pale green stars - Sound In The Signals Interview
I recently had the opportunity to interview pale green stars. We discussed the new name and direction of the band, their new song “full circle”, artwork, and more. Check it out below.
First, thanks for the interview.
Thanks for the invite and for checking out the song!
You recently released your new song “full circle”. Can you tell me about writing and recording it?
Haley: I wrote the skeleton for this song as a part of a challenge to myself to write a song every day in November 2023. It was initially in a completely different tuning and had different chords for the chorus. When I brought it to the band, Nate showed me how to play it in our usual tuning, and we tweaked it until it flowed well. We then got together as a band with my longtime producer Phil Odom— I won’t do anything if he’s not touching it in some way— and fleshed out the rest of the parts. I had been messing with a lead that initially got nixed but after trying out a bunch of alternatives, we ended up back at square one and really liking it!
Do you have a favorite lyrical or musical moment from the song? Why?
Nate: I think our collective favorite parts are drum fills at end of the song, and the guitar harmony before the second verse. Both came to be in the studio without planning. John had jammed with us once and filled in on drums for two shows before joining and getting tasked with this song. He showed up to track drums and knocked it out in just a few takes after going off of little more than an acoustic demo.
It’s the first song released under your new name. What made you decide to change your name and is it in any way a reference to the Everclear song?
Haley: My dad died and the old name had felt like a weight for a long time. Everclear is one of my all time favorite bands, Pale Green Stars being a top 10 song of theirs for me, so it just felt right.
Why did you choose “full circle” as the first single to reintroduce the band to listeners for this new era?
Nate: We felt that Full Circle showcased the new direction that we wanted to take this project in — more guitar-forward, and reminiscent of the straightforward rock music that we have spent time bonding over.
I really like the single artwork. The font and image you used is really eye-catching. Can you tell us more about the image?
Haley: Thanks! My friend Jordan Talley is a phenomenal photographer and I’d been eyeing some of his work for a while. This is the first time using anyone else’s photography for a release, and I think he just nailed the vibe of the song. We wanted something nostalgic, and whimsical, and this photo really says that to me. Our guitarist Landon mocked up a layout in like 5 minutes and that was it, I didn’t feel like it should be changed in any way. The whole crew just got it.
Can we expect more new music this year and is there any chance that you might plan to release an album or EP? If so, what can you tell us so far?
Haley: Definitely! I’m leaving for a tour with Trauma Ray for the next couple months, but as soon as I get back I plan to carve time to sit down and write so that we can deliver an EP in the late fall.
Thanks for taking the time to answer the questions. Do you have anything else that you want to add?
Nate: Thanks again for having us! We appreciate anyone who has spent any time with the new song or with the Absinthe Father record. We’ve got plenty more for ya.
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