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Los Angeles-based band Buddy originally started out as an acoustic act. However, the project has transitioned into full fledged indie-rock outfit and, lucky for us, they will release their sophomore album ‘Last Call For The Quiet Life’ on August 19. Featuring a lush, evocative sound, this band has us excited, and the future is definitely bright. GroundSounds had the chance to catch up with Buddy himself for an exclusive interview, check it out below.
Can you tell us about bringing your upcoming album ‘Last Call For The Quiet Life’ to fruition?
It’s a departure from our previous releases. Will Golden and I collaborated on it and wrote it together. We wanted to push ourselves outside of our comfort zone a bit and didn’t want to repeat ourselves, nor did we want to limit ourselves to just writing songs on an acoustic. We wanted to do something more in the rock realm, so we experimented using different sounds and instruments (drum beats, keyboards, synths, etc.) to spark ideas, which allowed us to stretch creatively.
How did you decide on the album title ‘Last Call For The Quiet Life?’
It’s a lyric from the first song, “Weak Currents”, but it also just seemed to sum up the lyrical themes of the whole record. We were tossing out a few possibilities and our manager, Graham, suggested it and we thought it was perfect.
Can you tell us about the creative and writing process for your track “Anchor?”
Usually, the music comes first and then I write the lyrics. I had written a poem and thought it would be cool if we wrote the music to fit the words. I really enjoyed writing in reverse and it’s a formula we’ll likely try to apply more often in the future.
What music are you currently listening to?
There’s a host of great local LA bands that I’m loving at the moment: Knifeyhead, Jake Bellows, Viva Violet, Whispertown, All Spots to Black. I’ve also been really into Blake Mills’ “Break Mirrors” record. And I’ve been going down a few internet rabbit holes and finding old songs and artists I’ve never really been familiar with, like Melanie and Elyse.
You are originally from Portland, what do you enjoy most about your birth-city? How did you keep it weird in Portland?
Portland is an incredibly friendly and beautiful city, especially when it’s not raining. It’s blindingly green, which is always welcome now that I live in Los Angeles. Portland keeps it weird for everybody, so I don’t really have to make any extra effort, but Santa Con is one of the many weird Portland staples that I feel is a can’t miss: over a thousand people in Santa Claus costumes getting wasted on the downtown streets every December. That’s the stuff, Portland.
Can you tell us about the inspiration for “Weak Currents?”
“Weak Currents” is a song about hesitation and the opportunities lost as a result of, well, just allowing yourself to twist in the wind. The opening lyrics of the song are probably the most literal I wrote for this record. It may sound a little cheesy, but there are a few power lines that run across the front yard where I live, and one morning these two birds landed on opposite sides of one of the wires. They kept inching closer to each other until, just before they were side-by-side, a squirrel jumped on the end of the line causing it to shake. One bird immediately flew off and the other one remained alone. It kinda got me going and provided an analogy that allowed me to get into the deeper themes of the song.
You were recently on a two-month tour, what do you enjoy most about being on the road?
I love being on the road. I like the simplicity of the routine: wake up every morning, travel to the next city, find the club, soundcheck, play a show, and meet interesting people. Repeat every day. And I just really enjoy playing songs every night. It feels therapeutic and the repetition is the only thing that helps me get better at it.
When you are on stage performing, what does through your mind?
“Why the hell do you keep doing this to yourself, you masochist?”. Kidding. Honestly, I try not to let too much go through my mind. I have to concentrate on the lyrics of the songs – it gives me focus so no matter what is going on in the room, I don’t get rattled or distracted. Those occasions that I let my eyes wander, the only thing going through my mind is: “Wow. Don’t these people have homes?”. Again, I kid!
What people and books have inspired you most?
I am fortunate to be able to say my parents have inspired me the most, as well as my siblings and friends. Musically, I have a lot of friends in my life that I am constantly inspired by, not only their talent, but their work ethic and relentless passion for what they do. I find their energy really inspirational and motivating.
After the album drops, what will be next for Buddy?
We are already writing the next one! We will do a bunch of shows and do some touring after the release of the record, and then get started recording the next album early next year. It took a very long time between our last record and “Last Call for the Quiet Life”. We don’t want to do that again!
