DESCRIBE YOUR SOUND IN ONE SENTENCE.
A fusion of our musical inspirations from past and present.
HOW WAS THE BAND FORMED?
Aside from Cris and Matty being brothers, we met skateboarding and forged friendships through our local scene in Vaughan, Ontario. It wasn’t until years later that we realized each of us played instruments and had similar musical tastes. We decided to form a band once Bugs and Cris moved back home after living in Montreal and out West respectively. The thought of making music together was only the beginning and as we started jamming, it became clear that our music was special and worth pursuing.
HOW HAS SKATEBOARDING INFLUENCED YOUR MUSIC AND THE WAY YOU APPROACH MUSIC?
Skateboarding requires creativity, perseverance, and repetition. Making music for us behaves in the exact same way. It’s about visualizing the idea, turning it into a concept, and executing on that concept. Like skateboarding, music is organic but requires focus and attention to the finest detail. The more we practice, the more refined our music becomes and the better we feel about what it is we are trying to accomplish as a band.
HOW HAS BEING A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT BAND HELPED THE RECORDING PROCESS AND MAKING MUSIC IN GENERAL?
We have a refined DIY approach granting us full control of the music making process from inception to completion. We are fortunate to be in a position where we can make music at our own pace, in-house, and curb a significant portion of the costs incurred from the recording process. What we learn from our recordings helps us become better musicians and contributes to the overall success of our band. We are always searching for ways to elevate our music in an authentic way that does not compromise our signature sound.
WHAT DO YOU MOST ENJOY ABOUT BEING A MUSICIAN / IN A BAND?
The camaraderie, the freedom of expression and the satisfaction of playing live in front of an audience. Nothing beats being up on stage no matter how anxious or fearful, and embracing that opportunity to let it all out. We are four guys in sync with one another, sharing pieces of each other to form something eternal, and that alone is the coolest feeling in the world.
WHAT CHALLENGES DO YOU EXPERIENCE IN YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS?
Song writing and writer’s block in general. Our songs begin as instrumentals, then we incorporate lyrics and other arrangements. Sometimes we just have too many ides that don’t necessarily fit with the instrumental. At that point it becomes problematic because we don’t want to throw away songs, but we also don’t want to force them either. We’ve shelved our fair share of tracks over the years just for us to come back to some of them because they work for whatever reason. It’s a beautiful struggle.
WHAT CREATIVE WORK ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF? WHY?
Making our first record was one of our proudest and most memorable accomplishments, especially when we held that vinyl pressing in our hands for the very first time. We want to continue experiencing that feeling when we make new music. Just knowing that we did it ourselves with nobody else’s influence or interference is the best part.
WHAT NEW DIRECTIONS HAS THE BAND TAKEN SINCE FORMING?
Fun fact, all of us moved into new places since our first album was released. Cris is involved in some musical side projects to showcase his versatility as an artist. Bugs is still scoring music for films on the side which always sound incredible. Jesse is looking at incorporating new guitars and pedals into his arsenal but more importantly, he is a songwriter now whether he likes to admit it. Matty is a rad dad, seriously, he has a baby girl, a wife and a dog.
WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR YOUR BAND?
We often joke that album 2 never gets released due to our impending hiatus and once the money we used to fight the Marvin Gaye Estate (after being accused of copyright infringement) runs dry, we swiftly announce our comeback and finally release the long-lost album which goes onto win a Grammy. All kidding aside, we have no idea what the future holds for our band. We’ll continue to make meaningful music if we feel inspired to do so.
IF THERE WAS A BAND THAT YOU COULD GO ON TOUR WITH WHO WOULD IT BE?
Fleet Foxes.
www.bluejunemusic.bandcamp.com
www.youtube.com/@bluejunemusic6601