InterviewsIvy Sandoval

Get To Know: almost monday

Newest alt-pop trio almost monday dropped their debut EP don’t say you’re ordinary, today that will definitely make your feel good playlist. The San Diego based band, comprised of friends Dawson Daugherty (vocals), Luke Fabry (bass) and Cole Clisby (guitar), have seen a lot of success with their debut single “broken people” and there’s no guarantee will see even more success in their career. We got a chance to talk about their intro to music, inspirations and what is to come for the rising stars.

Beyond The Stage: How did the band come together?

almost monday:

AL- Dawson: Luke and I grew up together and I met Cole through surfing, we all played music and loved it so we started a band. When we started we just focused on throwing shows in our friends surf shop and we didn’t really consider recording music or really even know how far it would take us. We were just playing music for the pure fun of it which is always the perspective I want to keep.

BTS: Did y’all always know y’all wanted to pursue music?

Dawson: I feel like I’ve always known that I wanted to pursue music since I was young. It’s been the thing I’ve loved to do the most in my life.

Luke: Music has always been something I’ve done or been around. I never thought I would be lucky enough to be able to do it in this setting. I’m loving every moment of it.

Cole: I grew up going to concerts and being around amazing musicians and music and I think that inspired me to pick up guitar. Experiencing a band play to a crowd of excited fans made me want to do the same thing.

BTS: Your first single has gotten a lot of success, how has that felt? (listen here)

Luke: It has been really cool to see how people take something that we created in our bedrooms and make it their own. Music has helped me process all of life’s ups and downs and I hope that our music does the same for other people.

BTS: What was the process like for you creating the EP?

Cole: We wrote a bunch of songs over this past year and the ones that landed on the EP felt like they sat together nicely. The process can be challenging because you write so many different songs and sort of have to pick out the ones that make sense for the project as a whole.

 

BTS:  Where did you find inspiration for the EP?

Dawson: Honestly everywhere. For me as a creative inspiration comes in so many different ways. Whether it’s finding inspiration through other artists, reading books, or just responding to my own human experience and what is happening in the world. I think for this EP a theme was the idea that you are amazing for just being here. I don’t know, it’s easy to forget how crazy it is to even be alive and kicking. I think that’s special and something I want people to take away from some of these songs.

BTS: Did it take long to write and record?

Luke: Yes and no. Some songs we wrote and recorded in one day while other songs took weeks or months. There really isn’t a formula but that’s part of the fun.

BTS: Did you work with anyone while creating the EP?

Cole: Yes, we collaborate closely with our great friend and producer Simon Oscroft. Dani Poppitt and Henry Beasley also helped write songs on the EP with us and Mark Needham mixed the tracks.

BTS: How does it feel to have your first collective piece of work done?

Dawson: It’s really the best. It’s a collection of songs we love and are proud of. You put a lot of work into the songs so it’s definitely a big pay off to see them being released to the world.

BTS: How did working with come Mark Needham about? How was it working with him?

Luke: Working with Mark has been such a cool experience. We had initially reached out naively because we were trying to get a song mixed and saw he had worked on Hot Fuss by the Killers. He came to the show and left early. We emailed him after asking what he thought of it and he basically said that the songs weren’t there yet but to let him know if we had any new songs in the future. We thought this was a nice way of saying ‘no thanks,’ but reached out regardless a couple months later. To our surprise he actually liked it and our relationship started from there.  

BTS: How would you describe your sound to people who have never heard your music?

Cole: I think if you had to put our sound into a few words it would be feel-good, summery, and fresh. But hopefully people will just ascribe their own feelings and attachment to the music.

BTS: What’s next for y’all? 

AL: We’re actually finishing up songs for the next project, so that’s keeping us busy. Beyond that we’re staying hopeful about the future of touring and getting back on the road.. seriously can’t wait until we can get back to playing live, I think it’s where we thrive.

Don’t Say You’re Ordinary is available on Spotify now.

Ivy Sandoval

Ivy Sandoval

Ivy Sandoval is one of Beyond the Stage's Contributing Writers and has been with the publication since April 2019. She is currently a senior majoring in Journalism at Texas State University. She is also a Life and Arts Reporter for her university newspaper, as well as a Contributing Writer for a popular culture and music content based publication. When she isn't busy with school or writing, you can find her at concerts, traveling or just watching Netflix. Her favorite bands and artists include Shawn Mendes, Harry Styles, Bazzi and Why Don't We