Now Endeavor‘s energetic Indie Pop visuals are very popular on YouTube. I talked with Pete and Thom to know more about their great music project. Recently, the “You Know Me” clip finds them on the road, driving blithely through a world of peril, and staying as optimistic as possible in challenging times. Scroll down and read this interview!
1 –When did you start writing and composing songs together?
Thom: The first song we wrote together was AC’s “Not Working Right”. I had just parted with a band I was in, and I wanted to do a solo project. I wrote a tune, and I always give my tunes prototype names, which happened to be AC’s “Not Working Right” that time! I was having a hard time writing a vocal melody and lyrics, so I brought it to Pete. He said, “Oh this is awesome!” He came back with a vocal melody and lyrics about a date going horribly, and on top of that, the AC is not working right! I thought why don’t we write more songs?
Just Pete: The exact date escapes me, but Thom is right. Our first song together was AC’s “Not Working Right”.
2 – How have you tried to remain active artistically while in quarantine?
Thom: I’ve been trying to write a ton of songs about random things. I once told a bandmate that I could write a song about anything! Even when I’m not feeling it, I’ll write a super simple song. When I have all of those ideas recorded, I find I can reuse them later and mix the old ideas into new ones. If the idea I came up with is trash, it can stay buried!
Just Pete: It’s easier now. More time to myself to create whenever I want. We’re experiencing unprecedented events which makes way for unprecedented art.
3 –Which singers or bands inspire you to create music?
Thom: That really changes from time to time. I can tell you that recently I wrote three different songs that were inspired by Sufjan Stevens, Phil Collins, and James Taylor. I honestly just go down my playlist on Spotify and say “I like what he/she/they did there.” I learn to play a few of an artist’s songs, and then it feels like you absorb their technique and style. Then you can incorporate the pieces of their style you like into your writing. It’s like…when Kirby inhales someone and gets a power haha. Once I send it to Pete, it takes a whole new direction.
Just Pete: I like Donell Jones, Trey Songz, Michael Jackson and a bunch of others that would take too long to mention.
4 – What is the indie music scene like in Detroit?
Thom: I’ve actually been living in California for a few years, so Pete might know a bit more. When I was younger I played at a lot of music venues Downriver. It’s kind of hard to explain what Downriver is if you aren’t from Southeast Michigan, but it’s more or less a region south of Detroit extending toward Ohio. A lot of the places I used to play at are closed now. The Modern Exchange was where I played my first show. It’s not around anymore.
Just Pete: El Club in Detroit and the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor are some hot spots for Indie music. The indie music scene in Detroit has always been strong. Remember House music has strong roots here too.
5 – Which is your favorite place to perform music?
Thom: We haven’t played a live show in a while, but I’d love to perform at Campus Martius Park in Detroit. One year, Saves The Day performed there, and it was a great experience for me. I went with two friends, but we were running late. All three of us sprinted the entire way there from a parking lot that was like 5 minutes away. I missed a song I think, but I loved the weather and the atmosphere. It would be great to play there.
Just Pete: Anywhere that makes the audience comfortable.
6 – Tell us about your new single, “You Know Me”, is it about positive thinking?
Thom: To me, it’s definitely about positive thinking. You want to let go of the bitterness that you have in things that didn’t work out. That frees you mentally to start new things. That’s easier said than done because we’re emotional creatures that can get hung up on being wronged.
Just Pete: It’s all about positive thinking. It can take you farther than you think.
7 – Is positive thinking delusional?
Thom: Hell yes! But I think you have to be delusional to make it in the music industry. As a musician, you’re thinking, “… The industry changes so quickly… It’s also very saturated because of the internet… It’s so hard to get a following… Even if someone likes one of your songs, they may forget to look it up! Potential fan lost forever!…What if people don’t like the music I spent so hard working on?…” If I sat down and thought about those things all of the time, I’d lose my mind and my nerve. It doesn’t mean those things aren’t potentially true or an issue, but you definitely have to delude yourself a bit or you’d go insane.
Just Pete: Sure, but so is negative thinking.
8 – What do you recommend to increase positive thinking?
Thom: I think visualizing what you want and dreaming about it is the best approach. You can trick your brain into believing in your goals, even if YOU don’t really believe it at first. It sounds kind of silly, but that’s one way I dealt with anxiety in the past. I’d remind myself that I wasn’t in any danger, and then I’d make myself smile. I just had to visualize my safety and happiness. It sounds a little crazy, because I am, but also… it works combined with other techniques.
Just Pete: Just enjoy simple pleasures. Make a list of the things you CAN do and forget about what you think you can’t do.
9 – I’m loving the animated video of “You Know Me”. How much of the creative process were you involved with it?
Thom: I’m not much of an artist when it comes to physical art. I skipped art class in high school and took a music class instead, so I didn’t actually contribute to the design with my own skills. I had an idea for what I wanted and took it to an animator. I wanted the video to be a straight forward, feel-good idea. The animator I worked with did a fantastic job of capturing what I had in my head!
Just Pete: I wrote the song but Thom had all the ideas for the visuals.
10 – Are you already working on your next single?
Thom: I’m always writing! I don’t think I ever write with a single in mind anymore though. We have a few demos written at the moment. You have to see how songs sound after they have been recorded. I’ve written songs that I wasn’t in love with at first that were recorded on my phone as an idea, but after a little production, I was like “That’s it! That’s the song I want to push.” So we will see!
Just Pete: Oh yeah. There’s a bunch of songs to sift through.
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Hi, I’m Erick Ycaza — a music blogger with a BA in Advertising & Graphic Design. I created this blog to keep you updated with daily music news. Surprisingly, I’ve been writing about music since 2007. If you’re an artist and would like to be featured, feel free to reach out: info@electrowow.net
