By: Staff
The Northern Light’s latest single, "People of the Snake," is a vivid glimpse into history, resistance, and the struggles of the human spirit. Inspired by real-life events from the Oregon Trail in the 1860s, this track takes a forgotten piece of history and turns it into something raw and unforgettable. With angular riffs and a haunting Hammond organ cutting through the mix, it’s a song that feels both timeless and deeply connected to the present.
This alternative/indie rock trio from the Pacific Northwest has always been hard to pin down. Their music pulls from the beauty and darkness of their surroundings, blending influences from classic rock with something uniquely their own. Each song feels like it was built to tell a story, and "People of the Snake" is no exception. It’s a song of resistance and survival, layered with emotion and grit.
Read on and learn about how it was recorded in two studios, Orbit Audio in Seattle and Temple of the Trees in Normandy Park, and shaped by both student engineers and seasoned pros. The result is a sound that’s raw, honest, and undeniably human, just like the band themselves.
Who are The Northern Light? What drives their music, and what message do they hope to leave with listeners? In their own words, they invite you to dive deeper into their world and hear the story behind "People of the Snake."
We’re excited to share it with you!
Begin Interview:
Hello The Northern Light, we’re thrilled to have you here for this interview! We've had an amazing time exploring your music and diving into your creative journey. Now, we’re even more excited to get a deeper look into both your brand and your personal and professional inspirations.
What inspired the name The Northern Light? Does the name carry a deeper meaning or message that you hope will resonate with fans as they connect with your music?
I named the band 'The Northern Light' because our songs tend to come from a place of despair with maybe just the slightest hope for redemption. So I think of a light out of the north as being veiled, faint, reflected, bringing with it no warmth...just like 3 of the 4 seasons in the US Pacific Northwest, where we're based.
How did you come up with the idea?
We’re a band from the Pacific Northwest of the US, one of many places where indigenous peoples suffered greatly during periods of population expansion. I’ve visited with family many times traveling on highways between Seattle, WA, Portland, OR and Boise ID, routes that were built on the path of the Oregon Trail in the 1860s. It got me thinking about how often history is written from the perspective of those who “won” or “prospered”. When we toured out towards Boise in the summer of 2023 I filled a notebook full of observations of the area and distilled those observations and parts of the historical record into the song. Anyone who’s travelled Interstate 84 should be able to figure the exact location of the historical events mentioned…the question is…was it a massacre or was it a successful act of resistance?
Were there any memorable or standout moments during the recording sessions for this song?
We used some instruments that are not part of our normal sound for this recording. The main riff that kicks off the song was written on a ukulele and if you listen hard you can hear a uke pinging away under the guitars. Also, we got a chance to use a vintage Hammond organ at Temple of the Trees Studio and I added some righteous organ washes during the choruses.
What impact do you hope "People of the Snake" will have on your audience?
First of all, I’d love for people who are traveling in the PNW to have an “AHA!” moment as they’re driving on I84 east from Portland when they realize the exact location being described by the song. Second, we live in troubled times, very divided times and I’m curious about how history will remember the choices that are being made by our leaders and the responses of the people to those choices. All of us could be the “People of the Snake” as seen through the lens of time.
Can you walk us through your creative process when writing and composing music?
David Pollon is the primary songwriter in the band. Over time, a lot of the band’s music is being sketched out on ukulele since that instrument is so portable and it’s in my hands all the time since I teach a lot of students. So riffs and song structures get mapped out there. I fill notebooks full of words while journaling. I’m not a prolific writer but when words come together they are usually complete. I bring a mostly structurally complete song to Kip and Carl and we jam in our normal band configuration which is a power trio. Words will get completed as we introduce the songs during shows.
How do you engage with your audience during your live performances to create a memorable experience for them?
I wish I could say that we had a memorable stage presence, we’re all sort of heads-down players. Eye contact and engagement is something that I work on but I think that if people come to see us they’re expecting us to play at a pretty skilled level as opposed to being a party band. I don’t talk too much between songs so we’re pretty much a wall of sound experience. We keep evolving though.
You recorded parts of this track in two different studios. What did each studio bring to the sound, and how did that recording process shape the final result?
Our recording of Snake was really unusual. Instead of recording the entire track at home we had an opportunity through a friend to get studio time to help students who were learning music production. So we recorded all the scratch tracks and drums at Orbit Audio in Pioneer Square...and then we went to Temple of the Trees to the south of Seattle to finish up the track with the balance of the instruments. It was cool to see students learn how to get takes, mix and master our song. It saved the band a lot of the cost of recording so that was so helpful. There had to be patience on both sides and we feel the band and the students learned equally! We'd love to do something like this again.
You’ve been a band since 2019 and have released full albums, EPs, and singles. How does this track, People of the Snake, represent how The Northern Light has grown over the years?
Our sound has changed and evolved a lot since our first record. I'm still the primary songwriter but songs are now crafted from the band's perspective and I'll bring a 70% completed structure of words, riffs and progressions to the band for us to hammer out over rehearsals and shows. In the past, I was primarily an acoustic singer-songwriter and the songs from our first record showed it, I feel in hindsight that we've become way more precise in our playing and actually much heavier over time. I've also tried to avoid writing literally and to compose in more of a 'storytelling' style.
If someone listens to People of the Snake and takes one message away from it, what would you want that to be?
Our world has become so incredibly divided and leaders around the world are making decisions that will cause profound impacts for people on other sides of the divide. Every one of us could become one of the "People of the Snake" and I'm curious how history will view how we respond to coming conflicts.
The Northern Light, thank you so much, we appreciate you taking the time to talk to us!
End Interview
We’re happy to have shared The Northern Light’s exciting journey with you and uncovered such inspiring insights about their creative process.
Now, click the links below to experience their incredible work firsthand!
Check out this latest release and listen to more on Spotify & YouTube
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