Exclusive Interview with 'INDOOR FRIENDS'

Assembled by means of every conceivable social network (longtime friends, coworkers, dating apps). From riotous punk to foot-stomping power pop to tender ballads, their combined musical sensibilities take them all under one roof. With Amanda Bysheim on lead vocals, Kat Delitto on lead guitar, Krista Marie Setera on ukulele, Ben Bonadies (bass) and Matt Wilson (drums), Indoor Friends is a five-piece band.

The new song from Indoor Friends, “I Hate It Here,” might be an anthem for the current era, when world events are pushing people into despair. Even though there are opportunities to act morally every day, the lyrics express a strong sense of disappointment because most people are selfish and cruel. Your energy levels will soar as a result of the song’s outstanding production and distinctive vibe. Check out their latest release & the exclusive interview below:

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

INDOOR FRIENDS:

Our band formed out of a pop punk covers group we assembled for one night only. That show was sort of a beautiful disaster—it was outside at this park in Acton, Massachusetts and right as we got on stage a massive thunderstorm rolled in and we had to call it. But as we were packing up our gear and drinking a few beers under a canopy we got to talking about starting a new band, and that’s where Indoor Friends started.

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

INDOOR FRIENDS:

Our group is a mix of both self-taught and formally trained musicians. Having several approaches to creating music has helped us develop our sound. It can be advantageous to use knowledge of music theory when writing music, but sometimes just playing what comes naturally works better.

3. Why the name ‘INDOOR FRIENDS’?

INDOOR FRIENDS:

While brainstorming a name, I (Kat) remembered that one of my friends always says that friendships are like cats. Some friends are “outdoor” friends. You might grab a drink with them in a public place, but you wouldn’t necessarily invite them over. Other friends are “indoor” friends, or people that you are close with and happy to let in. Our lead singer, Amanda, also pointed out that “indoor friends” sounds like “endorphins.” That resonated with us. Who doesn’t feel happy and energized when around close friends?

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

INDOOR FRIENDS:

Something we always talk about is what we call the foot tap test. Like, if you heard this song could you tap your foot and bob your head to it? And maybe by the end you’re singing along. So that’s something we keep in mind when we’re writing and recording, making sure the songs work on that level. As for our sound, I think that’s a little trickier. In a lot of ways we’re still figuring that out. But we’re definitely a rock band. Our first show was at a “pop-punk night” and we all have a lot of reverence for that music, but I think what makes us special is the breadth of our collective influences and where that takes us musically.

5. 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?

**INDOOR FRIENDS**:
I am the type of person who learns well under pressure. I had only been playing guitar for a few weeks in middle school before I decided to join a band. That put me in a position where I had to grow and learn quickly. In order to keep up with the band, I taught myself some more advanced techniques in addition to the lessons I had just started. When that band began writing original music, I started to figure out my own songwriting style. Learning to play songs that I love and incorporating parts of them into my own music in an original way has always worked well for me. That method has stuck with me to this day. As a group, we draw from songs that we like in order to create music that is meaningful to us. – Kat

6. 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?

INDOOR FRIENDS:

I think music—and all art, really—cannot help but be a reflection of the person who makes it. “I Hate it Here” for example is definitely the product of people who were sick and tired and fed up with the world. There’s a lot of really profound protest music out there. Kendrick Lamar’s song “Alright” stands out to me as a perfect fusion of a song meeting the moment and the public embracing it as part of a larger social movement. But to me, the music that has really changed me is just honest and true. The Mountain Goats don’t make political music per se but their songs cut right to the bone and give me a sense of the world that explicitly political music does not. All art speaks to its times, so there’s no getting around the world we live in. Even if you try to ignore it that’s still a position. – Ben

7. 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?

INDOOR FRIENDS:

Everything we make is some form of giving back, it’s synthesizing musical taste and personal experience into something new. When you go to a show you are participating in the artistic community and sometimes I would feel like it was giving more to me than I was to it, I was taking in but not giving back. Now with this band, I feel like I am contributing something to the community and earning my keep. That’s all I can ask for and everything else is just gravy. – Ben

8. 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?

INDOOR FRIENDS:

It really varies. Sometimes someone will bring a song to the group fully formed, other times, like in the case of “I Hate it Here”, it starts as a riff that we then build out into a full song. But in either case, everyone touches it at some point in the process and it changes in ways big and small until it finally takes shape. We tend to be very collaborative.

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

INDOOR FRIENDS:

The first thing that comes to mind for me is the early days of the pandemic. We had fewer of our own shows and weren’t able to see the bands we love. The music scene was pretty bleak during that time, and it still is to an extent. Many local venues that we love are struggling or have closed. Many people have had to stop making music. We always try to go and support as many local venues and bands as possible now that things are opening up again. The local promoters who work tirelessly so that bands like us still have a place to play are superheroes.

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

INDOOR FRIENDS:

Talking to people like you is something we really cherish. Anyone who thinks critically about our songs. That is a great privilege. We pay pretty close attention to our metrics on Spotify and every time our stream count goes up I think about all the people who chose our song out of all the millions of songs out there. Maybe it really means something to them. Maybe they’re in the car or taking a shower. Our music existing in the fabric of people’s lives feels like the biggest achievement we could ask for.