On March 29th, Nightmarathons released their debut LP, Missing Parts, via A-F Records and it’s good, real good. We sat down and chatted with the guys about the new album, the recording process, and bands who inspire them. I also took a page out of Ty’s book (and out of his most recent interview with Cabana Wear) and asked them to play a round of Song Title Q&A Roulette with me!
Interview
This is the band’s debut LP and first release since your EP in 2017. Could you speak to the writing and recording process this time around?
Corey: We wrote a bunch of songs. Some together. Some by ourselves. We got #2 to agree to record it. We had a real good time. Boom. Missing Parts.
Chris: Wrote over late 2017 into 2018, recorded with Chris “#2” Barker.
Stowe: This is kind of the first thing we’ve done where I think we created most of these songs as a group. And then also #2 brought in a lot of notes and ideas that really forced us to dig into the tiny, tiny details of every song.
The new album is being released on A-F Records. Stowe works for A-F Records. You’re putting out a whole new slew of bands’ albums. What’s going on over at A-F Records?!?!
Stowe: Well, mostly what happens is bands email me their record and then if I like it I turn that into pieces of wax that I assume people play on record players. It’s pretty easy work, send some emails, make some records, put ’em in the mail. I’m super lucky to have so much awesome music thrown at me constantly.
What do you hope the listeners take from the new album?
Corey: It is hard to answer this when you have no expectations. It’s also hard to not sound like some sort of arrogant jerk when you say you have no expectations. So it’s a real conundrum.
Chris: A fun listen. Hopefully a few favorites of their own to go back to and interpret to their own lives and situations.
Stowe: I just hope it’s the kind of record that grows on you and that people take with them for a long time. I hope this record finds someone at a point in their life that resonates with them like No Division (Hot Water Music) resonated with me when I heard it for the first time.
Sum up the new album in five words or less.
Corey: There is no God, buddy!
Chris: Hopefully you’re gonna like it!
Stowe: Be sad, but have fun!
Can you please name a few active bands who are currently inspiring you?
Corey: Dead Bars. Western Settings. Two Houses. Signals Midwest. Remainders (only sort of kidding).
Chris: Racquet Club was inspiring to me on a tone and mood level I guess, although our songs don’t really resemble that. Another inspiration that was active up until recently was Great Apes.
Stowe: Dead Bars and Western Settings for me, too. Spanish Love Songs, Direct Hit, Phoebe Bridgers, Kali Masi.
For this next part, one of our contribs recently tried this. He used the song titles off the album to come up with a ‘lightening round’ of questions about whatever first comes to the writer’s mind. I hope you think it’s fun! I figured it was nice to mix it up a little and do something different:
“Waiting Room” – Which wait is worse – the DMV or the doctor’s office?
Corey: The DMV in downtown is pretty cool because its always empty every time I go. They doctor is just going to tell you everything you are doing is wrong and you are going to die. Answer – doctor’s office
Chris: Doctor’s Office. DMV might have better characters to people watch.
Stowe: Doctor for sure. Just the smell of a doctor’s office makes me feel like I need to crawl out of my skin.
“Comeback” – Someone comes up to you and tells you your band sucks. What’s your best comeback?
Corey: High five, brah. You’re probably right.
Chris: I call bullshit!
Stowe: Cool move!
“Reset” – Are you someone who hits snooze after your alarm goes off? If so, how many times before you get up?
Corey: Never. I face my fears head on.
Chris: Two hits every time.
Stowe: Nah, I always wake up ten minutes before my alarm. I rarely ever hear that thing.
“ Warning Signs” – What is the worst law-breaking thing you’ve done while on tour?
Corey: Barfing in a urinal?
Chris: Well, I lost my temper and I took a knife and I uh… do you know those “Do Not Remove Under the Penalty of Law” labels they put on mattresses? Well, I cut one of them off!
Stowe: I’m so lame. I can think of literally nothing. I guess I swam in a hotel pool one time after it was closed. How badass is that!?!??
“ Closer” – What is one goal that you are closer to as either a band or as a person? Your pick?
Corey: Human Pyramid.
Chris: A long way to go but closer to being happy in my own skin?
Stowe: I’m personally always trying to let go things I can’t control. I think I’m a lot closer to that than I used to be but I still have a long fucking way to go.
“ Estimate” – How many jelly beans are in this jar?
Corey: 69
Chris: None! That’s a picture!
Stowe: 420
“Cull Your Heart” – What do you think Macaulay Culkin is doing right now?
Corey: Probably hanging at Taco Bell. Baja Blast is one hell of a drug.
Chris: Counting that Home Alone 2 money and guest cameos on YouTube stuff.
Stowe: I assume he has a replica of that tree house from The Good Son that he hangs in and plots his revenge, etc.
“Simple” – I wore velcro shoes for waaaay longer than I should have because I was scared to learn how to tie laces. What is one thing that you did or habit you kept for longer than you should have in fear of learning something else simple?
Corey: Living my life squinting constantly because I didn’t want to go to the eye doctor and be someone who was responsible for wearing glasses.
Chris: Probably a ton of computer habits that have simple clicks and commands.
Stowe: I chewed tobacco for way longer than any not gross human should… I still kinda do. I know, it’s gross!
“Honor System” – What’s the worst lie you ever told?
Corey: Sure, I’d love to do this interview.
Chris: I can play bass.
Stowe: …
“Watered Down” – What is your favorite mixer?
Corey: Vanilla Orange Coke. SAID NO ONE EVER! WHY?!
Chris: KitchenAid Artisan Design Series 5-Qt.
Stowe: Seltzer
“ Cemetery Road” – Do you believe in ghosts? Or aliens?
Corey: Well, everyone knows the modern man that we know today was created thousands of years ago when extraterrestrials stepped in and genetically modified primates to mine gold for them.
Chris: Both! Always wanted to see or record sounds of a ghost or something. Saw a few UFOs, no aliens.
Stowe: Aliens for sure but not ghosts, I’m gonna need one to show up and be like “here I am!” before I buy that shit.
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