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Hey Kids, It’s Time to ‘Stop, Drop and Roll Because Goodnight Sunrise is On Fire By Brian Campbell  |
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Yeah, sure it’s powerpop, and the scene is about as watered down as a pricey nightclub drink, but it’s nice to be able to get excited about bands once in a while. They might all emulate each other in some way, shape or form, mostly in sound, but certain bands have merit, and of course, the reason I’m mentioning this is because Helena Montana’s, yes, Montana, Goodnight Sunrise just so happen to be one of those bands.
With their debut EP, ‘Stop, Drop and Roll,’ in the books and currently available for purchase just about everywhere, these boys took the time to sit down with me and chat on just about every topic there is, well that I could think of at least, from how the recording process of the record went and the bands songwriting tendencies, all the way to discussing my theory on where the album title actually came from. Am I right? Read on.
Get eXposed: Let’s start with the title of your new EP, ‘Stop Drop and Roll.’ Perhaps one of you guys was on fire when looking for an album title?
Goodnight Sunrise: Haha, close enough. I actually thought of the EP title in Washington while we were sitting around a campfire. ‘Stop, Drop, & Roll’ represents some of the problems this band has dealt with over the past couple years. We've often found ourselves in some pretty bad situations that we're forced to overcome. Our band is good at getting in and out of trouble.
GE: Tell me about the recording process of the record. How was that?
GS: Very relaxing! This time we did all of the tracking ourselves at home in our basements & bedrooms. Producing the record on our own was laid back because we could record at our own pace. I could track vocals when I wanted to track vocals. Most studios won't let you record all night until 6am.
GE: The hooks are pretty spot on throughout the record on the whole. Did you find yourself paying attention to the hooks more while writing, or was that just happenstance?
GS: I'm always focused on hooks during the writing process. I think we've all really developed as musicians & songwriters over the past 2.5 years of touring, and that may be why you've seen progress from our older ‘Close and Counting EP.’ Our band is strange because we've still never worked in the studio with a producer. Someday, I'd like to be able to bounce ideas off a mind outside of the band, but until then, we'll keep tracking and doing all the work on our own. It's pretty fun this way.
GE: How do you guys go about writing a song normally, from start to finish?
GS: Usually, Justin will come up with a riff or chord progression that he likes and we'll jam it out. We'll structure the song as a band, demo it, and then I'll write vocals over the music. Some songs may be written slightly different, but I've found that process to work pretty well for our band.
GE: The songwriting of ‘Stop Drop and Roll’ is solid. Any chance you could share the stories behind the tracks ‘On Your Birthday’ and ‘Wouldn’t Change a Thing?’
GS: ‘On Your Birthday’ is about being naked. Well, it's a little deeper than that, but I enjoy that explanation because you'll probably want to listen now. ‘Wouldn't Change a Thing’ was the last song we finished on this record. I've had friends and family at home who have supported me and stuck by the band from the beginning. Leaving those people for months at a time can be hard. This song is just about traveling on the road and keeping those relationships.
GE: With two EPs under your belt so far, when can we look for a Goodnight Sunrise full length?
GS: Hopefully soon! Personally, I'm a big fan of EP's and I think there are plenty of kids who prefer buying a $5 EP over a full-length, but that doesn't mean we don't plan to release one soon. We're currently demoing new songs and getting some material ready for the next time we hit the studio.
GE: How did you end up covering Jessica Simpson’s ‘With You’ for ‘Rockin’ Romance?’ Also, have you done the song live, how’d it go over and do you know if she has heard the cover or not?
GS: We were asked to be a part of ‘Rockin Romance,’ and ‘With You’ is a love song that's always stuck out to me. I just think it's a really catchy, well-written song. On our recent national tour we played the cover at The Key Club in LA. Joe Simpson, Jessica's dad, was actually there. I was worried at first, but he gave us the “rockfist” and two thumbs up, so that's a good sign I guess, haha. I know some of Jessica's people have heard the cover too. Not sure about Jessica herself. I wish!
GE: What’re you going to be up to the rest of the year?
GS: We plan to continue demoing new material and hitting the road again as soon as possible. Our tour schedule over the past couple years has been pretty intense, so it's nice to have a little time at home. At the same time, if I'm here for over a month I'll be dying to leave the state again. We'll be playing regional shows for the next couple months, but keep an eye out for winter tour dates. We'll be back on the road promoting our ‘Stop, Drop, & Roll EP’ again very soon!
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