BADSQUATCH Turns Heartbreak Into A Light-Loving Rebirth With “Move”
- STAFF
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
By: Staff
We got together with BADSQUATCH for an exciting interview to delve into the stories and happenings behind the making of this and learn more about this artist and we are excited to share it with you!
Here’s how it went:
The Cage: Hello BADSQUATCH, 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 intrigued to get a deeper look into both your brand and your personal and professional inspirations.
Q. The lyrics on “Move” felt so different, and the way the song lets the listener’s guard down makes it incredibly unique and infectious. Can you unlock that emotional vault for us and let us see more deeply into how the song’s meaning came to fruition? Did it come from a direct experience in the music industry, or was it more of a 9-to-5 workplace-derived sensation?
A. The call for movement and release within the song was actually inspired by a period of heartbreak. I experienced an ending to a relationship and found out later about infidelity, and the torrential emotions that came with that time needed somewhere to go, so I began working on my physical health. It's been a journey, but the beauty in the situation was deciding to use the heartache as motivation to better myself, and now I'm down over 100 pounds from my heaviest and I found my places of peace and release within workouts and activity.
Q. You chose a method of expression that made us put our guard down, and then the song’s presentation flipped the whole experience on its head. It makes “Move” captivating, unexpected, and frankly, delicious. When did you make the decision to present the song with this sort of cloak-and-dagger guise?
A. Believe it or not, the song presented itself to myself and my production team as sneakily as it came to you! It was the final song for the 14-track album that is forthcoming, and we all had no intention of making an 80's workout tune haha. We had the guitar parts done, and David (my twin flame in production) looked at me and says "Can I take it somewhere?" As he played the drums on the record as well, as soon as he hit that initial beat, we all knew what we were about to do. I can honestly say, we all turned into children, and giggled through the entire process of making the song. It was the most wonderful way to cap off creating such a gritty and emotional record in such a difficult period of time of my life. A gentle reminder from the universe that you're allowed to go out and play, almost.
Q. The sasquatch, the smoking, the workouts, now we know we can’t trust you and there’s more to this! Kidding, of course. What we really mean is, what is behind that visual statement, and how does it connect to the meaning of “Move”?
A. The moniker BADSQUATCH comes from my being a 6'5'' 230 pound hairball of a man. The duality in the smoking and the "bad sasquatch" character is representative of the balances in life, and the notion that you shouldn't take yourself, or anything for that matter, too seriously. Existence is complex and it is quite impossible to attain perfection, so don't forget to live a little sometimes, but don't lose sight of what you want nor how to get it.
Q. With “Move” being the second single from your solo album, how do you plan to connect the subsequent tracks as they are released? Are you planning to release them all as singles, and how will the future releases connect back to earlier songs like “Move”?
A. The record is built as two 7-track EP's, one side being dark and gritty and the other light and loving. It actually drives me crazy how the release formulas support single song releases so much more efficiently than dropping full albums (at least for a brand new brand), so that's been a personal hurdle to get over.
The route that seemed to make sense with releasing such an eclectic work of music was to release one from each said, likely 2-3 singles from each, and then I am going to just throw the rest of 'em at you guys...
Because I'm almost finished with the next one.
Q. After being in a band, what do you feel are the most significant differences now that you are stepping into solo work? Going forward, do you see a world where both forms of expression exist in parallel, with you continuing as both a band member and solo artist?
A. One of the most wonderful things about dropping this first album the way I am is that it reflects what my solo career allows me to do: make music in whatever way I see fit. There's no attempting to stay within a specific sound or genre, and after years of being told that staying consistent in a sound is what the industry wants, I was becoming an over-steamed teapot of different sounds waiting to explode haha. I absolutely love the rock sound that The Party After has developed and curated over the years, but the freedom that comes from operating without any boundaries is pretty invigorating.
Q. Tell us about the team you mentioned working on this with you, and how they helped combine their ideas with yours to land on the final product. We learned “Move” was recorded in Mexico City, and there have to be a lot of stories there. How did that location get chosen, and how did it influence you personally and musically?
A. I kind of accidentally ended up working on an album in Mexico City in the first weeks of 2021, and in the first fifteen minutes of meeting David, my partner in production, we realized we were more than on the same wavelength. We almost literally read each other's minds and both have a very deep and similar respect for music and the philosophy of 'serving the song'.
After working with him and the rest of the crew at Topetitud Estudios including the extremely talented engineer Hector Quiroz, I knew where I wanted to do both The Party After's debut record and all these solo noises I had rattling around in my big ol' noggin.
Q. We have been a lot of places, but never Omaha. For others who also have not been, what about the city helped forge your identity? How has it impacted your existence, and is there anything about it you have ever wished you could change?
A. I was born in Omaha, but I actually spent my childhood in Bethel Park, PA, a suburb near Pittsburgh. I basically had the woods in my backyard, so that shaped my love of nature (which you will see more of in this upcoming record). Right around my fourteenth birthday, the family moved back to Omaha, and it was quite a shift. I was familiar enough with Nebraska because we would come back to visit family, but it truly is a little different way of life. Omaha is extremely comfortable, and I think it may be one of the better places in the world to raise a family. Nursing a music career, maybe not so much haha. I will say, I absolutely love being able to travel either direction with home being directly in the middle of the country, and it really is a fantastic place to recharge. I wouldn't change a thing.
Q. Congratulations on signing with Pamela Parks and Headity Management. What direction do you feel these new relationships will take you in?
A. Thank you! I think the journey forward still has a lot of building to do before we see things really pick up, especially surrounding this new solo branding, but I couldn't be more excited to have somebody with such knowledge and drive behind me with my best interest in mind. It's truly a sigh of a relief after struggling in the industry for nearly two decades.
Q. Summer tour? Say less. Actually, we changed our mind, tell us this: what are you most excited to do between kicking ass on stage in all these cities?
A. Actually, I picked skateboarding back up just over six months ago! One of the coolest things about touring is being able to hit all of the different local skateparks and share my adventures on social media. I'm not exactly a shredder yet, but I enjoy getting clips of learning and progression to share at all the different stops. It also helps kill the time and get a little sweaty to keep my voice in shape on the road. My absolute favorite way to "get up and Move" haha.
The Cage: BADSQUATCH, thank you so much, we appreciate you taking the time to talk to us!
End Interview
We’re happy to have shared BADSQUATCH’s exciting journey with you and uncovered such inspiring insights about their creative process.
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