Irreverent rock duo Generation Dude get refreshingly nostalgic on their upcoming EP Crimes Against Yourself, due for release on February 21, 2020.
Throughout the EP, the duo combine elements of classic rock, blues and folk to create a sound that is completely their own. Opening track Radio Pills is undeniably infectious from the offset, as uplifting horns soar over vibrant key chords and effortless harmonies to create a sound akin to the likes of The Who and Tom Petty. Ballad tracks such as Airplane Model Glue and Top Of The Heap, have a more blues-inspired tone, as the duo’s rich instrumentation is able to take centre stage and vintage guitar twangs are at the forefront. Of the album, Terence Schoshinski (lead vocals and guitars) explains, “the writing and recording of these songs unfolded organically without time pressure, yielding a sonic session of Everyman Therapy; get in the sunshine, dump a bucket of cold water on your head, own your roots and talk back to the man.”
In this interview spotlight, I chat with Generation Dude about the latest release, challenges, technology and more.
Full Q&A along with links and music below.
Let’s dive a little deeper into You, the artist and your music. What attracted you to this genre(s) or style(s)?
It was the quest for freedom. There’s a big erosion of freedom that we experience as we near adolescence, the end of innocence, and rock n roll filled that hole for me in a big way back then. But the fuse was lit long before, because can remember as a little kid, dancing so freely, all by myself, to Carl Douglas’ Kung Fu Fighting. It was effortless and magical. I can’t dance for shit now— but on that day I was free and it was R&B that moved through me.
What led you into this journey with music? And further, what drives you to push it out to the public?
From a personal expression standpoint, it just came to this. And I had these songs inside of me that I had to get out. They kept knocking, so I answered and we ended up in the studio.
As an established rock fan, there came a sort of an “upping the ante” for me where in order to get higher and move forward I had to go create my own music and share it with other people.
Who or what influences your creativity? Have your tastes in music changed over time?
Everything can, as long as I’m not being an asshole and in a hurry to get somewhere. When I am able to be still is when it happens, and there’s no telling just who or what will be revealed to stir up the creative pot.
Not really, I’ve always been sucker for a good song and melody and the genre that I keep going to is rock n roll. But it’s cool and my rock lane is a wide one, like from Simon and Garfunkel way over to Motörhead and all those goodies in between.
Were you trying to accomplish anything specific on this new project? Creatively or otherwise?
An old friend of mine once said to me “don’t panic, it’s organic”, which about sums up this project. We weren’t trying to do anything. We were gifted with a nice amount of breathing room and a little magic, and the songs were generously revealed and then recorded.
What was the last song you listened to?
I listened to “L.A.” by Neil Young this morning; I dialed it up on the red-eye flight. It’s from Time Fades Away, an odd live album of previously unreleased songs from 1973.
Which do you prefer? Vinyl? CDs? MP3s?
CD’s, is that weird these days? But I’ve got over 500 CDs, so I guess I’m “all in”. Maybe they’re outmoded, but the files are fat and the sound is much richer than MP3’s, not to mention the art and linear notes they’ve got. I love grabing a stack and jumping in the car.
How about this one…. Do you prefer Spotify? Apple Music? Bandcamp? Or something else? Why?
I like Apple Music. I’ve been a subscriber for several years. I know it’s a corporate neighborhood, but I’m smitten by the Apple tech. But now is probably a good time to check into Bandcamp.
Other than the digital era overwhelming us with access to an abundance of music, what is the biggest challenge you face when trying to connect with or find new fans?
I look at it like sweeping a room— you got to keep moving and stay focused and take care of the dust and bits and pieces in front of you. Then, you pick up the mop and in time the room will shine clean.
Where is the best place to connect with you online? Discover more music?
Our website is generationdude.com. It has links to all the digital stuff like Instagram and Twitter; we will be posting soon about a video release set for later this month (January) plus some live dates we are planning for early Spring.
Anything else you’d like to add before signing off?
Thanks for being you, IMD.
