Meet Long Beach-based band, Chives. Since 2018, this band has been dishing out their heartfelt music and hard-hitting lyrics. Recent times have made it rough for any upcoming artist, so it was the perfect opportunity to check in with them and ask a couple of questions just in time for the release of their newest single, “Think Too Much.”
How did the band get its start?
Nick: Chives has been a musical project of mine since around 2017. I had just moved back from San Francisco and I had three songs I wanted to make into a little EP. I remembered Loren from an ‘Intro to Music Theory’ class we had in community college a few years before, so I reached out and asked if he could help me record it. Best decision ever. I really believe that If I didn’t reach out to Loren, then this band wouldn’t even exist. He introduced me to Paul, Joey, and previous members who have all become my closest friends now. I had zero connections in the local scene so I kind of just forced us into it; hustling and annoyingly begging everyone for a spot on a lineup. It took some time but we are very grateful for everyone who obliged and put us in shows.
What are some things you turn to for inspiration? What is one song that has made these past couple of months better?
Nick: Watching people do anything that they’re passionate about really inspires me. What immediately comes to mind are things like watching my girlfriend get lost while cooking a meal that reminds her of home in Mexico, watching my siblings raise their kids, or even simply watching a landscaper take pride in the yard they are working on. All of that motivates me to be passionate about whatever it is I do. My song pick would be “It’s Infinite” by Lomelda.
Loren: It used to be going to shows when I could do that, but I also get really inspired when I find a new artist outside of my usual favorite genres. A song that has inspired me is “Red Western Sky” by Muzz.
Paul: I am inspired by electronics like waveforms and the electrical signals responsible for noise in general. My song: “Together Forever” by DJ Hixxy and Bananaman.
Joey: I’m going to sound cheesy, but our new song “Think Too Much” has made these past couple of months better. Seriously, working on new music was a much-needed disruption to quarantine life and it absolutely benefited my mental state.
Tell us about your new single.
Nick: “Think Too Much” is a song I wrote in a stream of consciousness. It came to me at a time where I was struggling with my personal identity. I had gone through lots of changes and I was checking boxes off many ‘life goals’ (graduating college, getting a job, and moving in with my girlfriend). It looked as if I had everything I was working for, but I kept longing for more. This song is me asking myself the questions: Why do I want more? Why does the cycle for more never seem to end? Why can’t I just be content with what I currently have in my life? As always, the song was only 2-dimensional when I came to the band with it. But after some time working through it at Damnass Studios, the song really came to life. Specifically, I love the addition of Loren’s droning guitar and Joey’s heavy drums building throughout. They really tied the whole song together.
How would you describe band-life in quarantine in three words?
Loren: Lonely. Uninspired. Temporary.
Paul: Practicing…a lot.
Nick: Really. Freaking. Hard. There’s a reason these songs are coming out in 2021. I wrote almost all of these songs back in 2019, but I just couldn’t get myself to record them in 2020. It was a tough year personally beyond the pandemic, but these past few months recording with the band have been everything.
Joey: Distance. Strengthens. Ties. Similar to what Nick said: not consistently playing with the band made coming back to it so much better.
What can we expect from the band in the future?
Nick: We’re working on an EP or more singles? We haven’t 100% decided yet, but there are definitely three or four more songs coming soon in one way or another. I also want to focus on making video content this year, so keep an eye out for music videos or live sessions.
Follow Chives here and listen to their new single “Think Too Much” below:
