You recently released a single titled “C**aine and Dirty Bathrooms”. What is behind this song and how has the process of making WIMP been so far?
It’s been challenging, but it’s been good.
I spent so much time not being able to make music because I would just get so anxious thinking about it. For some reason I had this big aversion to sitting at my desk and going on my computer to make music. I was working on that song every day, trying to get it right, because it took me forever to make it sound decent. I think from that I got more used to being on my computer, so it feels better now.
What got you started making music?
I had this internet friend back in like 2016 and he had been making music for a while. I really wanted to start making music because I’d been listening to all this indie pop and SoundCloud stuff for a few years, and eventually I just asked him how he did it. He ended up showing me the basics of fl studio, and there was like a month period where I would Skype with him all the time.
Was it a while before you started actually putting things out?
I think it took a little while until I finally made something that didn’t sound completely awful – one of the first songs I posted got like 40 likes and I thought that was pretty cool. I made that Justin Bieber track, which was like, way better than everything else. Now everything else is deleted, but that one is still there.
How did Focus Group start?
Back then we all used to just browse SoundCloud a lot, I would interact with music I liked and sometimes I’d get a follow back or a like on one of my songs. I found the Focus Group SoundCloud and I liked the Citglo remix, which had just been uploaded. I was really jealous of it and thought it was super good. Randomly Aiden (aidenswank) DM’d me and we started talking a little bit and planned to do a song together. Like a month later, he was like:
“By the way I’m starting this thing called like Focus Group, would you join? – This guy bleachblonde said that he’ll join”
From there we made a group chat and we all became really close – It’s such a weird thing to connect through, but for some reason it really works.
How do you feel about Focus Group’s role within SoundCloud and the style that has become so popular now, which many believe is thanks to FG?
When I first started hearing music that sounded like Focus, I was like, pretty upset. That made it really hard to make music for a while.
But now, the way I think about it… I don’t know… it’s hard to tell if it’s actually even us at this point. I don’t know, I’m not too upset by it anymore.
It felt so personal to us – what we’re making – that’s our art. It felt like people were thinking:
“Oh, that’s cool. I’m gonna do that. I want to be recognised for making that. I want to be the one that’s getting the credit for it”
It’s taken some time and I feel like I have new sounds and a new direction now that I want to take anyway, which has happened naturally.
What is inspiring your sound at the moment?
Lots of early 90s and 2000s alt rock and indie rock from that era. Also a lot of late 70s to 80s punk and post punk. Just in terms of things the song structure and vocals, I find it really inspiring, I think it’s super cool.
It’s been nice because I used to listen to this stuff all the time, so getting back into it is cool, especially with a better perspective on how music is made.
What is your favourite song at the moment?
Off the top of my head is The Strokes – “Is This It?” – I can’t even make music like it but like just in terms of melodies and song writing, it’s the most inspirational for me.
You occasionally post designs and clothing on an alternate instagram account, teasing clothing and recently working with OOPS – what is the process for this work?
I’ve been making random stuff in Photoshop for years, and that’s a way to post some things. I made shirts last year and they’ve just been sitting in my drawer which I’ll probably sell eventually.
As far as inspiration goes, are there specific artists that come to mind or do you find things from all over the place?
It’s hard to say, I’m always on google images for some reason when I’m on my laptop. For artists I would say Saliva, Frank Dorrey and She Skin. But like, I don’t know, I don’t think I make similar items. The stuff I make is just so random.
How do you find like making art, whether it be music or working in Photoshop, making clothes etc. – how does this process help you?
I like making stuff – I enjoy starting projects and coming up with ideas and fulfilling them.
With the art I make, it’s really simple to do. I can feel like making something and create it in PhotoShop quickly. But it’s just not as fulfilling as making music by any means. I’ll make a design, and I’ll want it on a T shirt – usually when I do make clothes I make extra to sell, although I feel like making clothing and getting real life merchandise made never works out to my expectations – It’s never as fun as I first imagined it.
As in the commercial side of art – having to think about marketing your art?
Yeah, the whole process takes a while, sometimes by the time I get the shirts or whatever back I’m already over my idea. I really like designing and working with OOPS, the quality of what he makes is way better than doing it myself – the process is much more fun.
In regards to you enjoying working in projects, how have you found working on WIMP? How has the project changed and evolved?
I’ve always envisioned making an EP and I’ve tried multiple times, but never came through with it. This time, I actually have a good amount of songs – I was going to release it last year as six songs that I had finished, but then I had to take a bit of a break from things. This year, I’ve just been making more and more songs for it, like 10 or something, because I wanted to make it an album. So it’s kind of just the matter of setting an end date and releasing it.
Its going to be a hard day when I release it… logically, with my smarter brain, I’m actually really excited to do it – I want to be done with it so bad. Sharing stuff is always scary. I’ve got pretty high hopes for it and I feel like it shows the way my sound has changed also.
“C**Aine and Dirty Bathrooms” was probably the song that made me feel like the project is almost complete. I’m more proud of the project now after not releasing it last year, I think I’ve put more work in now and it’s become stronger as a project.
Stream C**aine & Dirty Bathrooms:
