My So Called Summer – Thanks for Asking!

My So Called Summer – Thanks for Asking! – by Liam Sweeny.

RRX: Like songs, every artist has a unique feeling about their first show. What was your first show like? Was it your best show? If not, what was your best show like?

MSCS: Technically, we played our first show a few days ago in Troy, NY at No Fun, but in reality, we’ve been playing music for about a decade. We had a really special band in Brookyn, called “Reliant Tom” (RIP). We released 3 albums and played countless shows in the city and beyond, but everything has its season, and after moving upstate it felt time to become something new. Out of this change “My So-Called Summer” was born! Our “first” show last week felt awesome. I was so nervous leading up, nervous to play guitar, nervous to play the new songs for the first time. I’ve always struggled with stage fright. Sometimes it’s so bad I think I’ll never play a show again, but then you play and it’s a blast & a half- rinse, repeat. It definitely wasn’t my best show, I made mistakes, but I’m learning to not get in my head about it, and I’m learning that ultimately the audience is on your side and they want it to be a good show too. For me, at baseline it feels embarrassing to be myself, but in this project My So-Called Summer, I’m trying to quiet those negative thoughts, because when they do go quiet, it’s so much fun. And ultimately, I’m trying to have fun. I think my best show will be when I have the most fun.

RRX: You sing or you rap, you play guitar, play drums, what have you, you have no doubt struggled to learn music. Something probably tripped you up. What was it for each of you? What did you have to overcome (bands, pick a member)?

MSCS: I always wanted to play guitar, but not sad girl guitar- rock guitar!!! But, I have a lot of mental blocks when it comes to that, and that has stopped me for years. Growing up I went to Catholic school and did classical ballet pretty seriously, and I still feel residual trauma from both of those. I was and still am, so shy and so insecure, and I think that’s my natural state, but my upbringing exacerbated that. On the way to ballet class I’d blast Nirvana on my ipod and just feel so powerful, but feeling powerful and rocking out didn’t fit with my personality so it was always something secret for me to escape to. Now I’m trying to quiet those inner thoughts, that I suck and have no business playing guitar, and I’m trying to let myself just do what I want, and also be okay with where I’m at. You won’t ever learn to play unless you play. Also, my bandmates are new to their instruments, Monte use to play bass but now he plays drums and Brendan use to play piano but now he plays bass. I think it’s cool to learn new things as an adult.

RRX: Our style comes from the extension of our influences. It’s like an evolution. We’re influenced, and it inspires us to influence. What can you say about your influences, and what you feel you’ve done with their influence as a musician or band? Have you extended their work?

MSCS: I have no idea what we sound like to other people, someone messaged me after our show and said we sound like Veruca Salt & Lisa Loeb had a baby and that made me so happy because I love both those artists. Musically I keep coming back to Julianna Hatfield and Ben Kweller. Their music feels so personal to me, like I’m listening to a real person, and I just wanna be honest like they are honest.

I think it’s so painful to feel like you aren’t being yourself, but being yourself is so hard. It’s not like “yourself” is this static, definable thing, and maybe it’s even worse now because everything is a brand. You’re always changing, always soaking up information, always being influenced. But at the same time I love Britney Spears and Y2k pop. One of my favorite bands is Fountains of Wayne, I love their clever funny lyrics and pop melodies. Idk I could list a ton of artists I love, it’s hard to know if those influences make it into your music, probably it all does somehow.

I think Monte’s musical influences are more unique. He has a deep love for Brazilian music and he has shared that with me over the years. Growing up, his parents had and still have a bateria and bossa nova band, and they all lived in Brazil for a while, soaking in the music. Monte also went to music school and is into some experimental stuff. He loves modular synths, he loves making patches in Maxmsp, he loves process pieces, but he also enjoys and doesn’t stick his nose up to pop. He loves house music and has an electronic project called Metno with lots of music out. I’m loving his production on our My So-Called Summer songs! Super curious what other people hear as an influence in our music. We will be releasing music soon!

RRX: What instrument would you add to the band if you could? Is there anything you are trying to do musically that would be helped with one or more additional players?

MSCS: In an alternate reality, we’d love to have a giant band. Monte who is our drummer also produces out these songs with lots of synth layers, more guitar parts, drum machines etc- and that production gives us our unique sound. We took a stab at just playing as a 3 piece, but I found it to be kinda boring, so we play with backing tracks. The tracks also give me some freedom to not play guitar on every song so I can dance with an umbrella, blow bubbles, do fun stuff at a live show.

I really wanted to be a band that didn’t use tracks, but ultimately our show is better with them and I don’t see us finding the perfect 2-3 bandmates to add. Also, Monte is my love of my life and Brendan is our best friend and neighbor, so we can’t really fuck with that ecosystem by adding someone new to the band. I mentioned our old band Reliant Tom earlier, part of why that project fell apart was because we added more and more people, and the project became difficult to manage. I seriously love and miss everyone we performed with.

I believe that collaboration is magical and elevates a project, but there is a price, sometimes literally if you are paying them. Artists deserve to be paid for their work, but that can make a passion project unsustainable. We tried to elevate Reliant Tom, we tried to make it a business, but over time that completely killed my joy for the art. All I want is to play music with my friends like we are kids again in a garage or something, and that’s our direction for My So-Called Summer. It doesn’t mean we aren’t serious about the music, we are super serious about the music, but we are protecting that childlike joy that gets squashed somewhere along the way. So yeah, most likely we will remain a 3 piece.

RRX: We all get a little support from those around us. And we also can be impressed by our fellow performers. Who do you admire in your community, and why?

MSCS: I admire so many artists in the community, but the first band that comes to mind is Long Island based prog rock band Dhärä. I’ve known Dhärä forever, their dummer (Chris) and I use to be in a band together and we’ve remained friends ever since. Over the years I’ve watched their project develop. They make incredible music, and they go above and beyond with their visuals. I even got to choreograph and perform in a full-length rock ballet for them- they are releasing parts of it now on YouTube, it’s called Elemental Four. They have a pure love of what they do, they are insanely talented, and they are all the nicest dudes you’ll ever meet in your life. I feel like a lot of artists I talk to, the conversation becomes centered around how to grow your audience, how to promote stuff, business shit, but when I talk to Dhärä we are talking about the art making itself, and conversations like that really fill me up. I just love those guys to pieces and I really believe in them.

RRX: Is there a favorite time of year? What time of year does the band have the most shows? Is there a recurring thing in the year that’s particularly memorable?

MSCS: Well, we are making summer our whole personality as a band, but it’s winter that makes summer so great. I’m writing to you in February, we just had *another* snowstorm yesterday, and I’m feeling so over it. As much as I love summer, I couldn’t live in a place that felt like summer all the time. I feel like in New England, you really earn your summer after surviving a brutal winter, and that’s what this band is all about. This too shall pass, it will be summer again, someday, for you. I struggle with my mental health and this project is an outlet to work through that. I wanna create summer for myself and anyone who interacts with our music, while also honoring the darkness. I love living in a place with seasons because yeah- spring, summer, and fall- let’s get out there and play shows, and then in winter we can slow down, write, record, reminisce. Every year I look outside and I see the incredible effort that nature creates and destroys. So much effort, for such a short time, and then we start all over again. I’m happy to be part of it.

MSCS: The attached 4 photos are from our first show at No Fun in Troy, NY 2/21/26 the photographer is Mark O’Donnell, his Instagram is @mjophotogr

We have no music released as My So-Called Summer yet, but here’s a link to our last release under our old moniker Reliant Tom:

 

https://relianttom.bandcamp.com/album/dancer-in-the-dark

 

 

 

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