Bruised Knuckles Talks With Perennial- Catch White Lung and Perennial @ The Outer Space 10/16 By Susan McLean

I caught up with Perennial a few weeks ago and we spoke about their sound, future plans and more. Read below. 

Perennial is a relatively new band (est. 2015), but you're composed of members from past bands like Lion Cub. Have you brought any elements from previous bands (referring to musical sound, lyrical content, overall vibe) into Perennial, or is Perennial an entirely new experience for you? 

Chad: Perennial is pretty different from Lion Cub, but there are a lot aspects of Lion Cub’s sound that have made their way into what Perennial does. For instance, having organ and keys (courtesy of Chelsey) as a major part of the sound and the more ambient, quiet parts of the EP. Our full-length, which is currently being mastered, also features a lot of programming, drum machine, synth bass – all things that really defined Lion Cub.

Chelsey: The one constant thing in all of my musical experiences is playing the same keyboard. The rest is completely different. In Perennial I have really grown as a musician and have branched out from just playing keys to playing bells, harmonica, and singing.
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Wil: To be honest, Perennial is a completely new experience to me. I've never been in a band playing music this heavy and raw. It's been a nice change of pace. 

Are there other bands you play with, have played with, or listen to that you draw your sound from or inspire you lyrically? 

Chad: As far as bands we play with: Dérive and Space Camp are two bands that we’re really inspired by. More broadly, I adore Fugazi, The Nation of Ulysses, Black Eyes, The (International) Noise Conspiracy – bands that make smart punk music with an emphasis on rhythm and interesting sounds.

Chelsey: I was in Lion Cub, had a brief stint playing keys in One Hundred Year
Ocean and am in a cover band that does not play shows called The Cohort Study. I am also hoping to start a band inspired by The Unicorns. I would say that the shared love of Refused and The Blood Brothers is what inspires our sound the most. I personally, am trying to really think about bands like Le Tigre when we play live, I love their energy.
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Wil: My drumming for Perennial has been influenced by some of the harder bands I listen to, such as The Hives, Dinosaur Jr. and Nirvana. 

What drew you to post-hardcore as your medium for Perennial (especially when compared to last bands you have been involved in that had a lighter sound)? 

Chad: Ultimately, we just wanted to play music that made us want to move, songs that made sense in the live setting. Lion Cub was essentially a recording project. We
approached Perennial with performance as an equal facet to making good, challenging records. A lot of bands that inspire us, post-hardcore bands like The Nation of Ulysses or Refused, for instance, were bands that made amazing records and put on amazing live shows. We try to hold ourselves to that too.
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Chelsey: When we stopped playing as Lion Cub I was really sad and wasn't sure if I wanted to be in another band again (like a first love, it was my first band) but once we started writing and practicing and playing shows I was so happy that I agreed to be in Perennial. We wanted to do something completely different and we enjoy post-hardcore sounds so I think that was why we thought "ok, let's do this". It's also a sound that demands people pay attention and it gives us a platform to talk about injustices we see and are sick of. 

Where did you draw inspiration from when writing your EP, Early Sounds For Night Owls? Was there a particular band or experience you focused on? 

Chad: There were a lot of records we were listening to that made us want to write and record – Refused’s The Shape Of Punk To Come, Nirvana’s In Utero, Unwound’s The Future Of What, Fugazi’s Red Medicine. As far as experiences, we mainly wrote these songs with a focus on playing them live – on the real-time experience of performing and making music that put motion and energy first.

Chelsey: Chad did write most of the music, but for my parts I wanted to help create something artistic, something fun, something that not everyone was doing. Recording the EP at Dead Air (run by Will Killingsworth) brought me to my first pro recording studio which was really exciting. 

What are three words you would use to describe "Early Sounds For Night Owls" for someone unfamiliar with your band?

Chad: Energetic, angular, bombastic.

Chelsey: I think I would say "loud, art-punk, driving".

​Wil: Short, loud, and experimental. 

You've played the majority of your shows (if not all) in New England. Is there a purpose behind staying in the region, or do you hope to branch out and play shows across the country in the near future? 

Chad: Playing in New England just comes natural because we’re all from here, and love it here. But we do definitely want to start branching out. Now that we have a full-length LP on the way I think the next step is to start booking some long-weekend trips, then, hopefully, touring further and further out from our little Northeastern corner.
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Chelsey: We are still building a fan-base here, but hope to tour in the future. But, New England is our home and we love playing shows here with our friends screaming and dancing along with us -- that, for me, is the best part. 

Are you currently working on writing and releasing another album, or is your focus shifting more toward touring and booking more shows? 

Chad: We’re just about done with our new LP, The Symmetry of Autumn Leaves – it’s being mastered as we speak. Once that comes out, the next step will hopefully be touring. And we’ll be playing shows as often as possible in New England – that’s what really defines the band – playing these songs live.
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Chelsey: We are nearly done with mastering a full-length and it's really exciting.
I recorded some found sound pieces that are on the album that I am really happy with and enjoyed recording in many places; from inside a closet in my apartment (to muffle sounds/not get kicked out) to outside on a walk. I am currently trying to get us shows, especially house shows, since we really like DIY spaces. It's great to record and I think the album is going to be beautiful, but for me personally I do a lot of our booking and love playing live more than going through the recording process. 

What is one city, state, country, or venue you've always wanted to play (or return to)? 

Chad: So many of my favorite bands are either from Washington D.C. or Olympia, Washington, so I suppose those would be at the top of my list. As for venues, we actually really like non-traditional show-spaces: record stores, community centers, halls, living rooms. One of our best shows was in a pizza restaurant. I’m always most excited to play makeshift spots like that.

Chelsey: I would want to return to play at the Handsome Woman which is a former house venue where I hold many dear memories and where I met some of my favorite people (like being the site of the first show of the first Lion Cub tour), or maybe this is cliché, but I would love to tour in Europe someday.
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Wil: I'd love to return to The Space in Hamden, CT to play a show. When I was in Aeroplane, 1929, we played there so many times that we started to refer to it as our "home field." Excellent venue for all kinds of live music. ​

You can catch Perennial at The Outer Space Ballroom with White Lung on 10/16. Buy tickets here via Ticketfly.