FIX YOUR HEARTS OR DIE LP 10/12
Congrats on the upcoming album “FIX YOUR HEARTS OR DIE” out October 12, 2021 on Hidden Home Records & EWEL Records! How’s it feel to put this record out in a couple days?
Kasey: It feels surreal because we’ve been sitting on it for so long, and making small incremental changes and moves toward it. I can’t believe it’s finally here!
Patrick: It’s been a ride to be actively working on something for two years, since before the pandemic, and to finally have it physically in our hands as vinyl. Indescribably cool and weird!
Chayse: It feels legitimizing. This record was a long time coming. So stoked!
When did you know this record was ready to be put out?
Kasey: We had plans to put it out in 2020 and when we had to wait we took the time to slow down and be really thoughtful about it. Once it was finally “ready” and we had to pick the perfect time, Patrick told me “this feels like a fall album”. October it is!
Patrick: I still stand by FIX YOUR HEARTS OR DIE feeling like a fall album!
Chayse: After about the 435th revision of the mixes and album art you start to get a grasp on the record as a whole and see the light at the end of the tunnel.
How has it been creating and recording an album during a pandemic?
Kasey: I think it helped that the writing (save for about one song) was finished before lockdown because we definitely are our most successful with songwriting when we’re together in a room as a trio. We had recorded quite a bit before March of 2020 but had to switch gears to a bedroom setup to get a lot of the guitar and vocals tracked. It was a different approach than we were expecting but I think it allowed us to try a lot of different things and add more layers than we may have using studio space. Hopefully our neighbors didn’t mind too much!
Patrick: I think for me it was really nice during lockdown to have something creative to focus on, especially since we no longer felt pressure to release it as soon as possible. Definitely helped pass the time as a distraction from a global, ongoing tragedy.
Chayse: The lockdown definitely gave us more time to reflect on the album. We got to sit within its walls and really absorb the songs. I’m sure I’ve listened to this thing more times than I’d care to admit.
You’ve released a couple singles off the album, “Cowboy” (with the b side “Weather the Storm”) and “Introspectre.” Can you tell us a little bit more about these singles?
Kasey: “Introspectre” is pure energy and fun to play, but thematically is all about anxiety. “Cowboy” let’s us try on a little bit of swagger.
Patrick: Yeah, before we named “Introspectre” we called it “The Banger”. “Cowboy” is the most fun for me to perform, I’m always looking forward to it in our sets!
Chayse: Those songs get such a visceral reaction out of the crowd everytime we play them live it just made sense to put them out as our first singles. They really convey what this record can bring to the table.
How did you choose these songs as the singles and are you releasing any more songs before the release?
Kasey: We’ve been playing a lot of these songs for a while because this album has been a long time coming. “Cowboy” and “Introspectre” are two of our favorites off the album to play live because of their energy. The response we got from the audience when we played them made them feel like the best choices for singles.
Patrick: It’s hard to remember clearly, but I don’t believe “Introspectre” was planned to be a single until lockdown started. A couple weeks in it started feeling more relevant and relatable than it had before and we started creating the video we put out this past April.
Love the music videos for both singles, what was it like filming each one?
Kasey: The filming process was very different for each one. “Introspectre” was done completely in my and Patrick’s living room – with Chayse sending shots of drumming that he shot himself at his house – and with the majority of the filming taking place in about one take. It was fun to just dance and vibe to the song and it ended up going well the first time. The rest of the magic was added by Patrick after.
“Cowboy” was a lot different in that we were all together in one location doing something more traditional, albeit with a lot of precautions taken for covid. From leaving our house to returning the shoot day took a full 24 hours.
Patrick: “Cowboy” was super fun to create and shoot, we did a lot of pre-planning which made the day of work very smooth (even if it did take a while). Getting a bunch of our friends involved in puppet form was really cool, too.
Chayse: Filming “Introspectre” was cool because we created it completely separated from each other and ended up with one of the sickest videos yet! “Cowboy” was hard work in some hot heat that made for a sweaty good time and a beautiful looking video.
Where did you film the cowboy music video?
Kasey: “Cowboy” was shot in Chayse’s very cool attic that he and his partner were so gracious to offer us. Once we had the space, the rest of the vision came into view.
Patrick: Welcome to THE ATTIC!
Chayse: We shot “Cowboy” in the attic of this house I just moved into. At this point, I was still unsure if it was haunted or not. (It’s not unfortunately, or maybe we exercised all the spirits out of the house with our rock!) For the video I tried to dress my character as the “shadow figure” some people see in their rooms at night during sleep paralysis. I wore all black and had those big undertaker-like hats on. Also pulled inspiration from the movie Secret Window with Johnny Depp. So essentially very dark spooky vibes.
How did you choose the direction for the videos?
Patrick: I remember really wanting the video for “Cowboy” to have the vibe of the Pink Room scene from the Twin Peaks movie (NSFW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkHbpRRJonw). After pitching that it all kind of snowballed collaboratively after several Zoom meetings with the four of us.
We see “Cowboy” the music video was directed / edited (and starring) Jeffrey Star! How did you link up with him and what was it like having him direct/edit the video?
Kasey: Jeffrey is such a gift and we are so lucky to know and work with him. We met him through a friend of ours from hs and we have claimed him ever since. Having him be a multi-hyphenate on this project was both a practical as well as an artistic choice. We wanted to limit the amount of people sharing the space for covid reasons but he’s also so talented we wanted to have him in the scenes and not just behind them! He also plays a major role in the inspiration for the video.
Patrick: I think it’s off Netflix now, but check out the documentary he produced and edited, For the Birds!! forthebirdsdocumentary.com
Chayse: After working with Jeffrey on a previous music video it was a no brainer to continue our working relationship with him. He’s got vision, he’s super organized and he is determined to make anything happen. Love Jeffrey.
It feels like there’s a pleasant difference in how both singles sound, is this indicative of the whole album?
Kasey: I think so, because this is our first full length as well as our first proper recording with Chayse as a songwriter this album felt like a mission statement of who we are as a group. We wanted to try to show as many sides to that as we could while still making it feel like a cohesive piece. I hope we succeeded.
Patrick: It’s not a conscious strategy, but I like how we’re not married to any specific or particular sound. We try to do what’s best for the song we’re actively working on with what we have, which is usually just drums, guitars, and our voices. Sometimes a synth if we’re feeling spicy.
Chayse: The album really sends you on a journey into some light and some dark territories. Such is life. I believe we are very open minded when we write so we organically get sent into new directions constantly.
Can you tell us about A Very Special Episode?
Kasey: AVSE is Patrick Porter, Chayse Schutter, and myself (Kasey Heisler). Patrick and I have been partners for many years and began writing songs semi-casually (though I think Patrick always had a vision) and became officially A Very Special Episode in 2017. We cycled through a few drummers before finally reeling Chayse in and we’ve been this three piece since 2018.
Did we see you have a couple versions of the LP, “Red, Black & Thunder Loud” and standard black? Also some shirts too?
Kasey: Yes! We’ve got red with some black marbling that look very cool as well as the standard black along with a limited run of tees featuring the album art.
People can pre order the album now?
Kasey: They can pre-order now on our bandcamp page! averyspecialepisode.bandcamp.com
It looks like some important people helped with the album, Don Scherr at the Neck (recording/engineering some tracks), Russ Worstell and Big Feet Sounds at Astoria Soundworks (recording/ engineering some tracks), mixing at 3123 Studios by Patrick Porter and mastered by Dion Lunadon. How was it working with these people?
Kasey: Along with this feeling like a statement on who we are as a band, and extension of that is trying to work with as many talented friends as possible. We got to record different tracks with both Don and Russ which was really a great experience. I think the songs feel unique because we recorded them with a different approach based on who we were working with on it and that gave the songs a little more life than if they had all been recorded in the same exact way. I’d like to say I understand mastering more than I do but all I know is that when we got the record back from Dion it sounded amazing.
Patrick: Don and Russ were great to work with, highly recommend anyone in the scene making recording plans to look them up! In addition to mastering, Dion was really helpful in giving me feedback on the mix as it was a work in progress. I think that sped up his mastering process in that he was already familiar with all the songs once he got started on it.
Chayse: it was an honor to work with Don Scherr and Russ Worstell. Don is an amazingly talented musician and really pushed to get the best performance out of us. Russ is always so positive and professional which makes for a smooth and creative recording session.
October 12 is again the day of the release! Any release shows, parties, champagne popping cake eating extravaganzas?
Kasey: We’re bringing back the Tuesday music release – you never know when Taylor Swift is gonna drop a new single and steal your thunder – and we are going to celebrate BIG with a release show at Our Wicked Lady on Oct. 16th with Sorry Darling and Kissed By An Animal.
Patrick: Yeah, get your tickets now from Our Wicked Lady before it sells out! www.eventbrite.com/e/a-very-special-episode-kissed-by-an-animal-sorry-darling-tickets-169642676813?aff=ebdsoporgprofile
It feels like you’re a band with a community presence, being around EWEL, having a ton of homies help out with the music videos and the record. How does it feel to see the scene blossoming again?
Kasey: Being part of this scene, both before, during, and after the heft of the pandemic has been one of the more rewarding and fulfilling things. Linking up with EWEL felt like we found a second home and we are forever grateful to Jon Daily and the crew for that too. As things start to bloom around the community we feel honored to add our music to the space and our voices to the crowds at everyone shows.
Patrick: Every single show we’ve done this past year, whether the intimate bandNada live stream back in April or our past show at Bushwick Public House with Sharkswimmer and Awful Din, has been very special. Neither artists nor audience members in the community are taking these shows for granted, and I hope that feeling lasts.
Chayse: For years and years I looked at the entire NYC music scene in the same way I see the entrance to Area 51. How do I get in? What are they doing in there? There’s definitely some cool aliens I want to meet but I could never find my way inside. After joining AVSE we somehow found our way in and nobody has noticed that we’re just regular dudes. The scene is out of the world!
Standard Vinyl is making the actual vinyl?
Kasey: Yes! It’s in our apartment! They did an amazing job.
How does this album compare to your 2017 EP Censored Dreams?
Kasey: This feels like a growth, as I think all “next” albums should.
What are your plans for after the release?
Kasey: In a perfect world we’d love to tour, and hopefully we can. Until then, we’ll keep writing!
Any other thoughts?
Kasey: Thank you so much for talking with us about the release. We’re so proud of it and can’t wait for everyone to hear the whole thing.
Patrick: Yes, thank you!
Chayse: Rock and Roll!!
Links:
avse.bandnada.com
averyspecialepisode.bandcamp.com
averyspecialepiso.de
www.instagram.com/avsepisode/
www.youtube.com/channel/UCIP4BjWwd4SK-ueVTXebUbw
