Maudlin Strangers’ new in-your-face single “I’m Not In The Proper Thoughts” is an intoxicating rock music certain to have you ever riveted. Frontman Jake Hays caught up with Atwood Journal to debate his band’s return from hiatus, their new music, share some tour tales, and extra.

“I’m Not within the Proper Thoughts” – Maudlin Strangers

Maudlin Strangers is… the thought of two individuals sitting in a bar who didn’t know one another earlier than, however they’re sitting subsequent to one another on the stools and so they begin telling their complete life story. I like the that means behind it, being mates that have been strangers.

We all have our vices we rely on to manage. It could possibly be medication and alcohol or different issues similar to social media and buying. As we become old life simply appears to get tougher and tougher. On account of this we’re continually in search of our subsequent distraction. Maudlin Strangers’ “I’m Not In The Proper Thoughts” is a gripping, edgy rock observe all about coping with the cycle of habit. Arduous-hitting guitars, booming bass and glossy synths ship a charming Queens of the Stone Age really feel.

Launched October 27, 2023 by way of Hellbent Artistic, the music showcases relatable traces like “I don’t wish to care proper now, I simply wish to fade out, I’m caught inside a thought so loud.” Many people have been in that scenario. We try to do no matter we will to numb our damaging ideas not caring whether or not it’s wholesome or not. Maudlin Strangers reminds us to not drown these out, however reasonably see how we will change them. It’s a highly effective act when you possibly can acknowledge habits and try to rectify it, as a substitute of simply masking it up.

Maudlin Strangers is a daring indie rock mission that was conceived in 2010, initially because the solo mission of Agoura Hills, California native Jake Hays. After a latest hiatus, the group is again in full power. The four-piece consists of lead singer Hays, Alexander “Schmorgle” Morgan on guitar/keys, Drew Bruchs on bass, and Richie Gonzales on drums. All of them are shut mates permitting the band to share a really particular bond. You’ll be able to sense that connection of their tight sound.

Atwood Journal spoke with Hays of Maudlin Strangers concerning the band’s formation and reformation, their exhilarating new single, habit, remedy, and rather more.

The worst factor you possibly can ever do for your self while you’re struggling is to bottle it up and maintain it inside. I believe it’s so necessary for everybody who’s battling something, regardless of how massive or small it may be, to speak to someone about it and allow them to know what you’re going by way of.

— —

:: stream/buy I’m Not within the Proper Thoughts right here ::

:: join with Maudlin Strangers right here ::

“I’m Not within the Proper Thoughts” – Maudlin Strangers

A CONVERSATION WITH MAUDLIN STRANGERS

Hey Jake, it is nice to fulfill you! Maudlin Strangers is a very cool band identify. How did that come about?

Jake Hays: It’s so humorous. I got here up with it in 2010 or 2011. I needed to start out a band with mates of mine that each one didn’t know one another. I knew that I needed strangers within the title as a result of I used to be going to be bringing these mates collectively that didn’t know one another. I used to be simply trying up totally different type of adjectives to explain the strangers. I got here throughout maudlin on the time. I had no thought what it meant. The that means behind it’s being overly sentimental when below the affect. I bought a picture in my head of literal maudlin strangers. It’s the thought of two individuals sitting in a bar who didn’t know one another earlier than, however they’re sitting subsequent to one another on the stools and so they begin telling their complete life story. I like the that means behind it, being mates that have been strangers.

How did this revolutionary indie rock band kind?

Jake Hays: It’s so humorous, it was a drummer that was from a unique native band who his dad was mates with my dad after which we frolicked and began taking part in collectively. He was superb. Then my bass participant was additionally the son of different household mates and my guitar participant on the time, we have been in a unique band collectively in highschool and he went to a neighbor’s highschool. It was similar to all these totally different fractures in my life that went in several instructions. Grabbing individuals from these totally different areas and bringing all of them collectively. Once we did all hang around, it was like all of them knew one another for years. It was fantastic. The band has really taken a couple of kinds, however that was the unique mates of mine that have been in it. It was in all probability from 2011 to 2014.

Then in 2014, I had a unique drummer who got here into play. He’s the one I’m nonetheless taking part in with to this present day, Richie Gonzales. I wanted a bass participant and I had requested my buddy who was a guitar participant on the time, if he can be inquisitive about taking part in bass for it as a result of he was additionally in one other band that I liked. It was simply all these totally different mates I liked. I assumed, oh, this may be enjoyable to play music collectively. Then all of us simply bought collectively and it was all the time really easy.

Now to this present day, the brand new formation is as a result of my previous guitar participant, Jeff Lehrer, he went off to Arizona to work and begin a life and do superb issues. He’s over there. My previous bass participant Kenny Benson, he’s simply really moved to the UK to get married and be with the love of his life. It’s superb. Everybody’s going off and doing their lives. Now I’ve one other couple of nice mates which can be taking part in with me. I’ve Richie Gonzales who’s the unique drummer and my buddy Alexander Morgan who goes by Schmorgle. He’s an Web producer and he’s superb. I’ve recognized him since we have been 16 in all probability. We all the time simply have revered one another’s music. I bought to supply his first EP ever which was superior. We’ve had such a wealthy historical past of working collectively that taking part in collectively is sort of a no brainer.  He lived in New York after which he came to visit a couple of years in the past to stay right here. In fact, instantly I used to be like, you wish to be in a band? Then my bass participant, Drew Bruchs, got here on. He’s additionally spectacular. He’s performed with a bunch of different artists, like Oliver the Child, La Bouquet and 1990 Nowhere. They’re simply superb musicians and even higher individuals. I’m simply so lucky to know such nice those who I get to play music with. It makes the entire expertise not really feel like a job. It’s really simply getting to hang around along with your buddies.

I perceive the band was on hiatus for some time. What was responsible for the pause and what introduced you guys again collectively?

Jake Hays: The band took a hiatus after a bunch of touring in 2015. We had toured with Unhealthy Suns at first of the 12 months, which was unimaginable. They introduced us out to open the present for them with this different superb band known as Coasts. Then we had toured the West Coast with Lany, and we had accomplished a handful of different excursions. The final tour we did was direct help for Chilly Conflict Youngsters on a giant tour for them. It was superior, however it was a lot touring all year long that I totally burnt out. I bought sick each time we bought again from tour. I used to be so exhausted.

I made a decision I wish to take a while at house to do a number of the different issues that I like. On the time I needed to additionally pursue performing. My mother is a musician. My dad is an actor. I had accomplished the musician factor for thus lengthy. I’ve all the time needed to strive performing and go to performing lessons. I used to be unable to try this if I used to be out on the highway. So I selected to take the following 12 months to only pursue performing. I went to performing class. I had felt as if I used to be dropping my voice all through all of the touring and coping with a label. All these type of issues put me on this damaging headspace. I misplaced the explanation as to why I used to be making music and it was not enjoyable to make music. I felt like I used to be making music for different individuals and never for myself. I wasn’t having fun with what I used to be making which is what led to the burnout.

So I took a break from all the pieces, however did some little releases right here and there. Then I used to be engaged on a brand new Maudlin album to launch in some unspecified time in the future in 2018 or 2019. I had gone to Texas to do a small ‘80s motion movie – I believe it’s lastly popping out in any case these years. Then whereas I used to be there, the California Woolsey fires have been taking place. My home, my studio and all the pieces burned down once I was away. That’s the place I had the laborious drives. I can’t even keep in mind what number of songs it was, possibly 20 or 30 new concepts that I used to be engaged on. All of these have been gone. Then it was a contemporary begin. Once I got here again, I used to be going to launch stuff once more. We determined to only put it out below my very own identify to create a contemporary begin with all the pieces. Then after doing that since 2019 up thus far, it felt prefer it was the precise time to deliver again Maudlin Strangers. I had all these damaging reminiscences with it and the way it ended, however I stored pondering why have these damaging reminiscences with a mission that I like a lot. I might simply proceed it and make new reminiscences to overwrite these.

The band’s hard-hitting banger, “I’m Not In The Proper Thoughts,” exudes an infectious, penetrating high quality. How was the observe’s sound developed?

Jake Hays: It was humorous how that one got here collectively. I wrote it with Schmorgle (Alex). It is without doubt one of the first Maudlin collaborations. Usually I’ve written it, produced it, accomplished all of it myself and performed all the pieces myself. One of many issues with bringing again Maudlin Strangers was I needed to place all of those superb musicians that I do know on it. So this observe has Richie taking part in the drums on it. It has Drew taking part in bass on it. Alex and I wrote it. I had the refrain and had the bass line. I additionally had the opening riff of what I needed, however I didn’t have a verse. I requested Alex if he needed to return assist me write it and we sat down. I believe it was one session. We simply busted out all the verses and it was actually enjoyable. It actually took on this Queens of the Stone Age/ Arctic Monkeys vibe. I’ve a rock background, despite the fact that I like making pop, indie rock and various, stuff like rock is all the time in my blood. So it felt good to do a music that had a giant riff and had a guitar solo. The intention was let’s make a giant freaking rock music. Rock was useless for thus lengthy and I’m so joyful to see it re-emerging. So many pop artists are placing out rock variations of their stuff. Rock is being introduced again. There’s this big wave of nostalgia with center college rock for me.

The daring piece is about trying to interrupt free from the vicious cycle of habit. Are you able to describe this concept in additional element?

Jake Hays: I’ve lots of habit in my household. I’ve skilled and witnessed lots of it rising up. I’m an enormous stoner myself, however I’m grateful that for me, the habit actually solely manifested itself with weed. It might have been with a large number of different far worse issues. So I’m appreciative of that. I do discover the world is so hectic and quick paced. It’s troublesome typically and you may get so overloaded, particularly our era. It’s really easy to get completely overwhelmed with all the pieces. It’s so laborious to, particularly residing in Los Angeles, fathom the thought of shopping for a home someday and all this stuff that have been so regular to the earlier era. These issues are so out of attain for almost all of our era.

I really feel like we regularly numb ourselves simply to take care of all of it. I believe that lots of the music is being in that way of thinking of I don’t wish to care proper now. I simply wish to fade out. The primary couple traces being like, I maintain numbing myself as a substitute of simply coping with this. I’m bored with defaulting to numbing myself as a substitute of simply determining what’s not working and determining learn how to change it. In order that’s the place the music was coming from. It’s being in that place the place you’re recognizing the habit that you just’re in.

It could possibly be something. It could possibly be a codependent relationship, medication or alcohol. It could possibly be something the place there’s considerably of a poisonous stage of habit or dependency. People are creatures of behavior and that’s simply one thing that we take care of as a species. It’s undoubtedly about making an attempt to get out of these ordinary circles that we will get sucked into.

What recommendation would you give to somebody battling the identical scenario this single describes?

Jake Hays: I’d say firstly the largest factor is to speak to somebody. The worst factor you possibly can ever do for your self while you’re struggling is to bottle it up and maintain it inside. I believe it’s so necessary for everybody who’s battling something, regardless of how massive or small it may be, to speak to someone about it and allow them to know what you’re going by way of. As a rule, you’ll uncover that whomever you’re speaking to might be going by way of one thing related, has gone by way of one thing related, otherwise you opening up about your struggles will assist them sooner or later in the event that they’re struggling.

Additionally remedy is superb. That’s one other factor too, is with our earlier era, remedy was so frowned upon. I’m actually proud that our era views it for the way fantastic and necessary it’s.

You talked about that you just’ve beforehand performed with bigger acts like Unhealthy Suns and Chilly Conflict Youngsters. Any fascinating tour tales you possibly can share?

Jake Hays: Some of the hilarious issues was I bought chickenpox on the Unhealthy Suns tour. I had by no means had it. I assume I used to be not vaccinated for it as a child. I began to really feel very sick. I can’t keep in mind the place we have been. We’d have been in North Carolina. I keep in mind once I performed a present I’d all the time put on a Hawaiian shirt and a leather-based jacket on stage and I had a particular leather-based jacket that was for stage. It was very skinny after which I had a very thick precise leather-based jacket for being outdoors within the chilly. I knew I used to be feeling unhealthy at that present as a result of I used to be so chilly that I wore my within the snow leather-based jacket on stage to play that present. I felt so chilly and I will need to have had a fever.

So I bought by way of that present. Then I keep in mind waking up like the following morning touching my arm. It woke me up out of my sleep. I felt this bizarre bump on my arm and I used to be slightly itchy. I used to be so confused. We have been driving to Nashville and we drove on to the hospital there. I ended up staying for 5 – 6 days on the hospital and so they couldn’t determine what I had. From day one although, my mother mentioned, you may have chickenpox. I’m unsure possibly the docs thought I might have measles or some new illness. It did transform chickenpox. So we really needed to go away that tour early as a result of I used to be caught within the hospital. I stayed in Nashville to get higher to then finally fly again house. The fellows drove from Nashville straight again to LA minimal stops. It was fairly brutal. That was a loopy manner for our first Maudlin Strangers tour to finish, which was actually humorous.

In addition to these acts you toured with, in the event you might decide any band or artist to open for who would it not be?

Jake Hays: I’d say Queens of the Stone Age must be my primary. Josh Homme, the singer and mastermind behind it, he’s the motorbike king of the redheads. I admire him in that sense being a redhead myself. I’d say opening up for Queens of the Stone Age can be fairly a bucket record test. Arctic Monkeys as nicely, though I’d get chewed out for sounding too much like Alex Turner. Though I can’t assist it, that’s undoubtedly the one suggestions I all the time get. I’m not making an attempt to; I simply occur to.

What’s subsequent for Maudlin Strangers?

Jake Hays: I’m actually enthusiastic about this upcoming 12 months. It’s an effort to make up for misplaced time. I spent this complete 12 months simply determining the following 12 months of releases for Maudlin as a result of “I’m Not In The Proper Thoughts” was completed again in January. So I’ve been sitting on it approaching a 12 months as a result of I needed to complete all the pieces else in order that we might have a set launch schedule. We’ve got a single popping out each eight weeks. So the following one will likely be mid-January, after which so on. I’m very enthusiastic about it. We’ve presently bought six songs put aside, 5 ones which can be unreleased and, at this level they’re my favourite Maudlin stuff that’s been created to this point. I’m very excited to have the ability to maintain dropping these out over the following 12 months and touring.

Lastly, are you able to suggest some artists or bands that you’re actually digging in the mean time to our readers?

Jake Hays: In fact, it comes again to Arctic Monkeys and Queens of the Stone Age. Additionally there was a band that we toured with again in 2015 known as Unusual Names. They’re superior. We did slightly tour known as The Unusual and Stranger Tour as a result of they’re Unusual Names and we’re Maudlin Strangers. It was very enjoyable. Younger The Big and Tame Impala are nice as nicely.

— —

:: stream/buy I’m Not within the Proper Thoughts right here ::

:: join with Maudlin Strangers right here ::

“I’m Not within the Proper Thoughts” – Maudlin Strangers

— — — —

Connect with Maudlin Strangers on
Fb, Twitter, TikTok, Instagram

Uncover new music on Atwood Journal

 © Alvaro Navarro

:: Stream Maudlin Strangers ::