It’s Karma It’s Cool | Interview | A new single featuring legendary Peter Holsapple
It’s Karma It’s Cool is a four-piece indie rockers that recently released a new single, ‘A Gentle Reminder’ featuring legendary Peter Holsapple.
Over the next months the band will be releasing 6 singles, three of which feature the aforementioned Peter Holsapple, whose long and varied career includes playing with such luminaries as The dB’s. R.E.M. and Hootie & The Blowfish. ‘A Gentle Reminder’ kicks things off in fine style. A typically cool and quirky slice of pop, buoyant beats and driving bass urges, choppy guitars and the sort of groove that looks you straight in the eye and dares you to keep still!
“You’re forever striving to make the next song you write your best”
Would you like to talk a bit about your background?
James Styring: I was born in Sheffield, UK. I grew up listening to my parent’s record collection; The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. I played those albums to death on our little portable record player. There was just magic in the music, a magic that is still with me today, all these years later. My Dad went to school with Joe Cocker and my Mum’s family were all musical, so I guess it was in my blood. There was always music playing in our house growing up. Mum always had the radio on, so I guess those songs were having some sort of effect on me, even as a kid.
When did you decide that you wanted to start writing and performing your own music? What brought that about for you?
Like most musicians, I started out in various cover bands, playing the songs that every other cover band was playing. I began on drums and eventually ended up behind the microphone, fronting the band. If you’re creative as a person and musician, it’s only natural that you’ll start writing your own songs at some point. And like everything else, the more you do it, the better you’ll get. You’re forever striving to make the next song you write your best.
How do you usually approach music making?
Martyn Bewick (guitars) or Mikey Barraclough (bass guitar) will send over guitar ideas. I’ll write to the ones that grab me, adding melody and lyrics (I have notebooks full of lyric ideas and bits and pieces). We’ll then get together as a band in the rehearsal room, and work on the arrangements. We’ll demo them, live with them for a while, then record the final versions in the recording studio. Playing Aloud Studios, here in Lincoln, has become our second home.
What led to the formation of It’s Karma It’s Cool?
I’d been in a previous band with our bass player, Mikey. We’d remained good friends and decided to write a bunch of new songs and see what happened, if anything. We got together with Martyn and Danny Krash (drums) in the studio, as session guys, to initially help out on the recordings. Things worked out so well, we became a band soon after. We all bring our own influences to IKIC, and on paper it probably shouldn’t work, but it does, so we don’t over analyse it.
Would you like to speak about your debut album, ‘Hipsters And Aeroplanes’? How did it all come together?
That record was really the first bunch of songs we’d written. It came together quickly once Martyn and Danny were onboard. I remember the studio sessions being fun, we were still trying to find our sound, but it all gelled well, and the songs were really strong. We just wanted to get something out there, for people to hear.
Do you feel that ‘Woke Up In Hollywood’ is kinda a continuation of your debut album?
In many ways it is, yes, but we were more confident going into the ‘Woke Up In Hollywood’ album, we knew how we worked together as a band, and where we wanted our sound to go. I think the song writing is stronger on this one too, we all wrote together and bounced ideas around, rather than just Mikey and myself bringing the finished songs in. I think if our first record showed some potential, the second one was us learning and capitalising on it. There was a sense we’d grown as a band.
What about your latest album, ‘Homesick For Our Future Destinations’?
We’d kind of established that we could write catchy poppy songs; that’s what we’d set out to do, and I think we did a pretty good job. The reviews were very positive and folks seemed to enjoy those records. But it would have been all too easy to just re-write the first two albums again, things can get predictable and boring very quickly. We decided to push ourselves as songwriters a little more, there’d still be the melodies and harmonies and stuff, but we’d be less concerned about the three-and-a-half-minute pop song blueprint; we’d allow these songs to go wherever they wanted; it was more about creating an overall mood and atmosphere. Although not a concept album as such, there are certain themes running throughout the album. I think you owe it to your audience, and yourself, to try and push things, to keep things fresh.
You’re currently promoting your latest single, ‘A Gentle Reminder’, how did the track get together?
Like most, it started with a guitar part from Martyn. I had some lyric ideas, and the two just worked together. Coming out of the ‘Homesick For Our Future Destinations’ sessions, we wanted to lighten the mood and write an unapologetic power pop song with bite; a kind of The Replacements meets early Jellyfish type thing; we kept it simple and didn’t over-work it in the studio. I think we captured the energy and spark of the song. Danny hits the drums like a possessed, barefoot Clem Burke.
The track features Peter Holsapple, how did you get in touch and how was it to work with him?
I’ve been a fan of Peter’s for many years, I’m still a huge fan of The dB’s! It really was just a case of asking him, I figured he could only say ‘no’. We exchanged a few emails and sent some of our songs over, and he said he’d love to be involved. Not only was Peter a member of The dB’s, he played with REM on their huge Green World Tour, and also played on their multi-platinum album, ‘Out Of Time’. To have him on these new singles, as “honorary 5th member of IKIC” is pretty unbelievable. He plays keyboards on the first single, ‘A Gentle Reminder’ and they bring the song to life, adding an authentic post-punk vibe to the track.
The band will release 6 singles, three featuring Peter Holsapple. Are these singles part of any upcoming album?
We’ll see how it goes. If folks like them, we may look at putting a CD out early next year, with some of our other singles on there, too. I know our label, Kool Kat Musik, would like that and get behind it. It’s all down to how they are received and if the demand is there for a physical release. The way people listen to music has changed so much.
And do tell us more about the singles that will follow.
I’ve said this before, but I honestly believe they’re some of the strongest songs we’ve written. We decided we didn’t want them to be hidden away on a full album and lost. I can tell you exclusively that the next single is called, ‘Old Bones’ and is a big, anthemic kind of thing; there’s certainly a little Bowie and T Rex influence in there, maybe even a little Mott the Hoople, too. It’s a stomper, with a chorus that won’t leave you. There’ll also be a music video to accompany it, by the same guy who did our psychedelic, ‘Bubblegum Monsters’ video. It’s due for release mid-October
What else currently occupies your life?
The same things that occupy everyone else’s; the reality of the world we all live in…and you only have to watch the news to see what sort of world that is. We make music to escape from it all for a while. You’re more than welcome to come with us.
Are any of you involved in any other bands or do you have any active side-projects going on at this point?
I’m focussed on It’s Karma It’s Cool, but I know the other guys do a few other things musically, away from IKIC. I think it can only be a good thing working with other musicians and influences; it’s all about expressing yourself and being who you need to be, whatever band/project you’re with. I have some stuff written that’s not really, It’s Karma It’s Cool’s, so who knows? Maybe in the future I’ll find a suitable outlet for it all, and surprise a few folks.
Let’s end this interview with some of your favourite albums. Have you found something new lately you would like to recommend to our readers?
I’m currently re-discovering the band, Pavement. I’m also enjoying Nada Surf, and Death Cab For Cutie will always be on my list. The Manchester Orchestra and Band of Horses are great, too. There’s too many to mention, Midlake, Wilco, The Shins, the list goes on… There’s also a band from our home city of Lincoln, Northern Captives, that you should go check out.
Thank you. Last word is yours.
Thank you for taking the time to talk to me, it’s much appreciated. And thank you to everyone who’s taken the time to read this. Be good, that karma thing is watching you.
Klemen Breznikar
It’s Karma It’s Cool Facebook / Bandcamp / YouTube
