By Sonia Schnee | Posted Sunday, October 20, 2019
Earlier this month, South Jersey alternative/indie rock duo forgettable History released two new theatrical and thought-provoking singles, "kaleidoscopic cobblestone" and "amber nectar." We were fortunate to get an interview with songwriter/lead vocalist, Andrew Lodge, to learn about the inspiration behind their music.
What's your name, where are you from, where are you based now?
My name is Andrew Lodge, and I am from Medford New, Jersey. I am currently at Pennington, living on Campus at TCNJ. My bandmate is Kevin Savo (lead man of Out of The Beardspace & Pan Song). He's originally from Clementon, but he lives in Waterford now.
How would you describe your sound? Who are your musical influences? What’s the inspiration behind the name of your band?
Our sound is luscious, passionate, theatrical, touching, and artistically fearless.
My musical influences are the following: Radiohead, car seat headrest, School of Seven Bells, and The Unicorns (just to name a few).
The inspiration for the band name goes two ways. The simple version is that I purely suck at history and lack the desire to study it. I remember taking Honor's APUSH my sophomore year, and it felt like I was picking the best shade of blue if the question was "Which one is blue?" My teacher was a wonderful lady, so it wasn't her fault at all. The extended version will be kept for personal interactions with my beautiful fanbase one day.
Congratulations on the release of your single, “kaleidoscopic cobblestone.” What was the creative process like for you (which came first, the melody or the lyrics)?
My process with Kevin is sporadic, but typically we write the song first and then the melody on top. I studied music theory in my junior year of high school, but I never applied anything I learned to my art. I sit at a piano, play some chords, show Kevin, and his excitement fills my body with confidence. For "kaleidoscopic cobblestone," I wrote it on guitar. Vocals and melody always come last, since I always play with the lyrical content of a written song.
What's next on the horizon for you? Do you have any shows coming up?
I would love to perform some unreleased material with Kevin anywhere! TCNJ or any small venue would be lovely. However, being at college is difficult and Kevin is in multiple projects. The day we perform will be the day we show it all on stage. We haven't been rehearsing at all, because the album is not finished. But, we have just released a new track called "amber nectar" that is out now.
Tell us a little bit about your personal journey. How did you get to this point? Do you have other creative work that you’d like audiences to check out?
I wish I could remember my whole journey. I can probably say that it started when I was jealous of my sister playing the Adele song "Someone Like You" in front of her attractive friends.
"I can do that!" I blurted out.
"Okay, go ahead."
I sat at the piano and it was terrible. Her friends laughed at me and I was determined to learn the song afterward. So, I watched YouTube videos on how to play the song. I learned "The Scientist" then "A Thousand Years" later.
My mother pushed me to do the musical in middle school since I stopped wrestling. My audition was fairly good, but I didn't receive a lead role in Seussical. The judge even said, "Where were you two years ago." It felt that wished he could have given me something, but couldn't since kids had the experience. I was a Who (even though I was the tallest one, since I was an early bloomer) and the Grinch. There's a hilarious Wiki page that claims the following:
For Jr., various songs are cut and shortened; the subplots based on The Butter Battle Book and How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, and their relevant songs and characters, are removed to make the story more understandable for younger audiences, though the Grinch retains one line during the song "Here on Who".
(I even remember reading that sometimes they cut the Grinch and have The Cat in The Hat dress up as the Grinch for the one line).
"Where even a Grinch wouldn't dare to be totally mean." I'll never forget that.
I met a kid who wanted me to join his band and wanted me to get bass lessons in the winter musical (Peter Pan) my freshman year (little did he know that I played piano and sang). And that's how I met Kevin. At the School of Rock. I got kicked out of the band and Kevin wanted to help me.
Do you have any words of advice for people who share a similar passion or have maybe faced similar obstacles/challenges?
You're your own worst critic. Sometimes it's best to let go of the little details if they're holding you. Being in states of monotony is an awful feeling. Know that not everyone is doing what you're doing. You're unique, embrace it.
Finally, what are some ways that fans can connect with you and forgettable History online? (Website? Facebook? Spotify? Etc.?)
I would give my number, but I don't pick up if I don't recognize the number. So I would recommend our Facebook, Instagram, and even Twitter. If you're into email forgettableHistory@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/forgettableHistory/
https://www.instagram.com/forgettablehistory/
https://twitter.com/forgettablehx
Is there anything else you'd like to add?
Anyone who wants to shoot a music video or set up a gig, let me know!
Cheers!
