The Colourflies Interview

EDITED BY SILVER GS

INTERVIEW

1. What was the inspiration for your latest EP "Bomb Pop"?

The inspiration behind bomb pop was our label at the time wanting something to come out to test the waters so to speak of our new material. Bomb Pop became the de facto single with its artwork becoming the overall concept. The song, Bomb Pop was just another hopeful single for the overall album we were working on.

2. What can listeners expect to hear from your latest EP?

Listeners can expect to get a range of sounds and lyrics, that at the time were very true expressions of how I was feeling at the time. Some of it comes from being on tour and some from studios that were miles and miles away from home.

3. Is there a specific song the band loves to perform among the rest? 

I would say Neato, kind of a great atmospheric song We've had for years and I must have written those lyrics a hundred times on napkins in airports and greyhound bus stationary.

4. How did the experience working on "bomb pop" differ from your recent projects?

Well working on the EP was different because we didn't set out to do an EP, it was the label's idea, so we kind had these extra songs floating around, that were quality songs, but not quite album level, so in that spirit, it's kind of more like a single with a bunch of b sides. Neato was actually a strong contender for the album for a while though, as was Bestfuck.

5. What song from "Bomb Pop" was the most fun to write and produce?

I wouldn't say that any of them were particularly fun to write or produce or even record really. I think maybe our Producer who was involved with and for a short time in REM helping with ideas for Bomb Pop was probably the highlight. He took a lot of sensibility that was involved with the bands he has been in and applied it to our work.

The song Bomb Pop went from being a Sheryl Crow type almost country song to a Third Eye Blindish shoegaze sad boi/girl anthem in our catalogue. The part with the descending note structure in the pre choruses changed the entire vibe of the song, and that just came from the producer telling me, "play something here."

6. How would you describe your latest project?

I would describe the EP as, left over stardust from a tired dusty old comet, that doesn't shine quite as bright as it once did, but you get little pieces of the band we were and are. There is a range of material, quiet and very heavy and somewhere in the middle. I always thought of Bomb pop or Neato as good walking or driving songs. Definitely some jazz thrown in there too with the chord voicings and drum execution.

7. What three qualities in your opinion makes a good musician? 

I would say dedication to your craft, listening to music. Why does that work? Why does that not work? Maybe even listening to the world around you. There is rhythm and music in everything around you.

8. What song from "Bomb Pop EP" has received the most reaction when played live and why do you think that is?

The song that seems the best received live at the moment is probably Neato, as to why? Probably the space in the song. We call it easy listening in the band. Very much the John Mayer, Dave Matthews with Guided by voices, B thousand sound. I really enjoy it. A girl came up to me at a recent show and told me it and I sounded like Jeff Buckley when I sang it, and I'll take that. Maybe it's a bit of my sensitive side, I would like to explore more of that.

9. How long was the music making process for "Bomb Pop"? 

The music making process for the EP was probably a week. Bomb Pop took a day to Track, Neato was actually a session in our city downtown at the library studio on a break from shows, She Said was just me in the studio in Seattle with the REM guy where we tracked what is our upcoming album, and Bestfuck was actually an all nighter at this now defunct studio in Portland called stop and start. All the songs basically took a day to Mix. We also added some vocals and and maybe extra guitars that took about a day as well. So maybe a week all together, but over a handful of months.

10. What's next for the Colourflies?

Our album will come out this year, come hell or high water. We will be playing on TV in some fashion, doing some morning shows. New videos will come out. Probably another record. It will either be the heavies and angriest thing we've ever put out or an acoustic country style record. I kind of want to get away from the over saturation, it's kind of too much for me I think.

11. Your working on a project called "Alternative heroes", How did that come about? 

Alternative Heroes was just this idea of like, I have a lot of connections after being thrown through the rock and roll ringer in my twenties, and I've met so many of my heroes from when I was a kid. How do I best serve this whole aspect of my life? I want to do like an interview podcast thing with these people who's music and fashion I really admire. We will have some big guests on, who people will know, and then probably underground people you've never heard. That's the point, I love both. People who influence me can be people who made tv show theme songs, to people who have made music videos I admire and people who have made music that have shaped the soundtrack of our lives.

12. How often does the band rehearse before each and every show? 

The band rehearsal varies. If it's a big knitting factory or like TV thing? It's a lot, multiple times a week. If it's like a show at a bar we'll go in cold and see what happens, sometimes those are the most fun ones. Like I love playing in front of thousands of people, but I also enjoy playing a bar with friends and drinks and just like a party. It's hard to have a party with a thousand people I don't know.

13. What bands or artists are you currently listening to? And do they have an influence in your writing and performing? 

What I'm currently listening to is like really good pop music. I enjoy the music I've been listening to in the past, but I've kind of cut that off to find something new. So I haven't been listening to anything that I was listening to while recording the album or the EP, it's kind of freeing in a way. I really enjoy Sugarbabes, Blushing, The Righteous Brothers, Hayes Noble, Cassie, Craig David, Freedy Johnson, Parliment, Micheal Jackson, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Helmet, Nat King Cole.

The artists I listen to absolutely have an influence on what I'm writing. And I've been through a recent situation that has made me double down on that demarcation. I don't feel any shame in being influenced by great artists, because guess what? Even your heroes are. I can't count the number of times someone I admire or someone famous has told me oh I totally ripped off this one record I loved. I think it's beautiful, the music lives through your influences and when it comes out on the other side, you've added some of yourself into it.

14. The Colourflies have performed in many places. What city has been the most amazing to perform? 

Boisie is pretty amazing honestly. Great music scene. Seattle can also be pretty fun and people come out for those, we have a lot of Seattle people around us. San Francisco is probably my favorite though. I once played a show in Alabama. That was a trip, and was kind of fun.

15. What do The Colourflies hope to accomplish in 2024?

I would like for our record to finally come out and maybe release some videos and do some more press, business as usual as my friend Emma says.