Illiterate Light – Arches

By starrymag | October 31, 2024

By: Karen Steinberg

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

A) Rock duo by day. Alt Rock Duo by night.

 

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

A) Neil Young and Tuneyards.

 

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “Norfolk Southern.”

A) A train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio last year dumping tens of thousands of hazardous chemicals into the local waterways. It was an environmental disaster.

 

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

A) The song allows for a cathartic release from the collective confusion and anger we all feel as we live in a system that is ruining our planet.

 

Q) How does the video for the track play into the message behind it?

A) We shot the video in an abandoned train yard and while running alongside active trains.

 

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

A) Music first. Then melodies. Then lyrics. We jam a lot. I like to write lyrics early in the morning, ideally around 5am when possible. Lots of demoing and different arrangements before we choose the final.

 

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

A) A big hand. Big, big hand. We self-produce a lot. And we work with killer producers like Vance Powell and Joe Chiccarelli, Adrian Olsen and Danny Gibney. But we know the sounds we’re going for and we are heavily involved in our production. We both own studios.

 

Q) The album Arches comes out in November. What are some themes you’ll be exploring on it?

A) No overarching theme. Each song is its own planet. We put them all together and made a small solar system for this album.

 

Q) Which track(s) created for the album holds a personal special significance to you and why?

A) “Montauk.” We’ve tried to record it several times and it never hit. But this time it hit. It’s based on Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

 

Q) You have some upcoming US tour dates. Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you?

A) We care about people. The food we eat, the lights, the production, the venue…that’s all well and good, but it’s about the fans and the energy they bring. Our Virginia shows are always insane. Love Chicago and Boston, too. The honest truth is this, we play every show like it’s our last. No favorites. We played a house show a few nights ago and treated it like Madison Square Garden. I try to be unaffected by my surroundings and always focus on cultivating the right energy internally, and then we take the stage.

 

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

A) U2

 

Q) What artist/musician are you currently listening to and why do you dig them? 

A) Palmyra – great band from Virginia. Amazing songs.

 

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

A) In theory, social media has removed the gatekeepers and gives artists a way to connect directly with their fans. In practice, you have to pay to reach the people that “follow” you and you have to conform your art to shake the invisible hand of the almighty algorithm. We love our fans and do everything in our power to build real community with them. Sometimes social media helps, sometimes it hurts. One day we’ll look back at this period of history and be embarrassed we wasted so much of our precious lives scrolling on phones. We limited our screen time and try to create music and art that beautifies the world. Make art not content. Substack is my current favorite social media platform.

 

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

A) Thank you, thank you, thank you. We love you.

 

 

All Questions Answered By Jeff Gorman