Bat Boy - Sound In The Signals Interview
I recently had the opportunity to interview Hannah Eagle of Bat Boy. We discussed the writing and recording process for new album ‘Fun Machine’, how the pandemic impacted the band, lyrical inspiration, creating the album’s artwork, and more. Check it out below.
First, thanks for the interview.
Thanks for wanting to interview me!
Your new album ‘Fun Machine’ recently came out. Can you tell me about writing and recording it?
I wrote some of these songs when I was in high school . So there’s a teenage angst and like a dumbass simpleness to a lot of them before the boys take them and make them actually something cool. They both are so insanely talented and those songs really aren’t songs without what they make of them. I’m really lucky. I really like writing the words.
I read that the album was sort of put on hold because of the pandemic. How did the last few years impact the album process and what were some of the drawbacks and benefits of it?
We had 12 songs ready to record basically and then the world shut down. I live in Philly and the boys are both in Richmond but no one was going to be going anywhere for a minute. Actually that time really sucked because we really didn’t see each other for like 2 years. It might have been 3. We never broke up or anything, but it was in the air like so much covid particles. To finally record them, after what I think we had all kind of secretly thought was the end of the band felt like we got in a hot tub time machine. It was weird. We couldn’t stop laughing, but at the same time, we also knew how lucky we were, so we really wanted to get it right. Also, we’re a little older so I think we knew more how we wanted it to sound and what we didn’t want. At least I did. And the boys laid down a ton of instruments. I’ll say it again (cause I can and they can’t tell me to shut up) but they are so fucking good. I get cheesy about it.
Can you tell us more about the lyrical themes and inspiration for the album? What did you take away from writing it?
The songs are all over the place. “This Summer” I wrote in the closet about a friend from high school when we were both home for summer. Then a song like “Decoder Ring” is like messy, horny, gay mistakes in college. So it’s really all over the place. You know, weirdly there are actually a lot of movie and TV references in the album. Like ones that really only I would get or care about. “Love returns as love” in Noticing Things is a misquoted X Files reference about reincarnation from “The Field Where I Died”. I’m pissed now that I got it wrong. “narrow people” in House Is Sinking is from 13 Going On 30. Young Matty calls the Six Chicks “narrow people”. It’s a bummer song, I don't know why I was referencing 13 Going On 30. Decoder Ring was a reference to that part in Big where he gives Susan the glow-in-the-dark compass ring instead of sleeping with her. So maybe there's a lot of growing up themes across the album. The 13 Going on 30 and Big thing is a weird connection. Oh, I jammed a Degrassi reference in there too. I’m a Degrassi nerd.
I really like the song “January”. At what point in the album process was that song written?
That song was a gift for my fiancée when we were still just talking. I think at that point we weren’t dating yet. I was really trying to pour my heart into it to make her fall in love with me so she would date me. Once I heard it with Cory and Jake it took on a whole new energy. I love how it sounds now. It sounds like a good teen movie song. We started doing it on tour here and there so it was one of the first songs on the new album. It’s my favorite too.
The album artwork is fantastic. It’s really eye-catching. Who came up with the concept for it and designed it? What’s the meaning behind it?
The cover was kind of a nice surprise. I was getting more into painting so I think I pitched that as an option just cause I wanted to paint something. There was a photograph of our friend on that spring motorbike that we all liked a lot. Once I painted the little kid on it instead, it really took on a weird ominous energy. Why is that kid so concerned? Whose car is parked up there? Then the back cover was actually based on something my mom said to me. I was trying to think of what that kid would be looking at and she said she remembered those spring riders would be at drive-ins sometimes. So I found these pictures of teens in the 80s and 70s who also looked like they had a little secret inner life going on. The two pictures are funny together. There’s something going on in them but I don’t know what it is. It’s fun to make up stories about them.
Mike Park said the album is one of his favorites that he has heard in years. How does it feel to know he liked the album that much?
I mean when Mike’s excited about something, it’s pretty infectious. He goes 100% and I think he really is part of why the record is so fun and so good, so I'm pumped he likes it. I think everybody would like it. Or some part of it at least. It’s a fun album. It’s called Fun Machine.
Thanks for taking the time to answer the questions. Do you have anything else that you would like to add?
Thanks so much for the interview! We hope everyone out there enjoys the record!
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