Storm Boy’s new EP SUPERPOSITION! marks a significant evolution for the band. In this interview, they discuss their creative process, themes of duality, and future projects.
1.
SUPERPOSITION! represents a turning point for the band. Can you explain the
concept behind the EP and how it relates to your personal and musical journey?
2. You’ve described the band as being in a “state of superposition,” feeling
multiple things at once. How does this theme influence the sound and mood of
the new EP?
Chas: I’m going to combine these questions as I feel like they’re related, if
that’s ok. I think a lot of what we’ve been writing about is time-based and
then thinking about connecting time with where we are at that moment- at a
personal level, we’re different things to different people, right? Like I’m
papa to my kid, I’m a creative director to my co-workers, a friend, a
band-mate, etc. We're a collection of people who are all multiple things at
once. It just depends on from where the perspective is cast, or how we're
observed…and when. This all ties into this concept of Superposition, which, by
definition is “the combination of two distinct physical phenomena of the same
type (such as spin or wavelength) so that they coexist as part of the same
event.” I think that also connects to where we are as a band- we’re punk, but
we’re also post-punk…we’re hardcore, but we’re also post-hardcore…we’re super
goofy, but we’re also super serious. So when we were working on this set of
songs, having traditionally been a band that’s been the vision of a single
person, suddenly being a collective, I think SUPERPOSTION! just made sense.
Observe us as we now are, not as we once were, or where you expect us to be.
3. Each physical version of the EP comes with different covers and track
orders. What inspired you to create multiple variations, and how do you think
this plays into the theme of SUPERPOSITION!?
So, to clarify, there are 4 different covers/track orders. Each are placed into
an identical plain white sleeve and sealed. The idea here is that, like
Schroedinger’s Cat, who could be alive, dead, or both alive and dead, one could
be getting any of the CD’s and at some point, it’s the exact version that they
wanted. Maybe not at the point they opened the packaging, but AT SOME POINT, it
was. We love a good theme, and this really felt like a fun way to bring the
idea to life.
when this project first began, it was really about leading with joy. That was the entire point. The world was coming out of some unprecedented times, there was a lot of anger, and it felt like being deep in joy and leading with that was the need. We’re all in the understanding that fun and joy can thrive in darkness and chaos, but it’s also ok to be dark. It's ok to be chaotic. It’s ok to be angry…just have the healthy release and support each other…and let it become gratitude. I’ll be the first to admit, it isn’t getting easier to lead with joy, but with that in mind, we’re still us. We still write, what we hope, are booty shakers, it’s just now we’re more focused on being haunted by the memories of what was lost, being betrayed by that with which we most identified, or even our joy being our ultimate demise. Let us dance in the rubble and sing in the chaos.
5. Can you tell us more about the recording process for this EP at Titan
Recording Studio? How did Scot Michael’s approach differ this time around?
So, previously Chas was more focused in wanting a very specific sound- a very
dirty, stripped down thing. That started giving way to a little cleaner sound
that was inspired by the mixing on Fugazi’s Repeater, specifically the song
Merchandise. Chas was leaning on Scot to keep it very “Inner Ear.” But here’s
the thing, Scot Michael is an artist. If you go and listen to what he’s been
doing with Shame Banger and Dead Streets, it all just sounds so big and so
triumphant. Further, I can’t stress enough how this is a new phase of the band,
and it sort of deserved a reset. So, Chas and Jeremy had been talking about
“what if we just let Scot cook? What would he do?” And the rest of the band was
on board, so after tracking, Scot wanted to make plans for a mixing session and
Chas just said, “Nah, you do you. Do whatever you want, take as long as it
needs to.” Scot smiled and returned in about a week with almost exactly what
you hear now. We couldn’t be more happy.
6. Storm Boy has members from a range of experiences, from veterans of the
music scene to newer musicians. How does that dynamic shape your creative
process and the way you collaborate?
Chas: So, I’ll start with process. A lot of our songwriting process, I’ll kick
off. I’ll often write a mostly complete song and share it with the rest of the
band over Teams. They’ll sit with it and think about how they’d do the parts
differently or the same, then when we start working on it at practice, we all
start sharing our ideas. Sometimes there’s a minimal change, sometimes there
are some switcheroos (rearrangements) that happen. Where the varying
experiences and ages come in is how we make those parts sound based more on
what we like than what we’ve done with other bands. And what we like is really
interesting. Example: Jeremy and I are elder punks, but he comes more from that
Chicago noise background, whereas I’m straight out of DC and very heavily
influenced by both the harDCore, and the more straightforward, streetpunk thing
that was happening in the late 90’s as well as the Go-Go scene. Kuba is heavily
inspired by a lot of hardcore but also was in a Wilco tribute band. Charli’s
favorite band is My Chemical Romance and gets a kick out of making me listen to
Korn. So it’s this “same tree, different branches” mentality that shapes our
style as it is. Where we all really align is on energy. We’re all of the
mindset that we’d rather be high-energy than high-precision and that’s the true
dynamic that shapes our process.
7. Charli, this is your first band. What has the experience been like joining Storm Boy, and how has it helped you find your voice as a musician?
Charli: Being in a band has been a dream of mine ever since I was 13, so as soon as they contacted me to ask if I wanted to try out as a guitarist I didn’t hesitate to accept. I was very lucky that they turned to be not only amazing human beings, but also good and healthy influences for me. They all motivate, encourage, reassure and motivate me. I had a lot of stage fright recording Ghosts in the studio, but having them push me on and giving me great advice and suggestions gave me the courage to let loose. Theyre always introducing me to great music I wouldn’t have heard of otherwise and they share much wisdom and knowledge. They all inspire me to become not only a better musician, but a better person and friend. I’m always learning something new at practice and shows and I’m grateful to be able to share this music with them.
8. What do you want listeners to take away from SUPERPOSITION! both musically and conceptually? Are there any particular messages or emotions you hope to convey?
Kuba: I think the message to convey through our music is that fun and joy can thrive even out of darkness and chaos. A sad or chaotic melody can energize you. A melancholy lyric can make you grateful.
9. Storm Boy is known for high-energy performances. How do you translate the themes of the EP, like feeling “out of alignment,” into your live shows?
Chas: I think our lives shows, with the crowds that we tend to attract, are where we finally feel IN alignment. The punk community is home, that’s the place that feels natural. So the way that translates is really in just trying to make sure everyone there feels like a part of it. Charli and Chas have wireless units and make the most of them by going out into the crowd and hyping the stragglers up…next thing you know, everyone is dancing, or in the case of our last show under the bridge in Portland, doing the worm in the middle of the street, or one of the last times we played Oly, it’s a round of “Duck Duck Goose” in the middle of a song. But I think that’s what the punk community is, at least for us, it’s where the misfits and the oddballs can be themselves. I hope it feels that way for everyone else that needs it to be that for them.
10. With SUPERPOSITION! dropping in October, what are your plans for promoting the EP? Can fans expect any special shows or releases around that time?
We have our second Blood Wrestling Extravaganza on October 26 where we’ll crown the new Blood Ruler of Olympia, Washington with Riot Orgy and the Autocratic$!! That should be a blast.
11. The Olympia punk scene has a rich history. How do you feel Storm Boy fits into that scene, and how has Olympia influenced your music?
Man, that’s a hard question to answer. I think, yes, Olympia has a rich history, but it’s also a scene that is hard to nail down, and often hard to be part of. There isn’t a single united scene, but multiple cliques. It’s kind of frustrating. I think we fit in by trying to bring it together. We’ve started producing, as a band, an annual fest call Capital Radio Day that has an overarching goal of uniting the disparate scenes, while sharing what we’re doing with a couple bands from Seattle, Tacoma, and Portland. We’re definitely hoping to do that again in 2025. I think I’d be remiss in pointing out that there are others who are doing as much as they can to bring the community together, like Lisa from the band Grrrrizzly, photographers like Repcik, Cam, and Clara Philips, Roslyn who runs @postersolympia and manages the KAOS Radio calendar, as well as the Heather at Lantern Records, the residents of the Mortuary, and Lamplighters are all doing as much as they can to bring everyone together. In terms of how it has influenced us, I think what’s going on now in Olympia is really exciting and beyond how it effects our music, it effects us and our desire to just be part of it all…that desire is real.
12. Looking beyond SUPERPOSITION!, what’s next for Storm Boy? Do you have
any new projects or musical directions you’re excited to explore?
In the near future, I think we’re most excited to share it. We’ll be shooting a
couple new videos soon. We have a couple tours planned. We’re making our first
trip to Canada and we’re looking ahead to festival season.
Further, a couple of us have a side project we’ve started with members of Oly
bands Human Vacuum and Dead Pets called Deluto that I hope you’ll be hearing
more about. Finally…we’ve started writing the next thing. I think more than
anything, we’re all really excited to explore what else we can do together.
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