Amber is joined by Dallon and Ryan of I Don't Know How But They Found Me backstage at our July Free Summer Block Party as the boys discuss signing to a record label, creative freedom, their new album titled 1981, what makes summer summer and much more.
As Amber puts it the boys went from the "hottest unsigned band in the world" to landing a record deal. The band explains that it was the next step for them in getting their music to the masses. Another added benefit to joining a record deal is not having to worry about the business-side of being an artist.
The band's new EP titled '1981' comes out on Fearless Records which the band has enjoyed the partnership because they maintain 100% creative control. Singer Dallon Weekes explains how that isn't always the case for artists signed to labels saying, "People forget the business part that phrase of 'the music business'' and it is run by people that maybe are more, uh, interested in... money more-so than art and ya know, those are the people that run the business side of it. Having people like that on your team is a big help for sure. But uh, yea, it's nice to be able to be in a situation where there's no filter between us and the finished product." They go onto explain that although this process is more work, it's more liberating as well as more rewarding.
Dallon then explains his relationship to their EP 1981, which is also the year that he was born. He notes, "It was a cool time to grow up. I had a great time as a kid and I don't, I guess I don't really qualify as being part of the MTV generation but we saw it all happening when we were growing up. So it was a really interesting moment in music and discovering bands when we were kids where it was done differently - so we sort of wanted to recapture that feeling."
So what does I Don't Know How But They Found Me enjoy outside of music? For Dallon it's all about comic books and for drummer Ryan Seaman... he just practices drums. All. The. Time. And in the summer? Dallon values family time and being home and for Ryan, he enjoys drumming. Well actually he said he enjoys hanging out with friends and visiting the beach but we could definitely picture him drumming on the beach in Hawaii (where he used to live!)
Being a two-person band, the boys explain the ease (and cheap price tag) that comes with being a two piece. They joke that musicians are the worst so the fewer the better.
Check out the duo's full interview below: