THE PARTY AFTER
Q What inspired you to write “Blast Off” and what was the first image or idea that came to your mind when creating it?
A: Most of the inspiration came from being a band made of three best friends that have been through a decade and a half of trying to get our music heard. We’ve seen a lot of really gnarly stuff, been through a little more, and as we mature both as people and musically, we realize how much toxicity and discomfort can come from being recognizable.
Q When you describe floating away and being lost in space, are you talking more about freedom or about loneliness—or maybe both?
A: Good catch haha, definitely a bit of both. When looking at the two full verses put together, you can see more of the duality in it, but those two specific lines represent the uncertainty in shoving off and exploring a path unknown.
Q Do you see “Blast Off” as a warning about fame, or more as a reflection on what success feels like once you reach it?
A: It’s both a reflection and a warning wrapped up in a bit of a delivery of a party tune. The sarcasm present in the lyrics collides with the upbeat music in a way that, to us, represents the absurdity of it all. It’s built up to be such a dream, but in reality most of the people that achieve those celebrity levels are miserable. Most.
Q The idea of space appears a lot in the song. Why did you choose that as the main setting for your lyrics?
A: Okay, so this question made me laugh so very hard and I need to throw a shout out to my graphic designer Obscure Diamond, because they consistently yell at me for wanting more space graphics hahaha… There is indeed some substance to why I chose specifically space. Lyrically, it represents the void that we try to fill in our lives with misguided ideals of what we think we want, but for the most part I just love to look up and dream of what it’s like to be propelled into different worlds. Space is cool, man.
Q How much of “Blast Off” is drawn from your own experiences with chasing dreams in music or life?
A: It is almost directly derived from personal experience. Where we’re based, Omaha, Nebraska, is not quite the same scene as a lot of cities. It’s very spread out and has ‘pockets’ of music lovers that remain in the general area of where they live, and because we’ve spent years (our frontman is a career musician that does 200ish shows a year and has played over 2000 lifetime shows) working on this, our singer especially is recognizable and knows people wherever he goes. He’s also very much the elusive sasquatch that is represented in our art, so he consistently isolates because it wears on his social battery. Being the main songwriter, it’s no surprise that there’s some seething about fame going on.
Q The song feels both hopeful and a little sad. Was it hard to find that emotional balance while writing it?
A: Not one bit. That’s generally just how Jared, the primary songwriter, actually is. He’s a sad-boy dreamer and he writes about it.
Q The phrase “never coming down” feels powerful. Does that line represent achievement, escape, or something else for you?
A: That phrase actually more represents the no-turning-back that happens after the shattering of the rose-colored glasses. Once the innocence is broken, you can’t go back to being ignorant and blissful anymore. This is generally a life lesson as well as a reference to discovering the hardships of what your dreams actually mean.
Q Did you always know the song would have that back-and-forth feeling of dreaming big and realizing the cost?
A: Honestly, the song came together so quickly and naturally that we never had to think much about it. Duality is simply a huge part in Jared’s song-writing process, as he intentionally tries to address both sides of the coin in almost all of the songs he writes and in the themes of his and our albums as well, so naturally it just showed up that way.
Q How did you want listeners to feel by the end of the song—lifted up, thoughtful, or maybe both?
A: Hopefully worn out from jumping up and down and rushing to the merch booth! Haha! Only kidding… Mostly. Our message is something we want people to be inspired by, both in the charge of the song and the content of the lyrics. As for ‘Blast Off’, it’s much more something we want people to understand. That becoming a “famous rockstar” isn’t quite what it’s painted to be.
Q The last verse has a shift from “wanna be a star” to “gonna be a star.” Was that change intentional to show growth?
A: The subtle change is one that Jared wanted to sneak in, because it suggests a bit of continuity in the song, as we most definitely still want people to chase the dreams and it highlights perseverance. We just want folks to know what they’re getting into no matter what they’re dream is. It can be hard and things never quite turn out how we think they will.
Q When you mention crashing a “fancy car,” is that meant to symbolize the fall that comes after success?
A: Oh yes. There will always be ups and downs, bumps in the road, and more. It also represents the careless that can come with success and being wary of staying center as things around you get wilder and crazier.
Q What do you think people misunderstand most about chasing big dreams and fame?
A: The biggest misconception is that if you ‘make it’, you’re problems will be solved. The way it actually works is more like: the further you get along, the more problems you have to solve, so the more and the wilder will the problems be that the universe gives you on your journey.
Q How do you personally define success now, after writing a song like “Blast Off”?
A: The three of us have grown quite a lot over the years. After all of the touring, partying, chasing fame and women… We’ve all realized as we’ve matured that we simply want our health, our peace, and our purpose: to share our music with as many people that might need it as we can. Success, to us, is measured day to day in how centered and authentic we can be in our choices.
Q The song gives a sense that ambition can be both beautiful and dangerous. Do you believe that’s true in real life?
A: Oh hell yes. Ambition will make somebody uncomfortable with comfort. When you leave comfort, you start to grow. Growth brings pain and is wrought with unexpected dangers, especially the more your curiosity leads you down your path. Whatever your goal is, if you’re ambitious enough, it’s gonna be a rocky road, but that’s part of the adventure.
Q Did you write “Blast Off” at a time when you were questioning your own goals or path?
A: During the time the song was written, Jared was travelling quite a lot for opportunities on cool music projects in new and exciting places with people and names that may or may not be familiar to some. It was an era that had him experiencing a new level of reception to his talents as a singer and songwriter, and to remind himself to stay grounded, the song popped out of him as almost a warning to himself, it seems. Those travels actually ended up being why we recorded ‘Blast Off’ and the whole Dopamine Machine album in Mexico City, MX.
Q Do you see “Blast Off” as more of a personal confession or a message to your listeners?
A: Definitely much more a message. Jared seems to have no problem telling people what’s happening in his life haha.
Q If you could talk to your younger self, the one who first dreamed of being a star, what would you say after writing this song?
A: What a great question. I think all three of us would be ecstatic beyond measure. I doubt the message would be understood by those space-cadet little children we all were, but we would’ve felt the magnitude of the song and understood that the song in itself was and is the dream.
Q Looking back, do you think the song changed the way you approach your music and the idea of chasing dreams?
A: We’re hoping that the song can more than change the way we approach music and chase dreams… We hope it can FUND it all! Hahaha
On a serious note, our outlook is not much different as far as the desire to get heard more and more. We want successful family situations and those require a lot of money… Let alone building a music-machine that is a successful band, one of the most expensive endeavors and paths one can walk.
