Just Friends - Sound In The Signals Interview
For people who aren't familiar with your band can you tell me a little about how you guys got together, formed the band, and what got you interested in music?
Sam: We actually all met because we were in rivaling High School music programs. All of us were in marching and jazz bands. All of us had played in bands in Dublin/Pleasanton for years and one summer we were all back and we started like a supergroup of Dublin/Pleasanton kids, I’m surprised it took this long, I have known Brandon since the 1rst grade. What got me into music was Weezer Live on Letterman 1995, Matt Sharp is my hero, that and Blood Sugar Sex Magik, my parents took me to Red Hot Chili Peppers when I was like 11.
Brandon: Dad just constantly played The Beatles, KC and the Sunshine Band, Kool and the Gang, and Earth Wind and Fire. I couldn't help but boogie down. I got the fever at an early age.
I'm a huge fan of the sound you guys have. I really enjoy the meshing of punk rock and horns. The horns element definitely adds a really neat layer and sound to your music. When you guys started the band did you know you wanted to incorporate horns or is that something that just kind of happened?
Sam: We knew from the start we wanted horns, we all wanted to be in a band together outside of Jazz Band and the only way for us to be in band with Avi was to have horns. All we wanted to do was cover Jungle Boogie. All of us coming from a music education background music with brass is the only thing we have ever known, so it just made sense.
You just launched the pre-orders for your new album Rock To The Rhythm. Can you tell me a little about the recording process of the album and what people can expect sound wise from some of the music you have now to this new album?
Sam: The record was written over the span of pretty much exactly 1 year, fall 2013 to fall 2014. The last song was finished the week before we recorded. We recorded at The Panda Studios in Fremont with Ryan Ellery, hands down the most amazing individual I know. What started as 5 day record turned into about at least 17 days over the span of a few months. Somehow he was able to take exactly what was in our heads and make into a real thing. This record is called Rock 2 The Rhythm for a reason, you can expect some straight up downtown america upchuck the doogie business. Musically it is the 10 best songs we have ever written. Shit is lit. I guarantee that.
Is there a song you're excited for people to hear off this new album?
Sam: Paint might be the best song on the record, but Bad Weather II because we have never done a song like that before.
Brandon: Even though it is out I’m still going to say Ryerson, I love playing the weird timing in towards the end. Always gets me
The album is being released on vinyl by Open Door Records. Vinyl is really important in today's music world. How important was it for you guys to go with a label that would release the album on vinyl?
Ben: Choosing a label that supports vinyl was absolutely critical. With the demise of CDs and rise of digital downloads and streaming, people are still hungry for physical connections to the artists they love. Being able to hold a record in your hand and know that's exactly what the artist intended for you to have is a special feeling and it's still one of the best mediums around for high fidelity audio. Even the concept of the artwork for this album was to evoke the feeling of old jazz records from the 50s and 60s that we grew up listening to. That being said, Open Door Records was an obvious choice after seeing the work they put into releases like Karoshi Boy's "Nothing Is" 7". Also, at the end of the day they're just super nice guys who want to help their friends' bands put out records and we vibed with that instantly.
I'm really enjoying the Just Friends 7" release you guys have available on bandcamp. I particularly like "Sick Of It All". Can you tell me a little about the writing process of the song and how it came together both musically and lyrically?
Sam: Back in 2013, I showed my girlfriend like a bunch of songs I was working on, she was like my quality control for all my songs and I wrote it like 15 minutes before I went to her house, and she said that was the best song out of all of them, so I ran with it. It was just one of those songs that wrote itself. I borrowed one line from “Soul To Squeeze” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers and I have never been called out/no one has noticed still and it has been almost 2 years.
I guess that about wraps it up. Thanks for taking the time to answer the questions. Do you have anything else you would like to add?
Shouts out Dublin/Pleasanton, California. 2 much love to our Open Door Records Family. Huge thank you to Ryan Ellery, my mom for letting us practice in our garage still, all our SoCal family. And most importantly Justin Eckley. Also Chill Pill was the best band of all time. ROCK 2 OUR DOOGIE!!
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