Don’t Believe in Ghosts – Living Like This

By starrymag | July 17, 2020

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

 

A) I try not to. I try to encourage people to take a few minutes and run through it when they need a little extra inspiration.

 

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

 

A) I love hearing new sounds… Lately, I’m most interested in what I haven’t heard yet.

 

Q) How has your New York City origins played a role in your music?

 

A) I guess just being exposed to lots of different people from all around the world bringing their inspirations into this big boiling pot. It’s a super cool thing being exposed to all different kinds of people for sure.

 

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “Living Like This.”

 

A) I was sitting around on a Sunday… I felt like I should maybe write a song… this thing just popped out in twenty minutes! Lyrically it’s about consumption and the false illusion of fulfillment and progress in life.

 

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?

 

A) I’m sure it’s more about the overall vibe… the whistling… but who doesn’t love some dirty synth bass!?

 

Q) How does the video for the track play into current times?

 

A) Well, we filmed it two weeks before quarantine… edited it during all the early chaos… the messaging is timeless though. We could have really hyper-focused it to the pandemic but we wanted it to capture some of that yet also be relatable in five to ten years.

 

Q) You edited the video during quarantine. How did that effect your typical editing procedures? 

 

A) Just had a bit more time really… it was a fantastic distraction from all that was going on at the time and all the news.

 

Q) Why is it so important to DBIG that all of your videos are produced by the band?

 

A) I think mostly because every element is an extension of us and our art… It’s all part of the message. Someone else may come in and make something more commercial or whatever, but that would be like someone else coming in and writing a song for us so we could appeal to others. People hear what they see… so the videos are very important.

 

Q) What is your songwriting process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?

 

A) Usually, it’s about the groove first. Sometimes there are lyrics I’ll have written that end up in songs… but I don’t really sit down to write a song based on any of my lyrics. Often I’ll let a section of music play over and over and sing many, many melody ideas and then build off the ones that are most interesting to me.

 

Q) How much of hand do you have in the production of your music?

 

A) We write, record, produce, mix and master 90% of everything ourselves. Occasionally, we’ll team up with someone on something for mixing or mastering.

 

Q) Will there be a full album or EP coming in the near future?

 

A) We finished a full album… but quarantine and no touring changed a lot of the plans for this year. We’ve been writing a lot more… So, yes, there will be an album but right now we’re releasing new singles often and what comes next may not have been written yet. That’s the super exciting thing about the way we can write and record ourselves now.

 

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

 

A) Awolnation, Butch Walker… Oh man, so many to list!

 

Q) What album/band are you currently listening to and why do you dig them? 

 

A) Oh, so many new things… but like so many people it’s really about playlists lately.

 

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

 

A) Probably because we’re not neighbors with everyone… [laughs] Social media has blasted open the world and helped us connect to people everywhere we’d otherwise never have known. It is incredible for that… having to post constantly is miserable and not very conducive to creativity. Anyone posting non-stop is likely not very busy making great art outside of that.

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

 

A) Love you guys, thanks for spending some of your life with us and we can’t wait to see you all again in person soon!!

 

 

All Questions Answered By Lead Singer/Producer And Writer Steven Nathan