JPG: As far as writing such a song…you can come up with another term if you’d like but a pop tune or a more straight-on song than a jammy instrumental, I would think you have to “wire” yourself a little different, was that easy to do or did Brad Bowden as co-producer help you along?

I don’t know if I’d use the word pop songs but they definitely have that element. Looking back on it now, it’s really an ode to music and music that inspired us whether it be a disco feel or rock feel or some of those classic hooks and messages of songs. This is what we were trying to do. Hunter [Brown] definitely has taken the lead on the production end of it as well as Brad being in there. They’re not necessarily creating on their own. It’s still a group experience and group effort. We’re all taking on our different roles. There wasn’t one person coming in and steering it that way. A lot of the tracks revealed themselves. A lot of the tracks didn’t start with vocals. They became the musical part of it and the message. We made the album we wanted to make.

JPG: I want to bring up this quote. You said, “I don’t think there are any limitations. I think that we’re trying to be really open to where the music takes us…”

JL: That’s a tough thing to explain. If we were to go down and write a song right now, unless someone came with an idea from their computer as a blueprint or melodic idea or beat idea, we’re creating that music together in a room. So, there is a real natural process.

To be honest with you this is something we’re stepping into. We’ve got this album behind us. We felt like we needed a full-length album with Alana on it to showcase where we’re at, what we could do and what’s possible. What’s next for us is writing music and, maybe, releasing singles and a more constant output rather than waiting for the big studio album. We’re jumping into the writing process. It’s super-exciting in a way to do it as a band rather than individuals coming with tracks. It’s always going to be a little bit of both, of course. It’s more organic.

JPG: It’s been seven years since you’ve released a new studio album and 2014 is when she joined. I imagine you wanted to record fresh and get her more immersed in the band aesthetic.

JL: That’s part of it. The time consumption of being a touring band, being away from home on the road and having to learn these 100-some songs…that takes up a lot of your day. We had to prioritize and make sure that our live show was right so that when that album comes out…a lot of things did get reworked. There’s a lot of growth, learning and gathering skills. It’s a self-produced, self-mixed album done in our studio.

JPG: Since Ad Explorata in 2009 you put out a lot of live releases, especially last year, how have things changed in the studio as far as writing and recording as far as approach or influences or new sources of inspiration – musical, science or whatever?

JL: Tons of influences. Alana, first one that I speak of, where she comes from and what kind of musical training she has and the knowledge of music, has been a big inspiration for us. We’ve taken a lot of lumps on the road and that’s where we learned a lot of our things. We were a young band when we started and didn’t necessarily go to music school and have that kind of training. It’s been a big inspiration as far as creativity and knowledge and also work ethic. She’s just on her instrument all the time and that’s just part of what she does—us too—and that’s been inspiring.

David [Phipps] has immersed himself in the analog synth world, and it’s become incredible for us not only in the studio but as a live thing, too. Doing improvisation off of analog synth is an amazing feat. That’s been a big influence. Our continued passion and our continued quest for growth and learning about our instruments and being in a band and all the lessons that come with that.

If you were to do this interview with all of us right now we all feel like we’re 18 again. Individually as musicians and collectively, it’s a whole new beginning. I don’t know how to explain that but it is a pervading feeling in the group that the best years are still ahead of us. It’s a real thing. It’s such a blessing. You can’t make up a feeling like that.

JPG: Over the past two years the band has played live tunes that made it on to The Universe Inside such as “New Dawn New Day” at Alana’s debut performance with you, “World Go Round,” “Totem…” When you get into the studio after you play a song and extend it in a live situation, how do you go about revising it for a studio version?

JL: I don’t know if there’s that much separation in our approach. Being a live band, these songs were written to be played live. Those two worlds are always tightly considered. At least for this project it’s the sole consideration. We were trying not to make these songs so complex that we can’t play ‘em live and trying to keep it real.

JPG: Last year you put out four live releases. Was that a matter of filling a void because it was so long since you released a new studio album?

JL: No. We release every live show.

JPG: I understand bands do that with live downloads of shows but here you’re putting out specific compilations or specially-produced versions of a show.

JL: To speak for the “One:One” thing, it was such an incredible experience for us and our fans, and it was an intimate thing we felt like more people that were just in the room should share in that and that would be a really good one to share.

As far as the compilations, we’re just trying to pick and choose some of the more special moments and share those in a way we wouldn’t necessarily have to weed those out of the shows. It’s a way to highlight some of our better moments and where things have the possibility to go.

I feel like we have our hardcore fans who are going to have that show and then there’s another 2.3 billion people out there, right? (Laughs) And we always want other people to hear our music. We’re grateful, I’m grateful for the support of our fans but we want other people to listen to it too outside of that circle that people can get enjoyment. It’s not a negative thing in any way…

JPG: I didn’t mean for it to sound negative. You just see situations where artists put out a live release or an album of rarities or demos because there’s been such a long gap between studio albums in order to stir up fan interest.

JL: Yeah. I wouldn’t say overtly. I’m sure it serves that purpose as well though. It’s not necessarily why we do that. We’re still coming from that creative purity thing of we just want to share art. It’s not a compilation to make extra money or anything like that. We’re just trying to highlight some of those special moments and reel people in a little bit. But you’re right, it does serve that purpose but it’s not necessarily the way the band’s looking at it.

JPG: Back to The Universe Inside, I read about the background of NASA’s Golden Records, that they are traveling through space and the idea that we’re all stardust so we’re all connected. Did the concept and ideas come around first and the songs were built around that?

JL: It kind of happened at the same time. When you look at the albums – Artifcact or Peaceblaster – that’s what comes from our camp is a story, a deeper message. It’s not like we had to come up with it. It’s kind of been our story from the beginning if you look at Interplanetary Escape Vehicle album before I was even in the band it has that connection to our universe and inspiration that comes from that.

Really, what you’re witnessing is us trying to share more, to not be so mysterious, to be more forthcoming and get loud. As we learn and get a little older in life, you can have all the greatest intentions and all the greatest thoughts in your mind but if you don’t share ‘em they don’t mean much.

JPG: To get a little deeper then, how much of STS9’s music is an intellectual pursuit transferred into notes and rhythms?

JL: That could really be said for all music. It does start in your mind. We’re a group of concerned, engaged citizens in a world that we feel needs hope more than ever. If we can play our part then we’re serving our purpose. That’s our attempt.

I don’t wanna preach. I don’t wanna preach to anybody. I don’t wanna tell anybody what to do or not to do. But, love is all around. Love is all you need. This world is give and take. That really means something to us more than just what we put into our art; the way we walk the planet, the way we are the people we are.

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