Photo By Skylar Smith/Daily Titan Staff Writer

By Skylar Smith
Daily Titan Staff Writer

Local Fullerton Indie-Rock band discusses life as an indie band and what inspires them to make music.

The Steelwells are:

Joey Winter – vocals and acoustic guitar
Andrew Eapen – lead guitar
Robbie Gullage – bass
Brian Manchester – drums and percussion
Billy Kim – keys, guitar, etc.

Daily Titan: What do you think of the current Southern California music scene?

Andrew Eapen: Well, the Southern California music scene is pretty good. Fullerton has us and The Living Suns.

Joey Winter: I feel like Fullerton has a lot underneath that could be really good but no one’s really going for it.

AE: Or has actually heard of it, at least.

JW: There’s tons of stuff happening.

AE: A lot of smaller bands are coming out right now and with the help of the Internet, it makes (getting noticed) a lot easier.

DT: What are your inspirations and what artists do you like?

AE: The Beach Boys was a big influence on our last record Shallow on the Draft. I would say, for me personally, The Smiths, The Beatles. The Abbey Road record was great. The Flaming Lips and Wilco. Anyone else?

Billy Kim: It’s hard to say really. Anyone that’s just talented.

JW: I’m right with Andrew on Wilco and The Beatles. Abbey Road, I feel like, is a record that seeped into our consciousness. There are a lot of things on (our) album that remind me of Abbey Road and also Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys. Barry, our producer is listening to Brian Eno quite a bit, so we used a lot of his tricks and gadgets. Singer songwriting stuff.

DT: How is touring life as a modern indie band?

AE: Our whole thing is we want to do it on our own, just because it will be our thing. We are not closed to something like a record deal, but we aren’t really looking to get signed.

JW: Financially, it would be easy to sign to a label. We know people in bands who have been signed, (but) we feel like you lose something, a little bit, in that process. I think if you can make it on your own and you can do it on your own then that’s the way to go. Try and get signed and see what happens. For now, we are going to make this our business and see what happens.

DT: Do you guys have your record label?

JW: We actually work with a label that does all that work for us. Obviously, starting our own thing in the future is not out of the picture either. For now we are going to focus on the music, the band and promoting ourselves.

DT: What influences do you have from your past life and others’ lives that help you write songs?

JW: I’m getting older now and I’ve experienced a few things in my life. I’ve definitely been through a number of experiences that have caused me to be introspective. I do my best to interpret what I’ve experienced and put that through into the music. It’s important to me that the music and the lyrics compliment each other and make sense with each other; that they communicate to each other in a way. I write so that it has a lot to do with how the music feels, and how the music feels dictates how I write. It’s a symbiotic thing.

One of our songs is about the band and it has to do with us moving forward and making it on our own. Another song has to do with a failed marriage of mine. Everything from failed relationships and even politics, not so much but a little bit here and there.

DT: What’s your favorite venue in Fullerton to play at?

JW: Definitely Continental Room. Every single time we play at the Continental Room it feels like we are playing in front of our family; everybody gets involved and it’s just a huge party every single time we play there.

DT: What suggestions do you have for any local indie artists to be successful?

JW: From stand point if you’re going to be a song writer, don’t waste your time making songs to make other people happy, make sure you’re making songs to make you happy. Be honest and make what you feel. Don’t try to make a scene or be hip. You don’t have to wear the leather boots just because everyone else is.

AE: It’s also really hard, don’t think it’s easy. It’s a lot of work we put in a lot of hours.

JW: We walked into this thinking that it was going to be easier than it is now. We’ve had to step back, reassess and say, “All right well, let’s put our heads down and make this happen.” I think a lot of bands will get to that point and say, “forget it, it’s too much work.”

Brian Manchester: I’d also say, whether you have high-caliber musicianship or not, set up a practice schedule and actually practice. We have done that from the beginning which is good. I know of friends who try to start up bands and they are not very proactive about their schedule and actually practicing. They are happy about it but after a few months it fizzles out. So that it doesn’t fizz out, make a schedule and stick to it.

JW: Even if you aren’t good. I’ve always taken the punk rock approach to music where you do what you can and make it work. Do the best with what you got and keep trying to get by.

DT: What should be the first Steelwells’ song that readers should check out?

AE: I think “Boxes” and “El Capitan” are very nice tracks.

JW: Honestly, I’m going to say “El Capitan.” Really encompasses in different places in the song what this is about, both musically and lyrically.

This band is on this journey and that song takes you on a journey. It’s about leading the ship to failure. Lyrically, it’s a warning sign for us, and that this band is about being honest and true to ourselves, or else you sink the ship by filling it up with too much bullshit.

The Steelwells will have a residency at Silverlake Lounge in Los Angeles. They will be playing every Monday night in January.