INTERVIEW: Wildeor — Music Musings & Such

INTERVIEW:

Wildeor

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THIS job affords plenty of variety…

and musical nourishment. I have not met anyone or anything quite like Wildeor. I have been talking with the Alternative-Folk band about their mix of sounds and the inspiration behind their debut single, The Devil Makes Three – they chat about their eponymous E.P. and the stories behind the songs.

The guys talk about the combination of influences in the camp and how they take from Los Angeles and its vibes; how they got together and started making music; which new artists they recommend we get involved with – Wildeor reveal whether they are coming to the U.K.

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Hi, Wildeor. How are you? How has your week been?

Great, thank you! No complaints.

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourselves, please?

We are an Alternative-Folk band from Los Angeles, California. We combine a mixture of Folk, Rock; Classical and Celtic influences in our music.

The Devil Makes Three is your debut single. Can you reveal the story behind the song?

This song is inspired, in part, by my life growing up in Northern California - there are a lot of references to the wildness of the land that represents the sense of abandon and freedom in the song. Ultimately, it’s about letting go; being a little reckless and embracing the risks you take as part of an adventure you’re meant to have.

I drew inspiration for this from periods in my life when I felt like maybe I was heading in the wrong direction or making mistakes - and wanted to recapture a kind of devil-may-care feeling; focusing on embracing the experiences I was having instead of worrying about where they would lead.

How did Wildeor get together? When did you find one another?

We came together in summer of 2016; so we’re coming up on two years as a band. I met Mark one day when I was sitting outside the music building at UCLA talking to a friend. Mark knew the person I was talking to and stopped to say ‘hi’. I mentioned that I was starting to put a band together and he said: “Well; if you ever need a cellist…!”.

As for Caleb; I reached out to a friend in the UCLA music department who put me in touch with a percussion teacher who put me in touch with some of her students…one of whom was Caleb. We all started playing music together and became good friends pretty quickly. Over time, the band gelled and became more serious.

Tell me about Wildeor's eponymous E.P. and the themes explored.

It’s an eclectic mix of songs and themes. Northern County Line and The Devil Makes Three are both adventure-themed songs but Northern County Line is tinged with sorrow and nostalgia for the past and The Devil Makes Three is more about breaking free - and has more of a sense of danger, thematically.

Rain on the Moon is a good-old heartbreak song about being betrayed by someone you care for. Come Down explores the hopefulness of possibility and desperation for change. Slow Moving Water digs into depression and despair - that song is all about catharsis and expressing a kind of darkness that just takes over. It’s probably the most powerful song that we have and certainly the most emotionally intense for me as a singer and writer.

Being based out of Los Angeles; do you take a lot from the city and its history? What is it like recording there?

I came here from far Northern California - California is quite a long state so, when I moved here, it was basically like moving from another state. Or another planet. The topography, culture etc. is radically different. I actually draw more creatively from the wilderness I grew up with: the forests, rivers; mountains, etc. But, over the years, I have started to draw on the L.A.-area deserts and cityscapes as well.

Some of the music has been inspired by feeling out of place in a city that is so different from what I knew and who I was. To some extent, it still is. Recording here is pretty great although it can be expensive as well. But, there are a lot of options to choose from depending on where you are in your career, what your budget is and so on.

What sort of music did you all grow up around? Do you share tastes?

We all have a Classical background. I grew up around Classical musicians and my parents played a lot of Folk music from the '60s and '70s. I started singing Classical music at thirteen and then Opera in my teenage years, so that was a pretty profound influence on my singing and writing. Caleb and Mark both started in Classical music at an early age as well. Mark started playing the cello when he was eight and Caleb started playing the drums in middle-school.

Where are you heading on tour? Where can we catch you?

At the moment, we are doing regional tours so you can catch us throughout Southern California. But, we are hoping to branch out and explore the East Coast as well.

Do you reckon you’ll come to the U.K. and perform this year?

That would be amazing. I have a real fondness for the U.K. and I think we’d all love to do that. We don’t have plans for that currently but, if an opportunity came our way, we would definitely take it.

What do you hope to achieve in 2018?

We are working on new music and our next recording project. We are working on a new single at the moment and hoping to release an album in the next year (also planning to produce a music video).

Have you each got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

Our show at Hotel Cafe to promote our new E.P. was definitely a highlight. That was a great night. Definitely, it was a triumph for us and we had a great time - really, anytime we’ve been out playing together and celebrating music, our friendship and life in general.

If you could support any musician alive today, and choose your own rider, what would that entail?

Tough choice. Probably Florence + the Machine or Lord Huron. As Indie musicians, we are quite used to traveling and playing in all sorts of conditions so we’re not too fussy. It would be great to have access to bigger stages that give us more freedom in our performances.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Find your own, unique artistic truth and stick with it. Stay focused. Learn as much as you can but don’t be distracted by what everyone or anyone else is doing. Always follow up and follow through. Talent only gets you so far - the rest is hard work and perseverance.

IN THIS PHOTO: Elephant Revival/PHOTO CREDIT: Athena Delene Photography

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Elephant Revival. They aren’t necessarily new but they’re very Indie. They combine an awesome mix of Folk, Bluegrass and Celtic influences.

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

We are all pretty immersed in music most of the time. Fortunately, music is as therapeutic as it is demanding. But, we also often do things unrelated to music - going to events in L.A., getting other groups of friends together; board game nights etc.

Finally, and for being good sports; you can each choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Megan: Remembering a Beginning - Elephant Revival