New short interview with the lovely Chantal of the band Morningwood (you may have heard their song “Nth Degree” on a recent car commercial)
&& listen to them here
Where did the name Morningwood come from? Was it from…errrr… morning wood, or is there a deeper connection there?
It has multiple meanings, we love double entendres, if you look you will find them all over our place.
Your music has exploded this year, from being in car commercials to MTV. What’s it like having so much exposure?
It doesn’t feel like there is much exposure, perhaps I am in the eye of the storm, but at least I can pay my rent this month.
Where did inspiration for your hit song “Nth Degree” come from?
It’s about politics, just joking, it is about band love or something to that extent.
What is your music process like—from the beginning to the end of a song?
music then lyrics and melody
or subject then music and lyrics and melody.
it varies all over the place.
What was it like being on Capitol Records? How did they discover you?
Being on capitol is like being in the current royal family, for both the negative and positive aspects.
How did you all meet?
from our bio:
Claret, who grew up in New York, is the youngest member of the group at 24. She met Pedro Yanowitz at a birthday party in 2001.
” he spontaneously asked everyone to take turns singing a birthday song on the spot,” remembers Yanowitz. “When it was Chantal’s turn I thought she’d pass because she doesn’t play an instrument, but she launched into a song she wrote when she was sixteen with no accompaniment and her voice just blew everyone away. You could hear a pin drop. I was hooked and Morningwood was born that night.”
What’s the most difficult part of working together as a band?
Well, it is really just pedro and i, and I live in Los Angeles now, so getting together is harder, we have been through a lot together, so as long as we are friends we shall continue.
Chantal, you said in an earlier interview that you’re “out for blood” when you’re in a competition. What did you mean by that?
I try to pretend that I am not competitive but I finally realized I am, when I compete I become strategic, fair, and ruthless, is it impossible to be all 3? perhaps.
Is it hard getting away from all the Wallflowers references, since bandmate Pedro was formerly in that band?
Strangely enough, no one ever mentions the past bands at all, so we never ever had a problem with it or getting away from it. We aquaint old bands like ex girlfriends, they are a part of your life, but now you are in a new relationship.
I heard you formerly attended film school and wanted to direct music videos. What happened to that?
I’m in morningwood. Everything happens in due time.
