The New Electric Interview with Kyle McKearney Pop / Alternative band from Calgary, Alberta. March 30, 2016. The New Electric, based out of Calgary, Alberta have laid their foundation to become the next big name in Pop / Alt. Since forming in 2014, the band has worked with Kevin ‘Chief’ Zaruk and Jeff Ojeda (of Chief Music Management: Florida Georgia Line, Dallas Smith, Head of the Herd) to put together an undeniable fresh new sound. In the Summer of 2014, The New Electric got together with world-renowned producer Brian Howes (Hedley, Simple Plan, Boys Like Girls) to record their debut EP in sunny Los Angeles. Their breakthrough, catchy sound is sonically inspired by: Maroon 5, One Republic and Imagine Dragons.
The New Electric Interview
Q: What’s new in the world of The New Electric?
A: Hey guys! This is Kyle, singer for The New Electric. Hope you’re doing very well. We just released our second single “Inside Out” to Canadian radio and have the video coming out in a couple weeks. We’re lining up our tour schedule for the year and can’t wait to get out there, playing again! Lots of new live show elements this year.
Q: How was it recording the single “Inside Out” from in the studio?
A: We recorded this song with Brian Howes at his place in LA, so for us Canadian boys to get the opportunity to bask in the sun while being creative, was amazing and truly inspiring. Brian runs a world-class operation down there and is such a talented songwriter/producer, it was an absolute joy. There was definitely a lot of excitement around this song.
Songwriting and Spotify
Q: How do you build a song up from nothing to become something?
A: I always start with an inspired idea or concept. It could be as simple as a play on words or sometimes an entire story. Sometimes I’ll see a movie or someone else’s art and find a song idea. As long as the idea is strong, the rest of the song tends to flow with ease. When I get stuck, I borrow ideas and look for answers in other songs. I usually work out lyrics, melody and structure all at once. I do a lot of open conscious lyric writing where I just spit out words and say whatever. Very fun! A great producer can tie up loose ends and make songs incredible if the foundation is solid, so I depend on my producers a lot when it comes to writing.
Q: Is the band fans of Spotify and similar streaming services? What are your thoughts on this?
A: Spotify is awesome! I love that someone can go and hear our song so easily. It has such an organic infrastructure, as in, you can put a song up and if people like it, it will get lots of spins haha. The simplicity is great. In a sense, number of spins is the new currency and we’re cool with it.
Schedules, Influences, Videos
Q: How many shows do you play per year on average, and how crazy does the schedule get?
A: Our schedule has varied a lot over the last few years. Last year we did about 20 shows, as we were doing a lot of showcasing and prepping for our release of “Life’s What You Make It.” In years prior, we’ve done hundreds of shows and those kind of schedules can get crazy. We really love touring! No matter the stature, we love being out together crushing stages.
Q: Could you describe some of your earliest influences in life and in music?
A: I remember seeing the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show! You’re probably thinking, “How old is this guy?” Haha. I’m 27 and it was a rerun but I feel like it had the same affect on me as if it was the first airing. I remember seeing Johnny Depp in Cry Baby and Edward Scissor hands and it made me fall in love with the idea of how cool someone could be and how art could make me feel.
Q: Making videos must be a lot of work and still fun to do. How do you look at it?
A: Videos are so fun! It’s so neat to have the opportunity to catch a glimpse of what actors go through. Videos take patience, endurance, and commitment. For example, in the video for “Inside Out” we did a band scene on the ice in our dress clothes. It was really cold and uncomfortable but that shot was incredible. So you suffer for the art. It’s very enjoyable!
Q: Do you see a biography being written someday about the experiences you acquired or will acquire in your life?
A: Haha. Going through memories is always a good time but I think we’d only do it if there were some way to serve others with it. I guess if we felt like hearing our story could help people, we’d do it; otherwise probably not.
Q: In your opinion, which album would be essential to have if someone were stranded on a deserted island?
A: Well… I think it would have to be something that you could listen to over and over and over, lol. I’m going to go with a classic country record with hits from the ‘60s –‘90s. Or, Elvis! Oh, oh I know. The Beatles, Rubber Soul!
Q: Where do you see music in general going in 100 years from now?
A: If you look at the essence and history of rock ‘n’ roll you can see a thread of artists and pieces of music that flow with the movements of humanity. I think we’re slowly progressing out of darkness and suppression and music will always be there to accommodate and document these movements. I hope that in 100 years we are free to be who we are and no one is hungry and we are singing about the triumph of the human race!
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