Stud Count - Sound In The Signals Interview
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| @thebendermatt |
I recently had the opportunity to interview Stud Count ahead of the release of their self-titled album, which is out today via Smartpunk. We discussed how their musical backgrounds inspire their approach to the band, what they hope fans take away from the album, lyrical themes they explored on the album, their recording process, releasing the album on vinyl, and more. Check it out below.
First, thanks for the interview.
Thank you so much for having us!
Your lineup features current/former members of Drill Sergeant, The Dividing Line, Academy Order, Fluoride, and Fixation. How has your musical backgrounds inspired the way you approach Stud Count?
Personally, spending my teens and 20s playing punk and hardcore taught me a lot about playing music. I think there’s something to bands that share that background; a genuine quality you can’t really find elsewhere. Hard to explain, but you can hear it if you juxtapose similar bands with varying backgrounds. Put The Hives and Jet next to one another; you’ll see what I mean.
Your self-titled debut album is out July 22nd via Smartpunk Records. What do you hope fans take away from the album?
We started writing the songs for this record almost 3 years ago - really just excited for everyone to finally hear them. There were summer punk records that changed everything about the way I listened to music as a pre-teen, teenager and even as an adult; we hope this record can be that for other people.
Can you tell us more about the writing process and the lyrical themes you explored?
The writing process is pretty much always the same: Matthew writing 85% of the songs in his head, teaching it to Bret who adds the drums, then Norelle writes lyrics and vocal melodies.
The album covers everything you’d expect from a couple years of processing as a young adult; loss, friendships, love etc. Ground most people can relate to.
Can you tell us more about the recording process? What came easiest in the process and what took more time?
The easy part was the instrumentals. Matthew and Bret cracked those out in a couple sessions, then Max sent leads from a distance. Norelle’s vocals took a little longer, since she’s a classically trained vocalist. Roughly 6 sessions, lots of vocal layering. The thing that took the longest was mix/level note sessions. When we did the record with Zach Miller, he was still pretty new at non-hardcore/punk records. Working together with him to get a perfect sound was a long, but awesome experience. That was two years ago - homie is a wizard now.
You wrote and recorded much of the music during the pandemic. How did that impact your process?
Northeastern cities were basically ghost towns for most of 2020. It was weird, and most of us didn’t know if the world would ever be normal again. At the time, I was extremely jaded toward music in general, and enjoyed a built in break from all of that. Focusing on recovering, resting, and living life with our friends made writing way easier. We actually recorded/released an EP mid pandemic as well.
How are you feeling now that the album is coming out and the potential for performing live is getting more possible for bands?
We couldn’t be more excited. The live and general response to the tracks so far has been amazing, and getting out there feels fresh in a way it hasn’t for a long time. Can’t wait to tour again.
You’re also releasing the album on vinyl. How important is it to the band to have a physical release and the music pressed on vinyl?
Coming from punk & hardcore, vinyl has always been part of the deal. There’s an authenticity to physical music that simply can’t be captured digitally. It’s awesome that labels and most fans are with that.
Thanks for taking the time to answer the questions. Is there anything else that you’d like to add?
Just thank you so much for your time! Listen to the record, come hang with us at shows and support Smartpunk Records.
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