TOO GOOD TUESDAY INTERVIEW: Tiger March
Los- Angeles based indie-pop duo, Tiger March recently released their debut album, Hold Something - a collection of 8 dream pop songs dripping in blissful synths. the band consists of husband and wife Matthew and Annie Gleason and their music is described as “intricately fun and indulgently pop all the way through” and if you’ve listened to the debut album you’ll know that’s extremely accurate. After seeing this duo perform in Silverlake, I immediately became a fan. Shortly after Annie reached out to me saying she thought I was the one she was singing to during their set and thanked for staying even though I had originally came to see Blckbx perform. Lucky for me, the two agreed to an interview and so on a sunny day at a bar in North Hollywood we met and I got to know this extremely talented duo. Check out what we talked about below and get to know Tiger March!
Photo Credit: Dexy Valentine
TOO GOOD MUSIC: How did guys meet and end up creating music together?
MATTHEW: It was back in late 2013 and we actually met on Craigslist.
ANNIE: Everyone gets so concerned when they hear we met on Craigslist especially cause we’re married! But originally it was just for music. I had my own ad in San Diego looking for other musicians to play with. I typed in Beach House looking to find someone with similar interests.
TGM: Wait so you were really just looking for someone with a beach house?
A: Oh no! Beach House the band
TGM: Got it. Ha! I just wasn’t sure if you gained a lot of inspiration from being on a beach or something.
A: Ha! Not really
M: But yeah so then we ended up meeting and really hit it off. And so we collaborated remotely back and forth for a few months and decided to continue making music together!
A: Yeah and I had just discovered the program Logic and never really thought I’d end up in band.
TGM: Did you find it easier to collaborate long distance?
A: For me that’s how I like working with him now (laughs). I send him my demos and then we build it from there in Ableton. I don’t see how a live session is efficient.
TGM: So how did end up you coming up with the name Tiger March?
M: Pretty random actually. Annie wanted an animal name.
A: Cause I think animals are auspicious.
M: Yeah, it really doesn’t have a deep meaning we just had an Excel sheet and kept battling out names and we just liked it. It was clearly a really complex algorithm (laughing).
TGM: Clearly! What was it like putting together your debut album, Hold Something? Were there songs that you had that didn’t make it onto the album?
M: It took a long time from beginning to end. The way we were performing was just as a two piece so we had to make sure the tracks were completely finished before we could perform them live because we needed the full track to fully perform the songs.
A: But yeah we’ve got a bunch of songs that didn’t make it because having Matthew do all the live instruments takes a long time to do. I’d love to win the lottery and be able to mix and release all the songs we’ve written.
M: It was really fun for me to the put the production together as we did it all in our home studio besides the vocals. I learned a lot about mixing and production.
Photo Credit: Dexy Valentine
TGM: On the album you have a song called “Either Or” What does that one mean to you?
A: It’s a sad song that I wrote when I was remembering a relationship I was in. I was dating this guy in Iowa and its just a look back on those memories. It’s very bittersweet.
M: Yeah and a lot of people are drawn to this song.
A: It’s our most bittersweet song and there was a study I read where they played bittersweet music and for some reason those were the most remembered. I write a lot of my songs through phrases so I’ll look up idioms and go from there.
TGM: What else goes into your songwriting process?
A: I’ll normally build a basic demo and send to Matthew but sometimes it’s the other way around but it’s harder for me to build melody and lyrics around his demos. I’ll try to send him the most finished version on Logic or else it won’t get looked at - ha! But it works because I’m good at the writing and he’s good at the instrumentation and the production.
TGM: It seems like you guys compliment each other pretty well then. What would you say the benefits and difficulties of making music with someone you’re married to are?
Both: (Laughs)
M: I think the main benefit is that your music can connect on a personal level and that’s a huge part of writing and performing is connecting with the people while on stage. It’s a deeper connection. But the challenge is the same as any other band just on another level.
A: Right, like relationship talk vs. band talk. Like whose dividing tasks and whose taking on responsibilities - it’s hard to keep those boundaries. But, my goal was to have a musical project with someone I’m with…someone to be creative with and it was magical to find.
TGM: That all makes sense. I really enjoyed seeing you guys perform the other week...what’s your favorite part of performing live?
A: Not at all (laughs). My favorite part is leaving the stage - it’s a like a train you can’t get off but I do like the immediate feedback.
M: I really enjoy riffing with the people on stage and just performing in general. I like being on stage and in the moment.
A: And for me, writing is my favorite part. The performance part is my least favorite - I just don’t like that feeling of anxiety although I’m learning to work on it.
TGM: Who do you look up to musically?
M: I’d say My Bloody Valentine, Cocteau Twins and Spiritualized
A: I picked up guitar in an angry phase in college because of Ani DiFranco. I also like Aimee Mann because of the interesting lyrics and stories. Also the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
TGM: So are you a country fan because of the stories then?
A: I actually don’t know anything about country music - I like dance-y music.
TGM: Gotchya. So what do you guys like to do when you aren’t making music?
A: Riding our bikes, being domestic
M: I have a son from a previous marriage and he’s 13 so its normal parent stuff. He just had his first date the other week which is crazy. We also are normally just talking music if we aren’t making music.
TGM: What do you hope people take away from your music?
A: I just want them to like it and for it to get our songs stuck in their head.
M: They’re pop songs and so I just hope that people like it and that they remember something. Like for me, I notice things that drummers do on stage or in their music and that’s what I pick up on. I just want them to connect to something.
A: In a way, I feel like I’m getting something out of music that I wasn’t getting out of poetry
M: Yeah she writes great lyrics
A: Wow, thanks! I’m normally fishing for compliments so it’s nice when they come spontaneously!
TGM: How would you describe Tiger March in 3 words?
Tiger March: Pop, fun, love
Photo Credit: Dexy Valentine
TGM: If you guys weren’t musicians what careers do you think you’d be in?
A: I’d like to write songs Taylor Swift!
M: I just want to be happy.
TGM: If you were on death row, what would be your last meal you’d want to eat and last song you’d like to hear?
M: I’d pick “Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space” by Spiritualized while I enjoy some chicken parm.
A: I’d pick french fries - they’re my favorite thing ever and I’d say “Grey” by Ani DiFranco…or really that whole Revelling/Reckoning album-don’t make me pick just one.
TGM: If you could only listen to (5) artists for the rest of your life who would they be?
M: Spiritualized, My Bloody Valentine, The Smiths, Ride & Slowdive
A: Ludovico Einaudi, R.E.M., Aimiee Mann, Ani DiFranco & Taylor Swift
TGM: If you could headline any music festival what would it be?
M: Desert Days
A: Glastonbury
TGM: And lastly, what does the rest of 2018 look like for you?
M: We’ve been doing a lot shows. We’ve been building that up and expect to play a lot of shows around the album release and now that we’ve got a full band. We’re not sure if we’re going to put another album out or just ride this energy and put out singles. Now moving forward we’ve got a good base and we plan to keep writing.
A: We also might go to Hawaii (laughs)
