Chris (Rational Anthem – bass/backing vocals)
SPB: How do you determine who sings in a given song?
Chris: These days Noelle sings all of the songs. Chris does harmonies and backups. We split writing duties but since Noelle has the stronger voice we let her sing all the songs these days. We used to toy with the idea of going back and forth but realized we should just be utilizing the strongest singer’s voice so the songs can shine.
Courtney Ranshaw (Black Adidas) SPB: Is there an instrument that's central to "the Black Adidas sound"? Ranshaw: I’d like to showcase an instrument that’s central to one of the songs on the record and has made its way onto a few songs of ours over the years. This is our … Read more
Al (Dromedary Records) SPB: What keeps you interested in running a record label as time passes and your own life changes? What keeps you motivated? AL: I’ve been doing this for more than 30 years, and there have certainly been times where it slowed way down or I took breaks, … Read more
Greg Norton (Ultrabomb) SPB: Has the current political climate affected Ultrabomb and did it influence lyrical content? Norton: Yes, absolutely. I’d say 80% of the lyrics for this album were written last summer as Trump was rolling out his gestapo squads, and the media’s lack of response to accurately reporting. Read more
Nic (Nonthewiser) SPB: What were your biggest takeaways from recording your EP Injustice For All? What did you learn and what would that change the process next time around? Nic: Recording Injustice For All taught us how important planning really is. Since we live in different cities, we record everything … Read more
Stanley Christiaensen (The Immortal Samsara Travelers – guitar/flute/vocals/sitar) SPB: How do you typically begin the composition process for a song? Christiaensen: The composition process always starts from either existential questions like the evolution of the human species or historical visions like the Hadean Eon, Egyptian mythology. An atmosphere will spark … Read more
It’s been a long time since the last Rational Anthem record, Emotionally Unavailable in 2014. The band is still similar but what jumps out the most to me with It’s Only Permanent is the clean, big pop hooks. The band has always been peppy and focused on those singalong moments, but this record is downright anthemic from start to finish. … Read more
I can’t figure out just who The Rational Anthem remind me of, but it’s poppy on the clean and crisp side, with a lot of backing harmonies and a fun sound that counters what is generally a lost at sea mindset. In other words, it’s Midwest-influenced pop-punk that would fit great on a comp with bands like Dear Landlord, The … Read more
Courtney Ranshaw (Black Adidas) SPB: Is there an instrument that's central to "the Black Adidas sound"? Ranshaw: I’d like to showcase an instrument that’s central to one of the songs on the record and has made its way onto a few songs of ours over the years. This is our … Read more
Al (Dromedary Records) SPB: What keeps you interested in running a record label as time passes and your own life changes? What keeps you motivated? AL: I’ve been doing this for more than 30 years, and there have certainly been times where it slowed way down or I took breaks, … Read more
Greg Norton (Ultrabomb) SPB: Has the current political climate affected Ultrabomb and did it influence lyrical content? Norton: Yes, absolutely. I’d say 80% of the lyrics for this album were written last summer as Trump was rolling out his gestapo squads, and the media’s lack of response to accurately reporting. Read more
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