Interview: Owl City brings cheer and imagination to Seattle tonight
We’ve all heard the story before: a guy records some tracks in his basement and puts them on his Myspace profile, hoping for the best. Lots of my friends have done that. It seems pretty typical nowadays. But for Adam Young of the up-and-coming indie-electronica band Owl City, uploading his music to his Myspace profile turned out to be anything but typical.
Owl City fans have recognized something in Adam’s music that inspires the goodness and sincerity inside us all, but these feelings have had very few non-cheesy or melodramatic outlets until now. Owl City produces heartfelt melodies from the whimsical imagination of Adam about everything from sparrows in the snow to Paris on winter nights. Not to mention a poppy homage to our locale, “Hello Seattle,” which was written and recorded before Adam had even visited the Great Northwest.
Because of his cheerful musical sensibilities and talent, Owl City has moved from a Myspace basement project to being booked for the Sasquatch Music Festival last weekend. We caught up with Adam to chat about his sold-out Sunday evening set at Neumo’s, opening for Relient K (May 31, doors at 6:30 PM).
Back Beat: I hear you made your first trek to the Emerald City just last month. Being from Minnesota and being a stranger to the Northwest (until now), what inspired you to write “Hello Seattle”?
Adam Young: I wrote the song because Seattle is the farthest big city to the west from where I live in Minnesota. I have this thing for ocean towns. Growing up in a small farm town in the middle of nowhere, and because I am an only child, daydreaming about faraway places took up a lot of my time and energy as a kid. I also like the way Seattle sounds when you say it. It has a ring to it.
BB: Your trip to Seattle included a visit to Jason McGerr’s studio. What was that experience like?
AY: Incredible. I grew up listening to Death Cab For Cutie, so needless to say, it was surreal for me. We worked on the board that was used to mix Transatlanticism, one of my favorite records of all time. I screamed like a girl.
BB: What inspired your musical alias, “Owl City”?
AY: I’m a nerd. I played a lot of video games when I was in junior high, one in particular called Wave Race 64. The soundtrack was (and still is) absolutely mind-blowing to me because of what unique moods it perfectly captures musically. There’s a certain “melancholy-optimism” that the music on that game embodies. For whatever reason, that idea really stuck with me and ultimately was a big playing factor into why I started writing music as Owl City. I wanted to write music to “sound” the way playing that game “feels”. Haha, like I said, I’m a huge nerd. I still play that game all the time.
BB: On your MySpace page, you say that you write and record your music in your basement. How has this location impacted your work?
AY: Writing and recording everything on my own has certainly forced me to become a bit of a gear head, and because I have no standard knowledge of how the music recording world works, I’ve had to come up with my own way of doing things. I still have endless amounts to learn but I have fun with it and it keeps me busy. I honestly wouldn’t be doing anything else right now.
BB: How did MySpace affect your musical career?
AY: It gave me the only window of opportunity I suppose I would’ve ever gotten with my music. I really do owe it all to MySpace. Thanks Tom! Haha!
BB: Your music has been compared to the Postal Service and A Rocket to the Moon. What bands/music have had the biggest influence on your songwriting?
AY: Mostly instrumental ambient music, oddly enough. I don’t listen to much music with lyrics, so a lot of different things come into play when it comes to influence. I really connect with certain moods that I discover in film soundtracks. My two biggest musical influences are Jonathan Ford from Unwed Sailor, and composer Thomas Newman.
BB: You have talked openly about your faith in Christianity. Do you consider yourself a “Christian band” and how does this play into your music?
AY: Owl City is just me. I don’t write Christian songs but I am a Christian musician so I suppose the classification of the band is up to the listener. My faith is very important to me and is a very big part of who I am as an individual. It’s kind of up to you…
BB: How did you feel about performing at the Sasquatch Music Festival at the Gorge last weekend?
AY: I felt like I needed to be rushed to the emergency room after my set. Playing at the Gorge nearly gave me a heart attack. It was that beautiful. I am endlessly honored to have been given the chance to perform there. A good time was had by all.
BB: Your new LP, “Ocean Eyes,” will be available on the first of September. What can we expect from the new album? Are there any drastic changes from your previous work?
AY: It’s a bit more mature, more polished.
BB: Tell us a little about your tour with Relient K. What can we expect to see at Neumo’s on Sunday?
AY: It’s been a total blast thus far. I’ve been a huge Relient K fan since junior high and have recently become good friends with Matt Thiessen, so it goes without saying that I’m absolutely thrilled to be a part of this tour. It’s literally a dream come true.
-by Karalee Sargent
I love OC’s play on words. So very clear/league deep water. I laugh every time. I really like the vein OC’s music takes w/ simplicity/depth and joy that is not our own. Keep letting the spirit write for you Adam. You’re a nice surprise.
If you consider yourself a Christian then why do you have the lyrics “and thats why I don’t drink and drive”. This implies you get drunk and the Bible very clearly says not to. Just wonderin.
Hello Karalee,
I’m trying to get in contact with Owl City to do any interview with them. Got any tips?
P.S. No need to approve the comment, but if you could reply back to my email that would be great.
-Eric
i love that boy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<3 xD
Totally agree with you. Great blog!
I think Owl City is amazing!!!! I’m actually listening to Tidal Wave right now! I think its great that he’s a christian too cuz well its just cool! I think he should actually write like a christian song cuz I bet a lot of other people would hear about him that way. but anyway…… I love Owl City!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think owl city should write some christain songs.. then they would be pretty awesome
oh i love owl city! he got inspired from a video game. that’s so cool!
@anonymous – guess (A) you’d have to take into consideration the context of the lyrics within the song and (B) ahem… he says “drink” and not “get drunk” – get into your Bible a bit more and you’ll understand the difference.
no in the bible it does not say don’t drink, jesus turned water into wine
He doesn’t imply he’s drinking and driving in this song. He says “thats why I DON’T drink and drive” not “thats why I drink and drive” But you’re gonna believe what you wanna believe about him no matter what, so feel free.
well he did write a song called the christmas song tht tlks bout jesus
“If you consider yourself a Christian then why do you have the lyrics “and thats why I don’t drink and drive”. This implies you get drunk and the Bible very clearly says not to. Just wonderin.”
Actually, the full lyrics are:
“Golf and alcohol don’t mix
And that’s why I don’t drink and drive”
It’s a play on words. Drive can apply to an automobile, or playing golf. Its not some deep-set phrase about the moral implications of alcohol, but one of those clever plays on words that Adam is so popular for.
Also, why does drinking necessarily mean the drinker needs to become completely drunk? And precisely where in the bible does it “say not to”?
He’s wonderful, I think. And his song, meteor shower, tells bout it too. Jst thought to let dt out even tho this post is like five three months ripe!