#MCM: Paper Route Wants You to Lean Into Uncomfortable Things
Paper Route is the band that is about to blow up. You might have seen them recently play on “Late Night with Seth Meyers.” If you’re lucky you’ve seen them live on tour with bands Paramore, Imagine Dragons or Passion Pit.
Nick, Chad and JT (in case you couldn’t tell they are all white guys from Nashville) have all written songs as a gift for someone they love — not surprised the ladies love them, as they all play multiple instruments. They are interactive, charming and down to earth. They were playing a private show for some cool cats at Soho House when they revealed to Galore that this was not always what they wanted to do. Read on for the deets.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
Nick: An Astronaut
Chad: An actor
JT: A painter like Picasso or something
Chad: We are not really dreamers…
How do you pump yourself up before a show?
Most of the idea is to calm ourselves down. There are usually candles backstage, with yoga mats and ambient music. We’ve had members go through meditation phases. If possible, there is never fluorinate lighting on. Actually, this spot is what I wish it were like every night.
This place has a great vibe. What is the weirdest venue you’ve ever played?
I would say the Hard Rock Café in Vegas on Halloween. There was an S&M convention next store. People were being like hung upside-down and whipping each other. Various people on stilts, so that was weird.
Were you in a band in high school?
We were all in multiple bands in high school. We have been doing this for a while.*JT played the Saxophone later that night, but it was too brief. Give me more woodwinds!*
Read Also: How Band SWMRS Is Helping MTV Bring Music Back
Favorite 90’s Jam?
JT: Bitter Sweet Symphony by The Verve
Chad: Wonderwall by Oasis
Nick: This is how we do it by Montel Jordan
Excellent song! That’s how you guys should be pumping yourselves up before a show!
That is a jam! The sound of the room chatter then suddenly it comes on! It is Friday night!
Any upcoming projects you want fans to know about?
We are filming a music video in a couple of week for our new single “Balconies”. The theme is a performance video that doesn’t make us cringe. It either needs to be sarcastic or there needs to be some sort of slight of hand.
Which music videos have recently made you cringe?
Ahhhh…so many of our friends are in bands. Ok, like Creed, with “Arms wide open”, where he’s floating in the water. Then, there is a part where his is in the rain and slams his hand down. Like doing a video in the rain, that’s not slight of hand. Or, they always do the thing where they like shaking the camera. The cringe worthy stuff is usually production.
The theme of this album is really things that make us cringe. We said we would never put ourselves on an album cover so ‘ok lets do that then’. Lets make a guitar heavy album even though on the radio, I haven’t heard the guitar in a long time. A performance video isn’t’ really our vibe so lets do that then. Lean into uncomfortable things. That’s gonna be the title of our new self help book.
Who are your inspirations?
JT: Nick Cave is my favorite artist.
Nick: Elliot Smith. He is also my favorite artist. He’s a little pitchy but it sounds kind of interesting. I think his voice catches a lot of people off guard. And it seems extremely sad. I only listen to this when I’m totally gutted. He had such a beautiful musical mind.
Chad: Bjork. I think she’s a freak of nature.
So who would you like to collaborate with next?
Nick: I’m just excited to collaborate with these dudes again.
Chad: Bjork, Nick Cave and Elliot Smith.
Or I think it would be cool to collaborate with a film maker or a rapper.
JT: I think it would be cool to collaborate with a rapper. Some fresh blood. There’s this guy named ‘Bones’ that I have been kind of freaking out about. He’s from Michigan. He’s the next kind of Yellow Wolf if Yellow Wolf was drinking cough syrup all the time. It’s like haunted house rap. Asap Rocky sampled him on a song. Like Stitches but listenable. Someone like that. Or maybe a girl. Like Fiona Apple.
Fiona Apple is incredible. Is she coming tonight?
Fiona Apple is coming tonight. Well, she’s on the list so we will see. She hasn’t confirmed. You just got to put it out in the universe.
Is she a member of Soho House?
She’s a member of everything. Her last name is Apple.
