ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: FAT NEPTUNE
After only a year after their formation, Fat Neptune has put out their first single “Fluff” to follow up their self-titled EP, released back in December of 2015. Their sound is psychedelic, raw, and most of all, genuine. You can really hear when a band is exactly where they intend to be with the sound of their music, and Fat Neptune is one of the best examples of this we’ve seen in a while. Here at Music Talk Weekly, David Lopez caught up with front-man Richard Wells to delve deeper into the sonic experience that is Fat Neptune.
First a little background info. How did you all meet?
RW: I was moving to Athens and wanted to put a band together. It was the first time I had ever used Craigslist oddly enough. I put out an ad that was fairly serious and direct about how I wanted to make original music and such. I think Craigslist worked well for us because we all are kinda socially quiet, so Craigslist was a way to channel similar types of people together.
How was the first time you all met up in person?
RW: The beginning of any band is a rocky start, but our scenario was strange because we were all strangers to one another. Making music together is so much about relationships and it was really special that we were all able to work together, express our ideas comfortably around one another, and eventually you just grow closer and closer. It is really special for me to look back on it and think about how lucky I am that everything worked out so smoothly. I put an ad on Craigslist and in 2 or 3 months, 4 strangers to one another began to bond, make music, and be in a band together.
How did you all get into playing music? Any experience with past bands?
RW: I was in a band back in my hometown and had recorded solo since I was 16, recording demos of the music I wrote. I think we all have been into music from young ages. We all seemed to gravitate towards it as a hobby. Listening to records, investigating all the sounds, listening to the lyrics, becoming familiar with artists and band. I think we all particularly like to be original and make the best out of what we can do. We make all of our own poster art, cover art for releases, our bass player Michael Purvis records and engineers our music, and we are about to release a batch of t-shirts we homemade. We have collaborated before but It feels really alive when it’s us in a room together pitching ideas. Having alone time is important too for each individual band member. It’s a balance.
Sounds like a very DIY project thus far, would you consider getting any help in the future or would you always like to be playing a direct role in the design of everything?
RW: We know that as a band expands, things get more complicated…. so we won’t exclude the idea of getting help. Help is great, but something special happens when something is created intimately.
How were your EP and single recorded? Did you face any limitations?
RW: The EP was recorded in a basic practice space we rented out, and the single was recorded in our drummer, Scottie Stephen’s, garage. But, Michael mics everything himself and we use all our own gear. We like cycling through gear and trying new stuff out, so it’s fun to experiment. The only limitation to recording independently is you only have your own experience to help you, but that’s what makes it special at the same time. So we learned a lot form recording the EP, we actually had a failed recording session where we recorded the whole thing and then scratched it because we were learning. But we adjusted and got a quality sound for the EP itself. And to be expected, with the single, we had more experience, Michael got better at engineering everything…. so I think you see an improvement in the overall production and being more sonically specific for the single. Our EP was a solid blueprint for what we wanted to do. I feel like we really became friends while making that EP. The single we just released is more of a step forward of just being more familiar with each other and each other’s taste. now that we have a healthy work ethic and focus, making our first album is right in front of us, and it’s really exciting to begin the process.
Will the album be recorded in a similar manner or can we expect some new techniques to show up?
RW: We really enjoyed recording in our drummer’s garage, we became very comfortable in there…. so yes, we will be recording the album there. I know we will experiment more. We are beginning the process early so, for a large part, we can be creative with trial and error and make some really unique parts for the songs. We don’t know what the techniques will be, they are spontaneous. When you start recording, so many ideas will start to pop in your head. Then you adjust, try them out, and figure out what works.
Where do you draw inspiration from when writing music?
RW: I think our music starts out a lot of times just in one person’s head. We all like to give input though, knowing our strengths and weaknesses, and craft the best song we can. It’s very collaborative yet Michael and Richard typically bring those initial ideas forth, and then everyone jumps in for the group effort.
What is the main thing you would like people to take from your music? When you hear it, where do you envision your music taking place? For example like on a beach, in an abandoned house, walking home after a breakup etc… Basically, where’s the best place to listen to Fat Neptune?
RW: We did a podcast once where someone said our music sounded like floating in outer space and not being afraid he was aloof in the middle of nowhere. That was in regard to our EP’s music. But the music is always changing, and in exchange, so is the substance of the music. Where our music takes someone is up to them. I guess, we put the music out there and let people choose how they want to experience and relate with it.
Thanks to all the members of fat neptune and to Richard Wells for doing this interview with us! “Fluff” and their EP “Fat Neptune” are both out now on Bandcamp. Look out for their debut album coming this Winter.
Check them out on Spotify, Bandcamp, Soundcloud, YouTube! Connect with them through Facebook, and on Instagram @fatneptune
