After spending much of the last few years building and cultivating his sound, US singer-songwriter Sterling Spence now looks to introduce himself to the fold with his stunning debut EP 'Someone Tried To Calm The Storm'.
Channelling a wonderfully rich and alluring aesthetic for his initial offering, this new six-track collection makes for a beautifully warm and endearing listen. With his spellbinding vocals spread across a euphoric folk-pop production throughout, 'Someone Tried To Calm The Storm' cements him as one of the more exciting names emerging right now.
So with the new EP available to stream now, we sat down with him to find out more about his origins and what has been inspiring him lately.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
Well, my first instrument was piano. I grew up with a Chinese mother; so, of course, I had to take piano lessons first. I hated it. I had this teacher from Russia who taught the classical method. She was just an amazing pianist but she was STRICT! I remember she’d hit my knuckles with a pencil and never seemed happy. I couldn’t stand playing all those classical songs. They just didn’t say anything at all to me. I’d cry when I had to practice. I wanted music that had a message I could relate to.
I finally convinced my mom to let me quit when I was in middle school, and that very same week, I picked up the guitar on my own. I just wanted to be like all the rockstars I idolized. And I wanted to write my own songs. When I started playing guitar, it was always as a tool to write lyrics. The first song I learned was some pop-punk thing, but the second was just a set of chords I could try to sing over.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
I grew up on my parents’ folk music from the American 50s and 60s. I still love all that stuff. Joan Baez, Phil Ochs, Bob Dylan. They taught me that you could make simple music: three chords and the truth.
Then, I was obsessed with the punk scene in the East Bay in California. Rancid, Green Day, NOFX. These were bands that told stories and had a political ideology. The rebellion and expression made me feel like there was some place that my voice could matter.
What was the first album you remember owning?
Ha! I think the first time I ever went to a CD store, I got the soundtrack to Star Wars and Smash Mouth. I listened to those over and over. I also used to just tape songs off of the radio and make little cassettes for my walkman. Always from the classic rock station 107.7 the Bone and Live 105. Just rock n roll stuff. It was the energy that always caught me.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
I mean, there are so many. All I ever do is try to steal people’s best ideas. I think the first that comes to mind is the Clash’s song Clampdown. Damn. “Kick over the wall, cause governments to fall, how could you refuse it. Let Fury have the hour, anger can be power. Did you know that you could use it?” That’s just pure power. I love that song.
Also, more recently James McMurtry’s song Canola Fields. It's just so perfectly specific in his story-telling and then somehow feels so relatable and universal. Those are the kind of songs that make you almost angry that you can’t write it. “In a way back corner of a cross town bus you were hiding out under my hat. Cashing in on a 30 year crush. You can’t be young and do that.” It's beautiful.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
I actually try very hard not to get stuck in a writing routine. I think songwriting is all based on experiencing and living. If you’re holed up just writing about the same thing over and over, you won’t have anything left to say. I think a lot about Bon Jovi’s song “Wanted Dead or Alive.” It's just about him riding on a tour bus to the next show. I don’t want to write about that. I want to live a life that has something worth talking about. I want to write about the ways my friends create a better world or strive to hold their love together in the face of financial or relationship stress. I want to write songs that make people look at their own lives with a little more grace.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
It’s always Springsteen for me. He’s just one of those artists who captured the dignity of working hard for the people around you. And his music is reflected in his own life. He’s a man who tried to be a good man, which seems like a tall order for most musicians.
But I’m also listening to a lot of Jason Isbell, Katie Pruitt, Against Me!, Lianne La Havas. I’ve been kind of getting into Bleachers lately. I’m trying not to let my music taste be 40 years older than I am…
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
Joan Baez. She was my very first crush. And she’s just one of the most powerful musicians who has ever lived. Everything she does seems to make the world a little more kind, a little gentler, and a little more conscientious. Really, I just want her to tell me I’m cute.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
It’s the community. It has kept me alive at several points in my life. My main gig is with my band Westerly and those guys are some of the most important people in my life. They helped out on this EP as well. Without them, I wouldn’t know how to even see myself.
Getting to have the structure of shows or rehearsals as an excuse to spend time together is the best thing that music has ever given me. They challenge me to be a better human and I love them very dearly.
And what is the most frustrating part?
The most frustrating part is also dealing with being in a band! You have a set of people with strong opinions and weird social skills, it’s always a bit chaotic and messy. But, I think I’m not afraid of life being a little messy and I’m not afraid of the work it takes to love some people. It can be frustrating, but without that kind of friction I don’t think I’d be much of a good person.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
Rick Rubin talks about art as being a natural outpouring from the artist. He thinks you can’t be thinking about your audience. The best piece of advice I ever received was to ignore him. I don’t want to write for myself. I want to write for my community. I want to serve them and help guide us to a better way of living. I want us to care more and try harder. So, I guess the best advice was to think about the people you love when you write. Make your art a gift to them.
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Sterling Spence's debut EP 'Someone Tried To Calm The Storm' is out now. Check it out in the player below.