Chicago – On the night of All Hallows’ Eve, drummer Erik Ratensperger and guitarist Mark Solomich of Junior Prom were enthusiastically describing their costumes over chips and salsa and a bucket of Halloween candy in the green room of The Vic in Chicago. The up-and-coming Brooklyn indie-pop duo was in town supporting Andrew McMahon, and they were beyond excited to don their pimp suits for the Halloween show. They were also full of laughs. Junior Prom had Best New Bands LOLing.
Last year the funny New Yorkers signed with Elektra Records, after catching the attention of Jeff Castelaz. The infectious summer hit, “Sheila Put The Knife Down,” off their self-titled debut EP, also caught the attention of music lovers all over the Internet. Junior Prom is now ready to feed us some more ear candy with the single “Cheap Thrills.” Before their Chicago set, Best New Bands talked with Junior Prom about “Cheap Thrills” and their work-in progress full-length. We also chatted about 80s music, Solomich’s 66 year-old landlord, and Ratensperger crashing a prom.
The single “Sheila Put The Knife Down” has some pretty heavy lyrics that are offset with a fun, danceable beat. What inspired this song? Did you really have a girlfriend pull a knife on you?
Mark Solomich: Yes, is the short answer. (laughs) Although I mean, I don’t think it’s [dark]. In my mind it’s kind of a playful song. Ultimately it does have a real core to it. It’s not a frivolous song. It’s a love song about two flawed people that probably deserve each other. You know, they’re both not being good to each other by one… by um, ugh… the typical things men do. I don’t name a name in the song, but you know. (chuckles) And the more overt action of the lady, which is taking up a knife and threatening the man. But yes, some names have been changed. (laughs) I mean, I couldn’t call the song “Erik Put The Knife Down.” That would’ve been weird. (laughs)
Erik Ratensperger: It doesn’t have the same ring. (everyone laughs)
(Solomich then sings, “Erik put the knife down and come on back to bed, baby!”)
Mark, your 66-year-old landlord sings backup vocals on “International.” How did that come to be?
Ratensperger: A lot of money! (laughs)
Solomich: We were in this place, where we made the EP, above a barbershop. My barber also lived above me. He and his wife lived upstairs, and he worked below me. Every time I left the house, I saw him. He was always up in my shit. “Hey Mark, what’s going on?” “What are you doing? Why you going up stairs?” “Why don’t you play some stuff? Why don’t you play the mandolin?” He’s from Italy. And we’re making this [pop] music and it’s not Captain Corelli’s Mandolin or Frank Sinatra, you know. I was like “Come up stairs. All I need you to do is ‘Oooooh’.” Because he could not sing high, he definitely is a bass; I had him sing the bass baritone on “International.” It may be buried in the mix. It’s not that loud. (laughs)
Did you get a discount on rent that month?
Solomich: Oh you know what, there are so many things I should have gotten discounted on, but I did not. And I moved out, sadly. I don’t live there anymore.
What is “Shoot The Guitar Player” all about?
Solomich: That’s a little abstract song that most people don’t get. The reference is that, it’s a play on – I guess I understand why people don’t get it – I went to film school, so I watch a bunch of obscure movies. There’s this French film from the 60s called Shoot The Piano Player by François Truffaut, which is about a gangster who plays in a jazz band at a bar. It’s a gangster picture. I just thought it was a great title, but I guess the overall idea behind “Shoot The Guitar Player” was that we’ve played in rock bands for so long, and you go to a show and there’s a guy from Guitar Center just wailing on guitar. It’s so annoying! It’s just like what year is it! I’m sorry, this isn’t 1965! You know what I mean? Let’s move things forward.
Ratensperger: Or ‘75.
Solomich: Or 1975.
Ratensperger: Or ‘85.
Solomich: Or 1985! You know, there are other things you can do other than being a rock guitar player. I was just kind of frustrated with rock music in general.
You guys have a new single, “Cheap Thrills.” Will that be on your upcoming full-length?
Solomich: It might be. I don’t know. We’re not sure yet, but it might be.
Do you have a release date for your LP?
Solomich: “Cheap Thrills” (was released on) November 10… The full-length will be coming out early next spring, but there will be a video coming out for “Cheap Thrills” soon. So look out for that on the YouTube and Google and all that.
Will the full-length be similar to the EP or different?
Ratensperger: I think there’s going to be flavors of the EP on the full-length, but I think…we were actually talking about this earlier. (laughs) I think the full-length is as Mark puts it, “a minefield.” It’s sonically all over the place, but I think there’s cohesion to it. There are songs with guitar and songs with analog synths and other stuff that I can’t mention… but yeah, it’s going to be all over the place!
Solomich: If I can just add, where the EP was in black and white, the LP is in CinemaScope Technicolor! (laughs) You may have gone down to the theater and seen the new Alvin and The Chipmunks, and that’s great and all but I’m talking IMAX and a bag of mushrooms!
You guys covered Hall & Oates’ “I Can’t Go For That.”
Solomich: I’m sorry about that! (laughs) Can I apologize to you now for that?
What? It was great! Why are you apologizing?
Solomich: Okay, I’m not!
With that cover and the hints of 80s music in your other songs, I’m guessing you’re fans of 80s music.
Solomich: Well, of course there’s definitely a lot of music from the 80s that we love. Without a doubt! But the worst thing we could be is a throwback [band], you know some sort of retro throwback. I will avoid certain sounds because it’s too much of that. Whereas some bands, that’s their thing. I think we can’t help it in the sense the way we write songs, maybe. There are a lot of great songs from the 80s that I think subconsciously we’re influenced by. But really we don’t want to be an 80s-sounding band. I don’t think we are.
Ratensperger: Well, we grew up with these bands like The Cure, New Order, Joy Division, and…
Solomich: And Hall and Oates! (laughs)
Ratensperger: So it naturally comes through the music.
I read you did not go to your Junior Prom.
Ratensperger: Yeah, no, neither of us went to Junior Prom. Well, you know, I didn’t go to my Junior Prom, but I did crash someone else’s Junior Prom. I was still unsuccessful that night! (chuckles) I was going out with a girl, but I liked her friend more. I tried to get with her, and she went with my friend. I ended up in a hotel room by myself.
Solomich: It was a rough week! (laughs)
Ratensperger: It was a rough week! (laughs) But it’s a new day, you know.
Solomich: I didn’t go to any proms!
Not even Senior Prom?
Solomich: No, no. No proms. Nobody loves me. Nobody loved me then, and nobody loves me now. (laughs)
Maybe for your album release, you can have a prom theme?
Solomich: Then I’ll have my prom! (laughs) I shall have my day in the sun, man!
Ratensperger: I tell you this, what was a really amazing surprise was having fans show up to shows with prom attire! We’re talking full tux! Full dress! It was incredible! So, Denver, if you’re reading – Denver did it to us twice in a row. We played Denver twice and [it happened] both times – Denver what’s up!
You can dress the part with Junior Prom, too. Click HERE for tour dates. Junior Prom and “Cheap Thrills” are available for purchase on iTunes.
Sarah Hess
After attending The School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Sarah went on to study education at Dominican University, earning a degree in history. When not teaching, writing, or taking in a show, she is most likely to be found with a camera to her eye or hanging out in a darkroom.
You can follow Sarah Hess on twitter at @Sarahhasanh and view her music photography on her website: smhimaging.com.
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