Interview: Can’t Sleep With Free Joel
Interview by Lindsey V. Britt
Indiana’s rock ‘n roll band Free Joel recently released their new song “Can’t Sleep”. Known for their song “I Wanna Keep It”, the band is currently performing gigs in the Midwest while releasing new music.
Your new song “Can’t Sleep” was just released, what was it like making that song?
Noah: It was a really quick process, I think I had the riff, and then Jillian was over and we had lyrics done, and then everyone just added some spice to it, it popped out really quick and we were like we got to record now. We’ve got eight other songs coming out.
I heard you’re planning on releasing an LP next year, how is that going?
Noah: We’re done with it. I don’t know if we’re going to do an album now, we’re going back and forth, we might just do singles, like release a song every two months just so we don’t go offline for six months out of the year because we run out of stuff to talk about.
Kyle: In the end, we’ll probably batch it all together and make it like a whole cohesive project.
With the new record coming will it be released on vinyl?
Noah: We’re going to try to for this one. We have just been super busy with shows lately, but we’ve got a place in Chicago. We might release the vinyl before all the music is out online so people get to listen to it before everybody else if they buy the vinyl.
I saw you play a lot of local gigs, what has been your most memorable one so far?
Noah: We play Muncie, IN a lot at this place called Be Here Now that’s like our stomping grounds. We’ve played there over twenty times at this point, it’s just a great time every time. We built our fanbase there so everybody kind of knows the songs, it’s cool to have people sing along with our stuff and just get really into it.
So how did the band get started?
Kyle: Jillian and I have been playing together since high school, and then she got us a show down in Muncie and we met these fine gentlemen.
Noah: They were playing at my brother’s house which was like a party house in Muncie, and he secretly was like you guys can’t play unless you let Noah join the show, I thought they were just being cool like hey do you want to play with us? Then that turned out well and I joined and then we needed another guitarist and Jillian had jammed with Reid before and she was like I know the perfect guy, now we’ve got the lineup.
Is there a band you would love to tour with one day?
Noah: It’d be cool to go with Greta Van Fleet because they’re like the same style of music as us.
Kyle: It’s hard to find people who sound like us that are already big and touring. Greta is probably the easy choice.
Your sound is more unique than most bands nowadays, how did you choose that sound?
Noah: I think it’s just our influences, we didn’t choose.
Reid: It’s what we like. We kind of write what we feel and stuff, we’re not trying to write anything to sound like anything else. I feel like if you listen to it and pick it apart you’ll be able to say…
Noah: Like that’s a Police song, that’s a The Weathers song, but not like the whole song. All of us have different influences, it’s a combo of everybody’s musical taste.
Reid: Where our styles arrived from and what we’ve been drawn to our whole lives.
Lalapalooza was this past weekend, did any of you attend?
Noah: No, we went to the beach, we live near the Indiana Dunes. There wasn’t anybody there that I was like I’ve got to go see them.
Kyle: We went there last year and saw the Red Hot Chili Peppers, they put on a very good show.
Tom Holland Is known for spilling the beans with his movies, is there a Tom Holland in the group that might announce something early or leak a song?
Noah: I don’t know if we can really keep a secret honestly. Haha. I think everyone is like I want to tell everybody we’re releasing a song.
Kyle: We kind of leak our own song by playing it before it’s even recorded if that counts.
Are there any new songs coming out?
Noah: On September 6th our next song is coming out, which it’s on YouTube. We got a saxophone in the recorded version and all kinds of congas and cool stuff.
If you could write a song for another artist, who would it be and why?
Noah: Me, haha. I can barely get songs out, I don’t want to share songs.
Reid: I’ll say me too, It just depends. When we have more time on our hands if we’re not doing music and day jobs.
Noah: It’s hard to do eight hours of work and then you’re like I don’t want to practice, and then I’ve got to write a song after that. We’re going to start writing again in December probably when we’re free, because the next two months we’re doing shows every weekend, so we’re pretty packed.
Do you have a dream venue you would love to perform at?
Noah: Red Rocks, because it’s just such a beautiful place.
Finally, do you each have a recommendation? This can be anything from a place to a film, a book to read, another artist, anything you want.
Noah: Live your life, don’t live by anybody else’s rules, do what you want. If you wanna make music, make music, don’t say you can’t do it.
Reid: I recommend good hobbies, healthy hobbies. Keep your mind happy and yourself, and keep you occupied. Just stay on your heals and check for any and all sources.
Kyle: Find some good music that you really enjoy and share it with your friends, share it with others, and just have a good time.
Be sure to check out “Can’t Sleep” out now along with the rest of Free Joel’s discography and share it with your friends. Also, check out their website for upcoming gigs.
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