Mike Novak (Holler House – drums)
SPB: You released the split earlier this year. How different is it to release new music but not play live shows (do you expect the new songs to feel fresh when live music resumes)?
Novak: Yes, we did release a split earlier this year. It was an odd roll-out of an album... We technically released it on June 5, 2020 but it was complete way back in March. Ironically, the last show we played was March 5th in Minneapolis with BUSEY (the band on the other side of the split), and The Smokes. That show has just become our "release party" in my head, even though it wasn't.
Things got shut down with the pandemic shortly after that show, and things continued to spiral here in Minneapolis. With the murder of George Floyd in May, and the civil uprising shortly after, it really felt stupid to have anyone focus on our record. We did formally release the album on a Bandcamp Friday in June and donated 100% of sales along with our label Jetsam-Flotsam to Reclaim the Block, and Black Visions here in Minnesota. I'm glad we raised some cash for those entities, but it still felt a little weird to promote music at that time. We haven't really touched our instruments since that show, but we're still a band and we still hang out when we can. I know this whole shutdown has been a magical creative time for some, but not for us. I've personally been stressed, overwhelmed, and frustrated. Some of us have new jobs, no jobs, kids learning at home, and new ventures at various stages. A silver lining to all of this could be that it'll serve as some sort of giant reset for everyone, and everything. I've personally tried to take some time to think about what really matters, and what I can do to change things for the better. Maybe, that'll all bleed out in some form of new music when we can get back together.
To answer your question though... I think the "new" songs will feel fresh, if we can remember them! Recently, we all got together for a bonfire and we joked that it'd be funny when that first show happens... when it's safe... if all the bands are just super shitty because they haven't practiced at all. That'd be funny, but also who cares... it'll feel so good to get all sweaty in a crappy rock club again. Right?
