Take a peek into the conversation I had with the mind behind The Blank Tapes: Matt Adams! Their 13th studio album Look Into The Light is streaming everywhere now. Keep an eye out for their upcoming music video & check them out on tour. With one last U.S. date later this month, The Blank Tapes are heading to Europe/UK! Head over to their website for more information and ticket sales.
Without further ado, learn more about the bands newest album, watch their music video premiere, and more!
Your newest album, Look Into The Light was released in October 2019. As a veteran in the music scene, can you discuss the process in creating this particular album? How would you say it’s differed from any of your past work?
This album was recorded and released relatively quickly compared to my other albums. The 3 longest songs on the album have been live staples of ours for the past 5 years or so (check out our Jam In The Van YouTube videos). I wanted to record the extended solos live with the drums and bass, so it took me a while to get the right band together for the job. A couple of the other songs were done live without a bass player and only one, Pure Evil, was recorded completely by me with my band mate Veronica Bianqui singing back up vocals. The biggest difference was doing the guitar solos live which I haven’t done too many times before this. It’s also more hard rocking than are other albums. Our last release, Super Bloom EP (2019), was kind of a bridge between our “dream pop” Candy album (2018) into more rocking, psychedelic territory.
When it comes to recording an album, which stage do you enjoy the most? The writing and arranging of tracks or the recording process?
I definitely enjoy the writing part the most. Recording is also fun but can be a little stressful making sure you capture the right sounds and performances. That being said, once you get a good take, it’s exciting adding overdubs and bringing the songs to life. From there, it gets just a little less fun for me with mixing and mastering and all that.
Would it be a safe assumption that “Took Too Much” depicts the thought process of taking too much of a particular substance? (If not, please correct my interpretation!) Can you elaborate on this particular track? I really enjoyed the transition that takes place 2:27 minutes into the song — a soft transition that I feel might resemble a really intense high. One minute questioning everything around you and the next you’re just floating.
“Took Too Much” has been around for a few years, originally written at Hickey Fest up in Nor Cal one of the years we played. It was inspired from a line in the movie “Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas” and I just started using that line with some friends as a joke when we were “partying.” The only thing I usually do too much of is weed but sometimes it’s psychedelics or alcohol, but there wasn’t any particular event that inspired it. Glad you like the bridge, I was writing a lot of songs at the time that had time signature shifts which I’m always a fan of.
The names you have working on this album are all so killer! Starr, Bianqui, Sabatino (to only name a few)— how did you get such a group together? What was the process like working with SO many brilliant minds including yourself?
Thanks! I’ve known (Shaughnessy) Starr for a few years now and he’s been drumming with me on and off when he’s able to (check out the Jam In The Van youtube videos). I have a few drummers I play with including Will Halsey (of Sugar Candy Mountain) who played on the last 2 releases as well as various other albums from over the years and Sal Joseph who plays with tons of LA bands and has toured with us lately, but I felt Starr’s rock drumming would be the best suited for these songs. Bianqui has been in my band for the past 5 years touring Europe, Brazil and the US with me many times, and I even produced and played all over her début album which should be coming out next year. I’ve known (Nathan) Sabatino for years as well working on various other band’s recordings with him. He actually lives not far from me in the Joshua Tree area so it was also a matter of convenience. He also worked on our last ’Super Bloom’ EP. That being said, it’s a pleasure working with such talented people.
Where was the album recorded?
Half of it was recorded at Skylab in Joshua Tree by Tommy Dietrick (formerly of Brian Jonestown Massacre) with me recording all the overdubs at my house near Joshua Tree and a little in LA. The other half was recorded at Moosecat in LA by Mike Post.
Who created the artwork for the album? I’ve personally never worked on an album but I can imagine the artwork process to be a very important one. How would you describe the process of creating album cover in your experience?
I drew the album art as well as most of all of my other album covers and posters. It’s always been important for me to have the music and art seem as cohesive as possible and be a reflection of one another. It’s also always been a challenge not repeating myself whether it be a making a drawing, collage or photograph. Aside from music, my main gig is drawing posters, album cover and logos for various bands, promoters and companies including clients such as the Grateful Dead & FolkYeah presents. Check out my art Instagram @mattjadamsart
If you had to pick one of your favorite tracks off this album, which would it be and why?
Hard to say, but I’m pretty proud of the song “Death” and all the different parts and chord changes. There’s some interesting stuff happening for anyone who knows their music theory. I don’t usually sing like that either (same with the song “Ride On”) so I was really pushing my limits as a vocalist.
You’ve been on tour since mid October of this year promoting the album, how’s tour been so far? Any extremely eventful nights so far?
The “tour” has actually been a lot of mini tours and one offs which has been interesting for me. Like flying to Florida with my band to headline Bumblefest, then flying to Toronto to play Night Owl Fest, and then doing a bunch of shows in New Mexico and Texas all the while playing gigs and doing an art show in California. They’ve all been eventful, but Florida was the most fun for us because we were headlining the fest and I haven’t spent much time in Florida. We’re also leaving for tour in Europe and the UK on November 26th and then we’re touring the Bay Area and NW in the new year.
Talk about the video recording/editing process.
It was shot and edited by another one of my high desert neighbors Marina Fini of the Rainbow Bath House, check her art out! We had a good time shooting the video in Marina’s amazing house and in her yard with some friends from Arizona. One of my trippiest videos yet for sure.
For any up and coming bands out there, do you have any words of advice fo them?
Words of advice; do it because you love it and you can’t live without it.
Thank you very much again for being interested in carrying this interview! I truly appreciate your time! Do you have any last words? Care to plug any tour dates?
Thank you! Last words; I have at least 5 new albums in the works and a ton of other songs to record so don’t expect me to slow down anytime soon. No Orange County shows are booked just yet but we’re in the process of booking something so keep an eye out. On a side note, I’m from Newport Beach & Costa Mesa and went to art school in Laguna so it’s nice doing an interview for an O.C. Mag!
Upcoming Tour Dates:
11/23 – Los Angeles, CA Bootleg (record release)
Europe/UK
29 Nov – Gastfeld, Bremen DE
30 Nov – Merlin, Stuttgart DE
1 Dec – Tap Tab, Schaffhaussen CH
3 Dec – Sabotage, Lisboa PT
4 Dec – Purple Weekend, Leon SP
5 Dec – Lata De Bombillas, Zaragoza SP
6 Dec – Sala Upload, Barcelona SP
7 Dec – Les Pavillons Sauvages, Toulouse FR
8 Dec – Le Molotov, Marseille FR
10 Dec – Espace B, Paris FR
11 Dec – The Hope And Ruin, Brighton UK
12 Dec – The Tin, Coventry UK
13 Dec – Flying Duck, Glasgow UK
14 Dec – Night N Day, Manchester UK
15 Dec – Sound Basement, Liverpool UK
16 Dec – Windmill Brixton, London UK
12/20 – 29 Palm Inn, Twentynine Palms, CA (solo)
NW Jan/Feb 2020 tour details coming soon…
