| When did you first realise that COVID-19 was going to have an effect on your band? When we started to see all the pro sports cancelling games we started to see how serious the situation really was/is. It almost seemed overnight that the streets turned into an old western ghost town with tumbleweeds rolling and not a soul in sight. Initially, what was that whole situation like, and how did your band overcome/react to it? Well with my brother Noah still being in college our lives didn’t change a ton. We were just kind of gearing up to hit the road for when the summer started but with everything going on we ended up just working on new material. We have written a ton of new songs and are really pleased to finally get to play them for some live audiences. I still have a day job so I was very fortunate to have that to fall back on and pay the bills while we weathered the storm. How has your creative process changed as a band over the last couple of months? I don’t know that our process has changed other than having to wait to try new material. We still write and bank a lot of songs, and since we hadn’t had the chance to play live we have had a few that we had shelved and forgot about. We are in the process of buying a big white board to get more organized and keep track of what we are working on. I am super scatter brained so every little bit of organizing helps a ton. I find that sometimes when I leave the house I still have to turn around to check if I’ve closed the front door. What bands/artists have you been listening to over the last couple of months? A lot of Mt. Joy. We have had their self titled album on repeat in my car. Also The Strokes. I always find myself going back and listening to them. So, what do you think you’ve learnt the most from being a band through COVID-19? Patience. Nothing happens overnight and as long as you keep your head down and plugging away you can make progress. Also to try and enjoy every day. You may not always get to do what you love but it is very important to enjoy whatever you are doing. If you try to live your life in the future you are going to have a lot of long days. Try to enjoy every day and take pleasure in the little things. What kind of effect do you think that it’s had on the music industry all together, and how excited are you to see it return to normal? I think one big thing I have seen is that with all the extra time alone, a ton of people are exploring their own creativity and making some really cool things. A lot of people have had to turn to self entertainment and with that people have picked up new hobbies or taken the time to work on a new skill. Also being cooped up in your house can make you a little weirder and goofier. And that is not a bad thing, I think the world could use a bit of that. I am excited to get back to playing and seeing the community that live music creates. What tips/advice would you like to give to other bands who are also going through this? I think it is enjoying the process. If you look too far in the future you might forget why you’re making music. We are just two brothers who love making music together, and we feel very blessed every chance we get to write and play. We are just enjoying the ride, wherever it might take us. https://www.facebook.com/jeremiahmckinleyband/ https://twitter.com/jeremiahmcknley |