Ellington Ratliff – R5

By starrymag | October 16, 2017

By: Lisa Steinberg

 

 

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

 

A) My musical influences cover all genres from hip hop artist like Kanye, Kendrick and A Tribe Called Quest, to indie/rock artist like Arcade Fire and Jack White, to Motown to New Orleans to jazz etc. I love it all.

 

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “Hurts Good.”

 

A) I see “Hurts Good” as an alternative dance track cocktail with flavors of EDM, 70’s classic rock with a pop topline. It’s about emotion and paints a picture of those mysterious nights and the feelings you get when you stumble upon something, or someone, that takes you by surprise.

 

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

 

A) I think it’s the next level of growth and given the sonic change from our first release until now, I think it’s what our fans expect of us. Our taste is changing with the times just like everyone else and “Hurts Good” is a product of us being influenced by the music we love today.

 

Q) How will the video for “Hurts Good” play into the message behind it?

 

A) The “Hurts Good” music video looks like what happens if you took Wes Anderson to the club and gave him all of the champagne. It’s glossy with radiant overtones, like a pearl, and perfectly symmetric. You can also use these words to describe the song, which makes it the perfect visual representation.

 

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

 

A) It depends on the song, but “Hurts Good” started with the music. While Ross was filming My Friend Dhamer, Rocky and I were at the home studio messing with a sample, which inspired a bass line. This inspired a synth and before we knew it we had this perfectly retro vibe. It wasn’t until months later in NewYork we started messing with it again. The song took on many variations, but it wasn’t until our last U.S tour that we put the finishing touches and got it ready to release.

 

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

 

A) Rocky is the primary producer. Ross and I will mess around and add things here and there, but Rocky does the bulk of it. We also like bringing friends over and getting their input.  It’s good to have someone with a fresh outlook to put you out of your own head.

 

Q) What’s the best part of being in a band?

 

A) I love traveling and seeing fans and experiencing different cultures. Also, with writing it’s gratifying to see something you thought up come to life.

 

Q) What can fans expect from a live R5 performance?

 

A) It’s a rock show.  It’s sweaty and loud and a good time. We also try to keep it different every night which is fun for us as much as it’s fun for the fans who travel with us and see multiple shows.

 

Q) What songs off New Addictions have you been enjoying performing live?

 

A) I love playing “Red Velvet.” We extend that song when we play it live and throw in a surprise or two. Also, “Hurts Good” has been going off!

 

Q) What do you hope listeners take away from listening to the album as a whole?

 

A) My favorite part about listening to music is getting excitement from a song. I hope our fans feel something when they listen to New Addictions—I feel like that’s the whole point of art.

 

Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you?

 

A) I love playing Italy, South America, Mexico and Israel was good show too. What really makes a show stand out is the electricity we get from the crowd.

 

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

 

A) We love collaborating and we would be down to collab with anyone. Maybe an up and coming rapper is a good start. Ross has been talking about XXXTentacion so someone like him would be cool.

 

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

 

A) I keep going back to the Glass Animals album How To Be A Human Being. Every once in a while, there will be an album that comes along and just randomly hits me and I’ll keep going back to it over and over again. To put into context, sometimes I’ll barley get through an album, even if it’s someone I like. If it’s a band I really like but the album is so-so, then I may listen to it once or twice more and then forget. The Glass Animals album is just so catchy, forward thinking and they even incorporate rap tendencies which, for an indie/alt band, is interesting.

 

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

 

A) It’s important because it’s the easiest way to connect with our fans. We’re able to talk to fans one on one and that’s something you couldn’t do too long ago.

 

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

 

A) Thank you for sticking with us from the old school fans to the new ones. We love you and appreciate your support! See you at the show!