Being As An Ocean: At Peace With Risk
As BEING AS AN OCEAN look to carve an untouched direction into their musical path with new record PROXY: An A.N.I.M.O. Story, you quickly come to the realisation: this band have become a musical encounter you’ll struggle to find almost anywhere else. Truth be told, the Californian’s always had a unique ace up their sleeves with vocalist Joel Quartuccio‘s emotive lead, intelligently penned spoken word lyricisms, but the band’s evolution over the last two years has been the genesis for the record that takes the four piece from being one of post hardcore’s shining lights, to a musical experience of their own volition.
PROXY in many ways builds on the concrete blocks left for it by predecessor Waiting For Morning To Come, which was the first severe warning shot from the band about where they were looking to take their craft. But rhythm guitarist/vocalist Michael McGough is quick to explain this had been the plan for several years prior. “After the self-titled record we kind of had one of those moments where we were all like ‘so what does everybody listen to/enjoy?'” It was at this moment that BEING AS AN OCEAN began to understand the creative expansion they’d been starving themselves of. Michael goes on to explain the surprise some members felt hearing what each other were now inspired by, Michael had fell in love with jazz and hip hop, whereas Joel had been captured by doom metal; a shift was on the horizon.
Perhaps one of the great masterstrokes that the band have been able to perform throughout this transition, is that despite the intrinsic musical set up of the band shifting, the importance of the bands lyrical stance has stood firm. Take a 45 second peak into their discography and it becomes evident that BEING AS AN OCEAN‘s emotive lyrical output is as fascinating as it is heartbreaking, it’s part of the myriad reasons why the band has been able to connect with such a vast array of demographics over the years. But Michael plays down the idea that the quartet insist on writing something that they demand people find a link to, and instead suggests their lyrics simply capture moments in time. “I think when you’re in the writing process you’re fully submerged into what you’re writing. So at the time when we were writing certain songs/records that’s what we were experiencing. There are songs that we play [live] now that I can no longer relate to, because it’s all about personal growth, and growth as a group.”
Michael discusses personal growth like it’s the band’s sidekick, the element that has helped the band push through adversity in recent years. They even have a group chat that is more dedicated to mindfulness and healthy well-being than music talk. In an industry where bands often seem able to use their misfortunes as fuel for their creative fire, Michael is quick to point out that it’s in the group’s growth as human beings where they have found their motivation. “I think it’s [personal growth] very important. For me personally it’s about being in that environment with like minded people who just want to create. But by personal growth I mean knowing that as a band we’re now able to get through some of the things we’ve been through, it makes me feel like a better person, because if I can deal with that, I can’t let anything get in my way.”
BEING AS AN OCEAN, like most others, are an outfit that have had to fight their way through challenges to still have a banded beating heart, it’s part and parcel of the territory. But when Michael is asked if there was any conflict when the band chose to change their musical direction and his first, instinctive answer is “Do you mean just within the band members?” it’s a picturesque description that the problems the quartet have faced have rarely been caused by the members themselves.
It’s well documented that the Californian’s ran into difficulty with their previous record label Equal Vision around the time of the release of Waiting For Morning To Come. But most important about the tale is the band believed in the direction they were heading in, no matter the circumstances. “As a band, nobody needed convincing, as soon as someone bought an idea up it inspired others, it ended up being this huge melting pot of ideas, and drawing influences from as many places as we could”.
Let’s not forget though, PROXY is a gamble for BEING AS AN OCEAN – it’s a full scale leap into an area that had only been flirted with previously. The band are aware of the risk and they’re prepared for what comes next. “I’ll be honest, I’m not nervous, but I’m excited to see the reaction it [PROXY] gets when certain songs are played, because there’s a huge difference between what people are used to and some of the stuff on this record. With every album that any band do, if there’s some kind of progression, you’re probably gonna lose a few fans. But you know what, okay, that’s fine. If people give it a chance that’s all we can ask for.”
People should give PROXY a chance too, because when all is said and done, this is as creatively bold and intelligent this band have ever been. And as irony would have it, it was their split from Equal Vision which eventually opened the door to where they are today. “Honestly I think if we stayed [with Equal Vision] we wouldn’t be doing what we’re doing now, just because who we’re working with now are all really close friends of ours, and we all just want what’s best for each other – we didn’t really experience this before. I don’t know what we’d be doing [had we stayed] but it definitely wouldn’t be anything like what we’re doing now.
When you melt it down to the nuts and bolts of it though, BEING AS AN OCEAN are still the band you loved seven years ago. Michael and Joel are still writing lyrics by sitting on a porch and asking “Hey, so what have you been going through lately?” And their true essence of poetic anthems is still alive. Michael cites BRING ME THE HORIZON as an inspiration with their bold musical maturity. “They [BMTH] have done a complete 180, and I always say to people, if you don’t enjoy the new direction, then at least give them the credit, for going out of their comfort zone, nobody wants to be pigeon holed in the same place forever.
With PROXY, BEING AS AN OCEAN have made it impossible to be pigeon-holed forever, success or failure, this feels like the moment where the band have reached their true vision. This is still the band you fell in love with, but it’s them making their boldest, biggest, and best step yet.
After the self titled record there was a very noticeable step into more expansive rock, was that something the band decided on during that album cycle?
Michael: So after the self titled record, we kind of had one of those moments where we were like: so what do people enjoy listening to? And it honestly, I think it kind of surprised us what everyone else was saying. But it’s what we were all individually influenced by, like I listen to a lot of music with big vocal production, bands really pushing the boundaries on vocal styles, I also listen to a lot of jazz music when I can. Joel listens to real heavy doom metal, Ralph listens to hip hop, electronic, and rap. And we were like, why have neglected bringing more of that influence in? So we kind of sat down and said: I think it would be kind of cool if we started messing around with different sounds and instrumentation.
Did anyone need convincing that this was the right thing to do? Or was everyone on board from the “get go” so to speak?
Michael: Do you mean just within the band members? As a band nobody needed convincing, as soon as somebody brought an idea up it inspired other people to say: oh yeah that’s great! And I’ve also got this idea too. Then it ended up being this huge melting pot of ideas, drawing influence from as many places as we could. Nobody needed convincing, nobody was unsure, this is what we wanted.
The vocal split between yourself and Joel is very special, and you bounce off each other brilliantly, but is it difficult for you to write lyrics with someone else?
Michael: No, not at all. I feel like anyone who will read Joel’s lyrics and style of writing – it’s like poetry, I’m a big fan of it. I joined the band a while after they had formed and I was already a big fan of Joel’s style of writing, and he’s such a humble person. So when it came to writing songs we would literally sit on the patio, outside at the producer’s house and just ask each other what we had been going through recently. We kind of bounce idea, and go into a very personal space of what we’ve been through and how we want to portray that through lyrics and through songs. It’s VERY easy writing with Joel.
BEING AS AN OCEAN have had so many ups and downs, from lineup changes to disputes with labels. Up to this point, how would you sum up your career?
Michael: Honestly right now I think it’s the best it’s ever been. The lineup changes weren’t necessarily the worst thing but when it came to the label situation, and even the time we had a bus driver steal a whole lot of money from us were tough. I know it sounds cliche to say but all of those adversities made us stronger as a team, so right now I think we are probably the best we’ve been in a very long time and only getting better. I feel like personal growth, and growth as a team is the best it’s ever been.
Is there a specific goal you’re looking to achieve with this record? Or is this just BEING AS AN OCEAN being captured in a creative hot spot?
Michael: Obviously a big goal for all of us, is to have the world listen to this album, everyone we could possibly reach with this record we would love for them to hear it. I think that’s the main thing, for people to just let us continue doing what we do in terms of growing, adapting, not being afraid to push the boundaries, and inspire change in some way within people. Even if it’s something as small as changing our sound, if that can inspire someone to make a change in a different way in their life then great – that’s the biggest success for me. None of us are in this to make tonnes of money or get platinum albums, we’re literally in this to show what we’re capable of.
PROXY: An A.N.I.M.O. Story is set for release on September 13th via self-release.
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