Welcome, welcome one and all to an extra special Christmas Eve edition of Beneath the Surface. For todays festive fun, I am joined by the eccentric, quirky and incredibly talented The Sound of Monday. Having recently released an excellent cover of ‘Pure Imagination’ paired with a whimsical and wonderful animated video by the same creator as Rick & Morty…It’s safe to say I am SUPER excited for this one so get cosy and let’s get to it!
What would you say first sparked your interest in music/who inspired you to make music?
My passion for creating music and comedic characters goes way back–I’d swear I tried writing my first song
in the womb, except I couldn’t find a pen. As a young child I was inspired by the luminaries of 20 th Century entertainment I’d hear on the radio, see on TV and in the movies, and discovered through my parents’ record collection. I specifically remember a spark taking place when I first caught reruns of The Monkees TV show. There was something about the catchiness of the tunes, the silliness of the humor, and sense of fun that lit my fuse, and as a result, I’ve been creatively detonating ever since!
How would you describe the music you are currently creating?
Indie pop/rock and singer/songwriter, with a nod to everything from chamber pop to New Wave, and a sense
of the theatrical, which seeps into most things I do.
What does your creative process look like?
Come up with an idea, turn of phrase, riff, chord progression, and/or concept to start, and then take my time
fleshing each out. Sometimes I’ll work quickly, finishing a song in fifteen minutes, or other times it can take
weeks, months or even years. When it takes longer, I can scribble twenty pages of lyrics, then deduce the
best bits and put it together like a jigsaw puzzle. There’s no better feeling when it pours out of you fully
formed, though. I live for moments like that!
Who would you most like to collaborate with? (let’s send it out to the universe and make it happen!)
Love this! Irving Berlin. Got a time machine??
Okay, since that’s out—for now, there is realistically a long list of people I’d love to work with: Jon Brion,
Dave Gregory from XTC, Roger Joseph Manning (Okay, I just worked with him, but would love to do so
again and in a more involved capacity), Francis Dunnery, Glenn Tilbrook and Elvis Costello, just off the top
of my head. Alright, Universe—ball’s in your court!
What is the one message you would like to send out to your fans?
I just want to raise joy through catchy tunes and good humor, and a sense of connection.
I’d love for fans to know that I’m a fan of them too, as people. Ideally, I’d like to have real conversations with
them about random experiences. I’m always learning a lot or even finding inspiration in connecting with
various people, so who better to do so with than actual fans?
What’s your top tip to rejuvenate your creativity/get over a writer’s block?
My basics are to journal regularly, go for a long walk, and change my environment. Sometimes I need to go
further to recharge my batteries, and so vegging out is the best I’ve got to suggest at this juncture.
In general, I find creativity to be cyclical, and that it’s always there again eventually. I’m not one of those
writers who worries that inspiration will never return.
What’s next for you, what do we have to look forward to/ what are you currently working on?
We’ve got a bunch of releases planned over the course of the next year, from our LP, which includes more
singles, a bunch of Spiderman related material following up success we’ve had with our rendition of
Spiderman Theme, live appearances, a character-driven, comedic musical multimedia project I’ve been
scripting, and excited to have landed a license in an upcoming feature film.
Please join our parade and keep in touch!
Keep up with The Sound of Monday:
Instagram
Youtube
Facebook
Website
Spotify