JIM VANCLEVE

Looking to expand beyond the transportation topic, publisher Zack Miller and executive editor Dennis Pernu launched a dedicated music program in 2021, drawing on Pernu’s prior experience in music book publishing under Quarto’s Voyageur Press imprint. Under their creative, visionary leadership, they have built on the success of their first book the authoritatively written (by Dave Hunter) and lavishly illustrated Fender 75 Years, the officially licensed celebration of the legendary instrument company to publish a series of dynamic works celebrating some of rock’s greatest artists and albums.

Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl has penned a vivid memoir that conveys both the ordinary and the extraordinary moments and events of his life. Standouts include some harrowing incidents with Nirvana bandmate Kurt Cobain as well as heartfelt moments with Grohl’s wife and kids. Experiences with Pantera, John Fogerty, Tom Petty, Iggy Pop, John Paul Jones, Paul McCartney and others make this autobiography a satisfying read.

The Anniversary Aesthetic: According to Pernu, Motorbooks’ goal with the line of heavily illustrated upscale coffee-table music books is to merge unique text with archival artist and memorabilia images from agencies, individual photographers, and collections. He works closely with the company’s talented art department to bring the books to life.

Made in Hollywood: All Access with The Go-Go’s

Go-Go’s drummer Gina Schock takes fans behind the scenes for a look at her personal photos documenting her band's wild journey to the heights of fame and stardom. Featuring posters, photographs, Polaroids, and other memorabilia from her archives, Made In Hollywood also includes stories from each member of the band, along with other cultural luminaries like Kate Pierson, Jodie Foster, Dave Stewart, Martha Quinn and Paul Reubens.

Rock Concert

By Marc Myers

(hardcover) $30.00

Rock Concert

The Anniversary Aesthetic: According to Pernu, Motorbooks’ goal with the line of heavily illustrated upscale coffee-table music books is to merge unique text with archival artist and memorabilia images from agencies, individual photographers, and collections. He works closely with the company’s talented art department to bring the books to life.

Three Pianos: A Memoir

Go-Go’s drummer Gina Schock takes fans behind the scenes for a look at her personal photos documenting her band's wild journey to the heights of fame and stardom. Featuring posters, photographs, Polaroids, and other memorabilia from her archives, Made In Hollywood also includes stories from each member of the band, along with other cultural luminaries like Kate Pierson, Jodie Foster, Dave Stewart, Martha Quinn and Paul Reubens.

Three Pianos: A Memoir

The Something Corporate and Jack’s Mannequin frontman delivers an engrossing memoir about the challenges and triumphs of his childhood and career, as seen through the lens of his personal connection to three pianos. McMahon not only recounts his grueling efforts to make it as an indie artist, but also how he dealt with––and prerailed over––a bout with leukemia at age 23.

By Marc Myers

Chang’s passion for jazz led to a jazz studies major from the University of Southern California, where he was spotted by a Warner Executive as he provided accompaniment at a friend’s drum recital. Asked to audition for a “new jazz singer,” he got the gig after two rounds of auditions when the first pick was too busy. “The industry threw me in and I got my doctorate in Michael Bublé, which was great,” shares Chang. “I was his musical director and pianist and very lucky to be able to co-write with him, but at the end of the day, this was his career, his vision, his esthetic. I started seeing songwriting as a commodity because Michael was selling millions of albums,” admits Chang. “It’s financially rewarding, so I forgot what really moves me, what would I write if I was going to do my own thing.” While they don’t work together anymore, Chang describes the end of the Bublé run as an “amicable divorce” and says the two are still friends.

There’s plenty of fascinating information to glean from Myer’s oral history examination of the evolution of the rock concert business, from the wild west ‘50s to the corporatized ‘80s. Myers does it with insightful statements from prominent insiders (Seymour Stein, George Wein, Henry Diltz, Marshall Chess, Michael Lang), performers (Ian Anderson, Todd Rundgren, Alice Cooper) and the fans in the stands, with special attention to milestone events such as Woodstock, Altamont and Live Aid.

(hardcover) $30.00

During lockdown, Chang started collaborating with a group of songwriters, sharing songs they wrote and recorded each week, and exchanging notes and critiques. He feels there has been more musical growth. “I hope something feels a little bit different about the song, whether it's a chord progression, or the phrase has a bar of 2/4 or something,” says Chang. “Some songs on this new album have been done for two or three years. If the songs feel like me, I've arrived at a song that hits the mark.” Writing lyrics still feels “like a homework assignment at times” Chang says of his process, and he admits that he has to write on a real piano (as keyboards do not inspire him). “It’s physical for me,” he says. “I like finding voicings and changes, whether that comes with the melody, or the melody comes later.”

Carpenters: The Musical Legacy

There’s plenty of fascinating information to glean from Myer’s oral history examination of the evolution of the rock concert business, from the wild west ‘50s to the corporatized ‘80s. Myers does it with insightful statements from prominent insiders (Seymour Stein, George Wein, Henry Diltz, Marshall Chess, Michael Lang), performers (Ian Anderson, Todd Rundgren, Alice Cooper) and the fans in the stands, with special attention to milestone events such as Woodstock, Altamont and Live Aid.

The Something Corporate and Jack’s Mannequin frontman delivers an engrossing memoir about the challenges and triumphs of his childhood and career, as seen through the lens of his personal connection to three pianos. McMahon not only recounts his grueling efforts to make it as an indie artist, but also how he dealt with––and prerailed over––a bout with leukemia at age 23.

By Mike Cidoni Lennox & Chris May

(hardcover) $35.00

Carpenters: The Musical Legacy

While he was fortunate to get in some writing sessions between the songs for Bublé, he found co-writing situations challenging. “I get how it's great for some people and some personalities, it's just not really for me,” he says. Chang says that he just wanted to make the best music and tried to encourage colleagues to submit music for Bublé’s consideration. “I could have hidden songs from Michael, but it was a ‘lift all boats’ scenario,” he added. “I could have been way more of a dick through those years.”

“We want to approach these artists and historic recordings from different angles than those published previously,” he says. “The @50 and @75 concepts offer a fresh way of telling the stories and allow our authors some leeway in curating the high and low points of a career. We created a list of artists, bands and albums that have anniversaries and birthdays approaching. Our criteria included which are still touring, their popularity overseas, cross-generational appeal and album sales over the course of their careers. We’re also starting to branch away from the anniversary concept, but that’s been a strong starting point for this program.”

By Mike Cidoni Lennox & Chris May

(hardcover) $35.00

“We want to approach these artists and historic recordings from different angles than those published previously,” he says. “The @50 and @75 concepts offer a fresh way of telling the stories and allow our authors some leeway in curating the high and low points of a career. We created a list of artists, bands and albums that have anniversaries and birthdays approaching. Our criteria included which are still touring, their popularity overseas, cross-generational appeal and album sales over the course of their careers. We’re also starting to branch away from the anniversary concept, but that’s been a strong starting point for this program.”

Falling in love with jazz as a youngster himself, Chang is ultimately proud to be part of a conduit to the American Songbook for young people who otherwise might not hear it, referencing times on tour when a child would reference loving “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” that “Michael Bublé wrote.” She'll eventually find out who wrote it, “and then delve into Cole Porter and find Miles Davis,” gushes Chang. “It felt like I was part of a good gateway drug; I was the musical marijuana and eventually people were going to find ecstasy.“

Celebrating Iconic Artists: In September 2022, Motorbooks kicked off their current slate of titles with Elton John @ 75 (by Gillian G. Gaar) and Bowie @ 75 (by Martin Popoff). Their early 2023 titles include Alice Cooper @ 75 (by Gary Graff), Pink Floyd and The Dark Side of the Moon (by Martin Popoff), and AC/DC @ 50 (by Martin Popoff). Coming this fall are Ozzy @ 75 (by Daniel Bukszpan), KISS @ 50 (by Martin Popoff) and The Who and Quadrophenia (by Martin Popoff). Also in 2023, Motorbooks will be marking the 75th anniversary of the LP with a broad, illustrated history.

The story of one of the most enduring and endeared recording artists in history—the Carpenters—is told for the first time from the perspective of Richard Carpenter, through more than 100 hours of exclusive interviews and some 200 photographs from the artist’s personal archive. This nicely illustrated book takes you through the multimillion-selling, Grammy-winning duo’s formative years right up through their 1970s stardom and Karen’s unfortunate end.

Contact Motorbooks, 612-344-8186

Contact Hunter Scott - Trend PR, hunter@trendpr.com

Experience Alan Chang at music.trendpr.com/alanchang

Contact Motorbooks, 612-344-8186

The story of one of the most enduring and endeared recording artists in history—the Carpenters—is told for the first time from the perspective of Richard Carpenter, through more than 100 hours of exclusive interviews and some 200 photographs from the artist’s personal archive. This nicely illustrated book takes you through the multimillion-selling, Grammy-winning duo’s formative years right up through their 1970s stardom and Karen’s unfortunate end.

Celebrating Iconic Artists: In September 2022, Motorbooks kicked off their current slate of titles with Elton John @ 75 (by Gillian G. Gaar) and Bowie @ 75 (by Martin Popoff). Their early 2023 titles include Alice Cooper @ 75 (by Gary Graff), Pink Floyd and The Dark Side of the Moon (by Martin Popoff), and AC/DC @ 50 (by Martin Popoff). Coming this fall are Ozzy @ 75 (by Daniel Bukszpan), KISS @ 50 (by Martin Popoff) and The Who and Quadrophenia (by Martin Popoff). Also in 2023, Motorbooks will be marking the 75th anniversary of the LP with a broad, illustrated history.

Debut solo album Check Please drops this September as a collection of jazzy pop songs featuring Pino Palladino on bass and Dave Koz on saxophone. Lead single, “Love As A Weapon,” is out now.

Drops

Grammy- and Oscar-winning rockstar Melissa Etheridge will debut her Melissa Etheridge: My Window in a nine-week Broadway residency at the Circle in the Square Theatre beginning Sept. 14, with an official opening night of Sept. 28. Tickets are on sale at Telecharge.com. The show is produced by Michael Cohl and EMC Presents, in association with Larry Mestel, Deborah Klein, and Steven Greener for Primary Wave Music. Glenn Orsher is Executive Producer. Melissa Etheridge: My Window is written by Melissa Etheridge, with additional material by Linda Wallem-Etheridge (Nurse Jackie showrunner, That ‘70s Show), and directed by Amy Tinkham. Get more info at melissaetheridge.com/mywindow

Rhiannon Giddens

For the first time and for one night only, fans can see Odesza: The Last Goodbye Cinematic Experience―an immersive concert film―on July 7 in cinemas worldwide. The film provides an intimate look into the process of creating the group’s record-setting return to the stage with The Last Goodbye Tour with visuals and pyrotechnics, behind-the-scenes content and personal interviews with the group’s Harrison Mills and Clayton Knight, their creative team members, and fans over the past 10 years. Interviews are woven in with footage from one of the band’s hometown shows in Seattle as well as their 2022 national tour. Contact Josh Page at jpage@shorefire.com for more information.

The debut album of singer, songwriter, producer, filmmaker and actor Kaelen Ohm, who performs under the musical moniker AMAARA and stars in the Netflix original series Hit and Run, dropped July 7 via Lady Moon Records. Child of Venus is the first full-length release from the musical project, which has also released a single and video, “New Love’s Mortal Coil.” Learn more by contacting Sarah Avrin at sarah.avrin@charmschoolmedia.com.

On June 30, Nadya Tolokonnikova, founding member of Russian feminist protest and performance art group Pussy Riot, took over Santa Fe art center CONTAINER with a 5,000-square-foot immersive art exhibition, “This Art is a Hammer that Shapes Reality.” The exhibit includes Tolokonnikova’s conceptual artworks, prison artifacts and the New Mexico premiere of her first short film and original musical score, Putin’s Ashes. The art film was created after August 2022 when Pussy Riot burned a giant portrait of the Russian leader and collected the ashes into vials to be used in artwork―which resulted in Tolokonnikova being placed on Putin’s Most Wanted list and an arrest warrant under the Russian “Pussy Riot Law.” Contact Inge Colsen at inge@goldatl.as.

A new six-part docuseries, Breaking Beyond, follows world-class breakers including Junior, Neguin and Shigekix from the Red Bull BC One family (Red Bull’s annual B-Boy competition) to explore the roots of breakdancing and hip hop cultures around the world. Each episode features breakers in a different location across the globe.

The first episode depicts B-Boy Junior introducing Shigekix to his birth city Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo where they explore the areas traditions, markets and culture. Watch the series on Red Bull TV, Insight TV, INFAST in North America, and INULTRA worldwide.

Composer and multi-instrumentalist Chuck Johnson has released the original soundtrack for the true crime HBO docuseries Burden Of Proof via All Saints. The album was released digitally and in a special silver vinyl edition on

June 30, featuring Johnson’s work combining electronic influences, chamber music and pedal steel guitar. The show, directed by Cynthia Hill, debuted on June 6. For further details, contact Tim Wilson at unsunghunger@gmail.com.

Following the season one finale of Paramount+ original series Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies, Capitol Records has released the original soundtrack including 30 original songs created for the series. It also includes a modern take on the iconic song from the 1978 classic musical, “Grease is the Word,” which was written by Barry Gibb and performed by Frankie Valli. Executive music producer and Grammynominated songwriter Justin Tranter helmed the music and soundtrack. Contact kristen.kanopka@umusic.com.

Opps

Nintendo is bringing its live fan event to the U.S. for the first time this year and will be held Sept. 1-4 in Seattle alongside PAX West. Attendees can expect themed concerts, game tournaments, as well as hands-on sessions with emerging video games, panels with industry professionals and more. Register and learn more at nintendo.com/nintendo-live.

Sync Con, one of the nation’s top music for media conferences, will be held Dec. 1-3 in Hollywood. Participants will be able to network and attend educational panels with the leading music creatives and decisionmakers in film, television, video games, and advertising. For tickets and more information, visit synccon.com.

Head to Atlanta Aug. 17-20 this year for the Southern Soul Radio, Music and Film Conference. This event will include educational workshops, networking opportunities, vendors, artist showcasing, a formal Awards Dinner honoring the top industry professionals and more. Register and find additional information at southernsoulradiomusicconference.com.

The Guild of Music Supervisors’ 9th Annual State of Music in Media Conference will be held virtually and in person at the Los Angeles Film School on Aug. 19 this year. The

Grammy-winning musician Rhiannon Giddens’ and Emmy- and Grammy-nominated composer Michael Abels’ opera, Omar, has received the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for Music. Their compositions were inspired by the 1831 autobiography (the only known surviving American slavery narrative written in Arabic) of Omar Ibn Said, a scholar living in West Africa who was captured and forced aboard a ship bound for Charleston, South Carolina. Giddens, founding member of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, wrote the libretto based on Said’s autobiography and recorded self-accompanied demos that Abels (Get Out, Us, Nope) then scored. The opera features a multicultural array of musical styles including Islamic, bluegrass, spirituals and Americana. Omar was co-produced by Spoleto Festival USA, Carolina Performing Arts at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Detroit Opera. Contact Ray Costa at rcosta@costacomm.com.

Out Take

Sandro Morales-Santoro Composer

Web: sandromorales.com

Contact: kate.twilley@impact24pr.com

Most Recent: Kold x Windy, Restaurants at the Edge of the World event will feature networking opportunities, educational panels, live musical performances and one-on-one mentoring sessions for aspiring music supervisors. Learn more at gmsmediaconference.com.

Props

Composer Christopher Lennertz was named a BMI Icon this year at the 39th Annual BMI Film, TV and Visual Media Awards. The Grammywinning (Street Signs) and two-time Emmynominated (The Boys, Supernatural) composer received BMI’s highest honor for his significant contributions to music and body of work across film, television and gaming, joining the likes of Terence Blanchard, Alexandre Desplat, James Newton Howard, Alan Silvestri, Brian Tyler, John Williams and others among the list of BMI Icons. Lennertz is also known for serving on the board of Education Through Music-Los Angeles and Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, as well as Hands Together Haiti. He also launched the Symphony of Hope project, a collaboration of more than 25 leading film and TV composers and dozens of award-winning musicians and vocalists dedicated to rallying the film music community to support Haiti following the 2010 earthquake. Contact Ray Costa at rcosta@ costacomm.com.

The 40th Annual ASCAP Pop Music Awards once again recognized songwriters and publishers of the most performed songs of the past year based on data from radio and streaming services. “Stay,” the chart-topping hit performed by The Kid LAROI and ASCAP member Justin Bieber, who co-wrote the song, won ASCAP Pop Music Song of the Year. Radio airplay and streams for hit songs including “Big Energy” (Latto), “Need to Know” (Doja Cat) and “Super Freaky Girl” (Nicki Minaj) earned producer Dr. Luke the honor of ASCAP Pop Music Songwriter of the Year.

Sony Music Publishing received ASCAP Pop Music Publisher of the Year for the eighth time, for a year that included songs such as “Break My Soul” (Beyoncé), “Hrs and Hrs” (Muni Long), “One Right Now” (Post Malone and The Weeknd), “Numb Little Bug” (Em Beihold), “23” (Sam Hunt) and more. Contact Kelly MacGaunn at kelly@bobbimarcuspr. com for more information.

JESSICA PACE is a music journalist-turnednews-reporter based in Durango, CO. She is from Nashville, where she started a writing career by freelancing for publications including American Songwriter and Music Connection. Contact her at j.marie.pace@gmail.com.

Sandro Morales-Santoro is an awardwinning composer as well as a part of the executive committee of the Composers Diversity Collective to help connect composers of color with opportunities to advance their careers. He recently worked on WeTV’s Kold x Windy, pulling inspiration from hip-hop and drill music, and National Geographic/Disney+’s Restaurants at the Edge of The World, his second collaboration with co-composer David Benjamin Steinberg and director Jeremy Simmons. His musical background includes popular and folk influences from his native Venezuela, an education in classical music, as well as interests in jazz and electronic music. “When I started as a composer in L.A., I was afraid of bringing too much of my cultural background into my music,” he says. “There have been a few times when I was interviewing for a composing job, and they said, ‘So all you can write is Latin music?’ I wanted to prove I could do music that wasn’t necessarily representative of where I come from, and when you start out, you’re trying to just imitate what the greats are doing. With time, I’ve learned to accept and embrace who I am, not care so much and try to bring those elements into my music.”

Morales-Santoro says he loves the challenge of working on a variety of different projects, from animated film to documentaries. “The work is unexpected. I constantly need to evolve my sound, learn new instruments, new sound libraries. Having to face that and figuring out how to define a project’s concept through music, work with the director―I love those challenges.”

Morales-Santoro advises aspiring composers to remember the old adage: “It’s a marathon, not a sprint. In the beginning, I always felt in a rush, worried about things happening fast enough, but you have to take it one step at a time,” he says. “You have to network, you have to work on your craft, and then you have to work on your voice, which is what sets you apart from the rest and makes people interested in hiring you over someone else.”

Deninzon Joins Kansas

Violinist-guitarist Joe Deninzon has joined rock band Kansas, replacing the departing David Ragsdale. Deninzon has been hailed as “The Jimi Hendrix of the Violin,” because of his innovative style on the Viper seven-string electric violin. Joe is the lead singer and violinist for the prog-rock band, Stratospheerius, and is currently on the Kansas 50th Anniversary Tour Another Fork in the Road.

Keith Gets Luck E

Singer, songwriter, and country legend Toby Keith has acquired Luck E Strike, a bait and tackle brand name ingrained with top tier anglers as well as weekend recreationalists. "I know a bunch of pro anglers and they're all telling me if I can get them the stuff, they'll fish with it," Keith says.

Kylie Morgan At Tortuga Fest

Each year Tortuga Music Festival at Fort Lauderdale Beach, FL raises funds and promotes awareness, supporting marine conservation and research, raising almost $4 million for the cause to date. Along with the headliners Eric Church, Shania Twain, Kenny Chesney and Wiz Khalifa, up-and-coming artists performed, including Kylie Morgan, pictured.

BACKLINE TAKE.CARE WELLNESS KITS

The music industry’s mental health and wellness resource Backline and not-forprofit Conscious Alliance continue their joint initiative to support touring musicians and crew members. Take.Care Wellness Kits provide wellness products and mental health resources designed specifically for life on the road.

Impossible Situation Jam

Every Sunday the VFW hosts The Impossible Situation Jam, an outdoor open mic jam in Granada Hills, CA. Run by band leader and bassist, Harel Simon, all styles of music are welcomed. Producer-songwriter Guy Marshall and drummer Lenny Bent recently dropped by to jam with the band.

GOBLYNNE (NÉ MOLLY KIRSCHENBAUM)

L.A. indie musician and touring bassist for Claud, Goblynne (they/ them) has recently dropped the single “Where This Goes.” The night of the release, they celebrated with a performance at Zebulon in Los Angeles.

Stewart And Salvatore

Candace Stewart of East West Studios and Paula Salvatore of Universal Music Group recently hosted a panel discussion at CRAS’ Gilbert, AZ campus on the state of the industry and to inspire students who are about to graduate and start their careers. “My advice to the students is to listen to their teachers and learn not only the technical skills required in order to become a successful audio engineer but to also pay attention to the social skills required.”

Tidbits From Our Tattered Past

In Music Connection’s cover story on DEVO, who’d just moved from Warner to indie label Enigma, bandmember Gerald V. Casale gave his take on the music biz: “If you sell a lot of records, everyone thinks you’re great. But they’ll say it’s your fault when sales slack off. It’s just the way society works. A rich eccentric is an eccentric; a poor eccentric is a pervert.” Elsewhere in the issue you’ll find concert reviews of The Ramones, AC/DC.

2003–Peaches–#6

This issue’s cover story artist did not waste words when stating her career objective. “I’m not trying to be like a guy,” Peaches explained. “I just want to prove that all this energy doesn’t have to come from a guy, and a girl doesn’t have to look like some fake Barbie girl to rock out.” Elsewhere in the issue we profile producer Dusty Wakeman (Dwight Yoakam, Meat Puppets) and singer-songwriter Rachael Yamagata.

he story behind how the spotlight fell on Milky Chance is as unique as the duo’s music itself. First meeting at school in Kassel, Germany, the pair got along like Pilsner and schnitzel. Clemens Rehbein (vocals, guitars) and Philipp Dausch (percussion, bass) soon became members of jazz quintet Flown Tones. After that outfit called it quits, Rehbein and Dausch decided their artistic chemistry merited further exploration.

Just for fun, the two began recording songs independently. They eventually uploaded their creations onto YouTube and SoundCloud, where the unknown players developed an instant and unexpected following. This development was particularly surprising considering the act’s left-ofcenter creative perspective. Incorporating elements of disparate genres such as electronica, folk, and reggae into their sound, Milky Chance’s concoctions are as confounding as they are catchy and effervescent. Their video for first single “Stolen Dance” subsequently earned millions of views and garnered accolades from the press. The song topped the charts throughout Europe during 2013.

Fast forward to today. The unlikely stars continue to rack up listens on Spotify. Their fame stretches around the globe, from the European Union to Mexico, Australia and beyond. By way of expanding their sound, Rehbein and Dausch added Antonio Greger and Sebastian Schmidt to the mix. Happily, these new additions are also friends from the same school where they met.

Milky Chance just released a fourth album, Living In a Haze. Featuring guest appearances by Canadian vocalist Charlotte Cardin and Malian musician Fatoumata Diawara, the disc is brimming with idiosyncratic lyrics over gently burbling beats that are both strange and oddly familiar. Every track works its way slowly into your subconscious. Like a lightning bolt from out of nowhere, there comes the sudden realization you’re hooked.

Lead singer Rehbein opened up with Music Connection at the start of the band’s most ambitious tour ever. The moment was also shortly before the new disc dropped, infusing the chat with undeniable electricity. Throughout the conversation, Rehbein’s amiable personality shone through, and his candid demeanor shed light on exactly what it means to spearhead a musical phenomenon the entire globe is clamoring over.

Music Connection: Congratulations on the release of your new album. You must be excited for people to hear it. Does it ever get less thrilling? What’s different about releasing an album this time around?

Clemens Rehbein: We know the situation, because it is our fourth album. But we still have the thrill. It’s always exciting to share new music with people. Every album means a lot to us and so does this one. It’s always lovely to see the fans’ reactions to new music. That always makes us really happy and grateful.

MC: Were you surprised by the positive reaction you got early in your career, especially from the press?

Rehbein: During that time, a lot of things happened. It was only years later that we realized what really happened and what all that means. In the early years, we were overwhelmed from time to time. It’s easier in retrospect to understand what happened to us, you know?

MC: It’s got to take a bit of adjusting.

Rehbein: Yeah, definitely. It was kind of crazy, because in the beginning we didn’t have any vision or ideas of being a band. We were just recording these songs for fun. It got big very quick, so we had to grow with it. But right now, we feel like we are in a good state. Over the years, we went our path and found our identity as a band.

MC: As Germans, why did you decide to sing in English?

Rehbein: That wasn’t even a decision, actually. I think mainly it was because 95% of the music we listened to was English. When you listen to English music and songs, you learn what people say, how you can say things in songs and all that. It’s the same with language. If you’re surrounded by Spanish, you’ll probably learn to speak Spanish.

But also, I felt like it’s easier to write in English. It sounds way better. German is a tough language to write lyrics, even poetry. It sounds harsh sometimes. English is way more soft. It’s probably one of the most used languages in music. That was just the way to do it for us. It felt natural somehow.

MC: English lyrics are probably more marketable than German lyrics.

Rehbein: Of course. It makes it way easier.

MC: When you write, do you start with lyrics or beats? And how do you bring them together?

Rehbein: It can change from song to song, but mainly we start with the music. Then, the lyrics come right with it. Most of the time when we meet in the studio, we either have an idea of something, whether it’s a chord progression, a rhythm, a melody or something like that. And then we start jamming a bit. When we’re trying to find melodies and all that, we start mumbling. Not actual words, but then there’s words coming. And within that process, you maybe find one line or sentence and go from there. Then it all happens at the same time. Sometimes, we build a beat. We play with the guitar while singing some fancy words and the lyrics come out. With one song on the new album, “Golden,” Philipp had a lyric, so we started with that. But then also we went from there and started with the music right away.

MC: When you’re writing, do you think about synchronization possibilities? Can you write a song to get placed in a movie or a commercial?

Rehbein: I don’t think so. We never have anything in mind except the music itself. We’re driven by being in the moment. We work intuitively, so whatever comes out, whatever feels right, is what we go for. We never go into the studio and say, “Maybe we should write a song about this and it should to get an idea of it. But also nowadays, I feel like genres are not as clear and strong as back in the day. Boundaries are really fading, in a positive way. I love that.

It is like a mixture between analog and digital music. That’s what we always say. It’s influenced by many genres, like folk music, singer-songwriter and reggae music, music that you don’t program. But we’re also deeply influenced by electronic music and all that. And we’re always trying to merge that together somehow. We love that, moving between analog and digital.

It’s also something that we’re coming from, because the internet came up when we were 10 or something. We were born in more of an analog century and then moved into the new digital age. And we feel at home with both of these. I think you can hear that in our music.

MC: Yeah, genres should be mixed. How did the pandemic affect the band? It didn’t seem to slow you down any. You recorded plenty during that time.

Rehbein: For us, it actually was good somehow. Talking from a privileged position, we didn’t have any financial struggles or anything like that. That is very lucky. And we kind of took a break that we probably wouldn’t have taken. Creatively, it was good for us, because we had time to calm down and go to the studio daily. We really dived can change society in ways we don’t even know about yet or that we cannot imagine right now. I think there are going to be potentially so many jobs replaced by AI. It feels like there will be such a big step in that technology that we, as human beings, really have to roll with it. Everybody’s trying out what AI can do. To me, it is frightening and also mind-blowing. It will open a lot of discussions on many levels, social and ethical. What do you think about it?

MC: I think it has a place in creativity. Art that’s created by AI is just as legitimate as art created by humans. But it’s going to create confusion to where nobody knows what’s real anymore.

Rehbein: It’s a dangerous thing. If you look back in history, people have always used inventions in the wrong way. And I think you can use AI as a weapon on many levels. That frightens me. It’s more about how people deal with it, not the technology itself. Because you could do great things with it, really use it as a tool to fix things. But this is not how the world is, unfortunately. There will be people misusing it, probably.

MC: Tell us about your Milky Change initiative. How are you working to create less of a carbon footprint?

Rehbein: It’s not only about reducing our sound like that.” We just see what takes us.

MC: Your music has all kinds of influences. One that people often mention is reggae. Do you agree that’s part of your musical DNA?

Rehbein: That’s definitely one part of our DNA. We love to listen to reggae music. Right now, I’m listening to lots of roots reggae, like in the last few weeks. Not more than other genres, I would say. We just love music in general. We listen to so many different kinds of music and love getting inspired by it. I think that’s what music is about. We never felt like going in just one direction. There is so much out there, and you want to let it in and do something with that. And I think that’s beautiful. There are so many genres coming from different countries. It connects us in a good way. So, we’re influenced by many different styles. But also reggae.

MC: What would you classify your music as?

Rehbein: We would probably never put it anywhere. Genres help to describe a little bit, into the creative process and creating music. Without having any schedule or touring plans felt freeing for us. That was helpful, to be creative and try new things. It brought us to where we are now.

MC: What about virtual reality? Are you interested in using that? Are there other ways you want to use technology to enhance the Milky Chance experience?

Rehbein: That’s an interesting question. I’m not that into VR. Our music is influenced by studio technology. But besides that, we are very analog dudes. We love doing things with our hands, like craftsmanship. Of course, we do socials and stuff like that, but we’re not very much into [technology].

MC: Have you been following what’s going on with AI? Do you worry about that?

Rehbein: We’ve discussed that a lot within the band. We’ve had several discussions about AI technology and how it will or footprint, which is hard to do on tour. That is something we had to learn. First, it’s about putting the topic on the agenda and having a dialogue with other people working in the environmental area. For us, it’s just using our platform to inform about the issues. And of course, we’re trying to make steps, but we also limit it in a way, especially when we’re talking about going on tour. But we’re trying to do better and do things differently. It’s all about making progress.

MC: You’ve got someone spearheading your strategy for being environmentally conscious.

Rehbein: Yeah, it was the end of 2019 when we hired a new member on our team. Since then, she’s been our sustainability manager. In the beginning, it was a lot of analyzing. Like, if we want to reduce our footprint, first we have to know how it works. If we look at one show, what is creating the footprint? The fan travel, our travel, the power supply of the venue... So that was interesting. It was really digging deep into numbers and all of that. And learning from that, trying to adjust where we can.

It’s not easy, especially when you’re touring internationally. There’s no other way to travel than by plane. And there’s no sustainable way of flying. You can buy carbon offsets. That’s a little step, but of course it doesn’t make the carbon footprint better.

MC: What can artists do to make themselves more environmentally conscious?

Rehbein: The most important thing is to speak about it. That’s also something we do. Every artist has its tour rider and we created our green rider. It says no plastic back stage, local organic catering, all that. Also, reaching out to the venues. If they supply electricity, where is it from? Is it a sustainable source, green electricity and all that? Venues probably will not change that fast, but if more and more artists demand it kindly, the whole touring industry will start thinking about it.

We feel like we just joined a community, because we’re not pioneers. There are artists that have been around for 20 years being environmental activists, using their reach and platforms to talk about it. And I think the more we artists do that, we put more and more attention to it. There’s less time [than ever before] to make big steps and we need politics to do that, otherwise it will take forever. So, the most important thing is to speak about it, build a big discussion and amplify.

MC: How do you stay fit on the road? What’s your strategy for staying healthy?

Rehbein: Trying to eat healthy is important. Take a walk outside. Do sports or yoga. Take care of your body, which also is important for your mental health. We’re lucky, because we all know each other from high school. We’re close friends. So, if someone’s not feeling good, we can talk about it. Whatever it is, we talk about it. We have a safe space for us and help each other.

Also, we’ve known our crew for years, so it really is like a big family. It’s very intimate and we’re all close. We know each other well. We’re in this together. We’re like a community and help each other out if things are not easy. I think that also is a big part of it.

MC: Are there times when you get on each other’s nerves during a long tour? How do you work that out?

Rehbein: Not dramatically. If someone needs some space, we all feel that. You can always take a walk or do stuff on your own. I think that’s the way to do it. We never fight or anything. We get along well.

MC: What’s your advice to younger musicians?

• Milky Chance’s song “Down by the River,” off their debut record Sadnecessary, was featured on the soundtrack to the video game FIFA 15.

• Festivals the group has rocked include Lollapalooza, Coachella and Reading & Leeds.

• Young the Giant is opening for them on their current tour, which features stops at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado and Pier 17 in New York City.

• Artists they cite as influences include Ray Charles, The Police, Sublime, Burna Boy, Bob Marley and Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante.

• Awards the group has won include Best Single from 1Live Krone in 2013, Best Album from the European Border Breakers Awards in 2015, and Best National Pop Group from Echo Music Prize in 2018. •

Rehbein: We don’t like giving advice because, though we’re all aiming at the same target, there are individual ways to get there. Sometimes, this feels right for this person. And that is the right thing to do for this person. But for the other person, maybe, it is totally the opposite. There’s not only one way. For example, being successful. What is success? For some people, success means something different than for others.

So, giving advice is hard. But for us, it has always been important to trust our intuition, especially when we make music. The music that we do has to feel good. It has to feel right. It has to be the music that we want to do. We have to feel comfortable with it. Music has been our passion and still is. Creating and making music gives us a good feeling and we always try to keep in that space. Of course, there are people on the outside having opinions and all that. Critics and hearing other people’s opinions can be helpful sometimes. But also trust yourself.

MC: What’s it like trying to break an American audience?

Rehbein: It just happened to us. We were never like, “We want to tour in the U.S. one day.” It was more like, at the end of 2014, we got so much attention that came to us and we just took the opportunity.

Contact Rachel Jacobs - Shore Fire Media, rjacobs@shorefire.com; James RainisShore Fire Media, jrainis@shorefire.com; Milkychance.net