Mixed Frequencies writes: You can hear how in step with one another the members of Answering Machine are. Their music is rock with more classic influence than punk. Each instrument line is tight, every hook is in its right place. There’s not much experimentation or spontaneity on Bad Luck — instead, they’re traded for impeccability. 

 

SweetSweetMusicblog spoke to J.D. Fetcho about the new album that is bursting with catchy uptempo Power Pop / fresh punk. Contagious, tight and incredibly addictive.

 

Recording music. What’s all the fun about?

Recording is probably my favorite part of being in a band. Finding the best guitar sounds and building up the songs from nothing is a great feeling. It’s when we can hear all the ideas we had come together and create something as a band.

 

 

Which 5 records would you bring with you for your stay on Mars?

Well, first I would bring David Bowie’s Life On Mars 7 inch for educational purposes. Then I would have to make the most of the other four so I would go with some double LP’s. Exile On Main Street (The Rolling Stones), Wu-Tang Forever (The Wu Tang Clan), London Calling (The Clash), The River (Bruce Springsteen). That should make it last.

 

 

You can pick 3 co-writers to write new songs with. Who? … and Why?

I’m going to add “alive or dead” to this question if that’s alright…

First I would want to write with Dee Dee Ramone because he’s my favorite songwriter of all time. He wrote many of my favorite Ramones songs and shaped the way I listen to music from a young age.

Next, I would like to write with Joan Jett. She is objectively one of the coolest people of all time and I would just be honored to sit in the same room with her. She’s written consistently great songs since the ’70s and still continues to put out amazing albums.

Finally, I would have to choose Tom Petty. He’s the reason I picked up a guitar in the first place. I put in this VHS tape of him and The Heartbreakers as a kid and just sit in front of the TV trying to play along. He’s another person who wrote amazing music for decades. His songs are timeless.

How did this record come together?

“Bad Luck” is our first full-length album. We’ve been playing together for a few years getting down our sound. We put out a couple EP’s and there are definitely some moments that stand out on those but this is the first time I feel really confident in our music. The songwriting came quickly on these between Sam and me. Craig (bassist) has a song on the album as well. We just rehearsed hard for a while and we were super prepared in the studio. We knocked everything out in a few days and it was mixed shortly after that. It was engineered and mixed by John Mollusk right here in New York. We were also super lucky to sign with Wiretap Records for this release.

What was the moment you knew you were on to something?

I think the moment I knew we were on to something was when I heard the song “Bad Luck” that Sam wrote. The style was so similar to the songs I was working on. We didn’t discuss influences or anything prior to that. I knew we were going to have something cohesive that really felt like a complete record.

 

 

 

 

 

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Get the album on vinyl over at Wiretap Records!

 

released April 17, 2020

Engineered and mixed by John Mollusk. Mastered by Jesse Cannon.

Samantha Campanile: Vocals
J.D. Fetcho: Guitar/Vocals
Jackson Connor: Guitar
Louis Rabeno: Drums
Craig Shay: Bass

Cover Photo: Ada Jane McNulty