Scene Point Blank: It strikes me that, with Simple Distractions, the band is changing but it feels very similar at the same time. Is that something you sought consciously as well, or is it just hard wired in your writing process? It's not like you added guitar solos.
Megan March: I think Street Eaters will always sound like Street Eaters, but part of that is change. We’ve been pushing the boundaries of our self-imposed constraints since the beginning. It’s part of the band’s identity.
In terms of adding a guitar, you’re right, this is uncharted territory. But it continues the same feeling of excitement that keeps us going. I see the Simple Distractions EP as a segue into what we’re going to do for the next full-length, both stylistically and instrumentally, as we settle into this new direction and chemistry of having a third member. We did add guitar solos in “Sofia” and “Simple Distractions,” and I think Stevo did a flawless job bringing in other leads to really blend into the songs. We’ve been playing with Joan for a while now (we were just about to start playing out before the pandemic hit) and so she feels very much a part of the mix.
John: The biggest change in the next wave of songwriting is that I am more likely to play some "standard" (single note/no chords) basslines at times, as I am not having to fill quite as much sonic space -- the guitar can do that, obviously. That will also heavily expand the dynamics, as I can then drop in with my typical wall of noise at the right moments so we can get ultra loud and saturated. In converse, the guitar can also play really stripped down sometimes (almost like a bass) while I go for it with the chords and other wild/weird noisy bullshit that I have been doing in this band for a decade. We are fortunate to be playing with Joan because she has such a huge musical vocabulary while still being firmly grounded in weird post-punk, hardcore, and some select touches of quality hard rock/metal in the same way we are.
Megan's vocals and drumming are also going in more dynamic and experimental directions, but in an early post-punk way that plays to her strengths. She will always simultaneously hold the whole ship together while steering it. Tbh, this band is always growing and expanding our sound, but as Megan noted we ultimately do "a thing" and I think it will continue to be very recognizable as Street Eaters no matter how wild the new material gets.
Scene Point Blank: I imagine the new lineup also presents all kinds of new opportunities. What was the first thing you noticed with live shows with a third member?
John: The combo of bass and guitar feedback sounds really good.
Megan: I always had an intense energy connection with John on stage, and I feel like having another member, who knows how to fucking rock, just makes that all the more exciting. Also having another person in practice other than just the two of us brings up the intensity -- everything is an important take.
Scene Point Blank: I interpret "Simple Distractions" as based on living through COVID but...we all have our own interpretations of music and, frankly, one thing I love about your songwriting is that it's not always super blunt. Which means it may be a product of a (hopefully) once-a-century pandemic, it doesn't sound dated, like when Dead Kennedys reference Ronald Reagan or something. Anyway, that's a long non-question. In short, what is that song about to you and why did you pick it as the title track for the new EP that also introduces a new lineup?
Megan: Thank you, I’m glad to hear someone was able to hear something they needed in my words. I wrote “Simple Distractions” in 2018 when I was struggling with serious insomnia and anxiety. I had to quit drinking caffeinated coffee (the horror!) and take some time to really work some demons out. It was hard work. This process opened my eyes to the fact that we are always so quick to blame ourselves for feeling anxious or “off,” when in reality you take a look around the world and it’s truly fucked and worth feeling anxious about, and things kept happening late at night while I laid in bed staring at the ceiling. There were rats running across the roof by my bedroom window. The cops came and (as usual) severely harassed a man having a mental health crisis and was throwing oranges at the building a few doors down, and could have used help from anyone but the cops (and I made damn sure those cops knew they were being watched by me). My neighbors had fights and kept slamming their front door (also right below my window). All of this was around while I was struggling to let my brain rest. It can be isolating and maddening, which I think was a feeling that we all got to with the pandemic. We were all struggling with these feelings, and trying to fix ourselves, but really, we all have legitimate reasons to feel stressed or bummed. These are traumatic times.
Scene Point Blank: Since you were talking about moving at the start and, now, how your previous home influenced the EP -- Can I ask what led to the move? On a bigger level, it sounds like the band and your personal lives are in periods of transition. Is it all consciously connected? Or am I reading more into this than really exists? As the band is close to 15 years old, which makes it seem like a lot of change from an outside perspective.
John: A lot of things sparked the move, but ultimately as much as we loved our old home (which we had been in since 2006) it was just time to move on. Fortunately, we are only about 15 minutes away, have more space now, there’s a forest in our backyard, and we can build a bigger studio/practice space -- the old one was very cramped. Yes, it has been an incredible amount of change in a short time, but that seems to be the general theme since early 2020 in the world in general.
Scene Point Blank: Circling back a little, how do you approach lyric writing when it comes to socio-political topics. As I said, I'm impressed at the balance between topical and bigger picture ideas and experiences.
Megan: I think part of art is being able to reflect reality back at the observer so they can experience it through a different light, even if that’s just briefly seeing things how you see it. Also I think the “feeling” of something is just as, if not more, important than the subject, so acknowledging the “as felt” experience of something socio-political is a part of my approach.
"I think the “feeling” of something is just as, if not more, important than the subject, so acknowledging the “as felt” experience of something socio-political is a part of my approach."
Scene Point Blank: Who are some of your favorite songwriters?
Together: Mark Mothersbaugh/Jerry Casale, Anna Bruland, Mdou Moctar, Adrian Tenney, Santigold, Cara Beth Satalino, Fred and Toody Cole, Alice Bag, Matty Luv, Nina Hagen, Lee Hazelwood, Ana DaSilva/Gina Burch, Jeff Burke, Mick Harvey, Jared Warren/Coady Willis, Residente/Visitante, Cyndi Lauper, Hope Sandoval, Eve Libertine, Sophie Xeon, Marlene Marder/Claudia Schiff/Regula Sing, Hannah Lew, Marissa Paternoster, Lil B, Colin Newman/Graham Lewis/Bruce Gilbert/Robert Grey, Andy Gill, Sarah Kirsch, Ian MacKaye, Greg Saunier/Satomi Matsuzaki, Mikey Young, Neil Young.
Scene Point Blank: You also run Nervous Intent? Is that one or both of you?
Megan: Both of us.
Scene Point Blank: How was running a label during a time without live shows?
Megan: Doing two releases (SILENT ERA lp, STREET EATERS ep) while neither band could do any touring, let alone a record release show, was a bit nerve wracking, but we went ahead with it and I’m very glad we did. People have been extremely supportive -- the EP sold out in a few days and the LP has been doing great.
Scene Point Blank: Mediums and technology are changing a lot and fast. And vinyl pressing delays are a hassle for everybody. Does Nervous Intent have a preferred format or do you see any changes coming for the label in regard to the vinyl vs streaming vs cassette or CD concept?
John: We love vinyl and will keep releasing it as long as people want it (the 7” pic disc was relatively easy because the guy who presses it actually does it himself on a small press in Oakland) but we are going to go with the flow! We have always been pretty flexible on format and have stuff available on various ones. We have had some resistance to streaming sites like Spotify because they pay like shit (Bandcamp is waaaaay artist friendlier) -- but we now use the streaming sites/digital distribution, too, at least for our singles.
Scene Point Blank: Did any hobbies, personal approaches, or art help you manage the challenges of the past year without touring and live shows?
Megan: We cautiously continued to practice with Joan -- first with masks and her on the front porch, using practice amps and a drum pad, then when we felt comfortable/safe forming a pod we returned to our full volume practice space. I read copious amounts of Love and Rockets comics, Kurt Vonnegut, historically-inspired graphic novels, cooking, going on lots of walks and hanging in parks, frequently visiting the Berkeley waterfront (officially one of my favorite spots), cooking, taking on the monumental task of moving from our spot of 15 years, and keeping busy with the label. I’m happiest when I’m busy, even though I can overdo it.
Scene Point Blank: You've been active in the scene for some time. What was it like to have a forced hiatus from the road?
Megan: I miss our friends the most, and also the feeling of purpose. I also love playing drums so being able to play for a crowd every night is a huge treat and privilege that I never take for granted.
John: It is weird. That said, it has been interesting to dive deeper into writing and recording, and I am grateful we have still been able to be a functional band in a fucked-up era like this.
Scene Point Blank: Obviously the interruption was for terrible reasons and had a lot of negative consequences across the world. But did looking at things from a new perspective give you any key takeaways or insights into what you get out of the band moving forward?
Megan: Well, we know we like what we’re doing and we like who we are doing it with. One of the things I love about playing with John and Joan is that we are tight as friends beyond the practice space. We even hang out on days we don’t have practice, just to shoot the shit, which is a precious thing when you’re as busy as we are and in your thirties.
John: I don’t think I will be taking live music for granted as much as I did before.
Scene Point Blank: What are you working on now?
Megan: New music!!
