Hello Wheel Workers, can you share the story behind the formation of the band?
The original line up met in Houston in the early 2000s, then moved up to Austin until around 2006., Since then the line up has evolved and now the band is sort of a music collective with a bunch of contributing members where I’m the music director that organizes everything. The current live line up has been together for about 8 years and includes Kevin Radomski on drums, Zeek Garcia on bass, Erin Rodgers on keyboards and vocals, Craig Wilkins on guitar and synths, and I play guitar and sing.
What are the main influences that shape your music style?
We’ve got tons of influences, but a lot of the biggest influences are early 90s indie rock bands like Pixies and Sonic Youth.
How has your music evolved since you first started?
We’ve definitely evolved a great deal, but at the same time, we still play songs from the earliest period of the band. The earliest period was heavily psychedelic. Some later records leaned into a more acoustic, folk sound. Lately our more indie and punk influences have become more prominent. It’s a constant evolution, but I also think there’s a core sound that defines us.
Can you describe the songwriting process for your band?
Usually songs come from two different sources. Some I write mostly on my own, then bring to the band to flesh them out. Other songs start from jams with different band members participating depending on who’s there that day. Often we hammer out the arrangements and instrumentation in the studio before we bring it to the stage. Lyrics are usually last because I like to get a feel for how the song ultimately sounds before I finalize the words. That and I’m kind of lazy about writing lyrics sometimes.
What inspired the lyrics and melody of “Harbor”?
The song “Harbor” and the album generally are about finding comfort in loved ones during difficult times. I went through the most difficult period of my life personally during the making of this record, and my friends and family were essential to my ability to get through it all. So this album became a sort of journal of that period. “Harbor” specifically is about two wounded people finding solace in each other from how fucked up the world has become.
Can you share a memorable experience from recording “Harbor”?
Well, we mixed a lot of the album remotely during the pandemic, which was strange. But our producer, Dan Workman, and I are good friends and we made it work. It was one of the things that helped keep me sane.
What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a band?
I think we’ve been pretty lucky overall. We’re all good friends so it makes writing music together and touring a lot of fun most of the time. Sometimes, when you’ve been a band this long, it can occasionally feel like a chore to keep up with all the little things, but we take breaks and mix things up to keep it interesting. So, for example, I try to keep writing constantly, even if we’re halfway through a record, I need to keep writing because otherwise I’ll get bored to death just working on the same set of songs for a year of however long the record takes to finish.
How do you handle creative differences within the band?
Fortunately, we’re all friends, so it’s not too hard. But we sometimes have differences of opinion regarding some creative aspect. Because I organize everything, do a lot of the recording, write the biggest share of the music and all of the lyrics, I tend to get the final say, but it’s rare that we get to that point. Usually we find a compromise, or I realize that I’m wrong.
What are your future plans or upcoming projects after “Harbor”?
We’re going to take a break at the beginning of 2024 from playing shows to work on writing and recording. We’re currently in different stages of recording the next three albums, and I think a lot of it is the best material we’ve ever done.
Finally, what advice would you give to aspiring musicians who look up to your work?
Play lots of shows and support other local musicians to build an audience for yourself and your fellow bands in the scene. Write a ton of material, select the best songs then record them at the highest quality you can afford, but save some budget for promotion. Keep that cycle going and remember to enjoy the ride.
