(Photo Credit - The PR Files)
We had the opportunity to interview rising alt rock act Dear Seattle! Their music is just the right level to make you want to put your fist in the air and jump up and down. They are a band you definitely need to check out sooner rather than later. But first, check out our Artist Spotlight with the group!
1. How did you come to pursue music and how long have you been at it? "As a band we’ve been at it for about 6 years now! It all came about from a mutual love of bands like Citizen, Title Fight, Balance and Composure, and Basement. We didn’t really know each other before we started, just kind of came together through friends of friends, cos we knew we were into similar tunes and played instruments. It’s kind of nuts to think about where things have gotten to since the days of bashing around on covers like that!"
2. Could you walk us through your process of writing music? "Lyrically, I tend to just write things in my notes app on my phone whenever an interesting thought or observation crosses my mind. I never want to write music whilst thinking about what other people want or think, because I feel that’s when you lose track of yourself as an artist. So I always keep the basis of songs to what I have personally seen or done, or what I need to hear myself, to ensure it always remains genuine." "Often these notes just sit as an idea or concept until later on, until we as a band either jam and write the music, or I write at home myself, working on an idea until it has a solid mood or feeling to it. When it’s got that, I’ll then go through my notes and find one of the lyrical ideas that I feel matches the song’s emotional temperature best, or I’ll write fresh ideas, then start to flesh out lyrics and further musical ideas from there until it’s all cohesive and done!"
3. What artists have inspired you in your career?
"I absolutely adore bands like Culture Abuse and Turnstile at the moment, as they’re two bands who are currently reshaping how people think about the genre they’re in." "Turnstile as a hardcore band really pushed the boundaries and expectations of listeners by adding things like singing, piano overdubs, jazzy interludes and more to their album Time and Space. So damn cool and adds such a unique element to their sound." "Culture Abuse are quite the same, but basically pushed their whole sound in an entirely new direction because they simply wanted to. There’s such pressures on bands these days to adhere to what their fans know and love, but as an artist, I can so strongly relate to the desire to explore and experiment in other areas. I love seeing a band explore different aspects of their sound."
4. Do you have any favorite music gear (guitars, amps, effects pedals, keyboards, etc.) that you love to use? If so, what’s the story on them? "I absolutely adore my J Mascis signature Jazzmaster. It’s such a cheap guitar, but sounds incredible and plays so nicely. I’ve played guitars 3 or 4 times the cost and thought they were garbage in comparison, so it’s just always been a staple for me – I used it for all of my parts on the new album too!" "In terms of pedals, we’ve just jumped into the world of using two amps each on stage with a Lehle Little Dual ABY Switcher. This has changed the game for me! Being able to blend tones between two amps and have that big dynamic kick in volume for choruses etc. is a dream come true. Can’t go back to just one, haha."
5. Can you describe the vibe at your live shows? Also, what do you enjoy most about a venue when you do a show?
"Loud and sweaty, with singalongs and crowdsurfers. We love an energetic atmosphere at our shows, but try and make sure everyone is safe in doing so." "For me the best thing about a venue is good on-stage sound – it’s literally make or break for how I feel about a performance! Also gotta love a nice green room hahaha."
6. What is one thing that you want the public to know about your music? "It’s real and it’s honest. It’s the sound of 4 guys with no clue what they’re doing in life, but who are crazily passionate about writing and playing live, have a whole lot of feelings to share, and just want to reach as many people as possible with a message they can truly cherish."
7. Do you have any upcoming projects you would like fans to know about? "Not particularly! We’ve just finished a whole heap of touring, so I think we’ve hit a nice break in the schedule where we can get cracking on writing album number 2. Besides that, it’s working side jobs to make enough money again to eat and pay rent!"