Interview: Los Angelics

Los Angelics

I had the opportunity to speak with Los Angelics, the LA-based alternative rock group that released their debut EP, Land of the Brave And Dangerous, on May 19th, 2015. (To read the review, click here.) Maybe you’ve heard of Los Angelics, maybe you haven’t. Maybe you like alternative rock/indie/electro/pop, maybe you don’t. (Wide spectrum, I know.) But the sound that comes from this group is anything but predictable, and while I didn’t get to talk to them live on Skype or face to face, the things they did talk about via email provided insight into the creative process for the group.

 

Colorful Synner: I hear an increasing number of songs out there with lyrics that talk about the state of the world/society, the problems we face. It seems like it’s almost easy to pick up a pen and write a song about these things because of how prevalent they are, but you guys take it to a different level; you really talk about them like you know them. What inspired you to write what you did? Were there specific experiences or events?

Los Angelics: Well, first of all- thank you for that. I think we, being people watchers, readers, avid film goers, and annoyingly curious causes us to do a good deal of existential pondering.  For us, the world is partially what meets the eye, and partially how it is interpreted. The lyrics are our interpretation from both our personal experiences and our imagination. It’s not so much that we know about the world/society, as it is an account of what we observe from our perspective. It is sometimes about problems we face and sometimes just poking fun. We haven’t actually met a satanist who has gone paperless, but that’s the kind of irony we see sometimes- someone cutting you off and flipping the bird at you on his way to Whole Foods to buy an oil burner to “center” himself.

 

That’s a really interesting way to look at things, actually. I like it. That being said, you also have an interesting contrast of ‘uplifting/optimistic’ sound over ‘darker’ lyrics. What made you want to take that path, as oppose to a sound that might fit a darker tone?

That wasn’t the plan. It just came out that way. We wanted to move people, physically, get there blood pumping and feet tapping. And we wanted them to have fun and leave them with a feeling of positivity. Even though the lyrics are a little bit darker, there’s usually a note of optimism in all of them that expresses getting out of your rutt , getting better, moving forward through any adversity. The dark stuff is written to provoke people to move into the light, instead of dwelling in it. Some of the stuff we listened to growing up was of the darker variety and it still left us with positivity in the end because we connected with these people through their music. You can’t feel like you’re alone and the only one suffering when you hear Gimme Shelter.

 

Maybe this is a dumb question, but what’s the meaning behind your band’s name? You’ve said that it relates to wanting to go after your dreams – what does that mean for you guys? What are you going after?

The band name is just a way of saying we’re Angelenos. Los Angeles has been widely known as the city of dreams. Everyone comes out here to make it and make their dreams come true. That’s no different for us.

 

What kind of obstacles did you face writing this EP? Specifically, did you ever hit some kind of artist’s block, or have disagreements?

Yes, we had disagreements. We’d have a lot of rewrites: melody rewrites, lyric rewrites, and arrangements. Joz is the one who drives the production; he knows what he wants and when its right. The more he tweaked it, the more we became Los Angelics and the fewer disagreements we would have. They say a work of art is never finished, it’s only abandoned. At one point our managers just basically said “Give us the session files. You’re done.”

 

Wow, talk about dedicated. I’ve heard how hard bands work in studios but I’m still constantly blown away by the level of effort that’s put in. So, now you’re in the process of writing a full-length album; what should we be expecting from you guys? Is it going to be anything like your EP, and how are you evolving and building off it? Musically, lyrically, etc.?

It’s definitely going to be fun and have the same upbeat energy like the EP.  We have a wide range of musical influences, so it will have some variety in there. Lyrically, we will get more personal.

Purchase the EP: http://bit.ly/1EhBlr0

Social Media

Facebook: www.facebook.com/losangelics

Twitter: www.twitter.com/losangelics

Instagram: @losangelics

www.losangelics.com

 

Track Listing

1. Dangerous

2. Growing Young

3. Bottle Of Pills

4. Living In A Dream

5. Live Like Kings (Mexico)

 

Los Angelics – Dates of Residency

August 3 – Los Angeles, CA @ Silverlake Lounge

August 10 – Los Angeles, CA @ Silverlake Lounge

August 17 – Los Angeles, CA @ Silverlake Lounge

August 24 – Los Angeles, CA @ Silverlake Lounge

August 31 – Los Angeles, CA @ Silverlake Lounge

 

Press Contact:

Natalie Schaffer | Big Picture Media

40 W. 29th Street, Suite 401 | New York, NY 10001

Office: 212-675-3103 | Cell: 661-233-6479

Dayna Ghiraldi-Travers | Big Picture Media

40 W. 29th Street. Suite 401 | New York, NY 10001

Office: 212-675-3103