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Interview | Questions & Answers With The Weeklings

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No one can deny there’s such a strong influence of The Beatles on The Weeklings‘ music. Listeners can be transported to the 60s era by listening to their songs, including their last single “In The Moment”. If this sounds interesting you can scroll down to read this exclusive interview with the lead singer of this band!

1 — How has 2018 been treating you all?

2018’s been spectacular. We played a sold-out show in Nashville accompanied by members of the Nashville Symphony Orchestra, along with packed shows in NYC, Chicago as well as the BeatleFest & Abbey Road on the River Beatles conventions. We played Daryl’s House, released some our strongest music yet and have some new tracks coming that are going to blow people’s minds.

2 — When and where did you all first meet each other?

I met Zeek at the Brighton Bar in Long Branch, NJ around 1986 and we instantly started writing songs together. I met Rocky on stage at Beatlefest, playing together. And I saw Smokestack playing on stage at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park and we met soon after.

3 — What’s keeping you inspired or motivated to write new songs together as a band?

Our live shows are really where we excel. Not only are we musically killing it, the energy level is off the charts. It’s a physical, animated, passionate show and by the end of every performance, our audiences are over the top with enthusiasm.

4 — Do you always try to emulate music from the 60s in all your compositions?

We do somewhat. But we also serve the song – follow it’s lead. But the initial ingredients always come from us acting like the 80’s never happened. We try to harken back to around 1965/1966, pop music was slowly morphing away from the polite, clean and glossy to rougher, aggressive rhythms.

5 —What was the creative process like for your new single “In The Moment”?

We took a little figure from an unused Beatles outtake, flipped it around, pissed on it a little and made it own. We kept adding ingredients, which pull the style away from Beatles-pop and closer to Prog (there’s a bit of Yes and Flash in there).

6 — Did you use vintage instruments on this track? Please tell us more.

Smokestack used his 1967 Ludwig black oyster drum kit.

Lefty played his left-handed 1963 Hofner 500/1 and his left-handed Rickenbacker model 4001S into a Vox AC100 head through a Vox T60 cabinet.

Zeek played a 1958 Rickenbacker 325 Capri and a 1964 Epiphone Casino through a 1967 Vox UL730 and a ’63 Vox AC30 Twin amplifier.

Rocky was armed with his early 60s black Gretsch Duo Jet, his ‘63 Gretsch Country Gentleman, his ‘65 Gretsch Tennessean, a ‘57 Les Paul, a ‘66 Gibson SG, a ‘67 Fender Stratocaster and a rosewood Telecaster all pumped through a ’59 Fender Twin, a ’60 Fender Bassman, a ’60 Fender Bandmaster and a ‘62 Fender Dual Showman.
The acoustic guitars included a 1962 Gibson J-160E, a 1931 Martin D-28, a 1937 Gibson J-200 Jumbo and a Framus Hootenanny twelve-string acoustic.

the weeklings band
7 — What do you hope is the message of this tune?

It’s kind of bout being here now. People will tell you what they’re going through and try to distract you into thinking their way, get you worrying about what might or could be going on. But I will always be right here, in the moment with you. It’s sort of a Zen love song, I suppose.

8 – What were some of the challenges for you in filming the lyric video for “In The Moment”?

There were no real challenges. We had our smart phones and we came up a bunch of ways to display the lyrics. If we couldn’t come up with something, we’d make shit up – maybe just graffiti a wall or scratch a line in the sand.

9 — Is it true you’re currently working on a new album?

We are always working on music. The form it takes isn’t necessarily our goal – like, we’re not thinking “concept album” or anything. We still have unreleased songs from our Abbey Road sessions that are gonna blow people’s minds.

10 – Are there any live shows you’re looking to promote?

Sunday, October 21 THE CITY WINERY NYC
Thursday, November 8 THE WEEKLINGS + ORCHESTRA Perform selections from The Beatles White Album and more, celebrating the record’s 50th anniversary and kicking off Monmouth University’s Beatles International Symposium! POLLAK THEATER AT MONMOUTH UNIVERSITY Long Branch, NJ
Saturday, January 26 DARYL’S HOUSE CLUB Pawling, NY


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Hi, my name is Erick Ycaza. I have a BA in Advertising & Graphic Design. This blog is to provide you with daily music news and share my personal style.

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