Exclusive Interview with WILLDABEAST

Willdabeast has performed and released music with artists such as GRiZ, Michal Menert, Defunk, Wet Paint, Phunk Bias, Late Night Radio, The Floozies, Russ Liquid, ill-sha, Phutureprimitive, Eliot Lipp, Random Rab, Dimond Saints, and others. TheUntz.com has named Willdabeast one of the “Top 10 EDM Horns.” They are featured recording artists for both Muti Music and Gravitas Music. EDM.com, RuntheTrap.com, HeadbangSociety, The Untz, Westwood Recordings, YourEDM.com, Superbest Records, Otodayo Records, and other websites have all featured them.

Enjoyable EDM music. Something to dance to at a festival, on the beach, or in a club. Something you can listen to while studying or unwinding; you could even put on some headphones and focus and zone out. Suited to all ages and moods. hybridity is the definition of genre-bending. Global appeal is present on this album. If you enjoy artists such as Liquid Stranger, CloZee, Zeds Dead, Opiuo, Big Gigantic, and so on. Check out the exclusive interview below:

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

WILLDABEAST: We are a hybrid-electronic group out of Bellingham, WA which is halfway between Seattle and the Canadian border in the wonderful, lush PNW. This group was started by Will, as he explored his interest in audio production technology and beat programming during his University studies and was joined shortly thereafter by close friend Daniel on trombone and flute.

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

WILLDABEAST: We both played instruments growing up in school in a multitude of bands. Will played trumpet and a bit of piano. Daniel played tuba, trombone and flute. They played in and out of all sorts of wind ensembles and symphonic bands. Will also played in a few high school bands including Cherry Bing a Ska-Punk out fit from Buffalo, NY famed for a recording at the famed Goo Goo Dolls studios and a slot on the Ernie Ball Warped Tour Stage in 2004 ( the band also contained members of two other well known bands, which would eventually become Passion Pit and Cute Is What We Aim For). While in Bellingham, Dan and Will were both simultaneously involved in a myriad of well-respected regional touring bands in all sorts of genres including reggae, hip-hop, soul, funk and even tribute style bands like Snug Harbor, My Dad Bruce, Yogoman and more. They stood next to each other as hired duo for almost a decade together as a successful horn section before buckling down and committing to the Willdabeast blueprint. For the most part however, I would still consider us self-taught since we don’t chart or write out any of our music down, it is committed to memory entirely and our original parts are written from the head. I would say we also learn 95% of the music we need to learn that was as well. We are definitely, when it all boils down to it, self-taught style players and people, even though we’ve spent massive amounts of hours on both sides of the chalkboard.

3. Who were your first and strongest musical influences and why the name ‘WILLDABEAST’?

WILLDABEAST: My interest in electronic music could date back to listening to hip hop in my childhood really listening and digging into the beats of illwill or DJ Premier, Dr Dre and jDilla. When I was obtaining a degree of Audio Engineering at Western Washington University (the same school as Odesza who I used to run into often), my interest in beat making and electronic music came to fruition. I hosted my own radio show at the college station which was an ‘All Genre’ sort of funk and groove show. Eventually this turned into electro funk/soul such as Gramatik, Pretty Lights, Michal Menert, The Glitch Mob, even stretching into realms of Bonobo, Portishead and Nightmares on Wax. I have drug Dan along through most of our musical endeavors and I know he enjoys more chill and downtempo stuff. Thought Process has been at the top of his list for a long time as well as any chill beats. We picked Willdabeast as a name picked because we thought it was catchy at first and lots of folks were using names with different spellings at the time. It was a strong sounding name as well as being a reference to a wild animal which was a nice ode to nature. We once thought about rebranding but realized it was still pretty catchy and it actually also used both of our names; the Will and the ‘Da’ for Dan. It’s kind of a nickname we can’t escape at this point and something that’s become synonymous with this project in a real nice way.

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?

WILLDABEAST: The message and emotion we wish to convey in our music can vary from track to track, album to album. I would say, if you want to zoom out and generalize it as best as possible, we would have to classify most of our musical attempts as mid-tempo global bass music with an experimental and funky twist. We try to create music with rhythmic energy. Part of our music is also inspired by movement, whether inside or out, so it has to contain elements of motivation and dynamics. This often going to be at or above heart beat. Our music also has lots orchestral elements where you can sense rich and soaring melodies or perhaps thrilling, warm intricate harmonies creating complex feelings bound to your every conscience resolution. The use of our signature live brass instruments and flute over our electronic beats creates this exciting and enthralling sense of dynamic energy that is so hard to contain, you’ll be feeling it right away. We’re so often just riding that wave, experiencing the emotion right along side with you.

5. Do you think is it important for fans of your music to understand the real story and message driving each of your songs, or do you think everyone should be free to interpret your songs in their own personal way?

WILLDABEAST:

I think it’s always important to formulate your own relationship to whatever media or art you are ingesting, or else I think that connection is not veritable. However, I will emphasize that this music is very much made around the themes and principles that surround deep emotional articulation and powerful forms of relaying passionate exclamations. So, whether you are listening to our version of the story we wrote or perhaps creating your own interpretation, the narrative is equally as important because the canvas we are using to paint this on is systematic.

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

WILLDABEAST:

Other than hearing ‘No’ more often than ‘Yes’ (which is probably a good thing in the end), but hey get used to that. I think the hardest part of music has been losing some of the special connections and relationships we have built over the years. I think musicians in particular are a special breed of humans. In our opinion, to be a musician, it is often crucial to have access to or be in tune to a deepened sense of empathy or emotional benevolence. As such, I sincerely believe we as artists have that innate ability to feel those feelings so much harder. Because of that I have met some of the greatest people I have ever had the privilege of meeting in my life through music and those kinds of connections. I’ve also had the opportunity to both hurt and/or be hurt and ruin/lose some of those important relationships also. I think that’s some of the most difficult things to deal with, knowing I’ve lost some of those special connections that meant so much to our development both musically and interpersonally. Sometimes things are just never the same and it’s really one of the worst parts though. The music industry is so cut throat and brutal, so tight, so exclusive that we need to protect whatever that is important to us, and a lot of time, that’s each other.

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?

WILLDABEAST: I think for the most part music is a labor of love. I would think art in general to be the same way as such. I think if you’re doing it materialistically or as a commodity you might be missing the bigger. I don’t know everything (some say I don’t know anything) but in my opinion, and that’s just on person’s opinion, if you have any sort of expectation from it, you’re doing it wrong. That being said, there have been countless night, I’m telling you, countless, that I have fallen asleep on my keyboard, laptop, synthesizer, trying to push myself and finish whatever project I am working on despite exhaustion. We are pushing it to the limits in hopes of nothing more than open ears and an active audience. The opportunities that have been afforded to us have propelled us to continue on this incredible journey and we owe it to ourselves and our fans to make as much meaningful and impactful music as we can.

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?

WILLDABEAST: It’s always a unique approach whenever starting any new song I’d say. Most of these tracks were created during the final stages of our previous studio setup. This is the same setup we’ve essentially had for the past 5 years and the previous three albums. After this recording, we had to essentially tear everything down because of a new desk, computer, etc. It was a big deal for us! Now, we’re not huge template proponents, but we do start most songs with a simple drum pattern and go from there. Will says, ‘I’ll sit in my studio, which is really just a dope little sound proofed office in a corner of my home, I dim the lights down and set the mood and start making a beat or two at different tempos and stuff to see what sticks. I’ll add a few other elements like keys, samples, vocals or bass and if something sounds super good like.. super good and I can already bop my head to it, I will stick with that principle idea and build on the sound design from there’. Not to seem like a broken record, but since there is no recipe for success (that I’ve found at least!) this part of the process can always go one of two ways. You’re either on route to creating one of your next favorite tracks, or you may not end up releasing this particular work in progress. Either way, we do continue to add on and build it up to the best of our abilities, often adding several additional electronic cinematic layers, FX and other sound design elements. If and only if the song checks all of our boxes we consider it for a release at the that time.

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

WILLDABEAST: Playing Red Rocks multiple times as the horns section as the Michal Menert horn section was something we’ll never forget. We also toured all over the country both in his band and opening for them in Willdabeast on multiple occasion. Playing notable festivals in our area like Summer Meltdown and Cascadia was also a big thing for us. We were able to perform at Shamhala with Defunk as well which was such a wild time. I think the greatest thing has been feeling validated with our compositions. To be included on three different record labels alongside their caliber of artists on their rosters is both humbling and awe-inspiring. If I could rewind time and tell the 13 year old self all of the things we were able to accomplish, I don’t think I’d be even able to comprehend it. I know I’d be more than proud and amazed at the life I’m about to live.