Interview: Getting to Know Strange Boutique (Written)

With an extensive and highly influential history achieved, Strange Boutique have unsurprisingly built a dedicated following with their mesmerizing post-punk approach. Their new album ‘Let the Lonely Heart Sing’ perfectly celebrates all-of the unique elements that fans know and love about the band, whilst hinting at an incredibly promising future. In this interview, we get to know them a little better.

1. Hello! Thank you for taking the time to chat to us. First things first, tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got started.

Monica: We’re a bit like the Island of Misfit Toys. We got started as punk rockers in the Washington DC scene in the 1980’s, then decided to go a more dark, art-driven melodic route. After a few albums, we all went our separate ways in 1994. Now, with our music being discovered by a new generation, it’s been great to get back together, write new songs and play live again.

2. Someone comes to you and asks you to sum up what kind of music you play – what do you tell them?

Monica: Eclectic, guitar-driven ethereal but powerful rock.

3. What’s currently keeping you busy? A new album/EP/single release? A new video? Playing live, or planning ahead?

Monica: All of the above. Our shows are getting great response, as are the new songs. So, lots of plans happening.

4. What is about this current period that is particularly exciting for you?

Monica: Seeing older fans next to young kids at our shows! Screwing up on a song and laughing at each other onstage. It’s all a blast, really.

Steve: It’s exciting to work together again at a different point in our lives, … I think we have a newfound appreciation for being able to make music together and have it find an audience.

5. Tell me about the work that has gone into making it a reality and what it means to you.

Monica: It’s nonstop, between writing and recording music, working on promotional material, editing videos, designing the artwork, practicing for live shows… but we love it so much because our fans really care about the music as much as we do.

6. Making music and being creative can be a very positive experience and can be very good for the mind. In what way has making music had a positive impact on your mental health?

Monica: It’s also a great way to deal with stressful times as far as inspiration for lyrics and music. Music has always been my go-to in getting through life’s ups and downs. I am hoping people will continue to keep their imagination and creativity as a top priority. We’re very into keeping things organic, if we need strings, we hire string players. It’s important to keep our music real and I think it’s more fulfilling that way.

Steve: The social interaction involved in creating the music, and then everything that goes into performing is all incredibly rewarding. I get to work with some of my favorite people on music. I’d say that’s a positive.

7. It can also be incredibly challenging, more so in the modern times. What have been some challenging aspects of making music and how have you overcome them?

Monica: The current challenge is we live on separate coasts of the USA. Recording the new album was challenging in that way as we went back and forth with files as we wrote songs. To play a live show, I have to fly out and we need to practice together a few nights to get it all back together.

Steve: There are definitely challenges, but the rewards are worth the effort. Technology has allowed us to work together in a new way. It’s not sitting in a rehearsal room bouncing ideas off each other, … but, we do an updated version of that. The process is slower and in some ways not as rewarding, but it’s always exciting to hear what someone adds to a demo that’s being built.

8. How do you handle the online aspects of being in a band? Having to put out content constantly, promoting across several different social media platforms, and having your success measured in likes and follows?

Monica: It’s a lot of work, to be sure! But I don’t make it my full-time job, I do what I can when I can!

Steve: Monica handles all that stuff and does a great job at it. As long anyone that wants to find us can do so, I think we’re doing fine. Our online presence isn’t the goal of what we do, it’s just become a necessary thing to reach people these days. So, clicks, and likes and follows are great but I wouldn’t say it’s a measure of success.

9. How do you make this part of things enjoyable, and fulfilling, for yourself?

Monica: You have to have fun with it, or what is the point?

10. Speaking directly to listeners – what would you ask they do to help support you?

Monica: Buying our album, or songs, and coming to shows if they are close!

Steve: Listen to the music, buy the albums/CDs, come to a show, watch a video, tell a friend about us.

11. Outside of music, what do you like to do to relax?

Monica: I paint and design as well, I also have a bunch of animals. I tend to gardens, build ponds, create habitat in the desert where I live.

Steve: I like to hike in the woods. I find it incredibly peaceful and calming.

12. Where can people find you?

Website | Bandcamp | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube