INTERVIEWS
Shannon & the Clams Survived Through The Year of The Spider
“When you write a song that’s really close to you or really emotional, and then you play it a bunch of times and work on it, by the time you get to recording it, I feel like it’s not as heavy anymore,” guitarist Cody Blanchard of Shannon & the Clams tells SPIN in a video call. “It’s traveled from this crystal of painful…whatever’s going on,” Blanchard continues, “Then it’s been massaged into the craft of making the song. It becomes a little bit abstracted.” At this point, a smiling Shannon Shaw, lead singer of the Oakland retro garage rock band, interjects from the other side of the screen, adding, “I love that metaphor.” I’d just asked them about their sixth album, Year of The Spider — trying to figure out how they transmuted its weighty themes into such buoyant tracks. “By the ...
Heavy Culture: Nova Twins on Racial Identity, Representation of Women of Color in Heavy Music, and More
Heavy Culture is a monthly column from journalist Liz Ramanand, focusing on artists of different cultural backgrounds in heavy music, as they offer their perspectives on race, society, and more as it intersects with and affects their craft. The latest installment of this column features Amy Love and Georgia South of the Nova Twins. UK duo Nova Twins released their debut album, Who Are the Girls?, in 2020. They kicked off 2021 by curating a compilation called Voices for the Unheard, which showcases alternative and rock artists of color. Proceeds from this compilation went to The Black Curriculum, which is an initiative to address the lack of Black British history in UK classrooms. Bandmates Amy Love and Georgia South describe their music as “urban punk,” but it melds several genres together...
Meet Jennifer Decilveo, the Secret Weapon Behind Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato and MARINA
Lounging in her loose jumpsuit, songwriter-producer Jennifer Decilveo might be laid back in her steel chair laughing in the middle of New York City, but she’s never been more serious. “I’m not a political dick sucker,” she exclaims, her voice echoed by the skyscrapers surrounding a concrete park in Manhattan. “Going to tell you that right now. If I don’t like somebody, they’ll know it.” That hardscrabble, no B.S. attitude might not be for everyone, but the New Jersey native’s authenticity is what has helped some of the biggest names in music churn out hits. Despite her laissez-faire demeanor on one of the hottest days in Midtown in mid-June, one thing is instantly apparent: For Decilveo, songwriting and producing is a serious game. “People who call themselves producers and don’t produce or...
As Empty Streets, Aaron ‘Small Hands’ Thompson Wants to Mess Up Your Mind, Not Your Lover
Under the moniker of Empty Streets, multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Aaron Thompson creates dramatic electronic dream pop as a conduit for his checkered emotional state. But as a respected adult-film actor with the nom de plume Small Hands, Thompson (once described by a fan as looking like “all the best parts of Benjamin Bratt and Bam Margera in one tasty treat”) can drive your girlfriend, sister and/or mom to ecstasy in record time. Although he has a bevy of Adult Video News awards (the Oscars of pornography) to his name and admirable skills in both bedroom studio and studio bedroom, Thompson isn’t phoning it in anywhere. “Empty Streets is a three-pronged thing,” he tells SPIN over the phone. “First of all, I’ve always loved bands like Depeche Mode and Sisters Of Mercy. Those bands are alwa...
How It All Started: Dance Music’s Most Influential Labels Reflect On Their First-Ever Release
Dance music wasn’t always this popular. In fact, the sights and sounds we now associate with the genre were once considered taboo. They were the emblems of a counterculture forced to blossom not out in the open, but in the safe confines of arcane nightclubs and warehouse raves. So how did electronic music break through the glass ceiling? Before the songs of Above & Beyond, Roger Sanchez, Armin van Buuren, and other legendary producers rattled the world’s biggest festival stages, they were auditory ugly ducklings on a quest to reach their full potential. The music always had the potential to fly, but without the help of the gutsy independent record labels willing to back it, its wings would forever remain clipped. And after all these years, those indies have proven...
Saint Motel Traveled Halfway Around the World for One Night Only From Macedonia: ‘The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack’ Live With Orchestra
While there’s been no shortage of bands doing livestreams and recorded shows over the last 17 months or so due to the pandemic, it’s hard to think of anyone who has gone to quite the lengths as Saint Motel. On Wednesday (August 18), the indie icons will release One Night Only From Macedonia: ‘The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack’ Live With Orchestra. As one might deduce from the title, the band flew to North Macedonia to perform their latest album, The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, with the help of the Fames Orchestra. It was a bold idea inspired by one of their top collaborators on the album, composer Duke Bojadziev. “For The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, we had an idea to do film score transitions, so we worked with Duke Bojadziev to do the transitions from song to song in ...
EA President of Music Steve Schnur on Curating Madden NFL ’22 Soundtrack With Moneybagg Yo, Tierra Whack and More: Exclusive
EA Music has unleashed Madden NFL ’22, the first-ever soundtrack for its long-running Madden NFL video game franchise, today (August 13th). Working exclusively in collaboration with Interscope Records, Electronic Arts curated a roster of exclusive songs from upcoming Interscope talent to showcase “rising stars for the next generation of players” including the likes of Swae Lee, Jack Harlow, Tank and the Bangas, JID, and Tierra Whack. “I’ve had a long relationship with EA SPORTS and I’m excited to release my new song, ‘Ball is Life’ with Jack Harlow, on The Madden NFL 22 Soundtrack,” Swae Lee said in a statement. Advertisement Related Video Madden NFL 22 will also involve more than 50 additional tracks in a new mode called The Yard. Fans can hear new tracks from Killer Mike, Leikeli47 and C...
Artist of the Month Meet Me @ the Altar on Creating Their Own Success: “Why Wouldn’t It Work?”
Artist of the Month is an accolade awarded to an up-and-coming artist or group who we believe is ready for the big time. In August 2021, we turn our attention to rising trio Meet Me @ the Altar as they release their major label debut EP Model Citizen. When talking to Téa Campbell, Ada Juarez, and Edith Johnson, the three members of pop punk group Meet Me @ the Altar, it quickly becomes evident that they are delightfully, inescapably Gen Z. As the trio huddles around a laptop for a conversation — one that touches on their musical journey to date, how finding each other was “fate,” their DIY sensibilities, and more — it becomes clear that they operate within a simple principle: If no one is going to do something for them, they can just do it themselves. The idea of aspirational instrumentali...
“Patience and Persistence”: Nitti Gritti Opens Up About Motivation and How Growing Up in Haiti Shaped His Music
Miami-based DJ Nitti Gritti is a jack of all trades, and a master of them all. Since his first releases in 2016, he has flawlessly produced genres across the board from hip-hop and trap to house, bass, and even rock. With one Latin Grammy Award win and one Grammy nod under his belt, Nitti Gritti launched his duo SIDEPIECE in 2019 with Party Favor, which quickly exploded in popularity. If there’s one thing that’s true about the producer, it’s that he’s always remained at the forefront of the scene. At HARD Summer 2021, his back-to-back set with Wuki delivered his signature high-octane punch. Dressed in corresponding animal print, the pair threw down an immaculate set at the Harder Stage. In addition to pyrotechnics shooting from the stage, clever transition...
Text Message Interview: SMLE and Athena on Their New Collab Bursting Onto Rocket League
The release of Athena‘s debut single “Eternal” alongside Grammy-nominated duo SMLE marks another seminal moment for the connection between dance music and gaming. One of the foremost streamers of Rocket League and a member of the prominent esports organization Team Envy, Athena described the situation as “unreal” in an exclusive EDM.com text message interview between herself and SMLE. Athena recapped her experience previewing the new single for her fans on stream, and having her expectations blown away by the reaction. “They’re all freaking out going crazy,” she said. “Didn’t expect it at all.” The artists also react to seeing their post-apocalyptic, Mad Max-inspired makeovers in the new official music video for ...
Comedian Josh Johnson Fights Some Bees For His Life in “# (Hashtag)” Special Clip: Exclusive
Over the past few years, comedian Josh Johnson has been building up a seriously impressive resume. The Chicago-based stand-up performer, writer, and podcaster regularly juggles more projects than we can keep track of, and his hard work is really starting to pay off. Last year, Johnson received an Emmy nomination for his writing work on Trevor Noah’s The Daily Show, and he was recently named one of Variety’s 10 Comics to Watch in 2021. The rising star is now preparing for multimedia releases of his debut stand-up special Trevor Noah Presents Josh Johnson: # (Hashtag). The hourlong special first aired on Comedy Central on June 18th, and will be made available for streaming on Paramount+ on August 11th; an album version will follow shortly in September. First, Consequence is exclusively premi...
FINNEAS on Making Music with a “Foundation of Unconditional Love Underneath Everything”: Exclusive
Give Grammy-winning producer and songwriter FINNEAS a call to ask him about a project, and he’ll offer his very best advice — but keep in mind, he ultimately wants creators to follow their own unique paths. “There’s not a right way or a wrong way to have a career in music,” he tells Consequence via Zoom. “You can be creative and you don’t have to worry about doing something wrong.” At just 23 years old, FINNEAS is proof of that exact sentiment: his non-traditional navigation through the world of music has already yielded him eight Grammy awards and made him one of the most sought-after producers and songwriters in the pop world. His hitmaking collaborations include work with Selena Gomez, Camila Cabello, and James Blake. Now, in partnership with Fender, he’s taking calls on the Fender x FI...
