Q: Hey, can you tell us a bit about where you guys come from, and what made you want to start a career in music?
A: We’ve all lived in Virginia most of our lives, Geoff is originally from Long Island, NY and I am from Staunton, VA. We met when I was born, he’s my dad [laughs]. He’s always been into music, and taught me much of what I know about guitar. Music is in our blood. It can be more relatable and just explain things better sometimes. Caleb comes from a big drumming background playing since he was a kid and later in college. We were all playing together in a different project before this, which is how we all came together initially.
Q: And what other artists have you found yourselves listening to lately?
A: Personally I’ve been listening to Briston Maroney, Turnstile, and Microwave. But, I’ve got mainstays like Third Eye Blind and Led Zeppelin that are always in rotation. Caleb’s been rocking to the band CAMINO and Small Pools while Geoff has been listening to The Brook & The Bluff and Haircut 100, but always has The Beatles in the line-up.
Q: Who were your first and strongest musical influences, and why the name ‘Native Love’?
A: It would have to be Third Eye Blind and Led Zeppelin. But, how we record and mix is definitely influenced by who we are listening to at any given time. We chose Native Love for a couple reasons. First, it sounds cool [laughs] but it also reminds us of the love we inherently have towards music and our passion for sharing stories through song.
Q: You have just released your new single ‘Summer Fever’. Is there a story behind it?
A: Yeah, it’s about various experiences I’ve had at clubs, bars, and doing different stupid stuff over the summer. But, it’s also about how people have been itching to get out and get physical since things have started to open-up with Covid on the way out. So, in a sense it’s about catching the social contagion of recklessness and restlessness.
Q: Can we expect a new EP or even an album from you in the near future?
A: Both, actually. Right now we are working on re-recording the first five singles we released back in 2020 under a self-titled EP. After that, we’ll be spending our time recording an album for 2023.
Q: What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?
A: Our goal is to produce music that conveys many different experiences and touches many different rock genres. I see our music as accessible but unique. This is why it’s a little hard to strictly classify our sound. I generally say Alt Rock, but that term means different things to different people so not very descriptive.
Q: Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it, or are you expecting something more?
A: Yes, without a doubt. Really, all it takes is one person to hit us up to say they really like a song and it resonates with them to remind me why I love recording and playing live so much – to see people understand what emotion/experience I’ve been through and relate to it. It’s truly something special. We’re a new band and still trying to make a name for ourselves, but every release and show is fulfilling.
Q: Could you describe your creative processes? How do you usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song?
A: This is a hard one because it’s almost outside of language. But, I would say it starts with a feeling after a specific situation that I’ve just experienced, or maybe something I’ve thought about for a long time. I listen to songs that speak to me about that experience. Then, I get inspired to create one that is specific to me. It adds to the broader spectrum of songs that speak to whatever that subject is.
Q: What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?
A: Converting music from a passion to a career is a very hard thing to do. It’s easy to lose sight of the music while keeping up with the job that’s paying the bills, especially when there is a family or friend emergency, it can be hard to keep up any momentum you’ve built.
Q: On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?
A: We have had some relatively high profile shows at local colleges and for the city of Newport News, VA, which is where we are based. We’ve also been interviewed and featured on a regional tv variety show. Getting feedback online from people saying how much they’ve enjoyed our music is always a great feeling. But, the most significant shows are those that are packed out with people singing the lyrics to a song we’ve written. There’s just nothing like it.