Page 31 - ION Indie Magazine SeptOct 2021 Issue

KP: The pandemic has really impacted artists. How did
The Out kept their music alive during such a difficult
time in this industry?

Ace: It was tough. Bob had just joined the band and he was
still learning the songs. We didn’t practice for a couple
months, but we had Skype meetings once a week where
there might be some Jameson, and we would just check in
on each other, talk about the band, and show ideas for new
songs. We sent home recordings to each other through
Google Drive to try to keep the juices flowing. When we did
start practicing in the room together, we all wore masks right
up until we all got vaccinated. It left us in a bit of a quandary
because we had just gotten the album mastered by Brian
Lucey and we were so excited, only to have to sit on it until
we could play shows to promote it.

Adam: I think the industry as a whole took a hit. We took
about a three-month break and would utilize Zoom to have
band meetings and share bits and pieces of songs back and
forth through our Drive. We were able to get back to normally
practicing after we were vaccinated. We are a little under
halfway through writing the next album.

Tim: The time off was helpful for me as I had to pivot from
playing bass to playing guitar and keys. This meant acquiring
gear, relearning parts written in the studio, and teaching Bob
the bass parts. By the time we were able to be in the same
room, we hit the ground running. I knew that once restrictions
were lifted, it would be obvious what bands kept grinding and
who got complacent. Under no circumstances was I willing
to let us be one of those complacent bands. Once we were
able to get back together, we focused on what we could
control and made forward progress.

Bob: I was new to the band when COVID hit. On one hand,
I was afforded an opportunity to learn the songs. But on the
other hand, I was learning them without context of the other
instruments. When we did start to practice in person, I knew
the tunes but had to lock in with Adam. Along the way, we
did have some Zoom calls to talk about music and to feel like
a band. That helped me learn about my new buddies.

KP: What was the worst piece of advice you’ve been
given regarding your music career? The best advice?

Ace: The best advice was honestly just probably myself
coming to the realization that I need to make music that I like,
and to do musically what makes me happy. The worst
advice… ‘Hey, you should sign up with this (insert random
animal name) production company. It’s good exposure.”

Adam: I mean, I’ve been told I'm wasting my time and to give
up, but who hasn’t? You just kind of filter out the bad and
keep the good, even if there isn’t anything that comes to
mind particularly in the realm of good advice.