by Sacha Kingston-Wayne
“Instinct,” the first single from The Funs’ upcoming album Alienated, is so sweet and hazy that it seems perfectly suited to the end of the summer. The band’s members, multi-instrumentalists Jessee Rose Crane and Philip Jerome Lesicko, are also known for running Manic Static out of their home in St. Louis. Alienated is their debut on Sister Polygon Records, the remarkable Washington, DC label founded by members of Priests, and the first release they haven’t put out themselves.
You can check out the video for “Instinct”, as well as a Q&A with The Funs, below.
Where was the video for “Instinct” shot and who directed it?
Jessee: It was shot around our house on an iPhone. It’s satisfying making something and being rewarded by that.
Was there an atmosphere you were trying to go for when making the video?
Jessee: I wanted it to have kind of an abstract feeling and focus on the colours and shots that blend together. It doesn’t follow the lyrics exactly.
What lead to you deciding to put your new album Alienated out on Sister Polygon instead of self-releasing like you have in the past?
Philip: The record is a couple of years old now and we shopped it around a little bit and didn’t get much love for it. We played a show with Priests in St. Louis and bonded pretty hard with them. They stayed at our house, which is in the middle of nowhere. After hanging out I decided to send the record to them instead of putting it on the internet and they were really responsive.
Jessee: They actually listened to it. (laughs) Sister Polygon nurtures bands and nurtures those relationships. Self-releasing can be exhausting.
I get the sense that Sister Polygon gives bands a lot of freedom to do what they want.
Jessee: Exactly. At other labels, you end up making compromises that really just seem silly. It can be really difficult to keep your artistic integrity and it gets harder and harder in the music industry. It’s almost laughable. That’s kind of what this album is about.
How did the two of you begin collaborating together? Did your label Manic Static or The Funs come first?
Philip: It was both at the same time. The band just kind of happened. We were in another band before this and after having three different drummers and different bass players we just decided to do it ourselves.
Jessee: We’ve known each other for over a decade.
The lyrics of “Instinct” sound like they’re coming from someone who is tired and strung out. Is that a place you were coming from while working on the album?
Jessee: I feel like I’m always there. We’ve always been such an emotional, raw band. Just feelin’ it. Feeling it all.
When you write a song, do you consider whether or not it will be relatable to others?
Jessee: No, I don’t. When you find something real, it just inherently is relatable. I trust that process.
The Funs' Alienated is out November 2nd via Sister Polygon Records.
Tour dates:
10/03 - St. Louis, MO @ RKDE w/ The World, Waterproof
11/06 - Richmond, VA @ Venable aka VSC
11/08 - Washington, D.C. @ Black Cat
11/09 - Philadelphia, PA @ Jerry’s On Front w/ Blowdryer, Control Top
11/14 - Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle (record release) w/ The Lipschitz