Interview with Original Son

LA's three-piece Original Son have recently released their latest full-lengther Currents.  I recently talked to frontman Johnny Calderwood about the new album, signing to Sell Your Heart Records, his East Coast roots, recording in Laurel Canyon and more.   

Can you give me a little background on the band?

Definitely, the band actually started when myself and our founding drummer Nick attended the same meditation classes in East Hollywood (so LA.) Funny enough the day he asked me if I wanted to try and play some music with him, I was listening to some demo's I recorded on my phone. I played it for him, he dug it and we got to work. Justin joined the band about six months later and that's when things really kicked off. We've shifted some members, but the lineup as-is now is so solid and what you will hear on the record - Johnny, Justin and Jeff.

 

The words and music on Currents are credited to you, but then the arrangements are credited to the band.  How does your songwriting tend to work and also did you have to change up that process because of the pandemic? 

Our process has remained largely the same, if I'm being honest. I generally go through spurts of songwriting where I will get 3 to 5 songs pretty fleshed out and then bring them to the band. Each member then figures out their parts, brings suggestions, or vetoes. For me the music and the words usually come simultaneously, there kind of isn't one without the other. An idea pops up, usually in the early morning and I'll grab a guitar and my phone and start writing and recording. Usually a song is done in one shot, then the tweaks come from the band. When we couldn't get together I would send demo's and the guys did what they could till we could get into a room together. 

You recorded Currents at Canyon Hut Studios in Laurel Canyon, which used to be Alice Cooper’s house.  Can you tell me a little about recording there?  Did any of that Laurel Canyon vibe influence you while you were there? 

Heck yeah it did. I couldn't think of a better place to do this record, or a better producer - Tim Hutton, to work with. I think if you look at the words and feel the energy of Currents it's a reflection of all of the frustrations, anger, sadness and hope of the last several years. To be able to shut out the world in somewhere as peaceful and isolated as the canyon hut allowed all of that to come out. Plus, you are literally surrounded by rock n' roll greatness, you've gotta honor that and give it your all. There was absolutely something special there, we tracked in three days after playing with Jeff (drummer) for two weeks - that's some kinda hippy magic. 

Lou Koller from Sick Of It All contributes vocals on “Well’s Run Dry”.  How did you get hooked up with him?

We connected through a mutual friend, we sent him the demos and he was into it. He's a real one. 

 

Did you write that song with a guest vocalist part in mind?

Yes, as I was writing it I actually heard Lou's voice for the second half of the first verse and the breakdown. I've been a fan of Sick Of It All since I was a young punk and Lou has always been someone I admired both from a musical and personal standpoint. That all coming together was really incredible. I'm not a very outwardly emotional person, but boy did I shout when I heard that track.  

 

“Currents” is a really cool song.  It's just over a minute long and almost sounds like the intro to a song.  It builds and builds and just when you think the main song would kick off it's over.  Was there ever more to it or was it always meant to be like that?

Hah! ya got me. "Currents" was initially a two part song, the second part being "Shelter". It went through a lot of iterations but when it came down to it, I felt like the statement of the song needed to stand alone. It was also a departure from our normal full steam ahead approach and something I'd like to explore further. It's the kind of song I play alone in my room and wonder how to incorporate into the band. 

 

You recorded new versions of “Hymn For The Underground” and “The Turnaround” for Currents.  Why did you decide to do that? 

"Hymn For The Underground" is a crowd favorite and I wanted to give it the attention it deserves. There were minimal tweaks to the structure of that one, though it is a touch slower. Putting it on the record seemed like an obvious choice and a way to add some positivity to what I admit is a somewhat somber collection of songs. 

"The Turnaround" didn't come out how I wanted it to in the initial recording. Not because of the studio or the players, it just didn't hit the mood I was going for. Some restructuring and chord changes created a dynamic of pain meets hope, I think it's important that the melody reflects the words.

A couple of the songs have some piano and organ, which are nice additions.  Was that something you decided on in the studio or did you already have that in mind when you wrote those songs?

It was absolutely on our mind while we built out the instrumentation. If we could find ourselves a keys player for the live shows - that would be amazing ... Just sayin. We were fortunate that our producer Tim plays in Three Dog Night, so the organ you hear is from the B3 player of that band! I clunked around on the piano for currents, Tim contributed as well. 

 

Early on you were in the band Far From Finished and I heard in another interview that you have had numerous bands over the years since you moved to California.  Is there something about Original Son that has made it the one that sticks? 

Yeah, I have been at this for a long time. After I moved to California I immediately started a band with a buddy I met at Santa Monica College, that started the west coast run and ended my collegiate experience. 

I've played in bands in LA, SF, Oakland and I loved them all, but this is the band I was always trying to have. I think the pure dedication of my bandmates, us all being a bit older and less distracted and having a lot more life under our belt has allowed me to really put what is in my head, on tape. The fact that these dudes play with me gives me a sense of confidence and desire to push on. It's not easy, but when it boils down to it outside of my family, music is the most important thing to me. I'm lucky that people have taken interest and I'm not going to squander that haha.  

 

I love that when your label tries to describe you that they not only mention Social Distortion, but they also throw in Tom Petty.  To me there are punk elements, but there’s a lot more to your sound.  Does it frustrate you when people just call you a “punk band”?

Not at all, I think punk rock gets a bit pigeonholed but there is so much diversity in the makeup of the culture and that is reflected across so many different bands and sounds. To me, punk is honest no-frills rock n' roll, and I carry that badge proudly. I also look at so much music that is popular and see the punk rock roots in them, and frankly some that I'm not personally so pleased about. Like we say in "Well's Run Dry" "you cannot fake this, you cannot break this, we turned our rage to hope and changed the whole perspective." To play real punk rock, you have to believe in what you are saying and you have to be fearless about saying it. Punk defines me and it defines the band, no matter what style we play. 

I know you are originally from New York and moved to Boston early on in your music career.  I don’t know what it is exactly, but even though you have been in California for a long time I feel like there is something about your sound that at times has an East Coast vibe to it.  Do you agree with that?

Ya can't shake your roots I suppose. It's interesting, I think I am equally influenced by bands from all over the world including west coast punk but coming up, especially in Far From Finished, we were working on something new, kind of street rock n' roll with melodies and harmonies and guitar solos etc... Going back to the last question, I think that it just might be my interpretation of rock n' roll. New York is in my blood, whether I want it to be or not, it's always there. There is a personality type that you develop there, I imagine it's mostly for survival haha. It took me a lot of years to shed some of my more "straight to the fucking point" ism's, but I think it will always color what I create. 

Also, the E-Street band was always playing at my house, can't get much more east coast than that. 

While a lot of bands these days are sticking to doing things DIY you recently signed to Sell The Heart Records.  What made you decide to go the label route and how has that been?

For us it just made a lot of sense. Andy at Sell The Heart is running a small label of bands that he really believes in, and I could tell from our first meeting that he was a guy who was going to match our energy and effort. At the level we are at, I think going with a bigger label would be a mistake and going it alone - with the rest of our lives we have to manage can be an incredibly uphill battle. I have a tremendous amount of respect for the people who do it, but I know it would limit us.

Are any of you currently in any other bands?

I'm not (Johnny) but Justin plays in Johnny Madcap and the Distractions, Jeff plays in The Vigils and Rainmain Suite AND the Distractions. I don't have the brain power to remember more songs than my own. 

I know you have day jobs.  Do you think are going to be doing any live shows beyond your local area?

Yup, in the planning phases of runs now. Expect us out east come fall and we have coastal runs in the works. 

Is there anything else you would like to share with readers?

Have a listen :) 

(Sell The Heart Records) (Original Son - Facebook)