A Q & A With Street Joy

BROOKLYN – LA band Street Joy is steadily churning out full-bodied rock that struts in line with The Strokes’ vibe, yet is infused with the youthful cadence of sun-drenched SoCal tendencies. Rapidly garnering attention for their hard-hitting, high-energy soundscapes, their work is guaranteed to hook you from first listen.

The group surfaced with their debut single “Wandering In My Mind” in February. At that time, The Deli Mag signaled the act as an Artist To Watch. Their second single, “Laurel Hill” came to us about two weeks ago. Their latest track, and arguably their most boisterous to date, is “Same As Me.” Funky bass lines and swirling vocals recall all the sass of Spoon circa 2008, but heavy percussion and fuzzed out guitars add a modernist spin that makes this work fresh. Converging somewhere between classic rock and vivacious experimentalism, this is intricately textured work to rock to.

The group is Jason DeMayo as lead vocalist, guitarist and bassist and Scott Zimmerman on percussion and backup vocals. Their debut album is scheduled for release on June 1^st via Trick Pony Records, and so far we’re wildly impressed.

With little still known about this promising young rock outfit, DeMayo and Zimmerman answered some questions for BNB to help quiet our curiosity. A bit of insight into Street Joy’s inner workings gets us even more amped about what we can expect next from the pair.

LR: How did Street Joy come together? When and where did you meet, and what made you want to play together?

JD: Scott and I went to high school together, but didn’t talk much. We were both on the roller hockey team, and that was the pretty much the extent of our relationship. College came, and Mike Coleman, our engineer/fellow roller hockey teammate, and I started messing around with his little living room studio between our freshman and sophomore years. When I went off the Eugene for my second year, I started jamming with Scott, who was brand new to the U of O. After various projects and a move to LA, Mike recorded our debut album.

LR: What made you want to become musicians? If you had to pick a backup profession, what would it be?

SZ: I played music in school from a young age, and always dug performing. As I got deeper into my teenage years, I started listening to a lot of good rock and roll, and eventually realized that was what I wanted to play. If I wasn’t making music, I’d want to be a park ranger or the owner of a bowling alley.

JD: As cliché as it sounds, The Beatles. When I was 4 (or so the story goes), “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” came on the radio, and I was instantly hooked. Eventually, I graduated from “Bugs Bunny & Friends Sing The Beatles” and moved onto the real thing. It’s kinda always been music since then. If I wasn’t making music, I’d be something like a product manager or graphic designer.

LR: Who would you cite as your biggest sonic influences?

Both: The Beatles, The Strokes, Radiohead, The Rolling Stones, Cream.

LR: Can you describe your songwriting process?

JD: Usually a pretty completed song is brought to the garage, and then we just jam it out.

LR: For your first record, are there any overarching themes? What inspires your lyricism?

JD: We wanted to evoke a youthful and nostalgic feeling, through accessible lyrics and music.

LR: Spirit animal?

Both: The dog.

LR: Favorite live show you played/most memorable concert?

JD: Last year, we played in a legitimate cave, generator and all. Half of the audience couldn’t really hear what the bands were playing, but everybody was still going nuts. We’ll never forget it.

LR: With only three tracks released to day, you’ve already won over a lot of fans. What can we expect from your forthcoming record? Beyond that?

SZ: We’re really excited to be releasing the record in the beginning of the summer because the record has that vibe. We tried to make a record that you can have fun with, but can be emotionally connected to as well. Beyond that, we want to tour and make a bunch more music in the near future. Good times.

LR: Who are you listening to now, what groups would you file under best new bands?

Both: Mac DeMarco, Chris Cohen, The Everly Brothers, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Summer Twins. As far as new bands… Banshee Boardwalk, Jr., Juan Wauters.

Go HERE for more on Street Joy.

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Liz Rowley

Born in Mexico and raised in Toronto, Jerusalem and Chicago by a pair of journalists, Liz comes to BestNewBands.com with an inherited love of writing. After discovering a niche for herself in music journalism and radio while at Bates College in Maine, she always keeps a running playlist of new music to soundtrack her place in the world. Liz is passionate about helping dedicated, talented musicians gain the exposure they deserve. A recent transplant to Brooklyn from Hawaii, she is plagued by an incurable case of wanderlust and cursed with an affinity for old maps and old things like typewriters and vintage books. She adores photography and running and is very good with plants. Having come of age in Chicago, Wilco speaks to her soul. If she could be anything, she would be a cat in a Murakami novel.