An Interview with West-Coast Indie Band, LIFE

USA Today calls the new rock band, LIFE, “soul-inspired West Coast indie” and I would definitely have to agree with this description. This trio hails from Hermosa Beach, California and their sound indeed reflects that.

As the former members of LA rock band Tomorrows Bad Seeds, they followed their gut, which led them to LIFE. Their EP RUDWN? was just released on June 18th and it was produced by Michael Choi, a.k.a. “Foolish Prophet,” whom the band met in the catering line at Warped Tour.

“It wasn’t planned out,” recalls guitarist, Sean. “We just started writing music, and it awakened something different within us. It wasn’t Tomorrows Bad Seeds. It was new. The three of us followed that path naturally, and LIFE was born.”

The 5-song EP has “funk, groove and a hell of a soul” (Substream) and reminds listeners of a combination of the trio’s Cali musical inspirations including Red Hot Chili Peppers, Incubus, and Sublime.

“If warmer temperatures approaching get you in the mindset for party music, you’re sure to appreciate LIFE,” said Yahoo! Music.

Learn more about this cool So-Cal band in my interview with Sean Chapman.

Can you describe how the band has gotten to where it is today?

The three of us have been playing music together for 10 years, and played in another band before LIFE was created in 2013. We just keep our minds on the music and keep writing together. Playing shows and touring over the years, together, has made us truly seasoned and we have just only begun.

When was the first moment that you all realized that you wanted to be a band? And why did all decide on the band name, LIFE?

Well Matthew and I (Sean) started playing in punk bands in middle school. Moi has been singing his whole life; his family are singers. But, together as a group, we decided to play music together in 2003 and never looked back. The name LIFE came from the idea that we could present an eclectic sound that derives from all styles and lyrical content that embodies all feelings of LIFE. The name allows us to keep things fresh, and keep the audience guessing. It also stands for a commitment, and how we as a trio are committed to each other and music.

Please list all of your band members and their roles in the band.

Moi J Quinn: Lead Vocals, Sean Chapman: Guitar/Vocals and Matthew McEwan: Guitar/Vocals

What’s your hometown (or what are your hometowns)?

South Bay Los Angeles

How did the band come together? How long has it been?

We generally grew up in the same neighborhoods of Hermosa Beach and Carson. Through friends and surfing we came together and we’ve been playing music together for 9 years. LIFE was really born in 2013.

How have you grown since you started?

We always try to keep growing. It’s actually quite natural if you let it happen to yourself and let go of old habits and keep trying new things.

What sets you apart from other bands? What’s the best part about being in your band?

Well, we don’t really know what we do different, but we do possess a brotherhood, and a true one. We are family and we go through everything together, and have the ability to tell each other “I love you” and “F off” at the same time Hahahaha!! We love the same things and we listen to each other. We have a personal bond that is very strong and we love each other. We are Brothers.

Who are some of the band’s musical influences? Who are some of the newer artists who inspire you all?

We are influenced by everything really, we don’t discriminate against listening to anything. We take from so many era’s:  Motown, to 60’s-70’s rock and funk, to 80’s – 90’s R&B and Punk. As for new artists, we seem to really like all great social music and underground music as well.

How are you guys using social media networks and sites such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram to interact with your fans?

We use them as tools to reach people on a personal level and have fun with it, try and make it artistic and interesting and also letting people who follow us know what we are up to on a daily basis.

What is everyone’s approach to songwriting? How do you capture the inspiration when it comes? Who does the majority of the songwriting?

We don’t have a method to the mayhem (ha) necessarily. We do write constantly as a band and individually. We keep our minds, hearts, ears and eyes open for inspiration all the time.

If you all had the opportunity to work with any artist/band from the past, present or future, who would it be and why?

We have already had the opportunity to work with musicians that we respect dearly, like Josh Freese, Omar Hakim, Jose Pasillas of Incubus and JR Robinson on the drummer side of our recordings. We always like to work with people who embody the gift and passion of making and performing great music! We would love to work with (to name a few) Sixto Rodriguez, Stevie Wonder, Milo Aukerman, David Bowie, George Clinton, Sting and on and on and on….. haha

Why is this lifestyle (recording, traveling) one that you’re all willing to follow now?

It’s a lifestyle that we love because it is a part what we love to do. Travel, play music, hang out with our family’s and best friends, and make people happy. Without it, we would be miserable most likely.

Is there anything in particular that you’d like people to take away from listening to your music?

We just want people to feel some sort of emotion when they listen to our music. It’s not just one feeling that our music offers, it’s LIFE. It’s always amazing when a song can just take you to a place that sparks your memory every time you hear it.

What would you say the band has already accomplished and what do you have your eyes set on next?

LIFE is just getting launched and we have gained so much love and support from our team all around! We have accomplished early day radio adds based off demos and great press and all that junk but really we feel that we have found a sound that we are making our own and have written songs that we are really proud of and feel every time we perform them.

We have also been blessed with the gain of great musicians for our live show like drummer Fabian Egger and the MD works of Michael Choi AKA Foolish Profit who also produced our Debut E.P. RUDWN? There are really so many things we have been blessed with so far but we really owe much of it to our amazing hard working indie label Urbantone Group and our Management team comprised of Ryan Singer and Jake Morayniss for Rhinestein Inc. #MADLOVE