Not every ending is a new beginning, but for ex-NE-HI members Mikey Wells, James Weir and Alex Otake, the death of one band meant the birth of another. With Spun Out, the musicians are leaving it all on the table creatively, bringing everything but the kitchen sink to their songs, and in the process, turning old partnerships into new musical magic.
“It always feels special when we work together and I think as a group we really put ourselves out there,” Wells said in an exclusive interview with TrunkSpace.
The band’s debut album, Touch The Sound, is available this Friday on Shuga Records/Spun Out Productions.
We recently sat down with Wells and Weir to discuss adjusting in the moment, exploring the visual components of their music, and accomplishing their artistic vision.
TrunkSpace: Several members of the band were together previously in NE-HI. How did having that familiarity, and yet, incorporating new voices and opinions into the mix, impact what Spun Out would ultimately become musically?
Wells: Well, we definitely had the advantage of knowing how to play off of each other. I think we knew how to compliment each other’s playing, but we were really focused on changing up the writing process and learning how to adjust in the moment. Once we knew that we could be constantly changing that element, it was easy to bring other people’s viewpoints into the mix. There’s a lot of spontaneity happening, and making bold choices was always at the forefront.
TrunkSpace: Is there such a thing as creative soulmates and is it evident with the fact that the three of you (Mikey, James, and Alex) continued your artistic journey together? Is it easier to click creatively with some people more than others?
Wells: Starting this project, the three of us had a lot of talks about how we could make this project work. We were very reliant on each other and open about our opinions, but in very good spirits. It always feels special when we work together and I think as a group we really put ourselves out there.
TrunkSpace: Touch The Sound is due to drop August 21. What kind of emotions do you juggle with when releasing new material to the masses, and is the experience different this time around given that the entire world, essentially, has ground to a halt?
Wells: It feels interesting looking back at that time period when the writing and recording for this record was happening. The one thing that connects to the world now for me is the content of the recordings. I think there’s a universality of emotion to the lyrics, which I think plays to the tension of humanity a bit. This record feels very cathartic, which I think is positive.
TrunkSpace: Normally you would tour to support a new release, but that is not something that is possible in every state right now. How has promoting the upcoming album changed? How do you get the word out when people can’t get out themselves?
Wells: I view it as an opportunity to explore visual art in conjunction with the sounds. Making video work and collaborating with visual artists can be really exciting. Live performance is definitely a different and beloved experience, but if it’s not possible, might as well sharpen other skills.
TrunkSpace: If someone sat down and listened to Touch The Sound front to back, what would they learn about you guys and where you’re at as a band and as songwriters in 2020?
Wells: I think a listener would find that we’re a team of music makers interested in crafting forward-thinking tunes for this new decade.
TrunkSpace: Outside of the music itself, what did you want to accomplish with the production on Touch The Sound – which is so rich and full of energy – that perhaps you were unable to achieve on past projects with other bands? Did you accomplish your vision for the album as a whole when you called wrap on the process?
Weir: Great question. The kind of foundation of the band was that we wanted to just throw every idea we had at a song rather than limit ourselves to recording everything live as a band, which is basically the process we had been doing for the last four to five years, so the production end could not have been more important to us just to be able to fully experiment. I think we definitely accomplished our vision and I wouldn’t change anything.
TrunkSpace: What are you most proud of with the album?
Weir: I’m very proud of all of the collaboration that took place with family and friends and also just imagining this album from the beginning and feeling like the demos reached their fullest potential.
TrunkSpace: What has been the most rewarding aspect of creating within Spun Out thus far?
Weir: The growth we’ve experienced on the studio production end. Really coming into our own not only as musicians, but also as “still amateur” producers. (Laughter)
TrunkSpace: Looking forward, what do you envision Spun Out’s musical journey to be album-to-album? Will the follow-up to Touch The Sound be a departure musically from the songs we hear on the debut?
Weir: We’ve actually been pretty productive throughout quarantine by just creating demos through stems, so we have a nice chunk of the second already done. There will be some similarities, but overall I’d like to take it in a more organic direction, sonically.
TrunkSpace: When you’re not performing or creating music, how do you recharge the creative energy banks?
Weir: Digging for records and jogging works for me. Constantly looking for new sources of inspiration in music and running is a nice way to set everything back to square one.
TrunkSpace: Time machine question. If you could jump ahead 10 years and get a glimpse of what your career looks like a decade from now, would you take that journey? If not, why?
Weir: I wouldn’t! Important to live in the moment and trust the process.
Touch The Sound is available this Friday via Shuga Records/Spun Out Productions.