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Irresistibly catchy and gritty Long Beach power poppers Softjaw discuss how their shared love for The Nerves and Big Star sparked them to make music together, their latest five-song EP, and the anticipation of opening for Paul Collins this summer.
What have you been listening to, reading, watching, or spending a lot of time doing?
Dustin Lovelis: I've been going through Guided By Voices' entire catalog from "Forever Since Breakfast." It's gonna be a long ass journey. Some of that early stuff sounds like a completely different band. Also with the unfortunate passing of Steve Albini, I've been revisiting his raw version of Cheap Tricks "In Color." It's fun to hear those songs without all the bells and whistles.
Tanner Duffy: I spend a lot of time shooting dice and working on my poker face. Been watching this trucker show from the '70s called "Movin' On," which has tons of bad ass rigs and is a very calming show. I just started collected old LIFE magazines, so I just read an interview with Andrew Wyeth, who is a fucking legend, talking about his paintings. I thought it was pretty cool to hear his perspective on process. And I have been listening to the first Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers record, like, A LOT. Billy Tibbals' new record also BANGS hard too!!
Tell our readers about the origins of Softjaw. How did you guys meet and decide to start playing music together?
Dustin: Tanner and I met at a local waterhole one night and sparked up a conversation about our love of The Nerves and Big Star. He was in between bands and I was tired of doing my own stuff. We were jamming a few days later. We tried a few people out until our old buds Dan and Vinny came along to complete the jaw.
For our readers who aren't familiar, what other bands have you been part of over the years?
Dustin: I was in a non-stop touring band years ago called The Fling. After that I put out four solo records under my name. Dan plays bass/sings in Tijuana Panthers. Vinny is the face and brains behind LA rock titans Vaguess. He also slaps the skins for Diode and 2m8o. He records and mixes all his shit too.
Tanner: I've played with a bunch of random bands over the years. Did a few years with Justus Proffit when he was living in LA as his live and touring guitar player but, I have been playing and recording music under the name Glue Shoe for a few years and as of recently have pulled a band of horses together to rock with, that's been loads of fun and we have an EP coming out in July. I also have a post-punk dick head performance art piece I call Jim Lockers, which is GG Allin meets Sleaford Mods meets Andy Kaufman and that also has an EP coming out this year.
What can you say about the making of your self-titled debut EP and how it all came together?
Dustin: It was self-recorded at my studio Dream Machine LB here in Long Beach late last year. We had just been chipping away at the songs. Once we had one dialed, we'd just hit record and overdub late into the night.
Tanner: I had a blast writing and recording with Dustin. He is a wizard of a songwriter and that has put some much-appreciated pressure on myself to bring my best to the table as well. We recorded it pretty quickly and just kind of threw out the first batch of songs we had to help shape what we really wanted to do. In the end, I think the result gets the jist, but I am eagerly waiting to get down to business on the next recording project.
What were some of your favorite memories putting this record together?
Tanner: I think almost every time I came to Dustin with a new song idea, it would basically be finished. Harmonies and all before the end of an hour and working with him is like butter on toast with a hot knife. So the whole process was the best memory I could have. Hoping to continue the magic.
Dustin: This EP was definitely the most spontaneous recording I've ever done. We just kinda dove right in after a few shows. I always enjoy the first time excitement of cutting your first batch of songs as a band. Hearing the harmonies stacking up was a pivotal moment for sure.
Was there anything you wanted to do differently this time around compared to previous bands you've all recorded with prior?
Dustin: I think I've learned to not take things too seriously over the years. It's much easier now for me to just shrug my shoulders and say fuck it.
Tanner: Fuckin A right! I wanted to ROCK AND ROLL with no indie band BS. I wanted to riff and rock and jump and kick and twist and shout to the music that I've loved and always loved. It wasn't till now that I've found the right dudes to do it with and I feel so blessed by the big guy upstairs to be able to rock with 'em.
How did the EP's cover art come about?
Tanner: My girlfriend and I have been doing a lot of design work together actually. She is also a fucking digital wizard and amazing graphic designer so she helps me bring Ideas I have to life. It kinda goes like this… I come home and have an image burned in my brain, we sit down and I scribble out everything on paper and find source images then I sit in her lap like a little puppy and point at where I want things and she does ALL the actual hard work that takes years of practice and skill.
Let's dive into some of the tracks now. What can you say about the opener "Pleased With Me" and the inspirations behind it?
Dustin: At the time I was going down a ton of late '70s YouTube power pop wormholes. There's so many good one off jams from that era that you can't even find streaming. I think it spawned from those late night deep dives. I was just trying to write a song like that. An obscure YouTube exclusive power pop #1 single.
How about "Waiting At The End"? What's the story behind that?
Tanner: Simple little love song for the times. It feels like the world is gonna end every day and worrying about the things you do or want seem so tiny in comparison. So you gotta hold on to what you got now and enjoy it.
Is this EP leading towards full-length? If so, when can fans expect to come out?
Dustin: We definitely have enough songs for a full-length, but we just need to piece it together. I wanna record again immediately.
Tanner: We got tracks, we got bops, we got hops, we got ballads, and we got joint jumpers and thick thumpers, all on the way. We usually just fucking fling the new ones out at shows so come out and rock with us for a lil sneaky peak.
What have been the highlights of the live shows you've played so far?
Dustin: The first show we ever played was with Uni Boys and Brower. That one was fun as hell and a highlight for me. Softjaw felt like it really came alive for the first time that night.
Tanner: First show with Uni Boys and Brower felt too good to be real honestly. Every show since has been just as fun. I fucked up my knee in soundcheck.
How exciting is it for you to be opening for Paul Collins in August?
Dustin: I'm so fucking stoked for it. We actually cover "Working Too Hard" so that should be interesting.
Tanner: UUUUUUUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH honestly….it's the coolest thing I have ever done and I will tell my grandkids about it till their ears bleed and they beg me to stop.
What else is on the horizon for Softjaw and the other projects you're all part of later this year that we should keep an eye on?
Dustin: Lots of great shows this summer. We have a split 7" coming out later this year with Clown Sounds from San Pedro. Full-length sometime after that. I'll probably record another solo album once the songs present themselves. Dan and Vinny have tons happening this year as well. We're all always writing, playing, and recording.
Tanner: About that Clown Sounds split, I actually did my first US tour with Todd and his other band Underground Rail Road to Candyland so that will be a super fun full circle moment for me kind of. We have tons of fun shows over the summer booked up and we are ready to rock 'em. Maybe some more new music/ Full album. Glue Shoe is releasing a small press 7" of a live full band performance and an EP this year as well.
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