YOUR FAVE, ALT-COUNTRY DUDE, IAN MCCONNELL JUST PUT OUT HIS BRAND NEW SINGLE, “CASUAL” ALONGSIDE A SICK MUST-WATCH MINI VIDEO. WE GOT A QUICK 6 QUESTION INTERVIEW WITH IAN, TALKING THE NEW SINGLE, THE NEW VID, AND HIS CHOICE OF UNDERWEAR.
CHECK IT OUT BELOW:
YOU JUST PUT OUT A NEW SINGLE, “CASUAL”, DESCRIBE WHAT THE WRITING PROCESS WAS LIKE FOR THIS SONG?
IT WAS INTENSE! MY WRITING PROCESS IS VERY EMOTIONALLY DRAINING SINCE I TRY TO STICK AS CLOSELY AS POSSIBLE TO MY ACTUAL FEELINGS AND STORIES. I WROTE IT TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO ABOUT A CASUAL RELATIONSHIP THAT WASN’T VERY FULFILLING, AND IT HELPED ME FIND A LOT OF CLARITY WHILE LUCKILY BEING A BANGER AT THE SAME TIME.
2. WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE PRODUCTION OF THE SONG?
I’VE BEEN LISTENING TO A LOT OF PARAMORE AND BOYS LIKE GIRLS LATELY. AND BY LATELY I MEAN PRETTY CONSISTENTLY SINCE 2007 OR SO. “CAREFUL” BY PARAMORE AND “THE GREAT ESCAPE” BY BLG KIND OF CAME TOGETHER IN MY MIND TO INSPIRE THIS PRODUCTION.
3. WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT THIS SONG AND WHAT DO YOU HATE ABOUT THIS SONG (IF ANYTHING)?
I REALLY LOVE THE WAY IT TURNED OUT. I HATE A LITTLE BIT OF THE PROCESS IT TOOK TO GET IT TO ITS CURRENT STATE. I HAD A FINAL MIX DONE BEFORE THE DUE DATE AND HAD BEEN LISTENING TO IT AND SHOWING IT AROUND BEFORE DECIDING IT WAS ABOUT 6 BPM TOO SLOW. SO, IN ABOUT 3 DAYS, I GUTTED THE ENTIRE PRODUCTION, RE-RECORDED AND RE-MIXED EVERYTHING, AND GOT IT TO THE DISTRIBUTOR. VERY STRESSFUL, BUT I’M DEFINITELY HAPPIER I TOOK THE TIME TO REDO EVERYTHING RATHER THAN STAYING WITH THE VERSION THAT DIDN’T FEEL RIGHT.
4. THE “CASUAL” VIDEO IS HILARIOUS! TELL US ABOUT THE THOUGHT PROCESS BEHIND THAT:
WE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT DOING A RUNNING VIDEO FOR A WHILE NOW, BUT I HAD A STRESS FRACTURE IN MY LEFT FOOT FROM NOVEMBER TO FEBRUARY AND COULDN’T RUN FOR ALL THAT TIME, SO IT KEPT GETTING PUSHED BACK. WHEN MY MANAGER KAYLA AND I SHOT THE ALBUM ART FOR “CASUAL” WITH THE FORMAL-ON-TOP-PARTY-ON-BOTTOM LOOK, WE PRETTY QUICKLY GOT HYPED ABOUT THE IDEA OF RUNNING IN THAT OUTFIT. I’M NOT A SUPER SYMBOLIC PERSON, BUT I THINK THE CHAOTIC NATURE OF THE VIDEO DOES A SOLID JOB HIGHLIGHTING HOW IT FEELS TO OPEN UP TO SOMEONE THAT YOU WANT SOMETHING DIFFERENT OUT OF THE RELATIONSHIP.
5. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON CASUAL RELATIONSHIPS NOW?
THEY’RE GREAT FOR SOME PEOPLE! I TEND NOT TO DO WELL IN THEM, BUT IT COULD BE THAT I’M NOT IN THE RIGHT PLACE IN LIFE TO ENJOY IT. THE EMOTIONAL ASPECT OF RELATIONSHIPS IS MY FAVORITE PART AND IT’S TOUGH FOR ME TO HAVE ANY RELATIONSHIP WITHOUT THAT.
6. ARE YOU A WHITEY TIGHTIES OR BOXER BRIEFS GUY?
I GO BOXERS, UNLESS I’M WORKING OUT AND THEN USE COMPRESSION SHORTS. IN THE VIDEO, I’M WEARING SHORTS UNDER THE BOXERS TO KEEP FROM POTENTIALLY FLOPPING OUT.
PEEP THE MINI-VID AND THE SINGLE BELOW:
(CLICK HERE TO FIND IT ON ALL PLATFORMS)
FEATURE: BLACKOUT BALTER - "SURF"
Blackout Balter bring a rush of punk and 60’s alternative energies in their new single “Surf.” This is the lead single to their upcoming debut record “Animal.” Stream the song below!
Phil: "We knew we wanted this to be a fun one," says Blackout Balter frontman, Phil Cohen. "And we knew we wanted it to have a bit of that 60's surf aesthetic in there. Originally, we were going for this hitchhiker storyline: An old truck rolls down the road and picks people up along the way; but it basically just broke out into a big party [laughs]. The producer, John Mofield, did a great job capturing our energy."
Christina: "We've featured other characters in our music videos before, but for this one, we needed a tattooed beauty to play our video vixen, and I knew just the babe for the job. My very best friend, Carolyn, came from Chicago to shoot with us, and she was the perfect 6th member of our team of hitchhikers. Not only is she gorgeous, but she brought such a fun energy to the set and gave our video the finishing touch it needed."
