Lisa: Your first song was “Crazy People Take Crazy Actions”, what’s the story behind it and how did you get started?
Accidents at Sundown: Crazy People Take Crazy Actions was written right after the 2017 San Bernardino Elementary School Shooting. The shooting really affected me, I got really depressed. It all started with the main guitar riff, I tried to channel the anxiety and the chaos and to me that summed it up.
Lisa: How would you describe the music that you typically create?
Accidents at Sundown: We would describe it as a journey. We are trying to take the listener through twists and turns on this crazy ride. It is definitely rock with many genres built into it.
Lisa: What is the message you are trying to give with your music?
Accidents at Sundown: The lyrics in a lot of our songs have multiple meanings, and we touch on subjects like mental health. Due to the pandemic, and how the world is, people really need to understand that it’s okay to not be okay. We hope that our music can provide that sense of clarity.
Lisa: Do you get creative blocks? If so, what do you do to move past them?
Accidents at Sundown: If you have a creative block then you just have to keep trying. Not every song is a hit right away. Sometimes it takes going over it and over it to really arrange it the way that it needs to be done.
Lisa: Your latest album “Us against the underworld” is awesome. How did it come together, and is there a theme that connects the songs, or is it something else?
Accidents at Sundown: Thanks! That means a lot to us. Looking back it all felt like a mad dash. It was written in a year and then took in total a couple months to record and mix. The entire album follows 4 childhood friends going on a mission to save their mischievous friend, Constance after she was found by her boyfriend on her kitchen floor. They all decided they needed to get into the Underworld to save her. Although she wasn’t perfect, Constance didn’t deserve to be there. What follows is a lot of twists and turns, not everything is as it seems.
Lisa: What is the most important thing to keep the band together in your opinion?
Accidents at Sundown: Honestly, being friends. Not feeling like you have to be “on” 24/7 with people you hang with all the time. We feel like we can just be real with one another and we care about each other first and foremost.
Lisa: How do you nourish your creative side when you’re not working? And how do you avoid burnout?
Honestly, getting outside. Hiking, walking, biking, really whatever. Also learning to relax. I have a hard time because I feel like there is always something I could be doing, even when relaxing. So when I do relax I try to just remember it is okay to take time for yourself. I avoid burnout by trying to keep notes on new ideas, songs, shows etc. That way I don’t have to do it right this second, I can do it in my own time.
Lisa: What’s a habit you find yourself returning to when you make work? Do you fight against it or accept it as part of you?
When I am writing, I tend to listen to rock from the 90’s to 2000’s. I don’t listen to a lot of modern music. That way I can create things I enjoy and I don’t feel as though I’m trying to copy anyone’s music of today. Also on our second album that we just started recording, it’s really nice to bounce ideas off of eachother. We all write music so it’s great to have 3 brains working on the same stuff!
Lisa: What does your curiosity look like? How do you explore things?
When I am curious about anything, I research it. I will read hundreds of articles on the same subject to compile as much knowledge as I can on a subject. Especially when I am in a deep dive into something. My biggest way to explore music when writing is to make an entire song on drums, then figure out what meshes with it on guitar, bass, or keys.
Lisa: If you could change anything about the industry, what would it be?
Transparency. The industry always feels like some big mystery to so many people. Actually researching how the industry got me into a band called Vulfpeck. I have been reading a lot about how they run their band, being independent and yet one of the biggest bands out there. They don’t really follow the ordinary rules of the “industry” and I really dig it.
Lisa: What are you currently working on, and what’s next for you?
We just started an indiegogo campaign with a band called Tiger Shade, we are selling split vinyl called Tragically Beautiful. Also shirts matching the vinyl as well as ticekts to our February 19th show at The Martinez Campbell Theatre. Our last show there sold out, so we are expecting this one to sell out as well! We are using the proceeds to fund a summer tour! Also we just started recording our second album! So stay tuned!
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