.469 --> 00:39:46.510 I have nothing to compare it to I think it is 00:39:46.510 --> 00:39:49.250 a great tool in a way that like a lot of people 00:39:49.250 --> 00:39:51.369 who come and see our band for the first time 00:39:51.369 --> 00:39:54.090 is because like we ended up on their daily playlist 00:39:54.090 --> 00:39:57.989 or we ended up like in their algorithm And then 00:39:57.989 --> 00:39:59.250 it's awesome because they do come to shows and 00:39:59.250 --> 00:40:00.570 those are usually people like they do. They're 00:40:00.570 --> 00:40:02.090 telling me this at merch while they're buying 00:40:02.090 --> 00:40:04.369 merch. They do want to support the art as well. 00:40:04.909 --> 00:40:08.329 I think it also eliminates a lot of middlemen 00:40:08.329 --> 00:40:11.269 that would have otherwise cost a band a lot of 00:40:11.269 --> 00:40:14.449 money or time or just like energy that doesn't 00:40:14.449 --> 00:40:16.969 exist anymore. Like now any artist or any band 00:40:16.969 --> 00:40:21.000 or any kid like anywhere. you don't need a record 00:40:21.000 --> 00:40:23.559 label and you don't need an agent and you don't 00:40:23.559 --> 00:40:25.099 need all this stuff to like then just go start 00:40:25.099 --> 00:40:27.159 sharing your music and sharing your craft and 00:40:27.159 --> 00:40:30.219 sharing your art and having it really reach quite 00:40:30.219 --> 00:40:34.679 a lot of people uh which is such a great and 00:40:34.679 --> 00:40:37.260 tremendous tool with that said it's like if i 00:40:37.260 --> 00:40:39.079 think back i'm like would have a band like ours 00:40:39.079 --> 00:40:41.159 crushed in the 90s and probably would have had 00:40:41.159 --> 00:40:43.779 a house twice the size of mine and like probably 00:40:43.779 --> 00:40:46.119 touring on a bus like who knows i don't i don't 00:40:46.119 --> 00:40:48.420 have that comparison i'd like to think maybe 00:40:48.420 --> 00:40:51.139 yes but then maybe we would have never got to 00:40:51.139 --> 00:40:52.699 the point where we get that way because it was 00:40:52.699 --> 00:40:57.039 so selective and so like networky you know we're 00:40:57.039 --> 00:40:58.900 now again it's like you could just put your music 00:40:58.900 --> 00:41:01.500 out there so i think you know both have their 00:41:01.500 --> 00:41:03.699 pros and cons and i think that the great thing 00:41:03.699 --> 00:41:07.260 is we exist in a world where both exist and you 00:41:07.260 --> 00:41:10.170 know you can really just foster the fan base 00:41:10.170 --> 00:41:12.650 you want to see based off of the art you create 00:41:12.650 --> 00:41:15.630 and what you prioritize and what you shed light 00:41:15.630 --> 00:41:18.570 to and our fans have been supportive in all different 00:41:18.570 --> 00:41:20.369 kinds of ways whether it be buying the record 00:41:20.369 --> 00:41:23.329 or merch or streaming us and sharing with their 00:41:23.329 --> 00:41:27.210 friends all right full circle moment here are 00:41:27.210 --> 00:41:29.630 there any songs i know we're early in the album 00:41:29.630 --> 00:41:32.170 cycle the album was just put out last october 00:41:32.170 --> 00:41:34.809 but are there any songs from feels like hell 00:41:34.809 --> 00:41:37.889 that have maybe already taken on a new life of 00:41:37.889 --> 00:41:39.809 their own once you started playing them live? 00:41:40.469 --> 00:41:43.269 Yeah, I think the song Lightspeed, it's the second 00:41:43.269 --> 00:42:20.940 song on the record. That one, people really kind 00:42:20.940 --> 00:42:24.239 of like fully took on as something they love 00:42:24.239 --> 00:43:03.090 to sing along to and are really in it. The song 00:43:03.090 --> 00:43:06.389 Queen of Town is really a cool live moment. It's 00:43:06.389 --> 00:43:08.550 kind of this point in the set where I get, I 00:43:08.550 --> 00:43:12.409 get a little bit, I share my thoughts on the 00:43:12.409 --> 00:43:14.489 ways of the world right now. I get a little political, 00:43:14.489 --> 00:43:18.090 I guess, a little bit on my, on my soapbox. And 00:43:18.090 --> 00:43:21.150 then that song starts and it's, I feel like become 00:43:21.150 --> 00:43:24.010 this like moment in the live set that is really 00:43:24.010 --> 00:43:28.840 just like a good kind of community moment. Now, 00:43:28.860 --> 00:43:31.039 before we wrap things up, and because this show 00:43:31.039 --> 00:43:34.719 is built around the old concept of mixtapes and 00:43:34.719 --> 00:43:38.500 pushing musical envelopes forward through playlists, 00:43:38.579 --> 00:43:41.760 what are three songs that you're personally rocking 00:43:41.760 --> 00:43:45.380 right now that you think the My Weekly Mixtape 00:43:45.380 --> 00:43:50.420 listeners need on their radar? Okay, let me see. 00:43:50.559 --> 00:43:53.280 Is it okay if I look at what I'm rocking now? 00:43:53.300 --> 00:43:57.190 Oh, sure. I guess, okay, number one. I'm really 00:43:57.190 --> 00:44:01.769 into the new military gun record. I guess kick 00:44:01.769 --> 00:44:05.369 has got to be the song. It's such a good song. 00:44:05.409 --> 00:44:07.610 I mean, like if you write a chorus where the 00:44:07.610 --> 00:44:10.190 opening lyrics or if I kick you in the face, 00:44:10.250 --> 00:44:12.849 I'm sorry, but I would do it again. I'm like, 00:44:12.849 --> 00:44:17.230 that's solid. So definitely check out military 00:44:17.230 --> 00:44:21.190 guns kick. Let's see. I'm like looking at what 00:44:21.190 --> 00:44:25.300 I've been listening to. um moona who's a wonderful 00:44:25.300 --> 00:44:28.360 band very queer very pop put out a new a song 00:44:28.360 --> 00:44:31.340 called dancing on the wall the lyrics are so 00:44:31.340 --> 00:44:34.480 good it's just fun it's like that's classic like 00:44:34.480 --> 00:44:37.500 pop music with like such good lyricism and such 00:44:37.500 --> 00:44:40.920 good like story they're an incredible band have 00:44:40.920 --> 00:44:42.659 been one of my favorites for the last few years 00:44:42.659 --> 00:44:44.699 they just put out that song so shout out to them 00:44:44.699 --> 00:44:51.650 and then let's see you said three um oh There's 00:44:51.650 --> 00:44:55.349 a song called System. It's by a band called Prune. 00:44:55.389 --> 00:45:00.150 P -R -E -W -N. This song to me, it just has such 00:45:00.150 --> 00:45:05.429 a cinematic quality to it. If I was in any sort 00:45:05.429 --> 00:45:09.429 of position where I could put a song into a dramatic 00:45:09.429 --> 00:45:13.130 scene in a movie or a show, I would pick that 00:45:13.130 --> 00:45:16.750 song. It sends me on one. I get such main character 00:45:16.750 --> 00:45:20.039 energy. when that song comes on and it's like 00:45:20.039 --> 00:45:21.679 so good. It's like for fans of people who have 00:45:21.679 --> 00:45:23.760 you like the band, like Wednesday kind of has 00:45:23.760 --> 00:45:25.619 like that vibe, but the song is kind of like 00:45:25.619 --> 00:45:28.119 in a world of its own. It's so good. The album 00:45:28.119 --> 00:45:30.260 feels like hell is available on all streaming 00:45:30.260 --> 00:45:32.840 sites, but like I said earlier, physical media 00:45:32.840 --> 00:45:35.719 rules all. So be sure to pick up a copy of the 00:45:35.719 --> 00:45:39.260 album on vinyl or CD via the band's band camp 00:45:39.260 --> 00:45:42.280 page. And if you do it on band camp Friday, remember 00:45:42.280 --> 00:45:44.719 the band gets a hundred percent of the profits, 00:45:44.760 --> 00:45:47.989 but even better than that. Do it in person at 00:45:47.989 --> 00:45:51.030 an upcoming show. Sonya, this has been an absolute 00:45:51.030 --> 00:45:53.289 pleasure. Thank you so much for joining me tonight 00:45:53.289 --> 00:45:55.809 on My Weekly Mixtape. Thank you so much for having 00:45:55.809 --> 00:45:58.190 me. This has been great. And to those listening, 00:45:58.329 --> 00:46:00.690 I want to know what your favorite song on Feels 00:46:00.690 --> 00:46:03.969 Like Hell is. Be sure to reach out to me, myweeklymixtape 00:46:03.969 --> 00:46:09.110 at gmail .com. Hit me up on social media at myweeklymixtape. 00:46:09.210 --> 00:46:12.489 Use the contact page at myweeklymixtape .com 00:46:12.489 --> 00:46:16.090 or become a Patreon mixtape or a patreon .com. 00:46:16.440 --> 00:46:19.239 forward slash My Weekly Mixtape. It's free to 00:46:19.239 --> 00:46:21.780 join, and there's several tiers available if 00:46:21.780 --> 00:46:24.119 you'd like to support the show a little extra, 00:46:24.260 --> 00:46:26.960 including ad -free early access to all future 00:46:26.960 --> 00:46:29.420 My Weekly Mixtape episodes, becoming a guest 00:46:29.420 --> 00:46:32.960 on the show, and so much more. If you're listening 00:46:32.960 --> 00:46:36.159 on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, wherever 00:46:36.159 --> 00:46:38.659 it is you're listening, please be sure to leave 00:46:38.659 --> 00:46:41.820 a five -star review, a thumbs up, a gold star, 00:46:42.039 --> 00:46:45.159 drop a comment, you know. Do all the things. 00:46:45.219 --> 00:46:47.760 Please help spread the word about My Weekly Mixtape 00:46:47.760 --> 00:46:50.559 to the music fans in your life. Once again, my 00:46:50.559 --> 00:46:53.119 name is Brian Colburn. This has been My Weekly 00:46:53.119 --> 00:46:56.119 Mixtape. And until next time, enjoy the tunes.