*Cover Photo by LA Rodgers*
We had the pleasure of sitting down with NYC pop-punk band Smooth Brain to talk all things new music, touring, and what the band hopes to accomplish next!
Hi! Thanks so much for chatting with us – can you tell readers your name and what you do in the band?
We are Izzy Gunn on vocals, Hera Andre-Bergmann on guitar, Ben Schaare on guitar, Maryn Czajkowski on bass, and Jordan Mel on drums. Thanks for wanting to include us 🙂
Congrats on the release of your EP ‘Friendly Fire’! I’m a huge fan of Archie Comics and the cover art reminded me of Betty and Veronica – can you talk about the inspiration behind the artwork?
Betty and Veronica was definitely an inspiration (disclaimer: inspired, not copied) but we wanted to make our characters a little emo and a little queer, because we’re also a little emo and a little queer. We had the idea for them while writing “No Pressure,” which was the first song we wrote for the EP, and they stuck as they continued to fit the themes of ‘Friendly Fire.’ We see them as the subjects and speakers of all the songs, and a little bit of ourselves.
What’s your favorite song on ‘Friendly Fire’ and why?
Izzy: “She’s Got To.” It’s hopeful. It’s a song that for once I didn’t write about myself; I never say who “she” is – it could be anyone. I also just love the outro bridge SO much.
Hera: “She’s Got To” because of the riffage and the challenge to create a solo outside of my comfort zone.
Ben: “Over Again (Over Again).” It feels urgent. I like the lyrics a lot. Musically, we did some things we hadn’t done before, like using the delay really deliberately and the synths in the background – we pushed ourselves in the details.
Maryn: “Scatterbrained.” I love me a short chaotic hardcore song!
Jordan: “On My Shoulder” is my favorite song we’ve ever written. It makes me feel like a pop star. The chorus is huge, the lyrics Izzy wrote are close to home, and I pushed myself creatively on the writing of the drums. Plus, everyone in the band REALLY shines on it!
Smooth Brain has had an incredible 2023 already, between the success of the EP and opening up for bands like Pinkshift, I really feel like SB is becoming a household name in the scene. What would you say is the band’s next big goal that you want to accomplish in the next year?
We want to tour so badly! We desperately want to play to audiences beyond the local scene. We love NYC/NJ/Philly more than anything, but we want to get in front of new people and make new connections with people everywhere from the midwest to the south to the west coast. We’re ready if anyone wants to take a chance on us, and we’re putting in the work behind the scenes to make it work as well! (We’d also love to play a festival!)
Okay, time for a fun one! Can you make us a 10 song playlist with all of your favorite Summer tracks right now?
WE LOVE THIS!
1) Honey Revenge – “Rerun”
2) Origami Angel – “Second Best Friend”
3) Hot Mulligan – “It’s a Family Movie She Hates Her Dad”
4) Pool Kids – “That’s Physics, Baby”
5) Honey Revenge – “Airhead” (it’s a Honey Revenge summer)
6) Olivia Rodrigo – “vampire”
7) Taylor Swift – “Cruel Summer”
8) Broadside – “Coffee Talk”
9) 5 Seconds of Summer – “The Only Reason”
10) Knocked Loose – “Deep in the Willow”
Thanks again for taking the time to chat with us! Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Thank you for reaching out! Stream ‘Friendly Fire,’ follow us on everything, say hi at a show, and take us on tour <3.
To keep up with Smooth Brain, you can follow the band on Instagram, Twitter, and Tik Tok and be sure to stream their new EP ‘Friendly Fire’ here!