TWRP – Over the Top

By starrymag | November 4, 2020

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

 

A) It’s a mix of everything we love about the 70s and 80s. Style-wise we’re somewhere in between funk, electronic and rock with a little bit of star stuff sprinkled on top. Our most often used sounds include synthesizers, robots, guitar solos, and bleep-bloops.

 

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

 

A) We’re always listening to new stuff and looking for fresh inspiration, but some of the artists who have really stuck with us over the years include Daft Punk, Chic, Casiopea, George Duke and Zapp & Roger. I should also mention that we like to rock out at a respectable volume from time to time – Van Halen’s 1984 album is WICKED!

 

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “Only the Best.”

 

A) “Only the Best” is a song about moms and the lessons they teach. The idea started floating around last year when we were on tour – because sometimes when you’re travelling all over the world, you simply need to check in with your mother!

 

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

 

A) Doctor Sung and Lord Phobos are always writing a ton of rough demos. Annually we have a writing retreat event where we all leave the big city and head into nature. We fill a cottage up with instruments, and spend a week jamming on our favorite ideas, creating full arrangements out of them.

The lyrics usually come later, as the mood and feel in a song will often imply a lyrical direction to explore.

 

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

 

A) Our music is entirely self-produced. Over the Top was tracked remotely during the lockdown period of 2020. Everyone recorded their own parts from our humble home studios. There were definitely some unique challenges with this approach, but it still turned out to be what I think is our best record to date.

It also helps that Commander Meouch is an insanely talented audio engineer, who turns our home recordings into something polished and ready for the record.

 

Q) Your new album Over the Top is out now. What are some themes you explore on it?

 

A) Overall, the album is about making the most of the strange times we’re living in. The idea of coming together and supporting each other through is central.

Some other themes include outer space, moms, and the fact that… TWRP is comin’ atcha. Also, our good friend Dan Avidan (of Ninja Sex Party and Game Grumps fame) sang on the track “Black Swan,” telling an epic science fiction tale.

 

Q) How did you celebrate the album coming out?

 

A) Personally, I (Lord Phobos) had a party of one and ordered some pizza.

 

Q) What tracks off the album hold a special place in your heart and why?

 

A) “On This Rock” and “Somewhere Out There.” There’s also some nostalgia I feel from the crowd cheering in “Comin’ Atcha” – it makes me miss playing live and hopeful for the day we get to do it again!

 

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

 

A) This might sound basic, but my number one hope is that our light-hearted attitude and positive messages can simply make the listener feel happy. And if the hopeful messages of togetherness resonate with the listener, I hope it can inspire us all to be good, kind, and fair to each other.

 

Q) With live performances on hold for a bit, do you have any plans for live streaming performances?

 

A) Yes! We’ve already been doing a semi-regular Twitch stream called The TWRP Show, which features some musical performances and lots of absurd jokes. But over the coming months we would love to take our virtual performances to a real concert venue where we can offer the full high-energy experience of a TWRP concert.

 

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

 

A) Right now, we’re all into the album Pleasure Line by Video Age. Great laid-back grooves and catchy songwriting. The synth sounds are also just like, so damn tasty.

 

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

 

A) Every single day we feel grateful to have some of the most friendly, creative and devoted fans in the universe. It’s easy to think that the positivity of our fans was a reflection of the hopeful music we try to create, but in reality, it’s the other way around – our amazing fans are what keep us inspired to write this positive and joyful music in the first place!

 

 

All Questions Answered By Lord Phobos