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Here at Impact 89FM, our staff has the opportunity to interview a lot of bands, artists and other musicians. We're excited to be highlighting those conversations and exclusive live performances.
Live from the East Lansing Underground, this is 889 bringing you The Basement. As always, I'm your host Liv tonight. And I'm Griffin. And we have a wonderful band in the studio called Olliecat. Would you guys introduce yourselves?
Speaker 2:Yeah. I'm James, and I make all the beats and the music.
Speaker 3:I'm Alex. I do all the vocals.
Speaker 1:Alright. Wonderful. I cannot wait for people to hear what we've got in studio tonight. So if you wanna roll right into our first song?
Speaker 2:Sure. Let's do it.
Speaker 3:It's called jump reduction.
Speaker 4:Well, we better go right through the book, haven't
Speaker 5:we? For me,
Speaker 6:This for all my Kawasaki prodigies who I know. I'm flowing with you and the enemies we hit them with a glider bomb.
Speaker 3:Are you this fundamental elements?
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 6:How we sneak out late at night to spark that wood adventure through town. Hit the liquor stove, sipping on a folio. Two bottles of corona bagged woods. Told my shawty girl I'm off tonight. Please don't hit me up tonight.
Speaker 6:Hey. What's the fundamental element of getting rich? Tell me what you remember about making that song in particular.
Speaker 3:I don't remember anything, miss.
Speaker 5:For
Speaker 4:$9. This is Ollie Cat, everybody.
Speaker 3:Hey. Hey.
Speaker 2:Thank you. Thank you.
Speaker 3:Thanks, guys.
Speaker 4:Welcome to the basement.
Speaker 3:Hey. Thanks for having us. Thank you.
Speaker 5:Of
Speaker 4:course. You guys are fire.
Speaker 3:Oh, thanks.
Speaker 2:Thanks, dude.
Speaker 3:I appreciate that.
Speaker 1:Yeah. Well, first question I wanna ask you because it sounds like from a bit of what we were talking about before we came on air tonight, where are y'all from? It seems like it's a very important part of who Olliecat is, who y'all are as individuals. And,
Speaker 2:yeah. Yeah. It's definitely a Midwest thing. I mean, I grew up in a small town called Saint John's. And, me and Alex met through some high school friends.
Speaker 2:But, yeah, it's a big part of what we do just being in the Midwest. A lot of the influences are from the Midwest. You know, like, a lot of the a lot of the songs you're gonna hear tonight, the samples are Motown samples, and we try to keep it that way. I love living in this area. So yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah. I mean, I'm from Mason originally, and, like, there's not, you know, a whole lot to do around there. So kinda just started messing around making music and stuff. Trying to just make sense of the world, I guess.
Speaker 4:And will you please, introduce yourselves to the people listening?
Speaker 3:Oh, yeah. I'm Alex, aka Ali. I do the vocals.
Speaker 2:And, yeah. My name is James, but, my music is under the name Ollie North. So, yeah. And then Ollie Cat together.
Speaker 4:So Ollie North and Ollie Cat. That's right.
Speaker 3:Yep. I'm I used to be Ollie Cat. You know, I kinda grew out of it. Ollie Cat as a girl, you know. Yeah.
Speaker 1:Okay. So this is where it, like, meets in the middle.
Speaker 3:Yeah. Yeah. Okay.
Speaker 2:It's real collaborative.
Speaker 4:Well, I know you mentioned that you use Motown samples.
Speaker 5:Mhmm.
Speaker 4:It's not I heard a lot of, it sounded like Kenny G. It's a lot of
Speaker 2:Yeah. There's that's an there's influences there too.
Speaker 4:Okay.
Speaker 2:Yeah. It's like, it's tough, you know. It's like, when I'm making it, it's I'm not thinking about it too too much. But I you know, if I collect the records like, a lot of the records, they come from record stores either in Grand Rapids where I'm out of now or, you know, any anywhere in Michigan. And I try to try to keep it that way.
Speaker 2:So the drums and stuff too. But, yeah, it's tough sometimes with influences. They just kinda seep in without you really thinking about it. Mhmm. So, but yeah.
Speaker 2:No. I like that. I like that as an influence. Kenny g. Kenny g.
Speaker 2:That might have been a Kenny g. I it it might have been.
Speaker 4:It's it might
Speaker 5:have been. It's it
Speaker 4:might have been. Familiar. I don't know.
Speaker 3:Sade sample, I think.
Speaker 2:Yeah. It could have been that too. It might have been both. Might have been Kenny g, Sade mix.
Speaker 4:So I don't know. So, James, you're saying that your process for sampling, you go to record or vinyl stores
Speaker 5:Mhmm.
Speaker 4:And get physical physical, art and, music, and you Yeah. Intertwine that with your music? Yeah.
Speaker 2:It doesn't always have to be that way, but, that's fun for me. There's a there's a little bit of, like, you know, it's like a treasure hunt. But it's also you know, I'll do whatever. If I gotta find stuff online or or whatever, that's great too. But there it's real great.
Speaker 2:There's, like, there's an inspiration that comes with picking stuff up from the store or the record store. And then, like, you know, that's that makes me wanna get right on the machine and make stuff. So, yeah, a lot of it comes from that.
Speaker 1:It's very tangible, like, discovery. Like, you found that record. That's it's probably out of someone's old, like, basement and it's made its way there.
Speaker 2:That's right. Yep.
Speaker 1:And you get to rediscover it and kinda breathe this new life into it. Mhmm. It's really cool.
Speaker 2:That's right.
Speaker 1:What, when you're listening to the records, jumps out about a certain song or a certain, like, run or something that makes you think, oh, I gotta sample this? Like, I gotta I gotta play with
Speaker 5:this a
Speaker 2:bit? It's a I mean, it's a couple things. I try to stay open when I'm listening to stuff right away. So could be drums or, you know, it could be a melody or a texture a lot of the time. And I try to challenge myself and, like, you kinda have to keep it fun.
Speaker 2:The process doesn't change a whole lot of the time. So that's why it's important that the source material is interesting. So that's a big part of
Speaker 4:it. And by texture, do you mean, you know, those pops and
Speaker 2:Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 4:Sounds from like
Speaker 2:All that stuff. You know, so whether it's like, you know, if they're real loud pops, then it makes there's a rhythm sometimes. It's anything. So it's, like, it's just really, really trying to pay attention. Sometimes you might have to close your eyes even.
Speaker 2:So and then you really find something nice and and loop it up and then, make a bunch of those in a day, send them to him, and then he'll I'm always excited to see what he sends back.
Speaker 1:Yeah. Actually, you were saying, you put out music, like, on a weekly basis?
Speaker 2:I try to. Yeah. I mean, I it's like it's a weird thing where especially if I go buy records, I'm usually buying quite a bit. I try to go for a quantity and, just find stuff I I've never seen before. And then once I start with 1, if I like 1, then it makes me wanna make another.
Speaker 2:Maybe if I don't like the one I made, I I that makes me upset. So then I have to, you know, I go back and I'm saying, okay, let me try this again. So, yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 1:That's huge. It's really impressive.
Speaker 4:That's so special. Alley, are do you do you prefer to be called Olie, or are you just Alley individually?
Speaker 3:I'm just Alex. You can call me Alley, Alexis, whatever. It's always so so surreal to me when people, like, meet me through the Internet, and they come up to me. They're like, oh my god. You're Ali.
Speaker 3:I'm like, okay. Yeah. Sure. But Alex is fine.
Speaker 4:Alex?
Speaker 5:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Alex is fine.
Speaker 4:Cool. Well, Alex, so, I mean, do you have any, influence in this process when, James is creating your muse the music?
Speaker 3:Not no. Not normally. I think, I mean, when our first tape when we're working on the first tape together, we kinda went back and forth and we're, like, what are some more, like, like, conceptual things that we would wanna have in it? You know, or, like, what kinda like, we're both, like, big film people, so we, like, you know, we're, like, what kinda, like, movies could we evoke through this or whatever? You know what I mean?
Speaker 3:Mhmm. But usually, yeah, it's, like, I just get stuff from him, and then I kinda do my own thing on it, and then it it just kinda melts together.
Speaker 4:Yeah. Speaking of film, you released a sing a single recently this year. Is that how do you pronounce it? It starts with a h.
Speaker 3:Oh, Hyacinth. Hyacinth. Okay. Yeah.
Speaker 4:Yeah. And I could I I I literally wrote down it. You had some western cinema Wild West cinema atmosphere within that within that song. Is there a certain film that influenced you while creating this?
Speaker 3:I actually named that after, there's a old show on BBC called keeping up appearances with, like, this lady called Hyacinth Bucket, and she tries to act, like, way richer than she is. So she insists everybody calls her bouquet. So not really any, like, Wild West influence on it. I don't know. He well, like, again, he had just sent the beat up, and it literally was just called 1 for Ali.
Speaker 3:And I I kinda just got a cowboy vibe from it. You know? I was like, okay. I see some, like, red dust types or red dead type stuff on it. You know?
Speaker 2:Yeah. It all seeps in. I mean, we're we're we're probably constantly, like, watching things or listening to things and then, like, you know, sometimes it's, like, it's tough to keep all that stuff in your head. So putting it on something like this is great, especially when you got somebody else to work with. So you could see what they bring to it and then it gets really multiple multiple like, there's a lot of dimensions to it.
Speaker 2:And and, yeah, that's a big part of it. Film, that's a good point. Film is a big part of it. Yeah.
Speaker 1:Which, by the way, my roommates wanted me to mention to you guys that we I played that song for them and we danced in our kitchen to it.
Speaker 3:So Oh, thanks.
Speaker 1:Me relaying that.
Speaker 2:Perfect. That's what we want. That's what it's for. Yes. Kitchen dancing.
Speaker 2:100%.
Speaker 1:Well, it's also I just find something about your process that's so fascinating is the kind of release that you both have to have of, like, okay. I made this thing. Now I'm letting it go. You do what you want. Or, like, you have complete control of this beat.
Speaker 1:I'm gonna get it. I'm gonna work around whatever you made. Like, I think that's a pretty unique creative relationship.
Speaker 2:Yeah. You can get you can get really stuck, focusing on something too much. So, like, a lot of, you know, stuff that I send him, I haven't listened back more than once. A lot of the times I make it, and then I don't hear it again until he sends it back. That's like, there's something real nice about that.
Speaker 2:I don't know how to explain it, but it's important to the process for me.
Speaker 4:So once you create something, you leave it at that. You don't go back and touch it at all.
Speaker 2:Yeah. I'm afraid to. Like, I don't, you know, I'll I'll I'm I'm critical already just being an artist in general. Like, you you know, it's like whatever you make, it's really a part of you if you're really trying. So, yeah.
Speaker 2:I just, like, I make it, and I and I give it to him, and then he adds something to it that makes it interesting to listen to again. He he makes he makes it so I can listen to it a second time.
Speaker 1:Without that, like, purely, like, critical Yeah. Lens that you might have for just your own work.
Speaker 2:That's right.
Speaker 4:Yeah. So you're not you are you saying you are a perfectionist but you ignore that?
Speaker 2:Yeah. Well, yeah. Because I don't wanna yeah. Nothing would come out, you know, if I really if I really, was gonna relisten to stuff, you know. It's not hours and hours on.
Speaker 3:Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah. And when when things when I export stuff, it's it's one file. You know, I don't ever try to mix it again. And I do that on purpose so I don't give myself the option.
Speaker 5:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So that's kind of how it works for me.
Speaker 5:Do you
Speaker 1:ever listen back to stuff or listen to stuff that Alex sends you back and you're like, dang. Yes. I made that?
Speaker 2:Yes. Well, that's the thing is he'll make it. Yeah. He adds a different complexity to it, you know? You got the drums and the samples, and then, you know, sometimes his vote it's another rhythm in a way.
Speaker 2:And, yeah. He brings something new to it. So it's like it's a real addictive process.
Speaker 5:Mhmm.
Speaker 1:On these next few songs that we've got here, what were the biggest influences that went into those few songs?
Speaker 2:What do you think, Alex? We got we have Windmill Island coming up next and then CSS.
Speaker 3:I mean, Windmill Island, is definitely about, like, 1 piece. CSS kinda you know, that's just kinda, I don't know how much I can say about that one.
Speaker 2:Like, I don't know.
Speaker 3:That's kinda yeah. That's, you know, that's kinda it's about a certain thing. But, yeah, Windmill Island, definitely one piece. I don't know. I really like that pitch drop thing that Tyler Creator was doing, like, early in the, like, 20 tens and stuff.
Speaker 3:I feel like, you know, him and ASAP Rocky were doing that on a lot of stuff, and it doesn't show up as much. So, like, on the studio version of this, I I messed with, like, pitch drop stuff. I don't know. Just to play around with sounds. You know?
Speaker 3:I don't know. Texture? Yeah. Yeah. It goes back to that, I guess.
Speaker 3:Right.
Speaker 1:Alright. Well, I'm excited to hear the, the playfulness and the the different elements you're talking about right now.
Speaker 2:Yeah. Alright. Oh, I'm sorry. Yeah. Alright.
Speaker 2:Hold up. Hold up. One more time. One One more time.
Speaker 6:Alright. Water, I rise up like a titan.
Speaker 3:CSS. Certified smoker section.
Speaker 6:I said, 3 in the morning, smoking's crew tape, fall in the deck Ollie cat, we burned our whole show and then checked And it's like, there you Think I got the munchy where the mice at, yeah And it's like, there you I know that the lava man will pick up if I come. It's just like that, yeah.
Speaker 4:Alright. That was Ollie Cat. Certified, smoke session.
Speaker 3:Is that
Speaker 4:what you said?
Speaker 2:That's the one.
Speaker 3:Yeah. Certified smoker section. You know, like that big boy back in the day.
Speaker 2:Yeah. That's a nice one. Yeah. I like that beat. It's, like, pretty nasty.
Speaker 3:Yeah. I wanna The base on that is crazy. I
Speaker 4:I wanna go back to something you mentioned, from Tyler the Creator and ASAP Rocky. You said it was a drop pitch?
Speaker 3:Yeah. Like, on the act like, on the studio or, like, the recorded version of that, like, the verse is, like, drop pitch. But
Speaker 4:Well, can you elaborate what that means for
Speaker 3:Oh, like, I mean, my voice just sounded, like, way deeper. Uh-huh. You know, like, cut down like a monster voice, I guess, or something.
Speaker 4:Yeah. No. I definitely it it sounded like what was that? Long lift ASAP? Was that the album?
Speaker 3:Yeah. Because early stuff. Like Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 4:That was sick. But yeah. No. What's what is your writing process look like, Alex?
Speaker 3:I mean, I guess I try to write stuff that is, like, specific to me, but at the same time could be, like, interpreted in a lot of different ways. Like, I try not to you like, I don't know. For a while, I was really trying to challenge myself not to say I in a song, like, about myself. You know what I mean? Like, if I could write a line, like, without it, but still have it be a good punch line or still have it be, like, relevant about a situation.
Speaker 2:So, like,
Speaker 3:I guess, usually, I kinda come up with the idea for something I wanna say, and then I'll just go back over lines and try to make it so that, like, literally nobody else would have come up with that. Like, I just try to, you know, throw in some outlandish sort of reference or, some sort of rhyme scheme that I don't think other people would mess with at the time just to try to help set it apart.
Speaker 1:Mhmm. Which, that being said also, you know, I think a lot of people, it's super common that music is a very emotional outlet for them. And and writing is something where they have to, like, draw on personal turmoils or things like that. But you're also able to write songs about, like, anime or, like, video games, or at least referential to those things. And I think it's so cool to see that fun you're having.
Speaker 3:Yeah. I mean, I don't want it like, I mean, if it was, like, really too emo or, like, too sad, I feel like people aren't gonna wanna listen to it. You know? Like, I wanna have fun it too. I wanna be able to go back and play it back and not just be like, oh my god.
Speaker 3:Like, well, I was in a hole when I wrote that, you know, or something like that. And that's just like my life. You know, that's aspects of my life that I feel like that's what influences my reality is. Like, that's what I could write about, you know.
Speaker 4:Well, how do you know when you're done when you are writing? You're like, this
Speaker 3:is When I hate everything else that I'm writing down, I guess. I don't know. When I hate I just keep trying to go and I'm like, I don't I don't like that, you know. Sometimes I I will take breaks on stuff. Like, there's some songs where, you know, I'll start it and then won't come back to it for, like, a year or something like that.
Speaker 3:And then I'll have an idea that fits with, like, a previous idea on there, but maybe not other parts, so it's, like, just reworking it. Like, our last album, we spent I spent, like, 2 years on that, like, just putting it together and stuff from my free time trying to figure out stuff and, like, at the same time, also not just go over the same topics nonstop throughout every song on the album. You know what I mean? I wanted to have, like, a breath of, like, you know, experience and emotion that's displayed throughout it.
Speaker 4:Now on album, are you referring to all 5 gemstone warriors?
Speaker 3:I mean, most recently, I would say, like, gemstone warrior 5. Yeah. Like, that's the one I was talking about that took so long. I mean, the other 4 we did within, like, a year. Okay.
Speaker 3:But that was also kinda during, like, the lockdown, so I had a lot more time to be, like, writing, I guess.
Speaker 4:I want that back.
Speaker 3:Yeah. That aspect was nice. Yeah.
Speaker 1:The time. Yeah.
Speaker 4:Just to be like, yeah. I'm gonna do this today. I remember I had a podcast. You had a podcast? High school.
Speaker 4:What? And I would talk new more
Speaker 1:of being unlocked. It's not a pod
Speaker 4:I mean, this is what I did during the lockdown. You know, I I wanted I had a podcast, and I would just talk s about the people I didn't like in high school
Speaker 2:about yeah. My god. And, you know, what are they gonna do?
Speaker 4:You know, I was at home.
Speaker 2:You think it was never gonna end? They weren't gonna find you or something like that? No.
Speaker 4:I didn't care. I was just, like I was a whole different person. Like, but, yeah, like, what I'm trying to say is that, like, I we all have a lot of free time, and I've done a lot of different things in my life. So, I don't know. What did you spend your time doing?
Speaker 2:No. I did.
Speaker 5:I mean,
Speaker 2:I made things, like, I made a beat like that that I wanted to make hurt people's ears, but still wouldn't hurt the speakers, like, stuff like that. Like, but it, you know, I I mean, I did the same thing. It was like, there was something good about creativity and especially with such like a I don't know. Everything it was a tragic it was a tragic thing. So you kinda had to get insular a little bit and, yeah.
Speaker 2:It seems like that's exactly what you were doing. So it was just that. It was like it was a good excuse to do that, you know. Sometimes it's like you feel like you need to be progressing and, yeah. It was it it's the tough thing to talk about because there, you know, but it's good it's good to find the good things about it.
Speaker 2:Right. So, yeah. Being creative with it was a big part of it for sure. Right.
Speaker 3:Mhmm. And I feel like it almost set my level for stuff, like, almost too high though because then I was thinking, oh, if I'm not making stuff, like, non stop Yeah.
Speaker 5:You know,
Speaker 3:I'm kinda slacking. But, like, I don't know. When the world gets back going, it's kinda hard to constantly, like, wake up and be like, I'm a make a new song today, like, I'm a make a new song today, like, I don't know. I'm a be good at least, I guess.
Speaker 2:I think you gotta I think a lot of creative people, you you gotta force yourself sometimes, like, I know it's hard, but, like, I think that's important to say too. Like, you really sometimes you gotta treat it like a job, and, like, you gotta clock in early in the morning and have a coffee and, like, yeah, force yourself. You know? Sometimes.
Speaker 4:So is this in your routine?
Speaker 2:Absolutely. Yeah.
Speaker 4:See, that's something which I can master, but I'm still trying to learn.
Speaker 2:Yeah. It's hard. How do
Speaker 1:you think that interplays with creativity? You know, the forcing element.
Speaker 2:I I mean, it just reminds me of of being in school and and, like, having us having a project, like an art project or, like, it's good for me. It's not good for everybody.
Speaker 5:Mhmm.
Speaker 2:But also, you know, you know, you can make a lot of art and you don't have to show anybody. So, yeah, sometimes you gotta force yourself. Yeah. I mean, we're not very
Speaker 3:we're not very big on, like, promotion. Like, I mean, to be real, when you guys emailed me, I was like, how did they find us? Like, you know, it's kinda nuts. Like, we kinda got that, like, ghost thing going on. But I I think it is, like, when you get to the sake of just making stuff because that's, like, you're you're compelled to do it, that's when you're really gonna get stuff that is, like, truly your own.
Speaker 2:100%.
Speaker 4:Do you ever feel obligated to fit a certain mold or, like, sound that might be popular within today's culture and hip hop or just music?
Speaker 3:Or
Speaker 4:or, like, how do you just remember to be authentically yourself as an artist?
Speaker 2:Just make sure you know who you like and, like, and and learn from them. You know. It's like you have a foreman on a job. If you respect them, like, you know, and and they they teach you the right things, it's the same thing, you know. If you like a certain producer, try to figure out how they did it.
Speaker 2:And and and don't copy. I mean, maybe you gotta, like, copy the process a little bit, but that's just a jumping off point. So, and maybe I don't remember the question exactly, but it's like forcing yourself and how that how that interacts with, like, the creative process. Or, like, no. You're talking about
Speaker 3:Like, staying authentically yourself and it, like, not fitting to a mold. I mean, you just I don't know. Personally, it's like, I don't like a lot of modern rap, I guess. I don't know. I kinda fell off of it probably, like, 5 or 6 years ago when I just got bored with it, I guess.
Speaker 3:I don't know. And it's, like, people that stand out to me are, like, you know, like, like, kinda like eyeball artists or whatever. Like, I mean, the first one, I guess, that would come to mind is, like, MF Doom. Like, you know, MF Doom is a legend. He was never, like, you know, crazy radio player or anything like that, but it's, like, at the same time, he was so, you know, ubiquitous to himself as a character that you could look at him and be like, that guy's got it going on.
Speaker 3:Like, I know what he's doing, and I know he's not just, like, you know, trying to be like everybody else. I don't know.
Speaker 1:Yeah. Yeah. It's so distinctive as an artist Yeah. That even now, anyone would be able to pick out a song almost instantly.
Speaker 2:Mhmm. Yep.
Speaker 4:Is MF Doom an influence for you? Huge.
Speaker 3:Yeah. I would say definitely
Speaker 2:a huge influence. Yeah. He's number 1. Really? Yeah.
Speaker 2:He's number 1. He's like, you know, it's not it's it's everything too. It's like the the type of man he is, you know. He's obviously, he's real technical and stuff, but, I mean, don't get distracted by that. Like, he's it's everything.
Speaker 2:Everything that he does, you know. He's just gonna he's a good artist in general. If he was a painter, I think he'd be good too, you know.
Speaker 3:My biggest influence is probably Project Pat.
Speaker 2:I mean, that's another one. Dang. Yeah. Yeah. Both those guys are great.
Speaker 2:And make sure that you know your influences and, like, you know, it's more about staying true to those guys. It's like whatever the time I don't know. People gotta you gotta break the mold. You know, that's how that's how whatever popular stuff gets it's how it happens. So just stick to what you like.
Speaker 2:That's it. Mhmm.
Speaker 1:How do you feel about artists that are very individual, but still shift with time, if that makes sense.
Speaker 2:Mhmm. Yeah.
Speaker 1:So, like, I'm thinking of, like, The Strokes. Like, no one else sounded like The Strokes at the time. They were totally their own thing.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:But even so, like, when they kept making music that sounded the same, that wasn't received well either. People are like, we want you to be you, but you're just making everything the same. And so, like, finding that way to keep growing I think like being what you are.
Speaker 2:Like, luckily, a lot of the albums and stuff, they stick around. So you you can move on. Like, people can, you know, people get upset when when somebody doesn't stick to what they sounded like in the beginning, but that stuff still exists, you know. There's no it's not a time thing. You still listen to what you like from them and let let artists, grow, you know.
Speaker 2:And they gotta experiment too. Like, that's how you find your way. I don't know if that answers your question.
Speaker 3:Yeah. Exactly.
Speaker 5:I think
Speaker 3:the biggest thing, yeah, is it's like people, they, like, with your example, it's like maybe they saw that they got big off that, wanted to stay doing that because they're like, you know, how we can keep money rolling in, but it's also like, you know, at what point are you like, well, I wanna start doing something different. You know what I mean? Like, I wanna push myself to sound different or, like, you know, bring in a different kind of, like, you know, element into my music that is gonna make me, like, go to the next level, I guess.
Speaker 1:Yeah. Mhmm.
Speaker 4:Now did you bring those elements to each, gemstone warrior? Like and how would you describe the the growth, with, these bodies of work? And, like, does that make sense?
Speaker 1:Like, how did the
Speaker 4:sound evolve through these projects?
Speaker 3:The first one was very, like, sample based. Like, I mean, that was actually that was me sending him stems, and he would build beats around the vocal stems and stuff for that one. And then from there, it was like him sending me back beats, and I would just do stuff on there. I guess just growth wise, it it became eventually more like like, every time I write a song, I'm just like, I wanna write the best song I've ever wrote. You know what I mean?
Speaker 3:I wanna do better than I've done on, like, a different album. Like, I don't wanna have something that I'm putting out now, so I'm like, I could have put it out, like, 5 years ago, and that would've been, like, you know, good then. I'm like, I should be better than I was at a certain time. And just trying to, like, recognize, you know, what's going on in my life, I guess, what I need to, you know, work out through writing and stuff. You know what I mean?
Speaker 3:Like, I don't know. Like, I've been, you know, I'm moving around a lot, finishing college, like, you know, changing jobs and stuff. And not that that's, like, not like, I don't to me, that wouldn't be crazy interesting to hear a song about it, but there's, like, elements of the emotional part of it that I can, you know, work into writing that is, like, you know, specific to that time period for myself. And then also because I have, you know, been working on trying to be a better, like, writer and performer and stuff, I'm like, I'll be at a different level than I was before and be like, okay. Now I have to make sure that it's at least as good, if not better.
Speaker 3:You know? Yeah.
Speaker 4:That's sick.
Speaker 1:Which if we're talking about this this desire for, like, growth and the next thing in evolution, I'm really curious how that interplays with all of the the iterativeness in your music. So, like, for example, this next block we have, Kraken 2.0 and Kraken, or, like, all of the the Gemstone Warriors are kind of, like, at least in title versions of one another.
Speaker 3:Right.
Speaker 1:What's the thought process there?
Speaker 3:I mean, that was kinda, like, just, like, classic, like, mixtape stuff. Like, on Dapper, if, you know, you would have, like, 10 or 11 volumes of the same mixtape. I know, like, Gucci Mane has, like, 10 Wilt Chamberlains or whatever. Mhmm.
Speaker 5:I
Speaker 3:don't know. You know, we kinda talked about that. We don't know if we'd do a number 6 of that. You know, we might just switch something else. You know, I think it would probably have that same kinda energy, like, you know, not exactly the same sound, but, like, you would be able to identify that it's us, like, from it.
Speaker 3:You know?
Speaker 2:Yeah. We're influenced by our old stuff. We're influenced by our own stuff. I like, for me, at least, when I look at that and, like, you know, we have multiple like, the name continues in the numbers. It's because, yeah, we're we're just we're into what we made before, and and that's where the inspiration comes from, you know.
Speaker 2:Sometimes you get stuff from whatever seeps in from what what you've been listening to, but it's really just trying to build off of the stuff you've already made. And then the name yeah. The the names just kinda come like that.
Speaker 3:Yeah. And like that, like, I wrote that song and thought, well, it's kinda thematically similar, like, you know, sonically similar to the other one. Like, I would think it'd be cool to have it as a sequel. Like, personally, I love when there's, like, a sequel to so many people. You know, like, anthem part 2, like blink 182 opening an album.
Speaker 3:I'm like, that's crazy. Like, they open with part 2. Like, I don't know. You know? But at the same time, it's like, if people hear that, they're gonna be like, what's the first one sound like?
Speaker 3:And they'll go back and check it out, you know, stuff like that. I don't know. It just it just kinda helps. It makes, like, a cohesive body, I feel. You know what I mean?
Speaker 3:Like, somebody could see both of them and be like, okay. Well, like, these are from separate years. Like, this is something that was, like, you know, taking place. It's not just something that I was like, okay. Here's, like, 3 songs within, like Mhmm.
Speaker 5:You
Speaker 3:know, 10 minutes of each other that sound the same. I don't know.
Speaker 1:Yeah. It's like acknowledging that similarity. But in doing so, you're more able to appreciate how they differ.
Speaker 2:Mhmm. Mhmm. 100%. Well, let's
Speaker 4:get into the evening stroll.
Speaker 2:Okay. This will be, like, an instrumental first. We're gonna give Alex a second to breathe here, and then we'll go into 2 more songs that he wrote.
Speaker 3:It's, cracker season 2.0.
Speaker 6:Thought I was done, but I'm back now. Pose like it's crack out. Ali later tracked down single take. What? Got gems in my head that they wanna take from me?
Speaker 6:But even if they wasn't, no, they still couldn't touch it. You know the blow disgusting, better get some robo tussin' power of the sun that I hold. Don't make me push the button. The walls melt. All of the sudden, now you're sitting wishing that you wasn't acting like a little dummy.
Speaker 6:Thought I'm done, but I'm here still swerving like a Peterbilt. This for mister v. If I hit rich, you getting spinning wheels. Egg, celebrate the polar mill till it's crystal clear. Waters will envelop I'll spill the gasoline and lift the match.
Speaker 6:You mad Damon, let me rephrase that. You a actor. You already know what type of cat Solly Cat is. Sable, fang, jag, wah, oh, we create a classic.
Speaker 5:And
Speaker 3:this is cracker season 1.
Speaker 6:Hey. You can't ever split me open. I ain't the seat. You ain't Moses. You ain't even really close to what a prophet is supposed to be in me.
Speaker 6:I am not either. I am the 2020 Boceafist, the flow genius. I've seen things in my sleep that would turn some weak man seasick awe. Green with envy. Out of the 7 to send me the hell folk, they wanna test me.
Speaker 6:Think I need a Draco like Malfoy to whip on these boys like I'm Bellsprout. Look, I might go bring my belt out to beat on these kids like a stepchild. Ellie is hot as a meltdown. I want that knowledge. Shout out Sidarta in a stellar beam burning on stardust.
Speaker 6:I do the thing for my celebration of your life when it's said it's end? It's all just over. No. I ain't a kind to a rap god. I am beginning to blast off.
Speaker 6:What do you think and speak back? Woods, me and my kin from the black. Large up with the death with Ali. North is cracking season. Yeah.
Speaker 3:Hey. Shout out Davy Jones. The mythical fish man.
Speaker 4:Once again, you're listening to Ollie Cat, and this is The Basement Show.
Speaker 2:Thank you.
Speaker 4:Alex, I have a question for you.
Speaker 3:Okay.
Speaker 4:Have you always been influenced in hip hop, or have you always wanted to go in this route in music?
Speaker 3:I mean, not specifically. I mean, I remember, like, as a kid wanting to do music, and then, like, I don't know. I never really, like, picked up instruments too well. Like, I couldn't get the hang of it, I guess. And then, I don't know.
Speaker 3:I just started messing around rapping with some friends in, like, early high school, like, for fun, and then, like, I don't know. We kinda kept getting, like, a little bit better and a little bit better at it, and, eventually, I was kinda just, like like, I don't know. I was I like doing this now. You know what I mean? I don't know.
Speaker 3:I mean, it's definitely been, like, an influence since I was little. I mean, my one of my first CDs I ever got was, like, you know, like, Linkin Park or whatever, and that's not, like, specifically rap, but there's rapping on it.
Speaker 5:So I
Speaker 3:think when I got a little bit older and, like, got into rap, I already kinda had that pathway to, like, kinda just dive into it and go with it from there.
Speaker 4:Cool. James?
Speaker 2:Yeah. I mean, a lot of it just come it comes from the machines that I use, and, like, yeah, a lot of it comes from that. And there's, you know, there's restrictions with the stuff that I use and a lot of it, early hip hop and stuff. I mean but, yeah, I I don't know. I don't really know how it it kinda came to be, but it's just one of the genres that's makes me feel good when I listen to it.
Speaker 2:And, like, I don't know. I haven't really thought about it more than that. I mean, there's other stuff that's interesting to me. Of course, jazz and and, you know, other stuff as well, but it's yeah. It was always there.
Speaker 2:I don't know why. It's some something about, like, yeah. I don't know. I like the way it was produced. I like mixing samples together.
Speaker 2:There's just like some real good history to it.
Speaker 4:So when did you download your first DAW?
Speaker 2:Oh, gosh. I was young. I mean, maybe sophomore year of high school or something. You know, there were the funny thing is there's years years of progress and mistakes and those mistakes, there's songs that have those mistakes in them. But like, yeah, the the process is is fun.
Speaker 2:Like, there's something real nice about like knowing that you put years years into learning something. Like a like a old machine or or whatever. So yeah, maybe high school or something.
Speaker 3:Yeah. I started on GarageBand when I was probably like 15, 16 maybe. Yeah. Wow. But that was, like, GarageBand on an iPad even.
Speaker 3:Like, we're literally just recording directly into the iPad. So and now it's, you know, just going from there, honing out, leaned into it.
Speaker 1:What about hip hop and rap and production clicked where other stuff didn't?
Speaker 3:I like writing stuff. I like I mean, I guess in a sense, I would have to say I like writing poetry because most of the stuff does rhyme, and it is, like, you you know, I try to be abstract with the meaning and stuff. I think just the ability to have so much space to say something, like, I feel like on a lot of songs, you know, you're not gonna hear the vocalist basically deliver, like, a whole speech or whatever within, like, 2 minutes or something like that. You know, a lot of stuff, it's like, here's the verse bridge, chorus, and stuff like that. Not saying that I wouldn't wanna write that kind of thing, but, like, for me, at least, it's like it's hard to parse out, I guess, what I wanna say.
Speaker 3:So it's easier to just be like, okay. Here's, like, a ton of it in one spot, and I can, like, work on making that cohesive.
Speaker 5:Mhmm.
Speaker 4:And I love how a lot of artists, at least our generation, are starting to break away with, like, just how music should be structured in the mainstream as well.
Speaker 2:I agree. So it's healthy. It's healthy.
Speaker 4:It is.
Speaker 3:I think it's good. Yeah. I mean, personally, I'm one of those people that loves to put on, like, 10 minute ambient song or something like that, you know, like, all the time. So I think it's great when people aren't just doing, like, here's a 2 and a half minute, like, viral TikTok song or something. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah. There's an attitude to that to the genre that's nice. I mean, there's stuff that's soft, but, like, I don't know. It's it's old enough that it's imbuing with a certain attitude. So, yeah, it's important, I think.
Speaker 3:And Michigan has, like, a huge history with it too. I mean, I listen to a ton of Michigan rappers like Bones. I mean, obviously, like Eminem, everybody would probably say in in Michigan that they've heard Eminem or something like that. You know? But, I mean, even other than that, there's, like, Esham, you know, there I'd you know, ICP.
Speaker 3:There's, you know, there's tons and tons of, like, Michigan people that you could check out and see how they were, like, you know, reflecting their lifestyle through this music, and I feel like that helps me kinda be like, okay. I still live in this world that these people lived in at that time. You know, it's it's changed a little bit, but it still is, like, the same general, like, this is the Midwest environment I'm in. You know, there's a lot of factories, a lot of rundown areas and stuff. How does that reflect through, like, what reality is for me, and how can I, like, you know, deal with that, like, any existential stuff I'm going through, like, just through writing, I guess?
Speaker 2:We were lucky enough to have the best producer hip hop producer ever come from Michigan. J Dilla is the best that ever existed. So, yeah. It's huge. Everyone were I mean, if you live here, you're lucky, and you you should be, listening to his stuff nonstop.
Speaker 1:Which even yeah. Looking more down at the local scale. I've have either of you been based in Lansing at any point?
Speaker 3:Yeah. I mean, when I was living in Mason and stuff, I was doing stuff in Lansing. Like, we played at Max Barre way back in the day. We played the law once or twice. We played at the Fledge on Grand Ledge before they moved that.
Speaker 3:I you know, that's I always love that. Again, like, community environment and stuff where it's not like something that's specifically a venue, but it is, like, they can bring people that are local artists of any sort of, like, you know, medium and be like, okay. Here's the space that you can, you know, show yourself and, like, you know, display this to people who you wouldn't normally come into contact with, but they're gonna come here because they know about this location and wanna see the stuff that is here.
Speaker 1:Yeah. Yeah. We're looking at Lansing, actually, I believe we have a pretty decent underground scene for hip hop, which we're super, super lucky to have. Can you tell us a bit about the community that you guys have found through performing and through appreciating hip hop in Michigan in general? And, like, what are some of your favorite parts about it?
Speaker 2:I stay I mean, I I you you're more you're doing a lot more shows than I. I try to stay just on the machine as much as I can. But, it's like, I I don't know. It's there's something great about figure whether you find out that somebody's from around here, like, Bones was a good example. And like also, you know, if you go to school around here, there's every school has got people who who are creative and trying to make music too.
Speaker 2:So even if they're not a big name, you know, it does they don't need to be a big name. Yeah. There's always there's people out there, and, their influences seep into their music no matter what, and a lot of that has to do with where you're from.
Speaker 3:I mean, my favorite rapper is a little dude named Gabe Sinclair. And just through listening to him and, you know, being in similar area, I ended up actually meeting him, and we have done music together. Like, we've done 2 albums together and stuff. So I feel like for me, that alone was crazy to be able to be like, okay. I listen to this dude all the time.
Speaker 3:I think he's insanely talented, and then for him to hear my stuff and be like, hey. Like, we gotta work together. That was crazy for me. I don't know. I've I've met a lot more people out in, like, the, I feel like, the Flint area and stuff.
Speaker 3:But it is I mean, there's there's little scenes, like, everywhere. You know? It's cool. And there's there's people promoting everywhere. There's There's a lot of people doing videos and stuff.
Speaker 3:I think it's great now that it's it is so accessible for people, like, and if you don't if you're not going into it just being, like, I'm gonna make a $1,000,000,000 off of my music career or something like that, you know, you have the ability to really just make what you want and put it out without any restriction at this point.
Speaker 2:Mhmm. Yes. If you're from Lansing and you need Beats, get a hold of me. No more YouTube Beats. Do not download YouTube Beats anymore.
Speaker 2:Find somebody local. Support local people.
Speaker 4:And where can we find?
Speaker 2:There's a I mean Contact information.
Speaker 4:We were
Speaker 2:have before the show started, we're talking about Bandcamp. Bandcamp is the place. If you, you know, Bandcamp, Ollie North, whatever. DM anywhere you can find me. DM me on Instagram or or anything.
Speaker 2:Just, you know, try to find me. If you can find me, I'll give you music.
Speaker 3:He's kinda like a hermit, but if you track him down, he'll he'll hit you back. Yeah.
Speaker 2:I will support you.
Speaker 4:Well, speaking of, you know, just local artists and whoever's your favorite, you have a instrumental called personal favorite.
Speaker 2:That's right. Yeah.
Speaker 4:Well, why is this your personal favorite? I
Speaker 5:don't know.
Speaker 2:You know, personal favorite? Yeah. If you, you know, if you look at my beat tapes, all of the names, they come from when I'm putting stuff up and I'm actually uploading them, it's the first thing that comes to mind. So I guess that day, this was really I like this one a lot. It's not more I wish it was deeper than that, but it's not.
Speaker 4:Well, let's hear it once again. Alright. Ollie cat.
Speaker 2:Yep.
Speaker 6:I like this right here.
Speaker 5:My constituents as your elected representative This
Speaker 3:is crazy.
Speaker 5:Assure you What brain?
Speaker 6:Battle with the crane style. My brain's strange like that shady man from 8 Mile.
Speaker 5:I play danger to end it 1 in state lines. I'm on top.
Speaker 6:I can't stop, and I'm
Speaker 1:That first song that y'all played were you played during soundcheck too. And every single time, I thought my phone was going off. Is that a sample, like, from a text notification?
Speaker 5:I'm
Speaker 2:not gonna tell you. Maybe.
Speaker 4:What was that sample? It's like, it was like, they want our brains. Or what was that? Me wanting brains.
Speaker 2:It's just that's what I'm saying. I mean,
Speaker 5:a lot
Speaker 2:of the stuff that we're playing today, there's not a whole lot of, samples from movies. But,
Speaker 3:That first tape, the first gemstone where I actually realized this the other day when I was watching it. He sampled a bunch of, Ralph Bakshi's Fire and Ice
Speaker 5:That's true.
Speaker 3:On it.
Speaker 2:Yeah. There's I mean, it's just anything that's interesting and, like, you know, like I was saying earlier, it's art and you're just infusing it with your interests.
Speaker 4:How does your I mean, I know you mentioned you find, physical music to sample with, but as as a a smaller artist, do you ever get nervous with sampling? Like, I've always kind of wondered this, because, like, there are so many artists I like that have, like, are now considered like mainstream that have sampled stuff in the past that like could get them copyrighted. So like, I don't know if this is such a, and it's not a very interesting question, but like, how does, how do you go about that? Like, do you think like you should be careful about
Speaker 3:that?
Speaker 2:Yeah. I mean, it's the thing. I'd I'd be lying if I said, you know, when I was younger, I didn't think about it. But to be honest with you, just the art trumps everything. I'm not I'm not gonna restrict myself.
Speaker 2:So Okay.
Speaker 3:We're not really making a ton of money.
Speaker 2:I mean, we put it out for free.
Speaker 5:And if we
Speaker 2:were, I'd find a way I'd make I'd record it on the tape and give it to people. I it's just, I don't want yeah. I'm not gonna let anything restrict me. So it's just, if I like it, I'm gonna use it.
Speaker 4:I love that. Yeah. Awesome. I I also wanted to ask, how do you guys wait. I don't know if you've said this before, but how do you guys know each other?
Speaker 4:Where did you meet? Did did you We have
Speaker 3:a mutual friend, back in the day named Nathan, Yep. Who kinda was just like, you guys got a meal or you got basically the same interests and everything. Mhmm. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Another artist.
Speaker 3:Together. Yeah.
Speaker 2:That's right.
Speaker 3:Yeah. Shout out, Bronat.
Speaker 4:Yep. Nathan? Mhmm.
Speaker 2:He's probably listening right now. Thank you.
Speaker 4:When was this?
Speaker 5:I mean,
Speaker 2:it was high school.
Speaker 3:Yeah. My senior year, which would I would probably would have been, like, 2014. Okay.
Speaker 2:Yeah. Yeah. We got together and we were bugging out on MF Doom probably and, like, other stuff and just, like, films and maybe the shirt that he was wearing or something like that. And then from there, sometimes you find a connection like that and you can't let it go when you have to do something with somebody, and that's what happened.
Speaker 1:Sick. And, the name Bronat too, I'm recognizing that from the band camp where I found you guys, which was the squid squad band camp. And that's a collective of a bunch of people.
Speaker 3:Yeah. That's, kinda on hiatus right now. That was me, Pepper Jack, Bro Nat. You had the foulest honky up in there. I don't know.
Speaker 3:Yeah. Kinda on hiatus. Our last, like, Squid Squad tape was probably, like, 5, 6 years ago now. But, like, we're still all doing stuff. I mean, Jack is he's in Chicago now, but he's been putting out tapes, like, pretty consistently, like, 2 or 3 a year.
Speaker 3:Nathan been producing on the lows and, you know, sending me stuff. So I don't know. We still, like, stay in contact even though we're not all, like, based in Lansing anymore. You know what I mean? It would be kinda foolish to assume that we all would have grown up in that same area and, like, stayed there for the rest of our lives and stuff, but I think the fact that we all know that we can be basically completely open with music and be, like, hey, like, what do you think of this?
Speaker 3:Like, you know, I need you on this. Like, what do you wanna do with this? You know? Just allows for a lot. Like, I like working with other people on stuff because it helps me to not just have to come up with the whole concept by myself.
Speaker 3:You know, I can kinda be like, here's a framework of what I had. Like, I would really like to see what you have, which is, I mean, a big part of why I like messing with stuff that he sent me because then it's like I feel like I'm on the other end of that at that point. Like, you know, he laid out the framework, and now it's like, I gotta put the, like, the finishings on it.
Speaker 4:Would you consider the squid the squid squad to actually be the world's most ignorant group?
Speaker 3:Maybe back then. I don't know. I have a degree now, so I don't think so.
Speaker 2:Yeah. Everyone's getting a little bit older. So yeah.
Speaker 4:Why why was that at the time?
Speaker 3:Because
Speaker 4:What made you act so ignorant?
Speaker 5:I
Speaker 3:was, like, 17. I don't know. I just was, like, I had I mean, even then, I guess, I was, like, oh, like, I don't know anything about the world. You know what I mean? I'm just kinda, like, being dumb, making music, having fun.
Speaker 2:Probably kicking over trash cans and maybe writing on a wall or something like that.
Speaker 3:Yeah. That was a lot more like, like, BC boys type, like, lonely island, like, influence, like, joke type stuff. You know what I mean? Like, we're really trying to go for laughs and stuff back then. I feel like it wasn't as like, it was still like we're trying to make, like, good songs, but it wasn't as, like, you know, not like me putting a journal page on an instrumental or something.
Speaker 1:The foulest honky was not supposed to be, like, a a deeply moving artist to him.
Speaker 3:No. No. Yeah. He's he's in, like, hiding right now. Yeah.
Speaker 2:He ran away.
Speaker 1:But even so, it led us to y'all, from, like, February. When was that most recent one released? Yeah.
Speaker 3:That one was in February. I think I actually put that out the day my daughter was born.
Speaker 5:Oh my gosh.
Speaker 3:Because I I knew that was coming up, so I was like, I'm gonna drop this and then not do any music for the rest of the year because, like, I'm gonna be kinda preoccupied with stuff. But, yeah, that was from February. And then gemstone 5, like I was saying, that was from May of last year. So that was, like, last time we had, like, a full project together, really. And then we just had, yeah, the one single that apparently randomly led us to this.
Speaker 3:Mhmm.
Speaker 4:Sick. Why is your, why are what is a gemstone warrior?
Speaker 2:That's what I'm trying to ask.
Speaker 3:I think the actual name is from, like, a eighties, like, point and click adventure game
Speaker 5:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Or something.
Speaker 2:Didn't it come from I mean, so all the stuff that you're gonna if you go on Bandcamp or you see any of our stuff that I I do all the album art, so it's like a lot a lot of it kinda and we haven't talked about that yet, but I it might have come from that. I might have been a sample it's all imagery that I'm sampling to the same that I'm doing with the music, and it was probably from an old video game. Yeah.
Speaker 3:And what actually and with the first tape too, I remember I was big on Uncut Gems at the time, and I was like, we gotta make a song about, like, Alan Sandler, you know, and, like, that kinda just bled into it, and it was like I don't know. It was a fun concept. You know, I'm big into, like, fantasy stuff and,
Speaker 4:like cut gems.
Speaker 3:Yeah. Like, Adam Sandler and Adam Sandler and stuff. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 4:It's great.
Speaker 2:Yeah. Continue though.
Speaker 3:I'm kinda like the rap game Adam Sandler.
Speaker 2:Yeah. You're a bit like that. I've been telling I told you that in the beginning years ago, just so everybody knows.
Speaker 4:No. But Uncut Gems is definitely his best film. Yeah. I mean Performance performance.
Speaker 2:I don't know.
Speaker 3:He's got some good ones. Little Nicky. I don't know.
Speaker 2:Yeah. Little Nicky was a legend too, but
Speaker 4:haven't seen that one.
Speaker 3:It's it's not that good. I was
Speaker 4:gonna say something. Gosh. Oh, god. I forgot. Liv Gibson said.
Speaker 1:Yeah. I mean, just looking at which I wish, I definitely recommend folks who are listening if you're curious, what they're talking about with, like, the the sampling of old video games. Did it come to you?
Speaker 4:Yeah. I know.
Speaker 5:You did it.
Speaker 1:The sampling of, like, old video game art and, of course, in the songs that we're hearing. You guys have a really cool, I think, very nostalgic look going about your music with, like, the visuals and all that stuff. That definitely, I think, calls on that, like, eighties fantasy, genre of media as a whole.
Speaker 2:It's like that that stuff when it when it lasts the test of time, it's like you feel more comfortable
Speaker 5:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Using it and being influenced by it, you know? It's not purely because you did it because you were into it when you were younger, but, like, you know, over time, you get to see how things age and, like, yeah. It's kinda, like, that's for me at least.
Speaker 3:I know. I wanna make something that I, like, peep like, you know, 10 years from now, I can look back and be, like, wow. Like, that sounds like I could've, you know, heard that, like, today for the first time. You know what I mean? But also, like, still has that kinda, like, I don't know.
Speaker 3:Nostalgia is a powerful thing. I like when I can get hit with the wave of it, you know, sometimes. It's cool to be
Speaker 4:able to pull that
Speaker 3:through music. I think that utilizing all these old sounds and stuff like that definitely can help with that. And then it also inspires me to be able to be like, okay. Like, you know, what kind of experiences and stuff, like, is this making me feel through the instrumental? You know, how can I relate that to a writing that other people are gonna hear and be like, okay, I can relate to that too?
Speaker 1:Mhmm.
Speaker 4:Going back to your the, album cover artwork. Mhmm. You you make all of it?
Speaker 2:Yeah. It's like, I mean originally that's what I was studying in school was graphic design and like that's a I think like I I you know for a long time I wasn't posting any of my music, but once I figure out okay at least I get to make album art when I get to do that, then yeah that was a big part of it. So that's a that's a huge part of it for me. I love doing that.
Speaker 4:Well, you're very talented.
Speaker 2:Thank you.
Speaker 4:Both of you are.
Speaker 5:Did you
Speaker 2:hear that, mom? Thank you.
Speaker 3:I always think about it like, like Bjork, I feel like. I remember reading one time. It it said, like, before she comes out with the album, she has the whole, like, visual thing planned out. She's got all her videos and everything, like, laid out for how she wants this album to, like, evoke, you know, a visual sense with people and stuff like that. And I think, like, I I don't know.
Speaker 3:Maybe I'm speaking for him, but I think in his case, it's very the same. Like, he has so many different projects, and each one has a very distinctive cover. And it's like, you listen to it and be like, I don't know what's happening on this cover, but I'm like, I feel like it has to be here. You know what I mean? Like, it it fits us so well.
Speaker 3:Mhmm.
Speaker 1:Yeah. Which that makes me wanna pull on one of the lyrics from, I think, the last or second to last song, in the previous block where you said I think it was it was something like staring at the art and trying to find meaning.
Speaker 3:Oh, yeah. Staring at the art, trying to gain understanding. I actually wrote that, about the Ferris Bueller scene where he's just staring at that painting, and it just zooms in on his eye over and over. I don't know. I was like, I really that resonated with me.
Speaker 2:It's a great lyric.
Speaker 1:Yeah. Do you feel that way about the creative side of your life or or kinda beyond that in a more, like you're saying, abstract sense?
Speaker 3:I mean, yeah. Definitely in a sense. Like, I would feel that way. Like, I'm trying to like, anytime I come up with, like, lyrics for a song, I wanna be, like, how accurate is this to what I'm actually trying to say or convey to myself? You know what I mean?
Speaker 3:Like, it's, like, I wanna write something that on one level, it sounds cool to other people, but on another level, it's like, I'm gonna be the only person that really is getting what I'm saying here because it's, like, kinda you know, I'm not, like, speaking in code, but it's, like, wrote you know? And, essentially, I'm, like, a secret language to myself. I don't know.
Speaker 5:Mhmm.
Speaker 1:Yeah. There's a a cool quote I learned. I think it's it's from, like, a French poet or something. But it it's that poetry is the intersection of sound and meaning, which in French, those words sound really similar, so it works a little better. But I think that's a really cool way to look at it because there is this element of, like, how does it feel in your mouth?
Speaker 1:How do these words flow together in the the individual sounds of the letters? Make a line that is is beautiful in and of itself, even if you don't know the language? And then to do that and imbue it with any kind of meaning that has impact is just so cool. It's so cool that we have this faculty.
Speaker 2:I agree.
Speaker 3:It is nice to be able to, like, put that sort of, you know, thought and basically composition into what is, you know, an intangible, like, nonphysical thing. You know what I mean? But it's like you can still look back at it and be like, this exists as a piece of art in itself even if it's just words said out loud, you know.
Speaker 4:Mhmm. Moving on to the next song, Jules, was this also inspired by Uncut Gems?
Speaker 3:No. It's about my wife, actually.
Speaker 4:Oh, really?
Speaker 3:Her name is Jules. That's awesome name. You hear that, Jules? Shout out to Jules. Yeah.
Speaker 4:Shout out to Jules. But, yeah, going back to sorry. I just I just wanna know that real quickly. But, with this, like, when you do write, is not everything transparent to James, or is it do you kinda keep a lot of that to yourself if, like, what something might mean?
Speaker 3:I don't know. I mean, I guess, like, he could ask me or something what something means, I guess. I don't know. He doesn't really usually ask.
Speaker 2:I told you today I was when I'm listening, I find news I mean, I find new stuff all the time. I didn't know I, you know, I've listened to this song many times and it was it's embarrassing to admit it. I didn't know it was about you, Jules. I'm sorry. We talk about gemstones a lot, you know.
Speaker 2:It got lost in context, but no. You'll hear it. You'll hear the lyrics, and it's like, yeah. It's a beautiful thing. I kinda like that he doesn't explain stuff to me, you know.
Speaker 2:It's it's fun to, like, relisten to stuff.
Speaker 3:Yeah. I like people to put their own meanings on stuff, you know. I don't wanna just, like, put it in a box and have people be be like, okay. Like, do you get that from this? And then be like, I didn't hear that at all, you know, because then it's like makes me feel like, okay.
Speaker 3:Wow. I kinda like whiffed on that. So Mhmm. I don't know.
Speaker 4:Alright. Well, let's get into the next song. Once again, you're listening to Ollie Cat and this is the Basement Shell. What are you looking for in the perfect female?
Speaker 5:She's gotta be perfect. Kaboom. Perfect
Speaker 3:We can run it back,
Speaker 5:I guess. We can't run it back, I guess. We can't run it back, I guess. We can't trap a trap a favor, right?
Speaker 3:What are
Speaker 4:you looking for in the perfect female?
Speaker 5:She's gotta be perfect. Come on. Perfect personality. Pretty badass. Uh-huh.
Speaker 5:That
Speaker 6:bet. Spice rack out the cabinet when we pan fry. I bite back when I'm sliding in my mind's eye, I hate it, and I apologize for catching fire. You know I try to move the sky just to see you smile. You know if I was Buddhist when I died and realigned into another existence, it is you I all wanna find.
Speaker 6:Still get that feeling from your side, it's indescribable. And all surroundings cut out like it's a solid movie. And all that all that around us don't mean a thing. Once it's you by my side, look, even got you a ring. I could get you another.
Speaker 6:Girl, I made you a mother. You know, I carried them grocery bags, girl, like I was gutter gutter. It ain't no thing though. Maybe one day we can ride in the range, rub a real slow. You know, we forever kick it like it was steel toe until we olden gray in the earth and blown real low.
Speaker 6:Yes, she back. Yes, she back, back, back, back, back. Yes, she back, back, feeling right, flash, flash in the night. Yes, she back, back, feeling right, right, right. It ain't no thing though.
Speaker 6:You know we forever kick it like it was steel toe until we olden gray in the earth and blown real low. Yes. She back. Yes. She back.
Speaker 6:Back, back, back, back. Yes. She back, back, feeling right, flash, flash in the night. Yes. She back, back, feeling right, right, right.
Speaker 4:Once again, we're listening to Ollie Cap. James.
Speaker 2:Yeah. Did you hear that stuttering? That's my new technique on the first song where it stopped and restarted.
Speaker 1:I liked it.
Speaker 2:It was really, like new technique I'm working on.
Speaker 4:That was cool. But I was wondering