Exclusive Interview with DOGFACE AND THE PONY SOLDIERS

Founded in Phoenix, Arizona and led by Sean McCauley, an Arizona native, Dogface and the Pony Soldiers is a one-man band. The 2020 Covid crisis as well as the personal health issues that took over his life around that time served as inspiration for his most recent recording, “No Better Time.” The lyrics of these songs, which draw influence from the Beatles, Wilco, and Father John Misty, center on finding your place and your peace in a chaotic world that is constantly changing. Check out the exclusive interview below:

1. Can you tell us a bit about where you come from and how it all got started?

DOGFACE AND THE PONY SOLDIERS: Absolutely! My name is Sean McCauley and I’m a native of the great state of Arizona. I’ve been making music here since middle school and have been in and out of various bands all throughout my life. I’ve always written and recorded music on my own and Dogface is really just the evolution of my compositions as a solo artist. I’m a one-man band like Dave Grohl originally was with the Foos!

2. Did you have any formal training or are you self-taught?

DOGFACE AND THE PONY SOLDIERS: Mostly self-taught, though I did go to a guitar instructor for a few years back in the day (shout out to a little music store somewhere on the border of Scottsdale/Phoenix, Arizona). Guitar was my first instrument and from there I was able to pick up several others over the years. I wish I had more patience to be a classical or formal composer, but I really just asked my guitar instructor to teach me to play Led Zeppelin, Everclear, Weezer and Green Day and developed my love of music and playing music from there.

3. Who were your first and strongest musical influences and why the name ‘DOGFACE AND THE PONY SOLDIERS?

DOGFACE AND THE PONY SOLDIERS: There are just so many to name! Plus, my influences have shifted over the years. I would say my biggest influence is the Beatles. They are masters of melodies. I also love Nirvana for their attitude and their blend of chaotic distortion and melody. Other influences include Father John Misty, Belle and Sebastian, Radiohead and Fleet Foxes. The name is actually a Joe Biden quote; candidate Biden called a college student a “lying dog-faced pony soldier” on the campaign trail in 2020. I am not kidding, that actually happened. Look it up!

4. Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song? Do you usually start with a tune, a beat, or a narrative in your head? And do you collaborate with others in this process?

DOGFACE AND THE PONY SOLDIERS: I usually start to write with an acoustic guitar and hum out the melody as I go. I remember watching part of Peter Jackson’s documentary on the Beatles (called “Get Back” – check it out if you haven’t it’s amazing) and Paul McCartney begins to write the song “Get Back” on his bass guitar and begins to hum the melody. It is unbelievable to get to see that as a huge fan of the Beatles – but that is legitimately how songwriting usually happens! And once the melody is created, it’s a matter of taking it somewhere either larger or different – the chorus! Lyrics are always the final piece in the puzzle, although sometimes as I am writing the melody lines I will have certain words or phrases that pop into my head that become prominent features of the song.

5. What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?

DOGFACE AND THE PONY SOLDIERS: I hope the sincerity of the music shines through and that listeners will find strength and resolve for themselves as I have through these melodies. I’ve always had a hard time describing the sound of my music so I usually just give listeners the generic “rock n’ roll is my genre” answer. Message me on social media if you think you have a better description!

6. 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, or different in the future?

DOGFACE AND THE PONY SOLDIERS: Oh definitely. The writing process is exciting because you’re exploring what a song or melody could be. The recording process is frustrating because it rarely becomes what you’ve imagined it could become in your head. In fact, I scrapped an entire track from the “No Better Time” tracklist because it didn’t sound how it was supposed to sound in my head. Thankfully, the other tracks turned out incredibly well thanks to Jeremy Parker my sound engineer.

7. For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning and, often, emulating others. What was this like for you? How would you describe your own development as an artist and music maker, and the transition towards your own style, which is known as FOLK?

DOGFACE AND THE PONY SOLDIERS:

Oh for sure. I am hopeful that by reaching and pulling from all of my various influences I’ve created something unique and distinct. I hope my songs have the melodical flow of a Lennon/McCartney composition, the attitude of Kurt Cobain and the nostalgia of Belle and Sebastian. In a perfect world they would have all those! Classic rock was my first love; from there I moved into punk rock and new wave. Loved the indie explosion of the 2000s and the “hipster rock” (if you will) of the 2010s. The songs I’ve written over the years definitely pull from all of these.

8. What’s your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles – and do you try and affront any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, personal narrative, and entertainment?

DOGFACE AND THE PONY SOLDIERS:

That’s the beauty of music isn’t it? Music can feature both the sincerity of what is personal and yet bring people together by making a cultural and political statement. As a writer, I tend to try and stick to what is personal to me and hope that listeners empathize with what I’ve endured in my life so they can find strength in theirs. Most of these songs reflect personal challenges and growth in my life involving illness, anxiety, hope and change.

9. What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?

DOGFACE AND THE PONY SOLDIERS: Such a great question. I’ve had challenges in bands including finding the right musicians, funding the band, and finding the right music venues at which to play shows. As a one-man band, cost is probably the biggest challenge to creating and producing music. If it didn’t cost so much, I’d probably release double the amount of tracks that I just did!

10. On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?

DOGFACE AND THE PONY SOLDIERS: For a long time my favorite moment as a musician was playing a show with my old band “Oliver House” at the Crescent Ballroom in Phoenix, Arizona. I had watched dozens of bands there and have always wanted to play on that stage. But when I released “No Better Time” on July 3, it was undoubtedly my proudest moment as a musician – that’s because I am the proudest I’ve ever been of this group of songs. I think it features my strongest melodies, my most interesting and genuine lyrics and the best-sounding recordings I’ve ever done (thanks to Jeremy Parker and Premier Studios). Hopefully everyone who hears these songs finds the same beauty I have found in creating them!