In this special bonus episode of BackStory, Netherfriends tell us the story behind their song “Bret Easton Ellis Novel.”

The song starts out as a song about friends that I wish I could be. I was obsessed with the idea of false reality and how perfect our lives would be with small changes that may or may not already be there. There is this bar in Chicago called the Empty Bottle that I love seeing shows at. They have free Monday shows and they used to have a cheap beer that would change every week. My friend persuaded me that the cheap beer was just expired beer. I would frequent the Bottle’s free Monday shows every week and wondered if free shows every night would change my life. So in the song I say:

“I wish that every night we would have plans we would never fight

Bottle shows free all the time expired beer tastes so fine!”*

*Shortly after recording the song, the Empty Bottle removed the cheap beer option.

In the middle of the song, the key of the song changes and the new key also changes in lyrical theme. Lyrically, I begin to realize that most of my friends are the furthest thing from what I want to become. At the time of creating the song, I was hanging out with kids that were popping pills, snorting drugs, and acting really caddy. I felt like I was in a Bret Easton Ellis novel and alas the song was born.

Sorry to the Ellis fans, but no signs of American Psycho references…

I do reference School of the Art Institute of Chicago AKA SAIC.

“Let me know when you are done with your SAIC bulls***, move away lickity split.”

Bret Easton Ellis Novel from Shawn Rosenblatt on Vimeo.

 

Brett Easton Ellis Novel

I wish I was more like my roommate his name is Max

Nicest guy I’ve ever met puts up with all of my mess

 

Then I could be more like Jason he’s from Omaha

An artist in everyway, wish I could be someday.

 

Would anybody want to be a person as unskilled as me?

I swear I will never make it out the bedroom where I scream and shout

 

I believe we spend each day

Wishing to be something more a person we truly adore

 

I wish that every night we would have plans we would never fight

Bottle shows free all the time expired beer tastes so fine!

 

I live a Bret Easton Ellis Novel. Everyone is popping, snorting and acting rich,

I live a Bret Easton Ellis Novel. Everyone is popping, snorting, and talking S***.

 

Who would want to live like you? Say or do the things you do? Who would want to live like you.

Let me know when you are done with your SAIC bulls***, move away lickity split.