Formula Indie Sessions _ Interview with The Bedbugs

What is your earliest memory connected to music?

I was 10 years old in 1977 when my older brother brought home Elvis Costello’s first album, and I remember being so taken by the immediacy of the delivery not to mention the audacity to take the name Elvis. I never did quite recover.

How did your passion for creating music begin?

I inherited a friends guitar and after fumbling for three chords thought “wait, that kind of sounds like a Lou Reed song… maybe I just made a song?!” Once I realized songs can be found in the open air, it became the most fun thing anyone could do.

What’s the story behind your current music project?

I started home taping in the early 1990’s and releasing DIY cassettes. A month back we just released our 42nd full length album – so hundreds of songs. The last ten years my buddy Max has been collaborating, which is more fun because I was getting lonely 20 years on my own and he is more musical than me. The objective simple: about every 9 months write 25 new songs and then pick 12 and package it. Fun!

How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?

Simple pop music. A little strummy. Made in the basement by people who love music. The songs are usually small and maybe take patience as they don’t beat the listener over the head. Songs for people who like songs.

What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?

Anything can be a song. If it engages you enough while you are writing it, it is a worthwhile topic for a song! I try to not filter any ideas. I write songs about my bed, my favorite shirt, my favorite records – anything.

What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?

I don’t know how to use any tools at all. I really have never evolved beyond a 4-track recorder. Whenever I think I might take some time to learn something fancy, that time always gets bumped by a song idea. I’m a caveman.

Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?

I just heard Sharp Pins “Popafangout” and about fell over.

How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?

I try not to think as little as necessary when making a song but your subconscious finds its way into songs.

What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?

None other than the fun of digging into songs. I just love songs and therefore making songs seems like a real worthwhile use of time.

What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?

Music and songs themself can be a great friend. You can never have enough friends.

What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?

My only dream was to be part of the Euro Indie Music, and hey, it looks like that might happen! So, I may retire after that.

If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?

I’m pretty happy to collaborate with Max (my bandmate), but literally around the block from me lives the guy from Squires of the Subterrain. I’d love to collaborate with him but I’m scared to ask him cuz I’m such a big fan that i’d be too busy asking for his autograph and embarrassing myself.

Where can our listeners follow and support your music?

The CD’s themselves are only distributed locally but we have started to move a bunch of songs to Spotify. Email us if you desire more.

Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?

The Bedbugs are a song factory, you see. There is nothing but the songs. I have a song to finish tomorrow night and the night after that and a new album in the fall.

What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?

If they found a song they liked, I think that’d be great.

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