Moving Forward with Almost Monday
interview by kyla, intro by abby
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Just over 2 years ago, we were sitting in a green room with these boys, laughing & chatting about how the band came to be. Now, having dropped out of college, brought a manager on board and landed a record deal, we thought it might be time to catch up with them again. Below, they dive into how they’re feeling about the whirlwind that is life at the moment, their plans for next year (spoiler alert — it’s gonna be big), and how, through it all, they’re still just friends trying not to take it too seriously.
First off, can you give us a little background about yourselves for our readers who maybe haven't read our past interview with you?
Luke: We are 3 friends from San Diego who started a band in a garage. We love all types of music, since we are all streaming kids, and we want to make music with big hooks and great melodies. It all really started after Dawson was turned down by a singing competition show. After the viewing party, he came up to Cole and I and said that we should start a band.
What have been some major changes in your lives since we last spoke? What has the journey been like?
Dawson: So many changes. We got a record deal, dropped out of college, got a manager, and it honestly has felt like a whirlwind of a ride these last few months. With all these pretty massive changes, I’ve never felt closer to Luke and Cole. They have been such constants for me and I’m so thankful I started a band with my best friends. You have to understand that this has been my dream since I was a kid, and these last few months felt like someone told that kid, “I believe in you.” I’ve never been more excited yet terrified, and I kind of love that feeling.
Can you tell us a little about your latest music video? What went into the creation and thought process?
Cole: “Broken People” was our first ever music video. We started [by] brainstorming with our friend Caleb Gonzales, who directed the video. We got some inspo from “The Truman Show” and in general just wanted to make something that was authentic to us and visually fitting to the song. I learned that, most of the time when going into making a music video, [what] goes into [it is] prepping each scene and thinking of a good concept, but there’s always some time spent on physically taxing work. Dawson, Luke, and I stayed up way too late the night before the shoot to steam dozens of sheets in my house for hours to transform it into a set.
“… these last few months feel like someone told [my younger self], ‘I believe in you.’”
What about the song, “Broken People” — what kind of experiences went into the inspiration and creation?
Dawson: We wanted to write a song [where] people could find comfort in their imperfections and just dance about it. The world — social media, more specifically — feels like a big illusion. I’m not trying to say it’s the end of us all, but I want people to know that we are all going through it together. I have a vision of thousands of people singing it at a festival or something and feeling empowered that, even though we’re broken, we’re gonna keep moving forward. That’s what I hope people feel from it. At least, that’s what I feel from it.
Favorite set of lyrics from the track and why?
“We’re all just broken people and we don’t know why / But we’re keeping it together because we gotta try.”
I like this set of lyrics because I would want someone to tell me to keep trying even when I feel “broken.”
Any new projects or announcements dropping soon that you can give us a hint on?
Luke: 2020 is going to be a big year. New tunes, new videos, and new shows. Look out for us in the new year; we’ll finally have more than one song out for all our people. It has been a long time coming, and we couldn’t be more excited to share with the world what we’ve been working on.
“I guess I want our band to be there for you when the girl of your dreams asks you out, and when she breaks up with you.”
How does each member of the band contribute to the overall group dynamic? What role does each person tend to fall into?
Dawson: Being in a band is like being married to 2 other guys. We are all learning and growing together! (laughs) Cole is very organized and on top of it, so I feel like he is always making sure we’re remembering what time soundcheck is and all that jazz. But he is also very creative and contributes a lot to our aesthetic and visuals. Luke is very sweet and caring. He is always making sure we’re doing well and having fun. He is also talented at like a thousand different things. As for me, I’m usually trying to make everyone laugh and usually failing at it!
How do you hope people will feel while and after listening to your music?
Dawson: All my favorite artists feel like my best friends. When I listen to their music, I feel like they are speaking directly to me and what I’m going through. I guess I want our band to be there for you when the girl of your dreams asks you out and when she breaks up with you. Life is crazy and has highs and lows. I want people to feel like they have someone right alongside them. Also, dancing is cool — we should all dance.
What do you wish more people knew about you?
Cole: I hope people know that we don’t take ourselves too seriously. We love to work hard and try to make songs we like, but at the end of the day, we are all friends creating something unique to us and hopefully meaningful to someone else.