johnny hwin @johnnyhwin - Tumblr Blog

This past weekend we wrapped shooting for the “Just a Game” music video coming out later this month. I’ve lived in San Francisco for over 10 years and I can’t believe I had never been to Andy Goldsworthy’s Wood Line in the Presidio. If you ever find yourself up at dawn, traversing these trees is the closest you’ll feel to being in Narnia. Truly another world. (at Andy Goldsworthy's Wood Line Presidio) https://www.instagram.com/p/BpkUwENlK0T/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1w0yco0hy7tev

I'm so excited to share the latest Cathedral track "Just a Game" which finally came out today. We've been sitting on this one for awhile :) . A song can start from so many places, be it a wandering melody, an interesting chord progression, or a dope drum beat. This one happened completely by chance. I was browsing patches on a new synth hooked up to a delay pedal and came across a kick tone that nearly popped my speakers. I had never thought of running drums through a delay pedal before and this happy accident immediately inspired a direction we had yet to explore. By the time we finished the first demo, we were in the midst of embarking on our first tour and brought it to our live band Jonathan and Mitchell almost as an afterthought to fill out our setlist. Before we knew it, the song became a staple of our live shows. . What you hear on the record now is the raw energy of the band building on that initial heartbeat of the song and taking it somewhere we had never been before. Much love to Max Savage for co-producing this track with me, Brad Dollar and Zoo Labs for helping us capture the moment, Martin Cooke and Ian Sefchick for a great mix and master—and Brodie, Jon and Mitchell for bringing the beat to life. 🖤, jh https://www.instagram.com/p/BpaTN1eF1BF/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1a6tq6r3uxz4d

Just peas in a pod. So fun with @sofarsoundssf at #thesubsf last night. Thanks to @nounpusher for the great shots. 🙏 It’s good to be home. (at The SUB) https://www.instagram.com/p/BnpMkKxFr3E/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=rngfohpzujb4

#thesubsf

When people talk about the 90’s, it’s usually in reference to grunge era, guitar-driven “alternative rock”—but people often forget there was also this period in the later half of the decade when bands known for their stadium anthems eschewed guitars for synthesizers and drum machines, much to the chagrin of both fans and critics alike (e.g. The Smashing Pumpkins’s “Adore”, R.E.M.’s “Up”, U2’s “Pop”—basically most of my favorite late 90's albums). At the same time, bands that had always woven electronica into their productions straight from the jump (e.g. Garbage, Massive Attack) were having their moment. This evolution of “rock” really fascinated 13 year old me at the time—so much so that what we aim to explore with Cathedrals builds on the idea of refracting seemingly disparate influences in a way that wouldn’t have been possible decades ago, in the time before the entire canon of music was just a click away. Probably more than most other Cathedrals songs, “Behave” is the tune that ties together me and Brodie's love of rock, R&B, electronica, and trip-hop the most. . I'm really excited to share our latest single "Behave" which premiered today on @consequence. "90's era rock" meets "Janet Jackson's sensuality and bravado." We detail more about the story behind in the track in an interview you can read in my profile link. . I'll share more about the making of over the next few days but in the meantime I want to give some special shoutouts to our director @hanahaley (who shot the entire video on an iPhone!), @joshjacobsongs who destroyed the synth bass line on this track literally a week after meeting for the first time, @n2nmusic who worked with me on producing an electronica version that we'll release someday, and @noiseysavage, @dannygaribay and @popstack—my executive producers and Jedi Council on all things musical. . 🖤

When we were deciding on the aesthetic direction of the visuals for the new body of work, we wanted something that would encapsulate the diversity of sounds we were exploring while maintaining a cohesive thread we felt best represented the emotion of the music. . After months of searching, we discovered Jack Vanzet whose paintings stunned us: no brushes, only knives on what felt like sculptural landscapes carved out of color. . As we started planning the music video for “Hits Me Like a Landslide”, we wanted to use the song as an opportunity to showcase some of the art we’re unveiling with these next few singles. . Today, we get to share what we made: the official lyric video to "Hits Me Like a Landslide". Thanks to @jackvanzet and also to @dillonpetrillo whose lyric animation so perfectly compliments the visuals. . (link in profile)

Last August, I was in no state of mind I could define and decided to spend the last days of summer in Bushwick. It would be a musical retreat, an opportunity to reset and reposition myself inside the ideas I had been too scatterbrained to coalesce. The night before my flight, I came up with a beat from which the melodies of “Hits Me Like a Landslide” were born. I finished lyrics on the plane and when I landed, my host, former roommate, and frequent collaborator Harris Macdonald took me to the studio to work on the track. We played around with a Prince-inspired approach that pulsed with an arpeggiating bass against a Billy Jean backbeat. But something wasn’t sitting right—too much funk, not enough finesse. We pressed pause and I spent the rest of my time there working backwards, stripping the song down to its essence on the guitar before venturing to build it up again. . As a songwriter, oftentimes there’s an energy that takes the shape of a melody that just needs to get out, whether through a yell or a yelp or the yearning whisper of a hushed lyric-less lullaby. That’s the art. Sometimes it happens in an instant, accompanied only by the muse. The other part, the production, expands and contracts and takes many shapes before committing to the direction that best serves the soul of the song. That’s the craft. Sometimes it takes months, years even. And while the art often occurs in isolation, the craft is a clay that welcomes many hands. . You’ll find the fingerprints of so many friends and family who lent an ear and a hand on the latest @wearecathedrals single “Hits Me Like a Landslide,” which comes out today. This song is just the start of a slew of new releases we’re unveiling throughout the year. I hope you enjoy 🖤 . Listen, stream, download in my profile link. . THANK YOU— @harrismacmusic Greg Griffin @ayerofficial @vizardmedia @noisysavage @jackvanzet @dillonpetrillo @m_cooker @brodie

I got so used to being your lover. . . . The new @wearecathedrals single “Hits Me Like a Landslide” comes out tomorrow.

This Friday, we are releasing the first @wearecathedrals single of the year, “Hits Me Like a Landslide”, and the first of a slew of new songs we’re finally ready to reveal. I’m excited to share what we’ve been working on and can’t wait for you to hear it. 🖤

Saigon Selfie (at Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)

I woke up yesterday around noon feeling so grateful for all of your sweet birthday wishes. When I was 13, The Smashing Pumpkins were my favorite band and I would listen to their song “Thirty Three” on repeat, wondering what life would be like 20 years later. I could not have imagined that it would be filled with so many amazing friends and inspiring people. Thanks fam for making my world go round 🖤

We bet it all on black 🖤 #tbt to #itsaschoolnight #LA (via @_alex_lane) (at Bardot-Hollywood)

#tbt #la #itsaschoolnight

Homies, it's been a minute since we've thrown a daytime party at #thesubsf but the 2017 hangover has finally healed and we're back this Sunday with our first event of the year featuring @thistleco juice cocktails & hip hop vibes provided by DJ Many More aka @beau_tography. Feel free to invite your friends! :D

#thesubsf

life's a mess

"I don't want to go to heaven. None of my friends are there." #agapesf #halloween #2017

#agapesf #2017 #halloween

Back to the mothership. #stanford #10yearreunion #nostalgia (at Stanford University)

#stanford #nostalgia #10yearreunion

Ohhhh snap!

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