Moaning: "Romance and heartbreak seem to go hand in hand"

Moaning have come up through the Los Angeles DIY scene to play chaotic shows at the likes of buzz-fest SXSW, and sign with Sub Pop. "We've been best fri...

Moaning have come up through the Los Angeles DIY scene to play chaotic shows at the likes of buzz-fest SXSW, and sign with Sub Pop. "We've been best friends since we were teenagers," explains Sean Solomon. Now, their self-titled debut is imminent.

Hey Sean, tell us about your band - who are you all?
I play guitar and sing. Pascal Stevenson plays bass and synth. Andrew MacKelvie plays the drums. We've been best friends since we were teenagers.

You’ve been in other bands before, right? How does Moaning compare?
We've all played together since high school in various projects for fun. We were lucky to grow up in an all-ages music community that encouraged experimentation. This band we take the most seriously. I think our songwriting has become more deliberate and conceptual. We try not to do anything that doesn't have a cohesive idea behind it.

How did you hit upon Moaning’s sound?
I originally wrote 'Don't Go' and 'Misheard' and decided I needed a name for it. I tried to think of what the music sounded like and came up with the name Moaning. I showed it to Pascal and Andrew, and together we developed something that was a combination of all of our influences. We are interested in the juxtaposition of dissonant and atonal music with more melodic and appealing sounds. Conceptually this ties into the double meaning of the word Moaning.

What’s the best thing you’ve all done since forming the band?
We have exceeded our expectations for the band already. We were lucky to work with Alex Newport who recorded our new record. He has worked with so many amazing bands including At The Drive In, Death Cab for Cutie, and Melvins. After playing SXSW in Austin, we quickly were signed to Sub Pop Records. The label has been an amazingly supportive family and a dream come true.

What’s it like living in LA? Must be fun, right?
We all grew up here. It's nice because there is always something to go do or see. LA is interesting. A lot of people move here to pursue acting and other creative professions. It's hard sometimes to tell who is your friend and who is trying to network with you. Luckily we have some really good friends here that we grew up with.

What’s your favourite thing about creating music?
Music is very cathartic and therapeutic for me. I feel the most at ease when I am playing guitar. It is also very special to find like-minded people through sharing your lyrics and thoughts.

The album’s blurb says it “comes born out of the members’ experiences with love and distress” - have you had a tough time of it?
Romance and heartbreak seem to go hand in hand. This is another reason for the band name and its dual meaning. I think the way people are socialized and their expectations make most relationships fail. However, I am generally a pretty anxious person. I tend to overthink and dwell on things. Maybe that's more of a personal problem.

Are you going to tour the album much, or do day jobs and the like make it tough?
Most of us freelance and aren't tied down to a job. I am lucky to mostly make art for a living now. We plan to tour as much as possible. We are excited to share this music with people for the first time and meet new friends along the way.

Band life aside, what are you most excited about for 2018?
The end of the world...

Moaning's self-titled debut album is out 2nd March. Taken from the March issue of Upset - order your copy below.