Bringin' it Backwards

We had the opportunity to interview The Frights! "Every live show from The Frights is both high-energy and hyper-emotional, a free-for-all fueled by crowds of thousands screaming along to intensely honest lyrics about anxiety and angst, breakups and bad crushes, mental health and medication. Since 2015, the San Diego surf-punk band has set that surreal phenomenon in motion at over 300 shows across the U.S. and Europe, as well as at festivals like Lollapalooza, Shaky Knees, Ohana, Riot Fest and this year's Coachella. On their new album Live at the Observatory, The Frights capture all the dizzy chaos of their live set, an experience that's equal parts a wildly unsupervised kid's birthday party and an off-the-rails group-therapy session. Recorded at the sold out kick off show of their Hypochondriac headline tour at The Observatory in Santa Ana on September 8, 2018, Live at the Observatory features 14 songs spanning the band's complete catalog. After kicking off with the anthemic frenzy of "Kids" (a cut from their 2016 sophomore effort You Are Going To Hate This), the band delivers full-tilt fan favorites like "Cold" and "Crust Bucket," then turns tender on acoustic-guitar-driven tracks like "Hold Me Down" and the painfully vulnerable "Alone," both from their 2018 Epitaph Records debut, Hypochondriac. Throughout the entire set—whose encore includes the dreamy doo-wop of "Makeout Point," a cut from The Frights' debut EP Fur Sure—the love and solidarity from the crowd is palpable, their shared confession giving way to something way more fun and more powerful than ordinary catharsis. Inspired by attending a show at the aforementioned Observatory, Carnevale and Dotson formed The Frights soon after they graduated from high school. From there, they released two EPs and their self-titled full-length debut in 2013. With the addition of Marc Finn on drums, the band released You Are Going To Hate This in February 2016. Along with debuting on the CMJ Top 200, the album earned acclaim from outlets like Brooklyn Vegan (who praised its title track as a "super catchy blend of Weezer, SoCal pop punk, and Burger-y garage rock"). The band's line-up was further solidified with the addition of Jordan Clark for their extensive touring in support of You Are Going To Hate This. The Frights signed to Epitaph in early 2018 and got to work on Hypochondriac. Like You Are Going To Hate This, the band's third full-length was produced by Zac Carper of FIDLAR (who's also produced albums for SWMRS and Dune Rats). But for Hypochondriac, Carnevale took a more deliberate and exacting approach to his songwriting, resulting in The Frights' most nuanced work to date. After a sold out show at The Observatory North Park in their hometown of San Diego the same date as the release of the album, the band embarked on the Hypochondriac headline tour that is documented on this live album." https://thefrights.com/ Mikey Carnevale (vocals/guitar) - Richard Dotson (bass) - Marc Finn (drums) - Jordan Clark (guitar) We want to hear from you! Please email Tera@BringinitBackwards.com www.BringinitBackwards.com www.americansongwriter.com/american-songwriter-podcast-network/bringin-it-backwards-podcast/ CREDITS: Theme Song: Scott Russo Design: Oscar Rodriguez --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bringinbackpod/support Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bringin-it-backwards--4972373/support. https://bringinitbackwards.com/

We had the opportunity to interview Justin Caruso! "Hailing from Los Angeles, visionary producer and DJ Justin Caruso has quickly cemented a global fan-base with his unique blend of emotionally-rich melodies and future-pop sound. Amassing over 50 million streams across all platforms to date, the young producer has garnered huge success from singles 'Better With You' with 3LAU (over 8 million Spotify streams), 'Caving' (over 9 million Spotify streams) and a hit remix of X Ambassadors 'Unsteady' (over 19 million Spotify streams). Experimenting with different genres, Justin soon caught the attention of industry leaders Tiesto and 3LAU, with the latter bringing Justin along on his US tour in 2016. Continuing to break boundaries with his music and intoxicating live performances, Justin Caruso shows no signs of stopping with more exciting surprises to come in the near future." We want to hear from you! Please email Tera@BringinitBackwards.com www.BringinitBackwards.com www.americansongwriter.com/american-songwriter-podcast-network/bringin-it-backwards-podcast/ Credits: Theme Song: Scott Russo Design: Oscar Rodriguez --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bringinbackpod/support Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bringin-it-backwards--4972373/support. https://bringinitbackwards.com/

We had the opportunity to interview Anthony Raneri of Bayside! "For the past 20 years, the Queens-based, BAYSIDE, has represented a lifestyle, a counterculture, and a deeply held conviction, diverse in thought and background but united by a shared desire for authentic expression. At their core, BAYSIDE is a band that has constantly proved that music is not about gimmicks and ephemeral trends, but a timeless reflection of our lives and our times. It is through this timelessness and consistency that BAYSIDE continues to cultivate a cult-following that lives and breathes everything the band creates. After 2018's hugely-successful melody/arrangement-driven, acoustic album and tour, Acoustic Volume 2, BAYSIDE explored what a BAYSIDE song could be. These weren't "stripped down" versions of BAYSIDE songs so much as they are completely new discoveries, refashioned and broadened by possibility. The shows were not "quieter" or "mellow" affairs, but raucous sing-alongs that stretched the bands' musicianship and vocal chords and invigorated the band as they headed the studio to record their eighth studio full-length, Interrobang. Interrobang is a punctuation mark that combines an exclamation and a question mark. For Anthony Raneri, BAYSIDE's frontman/lead vocals/guitar, the title represents the feelings the album invokes from the listener. "We wanted the record to feel exciting and new, but also sound like a natural progression for the band," Raneri explains, "We just wanted to keep the listener on their toes - there is a ton of information being thrown out - and if you want to take it all in - you can't stop paying attention for a second." The result is the heaviest rock album of the band's career juxtaposed with the most catchy, melodic hooks the band's ever created. On the title track, "Interrobang," Raneri along with lead guitarist Jack O'Shea, bassist Nick Ghanbarian, and drummer Chris Guglielmo focused on opening the album with a song that was equal parts exciting/fun and wild/unpredictable. "It has always been important to us to sound like Bayside, but always shake it up with each record. We tried to think outside the box and take things further, Raneri adds. With big echo-y rock drums and a classically haunting guitar solo, the song spins the listener in a few different directions, while planting its feet firmly with Raneri's smooth vocals. Working with acclaimed producer, Cameron Webb (NOFX, Motorhead, Alkaline Trio), BAYSIDE embraced the eclectic resume of Webb and pushed the boundaries of what a Bayside song could sound like. "Cameron (Webb) has worked with a really wide range of artists, from NOFX and Lagwagon to Kelly Clarkson to Motorhead and Megadeth," Raneri shared, "We thought it would be perfect to work with (him) because we see ourselves as sitting somewhere in between all of those artists." BAYSIDE has always focused on creating songs that are relevant to people who want substance, rather than being relegated to one genre. With Interrobang, the band has put together an eclectic, inspiring, and bold collection of songs. Raneri shares, "Love it or hate it, we wanted the record to invoke something in people. We said with this record we either wanted to create something great or fall on our faces. Negative or positive, we just didn't want the record to be 'fine.'" While many bands would coast on their past success, BAYSIDE rejects the premise and proves with Interrobang, that the best is yet to come." We want to hear from you! Please email Tera@BringinitBackwards.com www.BringinitBackwards.com www.americansongwriter.com/american-songwriter-podcast-network/bringin-it-backwards-podcast/ Credits: Theme Song: Scott Russo Design: Oscar Rodriguez Photo: Megan Thompson --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bringinbackpod/support Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bringin-it-backwards--4972373/support. https://bringinitbackwards.com/

We had the opportunity to interview Tessa Violet! In 2018, Violet released "Crush" - the first single from her forthcoming album Bad Ideas. In the time since her last three singles have exploded, Tessa has gone from an acoustic-leaning solo artist, to an inspirational female fronting a shredding live band (anchored by badass drummer Jess Bowen). Although her recordings are competitive modern productions which perform well on playlists, her live show has a raw organic energy that is intoxicating. She sold out her first ever headline shows (The Troubadour in LA; and Mercury Lounge in NYC; two show at Camden Assembly Hall in London) and finally achieved her goal of bonafide rock queen when she was offered her first festival slot at Lollapalooza (incidentally selected by Billboard as one of the 10 new festival acts to look out for in 2019). In addition she was tapped for main support for AJR's west coast leg on their Neotheater tour this September, and COIN's US tour in February. The sole songwriter on all but one of her releases, Tessa Violet is one to look out for. Her album "Bad Ideas" came out 10/25 while she was on her headline tour of Europe and Spotify promoted the album release on a Billboard in Times Square! We want to hear from you! Please email Tera@BringinitBackwards.com www.BringinitBackwards.com www.americansongwriter.com/american-songwriter-podcast-network/bringin-it-backwards-podcast/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bringinbackpod/support Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bringin-it-backwards--4972373/support. https://bringinitbackwards.com/

We had the opportunity to interview Scott Helman at the Hard Rock Hotel San Diego! "As a four-time JUNO Award nominee, Scott has dominated the Canadian music scene since the release of his platinum-certified debut single "Bungalow," winning Spotify Canada's Emerge program, collaborating with Alessia Cara and Hunter Hayes, as well as performing around the world with the likes of Tegan and Sara, Shawn Mendes, Vance Joy, Walk Off The Earth, and most recently, Dean Lewis. Now breaking into the U.S., Scott recently shared his latest release, "Everything Sucks," following his 2018 EP, Hang Ups as well as hit singles "Ripple Effect" and the Canadian platinum-certified "PDA."" http://www.scotthelmanmusic.com/ We want to hear from you! Please email Tera@BringinitBackwards.com www.BringinitBackwards.com www.americansongwriter.com/american-songwriter-podcast-network/bringin-it-backwards-podcast/ CREDITS: Theme Song: Scott Russo Design: Oscar Rodriguez Photo: Katharine Kwan --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bringinbackpod/support Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bringin-it-backwards--4972373/support. https://bringinitbackwards.com/

We had the opportunity to interview Alice Merton at the Hard Rock Hotel San Diego! "It's been almost three years since Alice Merton released her debut single 'No Roots' and she's already accomplished more than many artists achieve in an entire career. That track exceeded 400 million streams, landed in Top 10 chart positions all over Europe and hit #1 on Billboard's Rock Airplay chart. It took her to Coachella, TV appearances on Jimmy Fallon and James Corden, and even resulted in her becoming a judge on The Voice of Germany. Alice Merton moved confidently into the second chapter of her career with the release of her single 'Easy'. Delving deeper into the alt-pop/indie sounds which informed her debut album 'MINT', the song plays with a wider, more creative scope of inventive production embellishments as Alice Merton's strident vocal performance takes center stage. 'Easy' is a song that explores the two often contradictory sides of her life: trying to balance the attention that such success brings with the demands of an otherwise normal life. The 26-year-old artist and songwriter touches on the positives – time spent together, happy memories and shared mixtapes, but also alienation, distance and division. 'Easy' features on 'MINT +4', a Deluxe Edition of Alice's debut album. In addition to 'No Roots', other album tracks reached millions of streams too, notably 'Why So Serious' and 'Lash Out'. 'MINT +4' includes four new songs: 'Easy' plus 'PCH', 'Back To Berlin' and 'Keeps Me Awake'. Collectively they add further facets and nuances to Alice Merton's creativity, and demonstrate that her future looks set to be even bigger than her past. Born in Frankfurt, Alice Merton spent her childhood split between the USA, Canada and England. Her debut EP was her initial breakthrough moment, which she capitalized upon with the release of 'MINT'." We want to hear from you! Please email Tera@BringinitBackwards.com www.BringinitBackwards.com www.americansongwriter.com/american-songwriter-podcast-network/bringin-it-backwards-podcast/ CREDITS: Theme Song: Scott Russo Design: Oscar Rodriguez --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bringinbackpod/support Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bringin-it-backwards--4972373/support. https://bringinitbackwards.com/

We had the opportunity to interview Switchfoot at KAABOO Del Mar! After 10 albums, multiple hit singles, millions of records sold, a GRAMMY Award and 20 years of touring, in late 2017, SWITCHFOOT put the brakes on. The successful release and tour for their most recent album, WHERE THE LIGHT SHINES THROUGH had concluded, and the San Diego-based quintet decided to take a long deserved, much needed hiatus. Their goals? To think on difficult, important questions about the band and themselves personally, including: "Why are we doing this?" The answers weren't long in coming and are musically evident in the 14 remarkable songs that make up NATIVE TONGUE, a creative juggernaut spawned by singer Jon Foreman's realization that the answer to "why?" was to "pursue joy." Joy became the paramount goal in his life and music. "Joy is an incredible motivator," says Jon: "It's only to be found in the moment, not in the past or future. That's what music is to us: The ever-present joy of the ever-present now." During the hiatus, Jon's positive immediacy inspired songs that he had to get out. Creative openness without a goal resulted in an electric, wide-ranging collection. "There was no 'should' or 'ought.' It was a beautiful freedom. Songs we wrote didn't have to turn into anything, as long as we were pursuing joy. That's where this record was born." The results of that pursuit include the infectious, title track; the get-your-lighters out, sway-along "ALL I NEED"; and the edgy excellence of "VOICES." Then there's a trippily wonderful departure in the Beatles-esque "DIG NEW STREAMS," a tune drummer Chad Butler calls an "odyssey. It breaks so many rules: Structure, tempo, arrangement, style. I love that." Lyrically, NATIVE TONGUE doesn't dwell on the world's fraught social and political situations, rather, it's an answer that offers an antidote to them. SWITCHFOOT observe that "we're living in a time where it feels like hatred, fear, war, pain, anger is the native tongue of our species, that these dark words are our language. For me," says Jon, "Holding my infant son in the middle of the night reminds me of how helpless we all start off. All of us, everywhere, were comforted, held, given a bottle; we were not hated into the world, we were loved into the world. Love is our native tongue, our common bond. And when fear and hatred are put in their proper place joy is available to us. That aligns well with joy, which is only available when fear, hatred, all those things are put in their proper place, cast aside by love." The time off for reflection "started a beautiful season for me, of falling in love with music and songwriting all over again," says Tim, who co-founded SWITCHFOOT when he was just 17. "I'd sneak into the band studio and write and play. But then I noticed some scribbled lyrics left by my brother. He'd been doing the same thing." Chad, too, admits to dropping by the studio. "I ran into Jon there. He played me a couple new songs, including 'LET IT HAPPEN,' which is poignant lyrically, coming from the space of not having a plan or agenda." Jon believes that where the songs arise from is crucial; "ulterior motives can ruin even the best of intentions." The idea of "let it happen," along with "pursuing joy," gave a shape to the lyrical ideas and music and spirit that went into NATIVE TONGUE. As SWITCHFOOT enjoyed the time off and, the avid surfers—reveled in the inspirational immensity of the Pacific Ocean—music flowed easily, merely for the joy of it. The band's 'time off' turned out to be particularly creative and their prolific nature clicked in, writing nearly 100 songs for the project. The question arose: "Are we making an album?" The answer was clearly yes, and songs were culled to a manageable number to be produced by the band, along with OneRepublic bassist and multi-instrumentalist Brent Kutzle. The tunes coalesced quickly. "THE HARDEST ART" got a beautiful boost thanks to vocals added by Kaela Sinclair, of the French e --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bringinbackpod/support Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bringin-it-backwards--4972373/support. https://bringinitbackwards.com/

We had the opportunity to interview Hamish Anderson at the Belly Up! Named a "Top 10 Best New Guitarist in the World" by Total Guitar, roots rock artist Hamish Anderson (guitarist/singer/songwriter) hails from Melbourne, Australia. In October 2016 he released his critically acclaimed debut album, Trouble, produced and mixed by Grammy-winner Jim Scott (Tom Petty). The first single "Trouble" released in April 2016, still appears on Spotify's Blues & Roots Rock Official playlist. In 2017, "U", Hamish's third single, was added to KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic and became their Top 5 track of the week as well as "Best of Week" on Apple Music in Australia and Japan. In 2018, Hamish released, "No Good," the first single from his sophomore album, Out of My Head. Picking up were "Trouble" left off with heavier rock riffs and even more attitude, "No Good" was featured on Billboard. Three songs from Out of My Head are on Spotify's Nu Blues Official Playlist. After supporting Grammy winner Gary Clark Jr. on his Australian tour in April 2019, where he sat in nightly for Gary's encores, Hamish returned to the US to perform at Beale Street Music Festival in Memphis and released his sophomore album, Out of My Head. http://www.hamishandersonmusic.com/ We want to hear from you! Please email Tera@BringinitBackwards.com www.BringinitBackwards.com www.americansongwriter.com/american-songwriter-podcast-network/bringin-it-backwards-podcast/ CREDITS: Theme Song: Scott Russo Design: Oscar Rodriguez Photo: Elaine Torres --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bringinbackpod/support Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bringin-it-backwards--4972373/support. https://bringinitbackwards.com/

We had the opportunity to interview Parachute at the Hard Rock Hotel San Diego! "There's a subtle power to the music of Parachute, the Charlottesville-bred pop/rock band behind such hits as the platinum-selling, chart-topping "She Is Love." With their open-hearted songwriting and indelible melodies, the trio reveals a rare ability to pack deep layers of feeling inside the most immediately catchy pop track. And on their new self-titled full-length, Parachute bring that dynamic to a batch of songs exploring everything from love and loss to anxiety and regret, handling each with extraordinary attention to life's most nuanced moments and intricate details. Their fifth studio effort and debut release for Thirty Tigers, Parachute unfolds with a more artfully minimalist sound than they've ever embraced before. In creating the album, the band worked closely with producer Jacquire King (Kings of Leon, James Bay, Dawes), reshaping their decidedly pop demos into songs adorned with raw instrumentation and graceful electronic flourishes. "From the beginning our intention was to simplify everything and keep the songs as stripped-back as we could," says Anderson. "There's a lot of space on the album, and Jacquire was really great about reminding us not to take that kitchen-sink approach to the production—to just let the songs breathe." On the album-opening lead single "Young," for instance, Parachute offer up a wistful meditation on getting older, embedding the track with delicate beats, elegant horns, and Anderson's stirringly self-aware lyrics (e.g., "After all this growing up/I'm only good at being young"). The first song Anderson penned for Parachute, "Young" came to life at a time of monumental transition. "We'd just gotten off the road, and I'd sold all my stuff and moved from Nashville to New York to be near my then-girlfriend, now-wife," Anderson recalls. "The song just spilled out of me one day, and it came from a place of feeling terrified of growing up but also wanting to get to a point of feeling more settled in my life, and not so out at sea." On the piano-laced "Ocean," meanwhile, Parachute look back to the period of time before Anderson moved to New York, brilliantly channeling long-distance longing in a hypnotic back-and-forth between hushed intensity and full-tilt expression of lovestruck desire. Next, the piano-led and harmony-rich "Had It All" embodies a different kind of reflection, with Anderson transforming regret into a tender piece of soul-pop. "Writing that song, I put myself back in one of those situations from my past where I'd messed up and hurt somebody," says Anderson. "It's sort of my big apology into the unknown, a way of getting out what I'd say to them now if I ever got to see them again." Parachute takes on a more triumphant mood on songs like "Finally Got It Right," a brightly textured track capturing the joyful relief that Anderson felt in finding the love of his life. Elsewhere on the album, the band shows their sophisticated sonic range, diving into Latin-flavored acoustic pop on "Talk To Me" and serving up an unstoppable groove on the deceptively upbeat "Dance Around It." "That song's about one of those relationships where you know it's not going to work out, but you can't bring yourself to break off something that's been going for such a long time," says Anderson. "I wanted to see how sad I could make the lyrics while keeping the music as dancey and happy as possible," he adds. Another inspired experiment in tone, "Someday" builds a beat-driven and powerfully optimistic anthem from a particularly hopeless moment in time. "I wrote that right after the 2016 election, when I was feeling anxious and just had no idea what to do with myself," says Anderson. "I was purposely trying to counter what I was feeling, and maybe put some kind of positive message out into the world." To close out the album, Parachute deliver a quietly luminous track that stands in stark contrast to the breezy feel of "You --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bringinbackpod/support Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bringin-it-backwards--4972373/support. https://bringinitbackwards.com/

We had the opportunity to interview The Struts! "In just a few years, The Struts have found themselves massively embraced by some of the greatest icons in rock-and-roll history. Along with opening for The Rolling Stones, The Who, and Guns N' Roses, the U.K.-bred four-piece was hand-picked by Mötley Crüe to serve as the supporting act for their last-ever performances, while Dave Grohl praised them as the best band to ever open for Foo Fighters. After making their full-length debut with 2016's Everybody Wants, The Struts now return with YOUNG&DANGEROUS — a sophomore album that cements their status as one of the most unstoppably passionate and endlessly thrilling bands making rock music today. On YOUNG&DANGEROUS, The Struts let loose with the sing-along-ready and riff-heavy sound they've brought to stadiums and arenas all around the world. Working with producers like Butch Walker (Weezer, Panic! At the Disco) and Sam Hollander (Fitz and the Tantrums, Neon Trees), the band adorns that sound with deeper grooves and more inventive textures, dreaming up a majestic glam-rock revamp that's unabashedly fun but full of pure heart. The lead single from YOUNG&DANGEROUS, "Body Talks" brings that dynamic to a blues-spiked track capturing what Spiller calls "that moment when you mosey on over to someone on the dancefloor, and the music's blaring so loud you can't even talk to each other." In creating an alternate version of "Body Talks," The Struts amped up the song's seductive power by enlisting Kesha to lend her soulful growl to a fiery duet with Spiller. The Struts also infuse some social commentary into YOUNG&DANGEROUS sending up selfie culture on the falsetto-laced epic "In Love With A Camera," taking on trolls with the swampy and smoldering "Bulletproof Baby," and pondering identity with the sweetly melodic "Who Am I." And for the soaring and glorious "Primadonna Like Me," The Struts brilliantly turn the lens on themselves. "It was written about my stage character, my alter ego,'" notes Spiller. "It's this completely deluded guy running around his small town, all dressed to the nines—a full-on 21st century dandy going around saying, 'Don't you know who I think I am?'" Formed in Derby, England, in 2012, The Struts almost instantly drew a major following with their outrageous live show, and later made their debut with Have You Heard (a 2015 EP whose lead single "Could Have Been Me" hit #1 on Spotify's viral chart). Before they'd even put out their first album, the band opened for The Rolling Stones before a crowd of 80,000 in Paris and toured the U.S. on a string of sold-out shows. Known for his lovably swaggering stage presence—the very factor that gave The Struts their name—Spiller soon inspired legendary designers like former Queen costumer Zandra Rhodes to custom-create his lavish and glittering onstage attire. As the frontman points out, that heightened element of spectacle is all a part of the band's mission of making an unforgettable impact on the crowd. "We believe in giving our absolute all every night, because that's what our fans deserve," he says. "The goal is always to get everyone dancing and screaming and shouting, and to make sure they leave dripping in sweat with huge smiles on their faces." With the release of YOUNG&DANGEROUS, The Struts have undoubtedly met another of their main ambitions as a band. "One of the things we most want to do with our music is inspire young people to pick up a guitar again," says Spiller. "We live in a time that's very much dominated by hip-hop and dance music, and that's a great thing, but we want to give the world a big reminder that there's something else going on out there. This album is our way of saying, 'If you feel a little out of place, there's always an electric guitar—and just look at what you can do with it.'" Luke Spiller (vocals) - Adam Slack (guitar) - Jed Elliott (bass) - Gethin Davies (drums) https://thestruts.com/ "Annoy people politely." — Adam Slack of The Struts --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bringinbackpod/support Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bringin-it-backwards--4972373/support. https://bringinitbackwards.com/