Formula Indie Sessions _ Interview with Guinea Pigs
Introduction of the project
What is your earliest memory connected to music?
My earliest memory of consciously experiencing music was when I was a teenager. Music as an amplifier of emotions. Music as an identification tool. There were hip-hopers, metalheads, rockers, ravers, etc.
You had to belong somewhere. When you met a girl, the first question was: What do you hear? Music was our purpose in life.
How did your passion for creating music begin?
Once you start, you can’t stop. I didn’t start making music until I was in my early 20s. I wanted to play songs myself because it’s even more intense than just listening.
What’s the story behind your current music project?
We more or less played in dance music bands. We then met at a mutual friend’s birthday and started playing songs by artists we liked. This initially became a project for one evening. But we wanted more of it. We played songs by the Bananafishbones, Ween, the Barenaked Ladies and Violent Femmes. At some point we started writing our own songs. It was these bands that inspired us.
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
I think our songs are quite different. But we like to describe our sound as country grunge. Whatever that means.��
What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?
We are constantly changing. Depending on what we’re enjoying at the moment, what we’re listening to or what mood we’re in at the moment.
What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?
My guitar is enough for me to write songs. When I finish a song, we sit down together and everyone plays whatever comes to mind. Until we all like it.
Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?
At the moment I’m listening to bands like Two Gallants, The Handsome Family or Trambled by Turtles. But I also like German language music like Dreiviertelblut. My absolute favorite song at the moment is Anna’s Swaeter by Two Gallants.
How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?
Almost all of our songs come from personal experiences. I write about things that concern me at the moment. From my personal environment or also social topics. There is a story for every song, sometimes serious, sometimes thoughtful or sometimes bizarre. Our Song Hug Department came about when I became aware of a thesis by family therapist Virginia Satir that a person needs 4 hugs a day to survive and 8 to be happy. There are so many lonely people, I thought a Hug Department would be a good idea.
What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?
Of course we hope you like the songs first. If someone then says: “hey, that’s how I felt too”, then that would be very nice.
What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?
You can’t play music and be afraid at the same time.
What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?
A few years ago we played an unplugged concert in our hometown. I would like to do something like that again with lots of guest musicians. Maybe with a small orchestra too.
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?
We have met many great musicians over the years. I would like to make music together with each of them because it was always completely relaxed and creative. There are so many good musicians in our region.
Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links)
https://www.facebook.com/p/Guinea-Pigs-100042527783206
https://www.instagram.com/guineapigsbandsebnitz?igsh=MWlkMG83OHc5ZW1wcQ==
Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?
We have already released most of the songs from our current album “Home” in 2025. Two more songs to come. New songs are still waiting to be produced. And of course we want to play a lot of live concerts. Let’s see
What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?
Everything is there in our songs. We turn our insides out.
If you want here you can add a representative Youtube video to insert below the interview 🙂
Link
Our last release “Hug Department”
