A good band will make you wish you were in it too. A great band will make you want to form your own.
It’s hard to imagine that many bands are started by people who have found success FRNDCRCLthird studio album, suburban dictionary, stuck in their lungs this summer. From the opening promise of “Play This Song Like Your Favorite Song” on sub-minute opener “7AM” to the genre-defying gem of “Fuck California,” it’s clear that the New Jersey trio is destined to be everywhere.
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Key to their appeal is the authenticity of the writing, which, in the band’s own words, sets these songs apart from those more concerned with “lyrically pandering to the pop-punk community.”
In an AP interview that begins with a DM slideshow, FRND CRCL’s sincerity reigns supreme, as vocalist and guitarist Zac Johnson recounts the meetings behind the band’s new album and their confident vision for the future.
how’s it going? For those who may not be familiar with the FRND CRCL experience, please let them know who participated in the FRND CRCL and where they live.
Zach Johnson: Brothers Zach and Nick Johnson, and Aaron Smith from dirty South Jersey.
Please tell us where FRND CRCL was born. How supportive (or unsupportive) is everyone in your hometown for your band in general (especially punk-centric music)?
Johnson: Sometimes I think Vineland and South Jersey just can’t handle us anymore, but then someone pops up and proves us wrong. The scene here is a buried relic. It used to be so prominent in the MySpace days, but the venue has closed and the band has drifted away. The punk spirit still lives on the streets of Vineland, but nowhere.
[Photo by Jesse Gennett]
Are you from a musical family?
Johnson: Not in a professional sense. Certainly not from a privileged position to start our musical journey. Our mom’s brothers, Dave and Jack Winslow, were passionate about music and supported our musical development throughout our lives. Our drummer Aaron also sparked his interest in music.
When did you start writing what would eventually become suburban dictionary? Do you remember which song was the first song you wrote?
Johnson: I’ve been writing music.I’m not going to sit down and say, “I’m going to write an album today.” Some of these song ideas are preconceived after internet noise Because I want to enhance our voices. Ideas for “47,” “No Bad Days,” and “Kids” surfaced first. We spent a lot of time revising ideas to make these songs the best they could be. Once we were satisfied, we forced ourselves to write two more songs: “Clinically Insane” and “Fuck California.”
If you can, describe your writing process in detail. Do you follow a heavy demo process, or do you primarily record songs as you write them? How collaborative was the process, or was it more of a “here’s a song I wrote, now I’m going to show you how to play it” approach?
Johnson: We demoed the content of these songs (something we’ve never done before). We composed the music ourselves and were heavily involved in the production as a whole, so a good portion of the sounds we made in the demo were used on the record. Each song is approached differently; some are more collaborative, others are mostly written before submission. Sometimes they are changed, sometimes not. We just do what’s best for the song and the band.
which song suburban dictionary It is the hardest to cross the finish line, why?
Johnson: “There is no such thing as a bad day.” We carefully studied the structure. The song’s roots revolve around the chorus, which has a gospel-y nursery rhyme-like melody. It has a lot of soul.
An interesting flip on the record is that on “Fuck California” you don’t take the usual “I hate my hometown, I want to get out” and you come up with a manifesto against the state, which is often considered a typical songwriter’s escape plan. Where did the idea for “fuck California” come from? personal experience?
Johnson: It’s a state of mind, more than anything else. This is a statement against people faking it for personal gain, especially in the music industry. I don’t mean to be secretive, I just don’t do it. We’re musicians first, business-minded networkers last. In that sense, “Fuck California” is about fucking people who take advantage of people. The Jersey family always stays true, that’s where we belong. The music industry is a game and we don’t have a hatred for the players, but so does the fucking game and “fucking California”.
It can be said that this is a concept album. At what point in the writing process can you say: Hey, I think we might be telling a bigger story here?
Johnson: Once I start writing the track titles on a piece of paper, I start to visualize the end goal. This is part of my process. The album title wasn’t decided until the final days of recording.
This might be an impossible question, but why do you think the album took off so quickly and widely? I see it getting a lot of praise on Chorus FM (aka Absolute Punk), Twitter, Threads, etc. Clearly, you’ve dug into something special here.
Johnson: This is authentic. We’re not trying to be something we’re not just to pander to an audience. With so many people lyrically pandering to the pop-punk community, it’s going to fade away quickly — without depth. We are not cool. We’re a bunch of fucking losers making a band. Before the release of this album, our team offered a few opportunities to have multiple guest features on our songs, but we ultimately declined. As a developing artist, we don’t want to give anyone any reason to discredit the hard work that went into this album. We wrote it ourselves, and we wanted to show the world what we were capable of.
Ambition is a big part of the creative process; or, at least it should be.what is your greatest ambition suburban dictionary?
Johnson: Tour albums in other countries. We’ve gotten a lot of love from the UK and Japan, so it’s going to be a dream.Besides that, I want to make a suburban dictionary– Themed graffiti art murals take place in our hometown.
I know you mentioned that Blink 182 was a key influence on your songwriting. Who else do you think was equally important to the development of the FRND CRCL sound?
Johnson: The 1975, Wiz Khalifa, The Band Camino, Mac Miller, Green Day, Eminem, Sum 41, The Offspring, Between You & Me.
Tyler Skye produced the record. As a producer, how did he challenge you in the studio when recording the final content? suburban dictionary?
Johnson: Taylor is the next Tom Lord Archie. He has mastered our voices, the voices we might want, and the voices we can have. He’s very aggressive, but he’s not afraid to push you back when necessary.
[Photo by Jesse Gennett]
What are your most cherished memories from Nashville? suburban dictionary A meeting with Taylor?
Johnson: I think it’s a great experience living in Nashville with the people who live there because you get to see all the cool places that are off the beaten track.Some nights we’re addicted, we’re busy, we’re playing Ocarina of Time It took hours. One night we attended a July Christmas party at Dino’s Bar & Grill. It’s a beautiful city and the sunsets are amazing. 10/10 recommend.
What have you learned about yourself (as a person and an artist) through the process of writing, recording and ultimately releasing this album?
Johnson: Trust our vision as songwriters, artists and indie bands.
From what I understand, the FRND CRCL was originally launched in 2016. What has changed since then? What stays the same?
Johnson: We are always on the move. We are now operating more smoothly than ever. Our musical ambitions and songwriting process change as we learn from each project, forever building on the brand.
Beyond that, where do you see yourself seven years from now?
Johnson: Make more FRND CRCL music and play more FRND CRCL shows.
For anyone reading this who is about to start recording their own new album, whether in the studio or in the bedroom, do you have any advice that you wish someone had told you when you first started writing and recording your own songs?
Johnson: Find out your personal definition of what is cool and what is exciting. Once you figure this out and figure out the cause, the rest will take care of itself.
