The Haunted America Conference might be over, but our Haunted Summer has only just begun! Stay tuned for a recap gallery of Haunted America later this week, with lots more spooky content soon to follow. Remember, if you have a ghost story to share or a haunted location you think we should investigate, then please don't hesitate to contact us. 👻 #hauntedsummer #singularfortean (at Madison, Wisconsin)
Feast your eyes on these sweet souls, courtesy of fortean artist @angelhawari 👻💀🍭 #paranormalartportal #hauntedsummer #singularfortean (at Madison, Wisconsin)
Some people believe that the Bartell Theatre's first manager--back when it was known as the Esquire--died in the building, and his spirit never left. 👻 #hauntedmadison #hauntedsummer #singularfortean (at Bartell Community Theatre)
#hauntedsummer at #hihat in #highlandpark for #DreamPhases EP release party. #mattadams created the poster and #strangerliquids provided the visuals on 2018.04.24 (at The Hi Hat)
Ok you guys, hold on to yer butts cuz I’m hittin ya hard today! This is one of the most hauntingly beautiful #soundtracks you’ll ever hear. One of my very favorites and #backinstock in the shop! #hauntedsummer #80s #vinylrecords #christopheryoung
A conversation with Haunted Summer ahead of their show at The Moroccan Lounge in LA
Molly Adams
March 11, 2018
Haunted Summer are an LA-based duo composed husband and wife Bridgette Eliza Moody, and John Seasons. In 2017 they released their debut LP ‘Spirit Guides’ and will be back with new material soon. The band has just wrapped up their North American tour, and we caught up with them before their hometown show at The Moroccan Lounge.
Interview has been edited for clarity
How has tour been so far?
Bridgette Moody: It has been amazing -– it’s been a lot of new and exciting towns we’ve never been to and I can’t really say we walked away from any place feeling like we didn’t get something out of it
Did you have a favorite stop this tour?
BM: New Orleans kind of just blew our minds – everything has been really great but that town is just something special and we really can’t wait to go back there
John Seasons: There are a lot of cool college towns that had a lot of heart and just really brought it and really made us feel great both on and off the stage. They really brought the band into their community and let us stay with them and stuff like that. Madison, Nashville, and Lawrence for my top three.
What’s your favorite part of touring?
BM: Probably getting free food at cool venues – aside from playing music of course. Just getting to travel really is such a gift and kind of getting airdropped into a place that’s probably going to have some cool like-minded people.
JS: Travelling for your art is really special. We had never done something that long before. We had only done three weeks – this has been a three month thing. Iit was pretty awesome and eye-opening just bringing your music to different people every single night.
For a lot of bands a hard part of touring is leaving their partner behind – what’s it like to tour with your significant other?
BM: It’s always been something we’ve been really grateful to do because I know I’d go crazy if he was on the road for months without me. It’s a lot of work too but just knowing that you have somebody in it and willing to make the ultimate sacrifices because it’s hard – it’s hard being in a band and just finding enough like-minded people who want to make that sacrifice with you. It’s nice to know at least we’re locked in on this.
What’s working and writing together like?
JS: It’s very collaborative – we always just bring stuff to the table. It’s kind of like one person starts it and the other one finishes it and sometimes either of us just bring a whole song but what the other one adds to it is what brings it into the Haunted Summer realm.
Does your music come from life experience?
BM: It’s a subject we can’t seem to get away from
JS: People have said it before but I just feel like it really is just a diary entry like a scope into a moment in our lives or an outside perspective
What artists and bands influence and inspire you?
JS: We both have a lot of influences but something that brought us together was our love for David Bowie, Bjork, and the Flaming Lips but we listen all kinds of stuff – I just bought a Merle Haggard tape
BM: That’s something I’ve always appreciated about John – we can listen to a variety of things and appreciate the heart and the melody and the soul of any kind of music. That’s really all it’s about
Do either of you have a band that you like that the other one can’t stand?
JS: Oh yeah – I’m not going to say I hate them but I don’t like Death Cab for Cutie and she does.
BM: I mean I was a 14 year old girl once
JS: I’m sure she can tell you stuff that I like that she doesn’t
BM: I’m pretty open
JS: I don’t think you like Dr. Dog and I love Dr. Dog
BM: I don’t not like Dr. Dog I just don’t love Dr. Dog
You have a really unique sound – did you stumble upon that or did you have it in your head and work towards it?
BM: I think it’s something we have always dreamed of making but never had the capacity or the partnership to really make it happen. That’s something that always surprised us when we did start making music together just for fun it was like, “this is a sound we’ve always been attracted to!” But it felt really organic – we didn’t really try to sound like anything in particular. It’s just like what comes out of us based on a plethora of influences and just wanting to explore and being open to ideas and not really trying to run the show.
JS: It’s something that I’ve envisioned for a long time but stumbled upon organically with her because she helped me kind of zone in my pedal addiction to a certain degree. And there’s something to be said for the idea that you can envision something but the slight changes that happen along the way you end up allow you to come across something that’s more special than a sound that you come across on your own.
How would you describe your sound?
BM: In my head it just always feels like a jazz standard at the base of it and with sounds of space around it. Just trying to make it atmospheric but down to earth as well.
JS: I feel like it’s psychedelic and it’s modern but you can hear the influences through time. Psychedelic but also throwing out the rulebook –– that’s kind of the Haunted Summer sound. If it works for us then that’s fine – it doesn’t have to be 100% correct.
What are you most looking forward to on the rest of your tour and coming home?
BM: The rest of the tour is going to be really fun – we’ve been to SXSW before but it’s our first year as an official showcase member and that’s always such an honor. Treefort has been a festival we’ve been wanting to play for years and we’ve got a lot of homies going – it’ll be a blast. But coming home will be nice – I miss my dog.
JS: Yeah even when you have your loved one with you, you leave family behind – you get homesick sometimes but if you really enjoy the road the road gives a lot back and it makes it even more special when you get back to your family and dog.
Check them out where you find music and follow their journey on social media!