The Main Squeeze - To Be Determined (LP) + 10 Questions
Having recently revealed well received new single Make It Right, LA based genre defiant group The Main Squeeze today reveal their sixth album, the triumphant To Be Determined. A body of work showcasing the unique chemistry the Indiana founded band have together, To Be Determined is a stunning showcase into why they have become a touring phenomenon in the US and developed a passionate fan base. Having gained fans in areas such as NPR, Rolling Stone and Wonderland, collaborated with 6LACK and Gallant and regularly hosted celebrity attended gigs at their fast becoming infamous Squeeze House, the band are developing a unique niche for themselves. If they are a new name to you, this is the perfect jumping in point.
The Main Squeeze are a five piece band with a decade old origin story beginning on the campus of Indiana University. The Squeeze, who have toured with the likes of George Clinton and The Parliament Funk, String Cheese Incident, Umphrey's McGee, and many more are lauded across North America's live music circuit. They've graced hundreds of festival stages including Bonnaroo, Electric Forest, Firefly and many more. Their breakout moment came during the pandemic, the band quickly developed a huge following on tiktok and praise from areas such as NPR and Rolling Stone.
The Main Squeeze sat down with Wordplay Magazine to answer our infamous 10 Questions:
1. So tell me, how did it all begin? What sparked your love for music?
We all had a slightly different journey of how music came into our lives. For me, my dad was a huge dead head so I was engulfed in that culture from the time I was born, and really fell in love with it once I started attending music festivals when I was in High School. Max started playing Cello when he was 5 and was infatuated with Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, and Led Zeppelin among others and got his first guitar at 13 and eventually shifted his focus from Cello to Guitar when he was 18. Corey grew up singing in church and his mom was constantly playing groups like Frankie Beverly and Maze and Stevie Wonder in the house. Rob also grew up playing music in church as his dad was a pastor and began playing piano at a very young age. Reuben started playing drums at age 12 and fell in love with music playing with his friends in middle school.
2. Who are some artists that influence you and that you want to work with in the future?
The whole band has been following the Anderson .Paak journey since he released his album “Venice” and we’ve been huge fans ever since. His new Silk Sonic album with Bruno Mars was produced by D Mile and he’s one producer that we would love to work with in the future as well as Rick Rubin, Blake Mills, Raphael Saadiq, and Inflo to name a few. Some other artists we’ve been influenced by that would be amazing to work with are Alabama Shakes/Brittany Howard, Khruangbin, Tame Impala, and the ultimate would be Stevie Wonder.
3. What projects do you have coming up and can you give us any info on them?
We have a full length album called “To Be Determined” coming out April 1, 2022 that we’re really excited about. All of the songs were written in our old backyard in LA during the beginning of the pandemic and they explore the waves of emotion we were feeling at the time. This was our first time in 8 years where we couldn’t tour and spread our music around the world, so it was on us to “search for optimism” through these trying times, and thats what most the songs are about.
4. How would you describe your sound?
Our sound can best be described as a musical gumbo that combines the ingredients of each band member’s style/influences. Soul music seems to be the common thread in our sound where Funk and Rock meet.
5. What's your proudest moment to date so far as an artist?
I think our proudest moment to date was our tour in Spain/Portugal in 2019 and how well received our music was on the other side of the world. We headlined several festivals on that tour with over 7500 attendees at each, and to see so many people who didn’t even speak our language be moved by our music was surreal.
6. Do you have any advice for our readers who may be trying to play the mad game of music?
I think tribe/community is so important for anyone trying to come up in music. Whether you’re trying to start a band, you’re a solo act, or a writer/producer, finding a group of creatives that you vibe with is essential to stay inspired and lift each other up. It’s such a difficult industry to navigate but if you do it with people you love and trust, it becomes way less intimidating.
7. Are there any artists on your radar right now that we should check out?
Some of my favorite up and coming artists are Yebba, Dijon, Remi Wolf, and Tierra Whack.
8. What albums are on heavy rotation on your Spotify playlist currently?
Dijon- “Absolutely”- this album has been on heavy rotation the last few months.
9. What do you like to do when you're not making music?
Some hobbies that the band is into when we’re not making music are basketball, golf, poker, working out and eating healthy.
10. Name Three things you can't live without when in the studio?
Inspiration: this can come from going out in nature or listening to some new music before creating.
Vibes: mood lighting, a clean space, and good people/energy in the space.
No Ego: the best collaborations seem to take place when everyone can leave their ego at the door and create from a pure intention.