An Exclusive Conversation with The Oh Boys
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What initially sparked your interest in pursuing a career in the arts for those who may not be familiar with your background?
I love the quote:
« Art is how we decorate space, music is how we decorate time.” – Jean-Michel Basquait
I’ve always been drawn to the arts. When I was young, I could spend hours alone in my room with a pencil and paper. Then it was music. Piano. Saxophone. Then Guitar. Then Voice. I did my first musical theatre in high school that really brought me out of my shell. I went on to study theatre at University and went on to have a varied career in theatre and music ever since.
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your latest single?
My bandmate, Kieran challenged me to write a song in the spirit of 60s pop with a focus on a duo lead vocal when we were working on another show that featured music by the Everly Brothers, Simon & Garfunkel and the Beatles.
What themes or emotions are explored in this song?
Desire. Fear. Insecurity. Vulnerability. We all need love in our lives. But you can’t fall in love without opening up and being vulnerable. This is song is about overcoming past wounds and accepting the risk of rejection.
How does this single fit into the larger narrative of your music career or your upcoming projects?
I listen to a lot of music from the 50s and 60s, and I love how much sonic territory is cover with voices. They didn’t have all the synth and production options with have now so they used what they had.
My aim is to bring back a focus on great melodies and harmonies in all my music and save any production tricks as polish.
I like to say our band plays “modern music for vinyl hearts”
Could you describe the creative process behind this single, from concept to production?
The melody came to me as I was taking a walk at Loyola Beach in Chicago. I made a voice memo on my iPhone there. Picked up the guitar when I got home. Tried few different keys and the song came together pretty quickly. I could hear a great harmony in my head to support the lead line and Kieran brought it to live when we got together. Once we added Shaun into the mix on bass and the groove really took shape. Shaun added a lower harmony and Kieran found what I like to call the “crying to moon” oooh for the chorus. We took the song to RaxTrax studios in Chicago and recorded as much of it playing together in the room as we could.
What can listeners expect to experience or feel when they listen to this track?
This is a happy/sad love song. “I don’t want your love. But I need it” There is a fear that accompanies the excitement of falling in love. And I think the song captures that feeling. Despite those fears, the song has an upbeat bounce to it that feels like a summer bop.
Are there any interesting stories or anecdotes from the recording or writing of this song that you’d like to share?
This is one of the rare summer songs that we discovered magic in recording sleigh bells to. Usually those are reserved for Christmas. Lol
As an artist, can you identify three key traits that define you?
I guess you could call me an old soul.
I’ve always been drawn to art/music/fashion of the past. I like to pull the past into the present.
Sense of humor and fun.
We don’t ourselves super-seriously. At the end of the day, I want our band to entertain and engage you. We want you to feel the spirit of Rock & Roll
Sincerity.
As much as I love a good pop hit, I also search for truth and depth in the lyric. Some of my favorite lyricists came out of the 1960s folk song revival like Phil Ochs and Bob Dylan.
What can we anticipate in terms of your upcoming projects?
The Oh Boys have several new songs recorded and being mixed as I write this. I think they are our best batch of songs yet! We plan on two new releases before Christmas.
Where can our readers find additional information about you and your work?
My website www.zacharystevenson.com and on social media under the Oh Boys. Or Oh Boys band.