Son of the Sun. L to R: Joseph Stocker, Steve Matthews, Jeremy Franklin, Zak Ward, Brandon Delmont
North Country Music Report Interview Link
“Keep it simple”. Three-chord rock-n-roll. Phrases offered up by Joseph Stocker of Son of the Sun when describing the band’s over-arching songwriting philosophy. Yet when one sits down and listens to one of their albums (like 2010′s The Happy Loss), “simple” is not what immediately comes to mind. Minimalist in parts, perhaps. Stark in others, possibly. But not simple. That is the beauty of the philosophy when employed by such a gifted writing and performing ensemble — the whole becomes much greater than the sum of its parts.
I wanted to learn more about how this practice is employed by Son of the Sun, and dive deeper into what informs their unique take on the pop aesthetic.
North Country Music Report (NCMR):
A remote, Internet-powered collaboration spawned your debut EP Before the After. Talk us through what led to your collaboration, and the process of remote collaboration when you were living on opposite coasts. Did it pose any sort of difficulties, or did it open up creative freedoms?
Joseph Stocker (JS):
I was coming to an end with the band I was playing with at the time, around 2007-ish. I was a drummer/engineer/noise maker up until that time. I bought an acoustic guitar for 50 bucks and taught myself how to play a G and Em chord. 2 days later I had the song “Listen Darkly” which was the first song I had written and recorded for what became our first EP. after that I recorded a few more songs… all instrumental with no words or lyrics but fully done arrangement/instrumentation wise. I played them for Zak (Ward, lead vocals and guitar) just to get some overall feedback on the guitar tracks/playing etc., and to see if I was the only one that thought they were good. He was really into them and asked if he could write some lyrics for “Listen Darkly” and “How Can It Be”.
So after that, we just started working on those, and with him moving to LA it created the Internet swapping that worked out really well actually, given the ease of having a Pro Tools setup in the bedroom. It wise nice that I could create a pretty complete musical idea, with Zak only having to worry about lyrics and singing. Which was new for him considering he was always used to taking control of both rolls in other bands. So we both kind of had this great new freedom to try whatever came up.
NCMR:
Now that you’re all local to the Buffalo, NY area, what’s collaboration like for Son of the Sun these days? In what ways did the process of making your current releaseThe Happy Loss differ from your first release?
JS:
Ever since the full band came together we started to write in the same room or work off of demos that someone would bring in. So instead of me sitting at home and mutiltracking a full finished idea I could just bring a few chords and a basic structure, pass it around the room and create a vibe that way. But again picking these guys for the band I knew I could trust what kind of parts they would be putting together or at least get where I was coming from stylistically. Whereas the EP was me sitting at home just building tracks with no care or concept of them actually being performed live or with a band. So I think we end up with a little more energy or “magic” that you can get when you have live instruments and players all in the same room tracking together. That’s the way most of my favorite records were made.
NCMR:
Let’s talk about some of your influences. Elements of The Beatles, and perhaps a few dashes of Summerteeth-era Wilco present themselves in your recordings, but your multi-layered work certainly goes deeper. Talk a bit about your influences, musical or otherwise, and how you feel they may manifest themselves in your work.
JS:
Well the Beatles and Wilco are definitely 2 bands we all really love. I think it’s 2 things: the song writing rule of “keep it simple”, and 3-chord rock-n-roll. But with instrument choices and mixing classic and modern recording techniques gives the chance to bridge the gap between the two time periods, making it have a familiar “classic” vibe while staying new and refreshing.
We all draw from the same pool of influence for the most part. For me personally I could listen to Roy Orbison’s In Dreams as much as Gimme Danger by the Stooges, followed by a Hank Williams song, and get equally turned on by all of those. I’m equally turned on by a film or piece of artwork. So watching the movie “Alphaville” is just as motivating as listening to a Velvet Underground record. So in some way all of those things manage to sneak into the songs whether through a songwriting style or a certain choice of instruments, effects, etc.
NCMR:
Large portions of The Happy Loss feel like they could be a continuation of one thought, or of a particular state of mind. Tell us about some of the themes that run through the album, and if you intended for there to be a continuity of mindset.
JS:
I think its just a natural progression. Other than “The Franklin”, all of the topics are definitely about girls or relationships in general. But I suppose the best or at least most of my favorite songs are basically love or heartbreak songs, whether they are presented in a more ballad tempo/vibe (“How Can it Be”) or in a more rock setting (“Stay The Same”). All in all, the inspiration seems to come from the same well.
NCMR:
Your songwriting style and your choice of instrumentation and production technique seem to go hand-in-hand. Your overall sound has a certain vintage characteristic to it, without sounding dated at all. Talk us through how your sound has developed and evolved. Do your songs inspire a certain selection of instruments? Do certain instruments inspire you to write in a certain style?
JS:
I’ve been doing engineering and recording for around 10 years and have always been into researching how my favorite records were made and what kind of instruments were used. So when you open the liner notes of a King Crimson record and see a “Mellotron” listed… I spent the next 3 months trying to figure out what the hell a Mellotron was… but once you do you realize “oh that’s what the flutes on ‘Strawberry Fields’ are and the strings on that Zombies song were not real players, it was the Mellotron”. You say to your self, “I WANT THAT!”
We all have vintage or classic gear with the same aesthetic and vibe as 60′s and 70′s gear. So my Rickenbacker through my tube amp with a ton of reverb on it is probably gonna always sound more like a Kinks song rather than a Creed song.
So yeah… to answer your question, the choice of gear/recording techniques establishes a vibe or color pallet that gives the mood of some earlier classic records or time periods. Seeing as I’m a drummer by nature I only know chords on guitar and piano… I have no clue of scales or theory. So I never question if a certain chord can come after another chord or anything like that. If it sounds good and I’m moved by it, I keep it.
NCMR:
Orchestration and arrangement are hallmarks of Son of the Sun music as well. The ensemble strikes me as one that really understands that each member playing a role is perhaps at times more important than just playing a part. How are orchestration and arrangement decisions made? Is it a collaborative process during the writing phase? Do they come about while jamming? During overdubs and post-production?
JS:
I Heard Tom Petty say a great line about songwriting: “Don’t bore us, get to the chorus”. That has always stuck with me. As much as I like Avant Garde, instrumental, forward thinking music, at the end of the day I like pop songs.
So my biggest rule and motto for this band is that the part HAS to serve the song. Being a selfless player is my biggest thing. Seeing as I know very little about the guitar and piano I always under-play. But for the others (Steve Matthews, bass; Jeremy Franklin, guitar; Brandon Delmont, drums) who are very good and well-rounded at their craft, I’m sure they have to approach it from a different angle. But honestly everyone is really on the same page. We’re all “song guys’. No one is here to show how awesome their part is alone. I’d rather have 4 really simply boring parts on their own, but put together make a thick wall of sound to create a bigger picture or color.
Most of the time the arrangement or structure of the song is ready when its presented as a “song” to the band. But we have definitely worked on them as a “jam”, or just worked out parts as a band. It’s usually all done by the time the recording process starts. Then after that come some overdubs and extra colors, etc. But the structure usually stays the same from the time it was put down.
NCMR:
The past several years has seen you busy not only writing and recording, but touring and promoting — which has garnered a healthy collection of accolades. Talk us through some of the high points of of the past few years, with respect to touring and promotion.
JS:
We have gotten some great reviews and write-ups for The Happy Loss. We’ve been having a real good time going down to NYC and playing there. We did CMJ and it was a great time. We had a couple great summer shows here in Western New York doing Artpark (which was the biggest crowd numbers-wise for us), and Thursday at the Square. Just meeting new people at the shows who are into it and building relationships is always good. Every show is kinda mushed into one, but we always tend to have a laugh while we’re working.
NCMR:
Your music is starting to get TV placement, such as “Stay the Same” on MTV’s The Real World, and “How Can it Be?” on PBS’ Roadtrip Nation. Tell us more about these types of opportunities to which you’re being exposed. What sort of other opportunities are coming about because of song placement?
JS:
We have a music licensing deal, so it’s nice that these things have been popping up. As far as I know it’s mostly some iTunes and CD sales over the internet in places we’ve never been. And some royalty money as well 
.
.NCMR:
Your February 11 and February 12 shows are billed as “Love Will Tear Us Apart”, and feature a few other exciting acts. Tell us about your shows at Buffalo’s Mohawk Place and Rochester’s Lovin’ Cup, and what folks can expect.
JS:
They are 2 of my favorite places to play. Very different in aesthetic but equally warming. We’re playing with some really good bands: Buffalo’s Here Come The Comets, and a band from Rochester, Walri. It’s gonna be our usual “Little Wagon Of Rock N Roll” but may have a new cover or something to spice things up. We’ll probably dress up the stage a bit too. Ever since our album release we’ve kinda grown accustom to creating a little mood on stage.
NCMR:
What’s next for Son of the Sun?
JS:
We are working on some videos for “The Happy Loss”, and are currently recording new material for a EP to come out in the spring. I’d like to do another 7″ vinyl release or a cassette release for fun. We are also heading to SXSW in march so that will be a week on the road. Basically gearing up to play out of town more in spring/summer, get these new tunes out, and keep on truckin’.
Son of the Sun’s two-part “Love Will Tear Us Apart” show will visit Buffalo’s Mohawk Place on Friday February 11, and Rochester’s Lovin’ Cup on Saturday February 12. Go to the band’s website (http://www.sonofthesunmusic.com) for full details on these shows, other upcoming events, and online store.
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