by Kris Handel
Tetchy have never been shy to tackle issues that are important with their music and songwriting, and after a trying couple of years in the world, the band look to have an exciting and fruitful future to look forward to. In a recent email interview Tetchy discuss their new video for their "Backyard" single, the struggles of dealing with and trying to overcome grief or trauma and the path forward for the band.
photo credit: Photo by Bao Ngo
Kris Handel: Identity and the development of it/roles we go through in life as well as changes of environment seem to be a theme running through the video for "Backyard," can you flesh that out a little more?
Maggie Denning: Yeah, you’re absolutely right to pick up on that. This song is really about how one’s identity can shift fully and unrecognizably in the face of sudden, unexpected loss. There’s this sense of having to face a new normal or a new default that you’d never really imagined before— and with that, you’re also facing a new person within yourself. There’s a new narrative. “Backyard” is actually sort of about that exact moment when you realize or remember the reality of the loss, and are confronted with the enormity of the shift.
KH: What ways have you been able to expound on the artistic visions as a band or other outlets through an extremely tumultuous few years in the world without the benefit (or hassle) of touring and other ways of extending the reach as a band.
MD: It’s truly been such an interesting and complicated time for creating art. There have been these drastic shifts in saturation and stimulation— we’re all going between being stuck in this ghost of a life that is being alone (and, for many, sick) at home, and jumping back into these blazing socializing and art-making endeavors. What does it look like to thrive in this pendulum? Personally, I just feel so lucky that I’ve had these dear sweet humans through it all. We’re very close friends and creators, and have been soo lucky to support each other with many projects in the past two years— Dylan [LaPointe] quit his job to pursue illustration and tattooing, Jesse [French] and Dylan put out an unbelievably special record with their other project, King of Nowhere, and our dear Stevie [Jick] even bought a plot of land where he’s currently and single-handedly building a log cabin... And of course, we’ve been making a ton of new Tetchy material. Being able to practice and write and record, and at times create a little pod with one another, has been a very special little escape.
Dylan LaPointe: We’ve also expanded upon other aspects of Tetchy’s identity as a band, specifically the visual expression of our music. Making a music video, designing new merch, t-shirts, and the like, has helped us to hone other facets of the band to help people get a little bit more into our wacky little heads.
KH: Many Tetchy songs have a bit of a underlying danger and tension to them underneath and explore trauma and the effects of such, with your continuing education in Psychology how has that helped with elucidating those emotions with songwriting and life as well?
MD: Yes, the trauma abounds here at Tetchy LLC haha. I focused my bachelors degree on the psychophysiology of trauma– how the body and mind interact to hold and carry trauma throughout our lives and our healing processes. So yeah! The songs and performances often explore the twisting and unsettling dialogue that can occur between body and mind as we move our way through the echoes of trauma. Many of these songs are born from that intangible area between conscious and subconscious– between reflection and uncensored expression. To be honest, it can be a bit of a dissociative process at first. But in letting all that processing fly free, I know I’m doing something actionable towards healing. At the beginning, the songs flow from that space in between conscious and subconscious, but then, over time and through performance, they morph into these intentional mediums for just.. Being myself.
KH: There's a lot of contrast between the perception of beauty and serenity of the outside and nature, with a inner turmoil or a layer of untruth that is not necessarily apparent on the surface in the video, how big of a role did drawing those distinctions play while filming?
MD: Ah yeah, I’m so glad that that juxtaposition came through! That idea was definitely at the core of the vision for the video. We tried to make setting, styling, cinematography, and editing choices which really showed that gut-turning flip between a blissfully grief-free existence, and pure emotional disintegration.
KH: What has been the hardest hurdle to overcome in working towards new material after the release of the Hounds EP, and what have been the most important lessons learned going into recording new music in such an uncertain period?
MD: Oh undoubtedly having Long Covid. I had Covid symptoms everyday for probably close to six months, and then was dealing with it every other day / week / every two weeks, for at least another six months… And when your body is sick for so long, there are countless challenges you have to learn how to navigate in order to make art. Everything about yourself has new facilities and abilities. Breathing. Singing. Thinking. Playing. Feeling. There was a really long time where I couldn’t play a whole song through. So this past summer and fall (~1.5 years out from initially getting Covid in March 2020) was really chock full of some otherworldly and life-changing healing. And this was absolutely made possible by this very loving and silly and wise group.
Jesse French: So much of the life of this band comes from the shows, and we’ve had to make creative decisions on the new material in our little bubble of isolation without the energy from the people who share this music with us in person.
KH: There is a rawness that is endearing in the songwriting and musical approach of Tetchy that seems a bit magical and honest, how do you approach walking that line as an artist and connecting with the audience?
MD: Oh boy. Thank you. I’m just happy to be here really – sharing and processing and playing in the dirt of things that other people might turn away from. I’m so glad and lucky and thankful to have all these folks listening and coming to get weird with us.
KH: What has been the biggest lesson being in a band and working as a unit brought to your approach to what is being created and problem solving in the context of a group?
MD: Keeping the vibes playful as though we’re a bunch of kiddos. We put… So. Much. Work. into Tetchy… but, we also always end up sidestepping that pit of taking ourselves too seriously. I think we’re pretty good at communicating and being open to the idea that anyone’s ideas have the potential to be fucking amazing.
DL: Building on that idea of playfulness– we are pretty good about staying open to new possibilities in each section of a song. It can take a while to finesse details, but we’re all pretty humble and receptive people, so it is usually a really fun process.
KH: In an ideal world, or one that has any semblance of sanity after the past five years, what would Tetchy be reaching for in the upcoming future and the biggest change you would like to see take place (personally or universally)?
MD: Tetchy is always reaching reaching reaching ;) We’re currently working on something bigger than anything else we’ve released so far, and it would be such a dream to really have this thing heard and felt by other future friends… We love love love to play and tour and travel and meet other artists– so that’s definitely on our ~To-Continue-Doing~ list.
KH: What has Tetchy been doing to keep some form of entertainment/peace/happiness/busyness alive in a time of upheaval and unrest?
MD: Baking baking baking !
DL: Drawing lots of vengeful little animals. Running a bunch. Reading about alternatives to capitalism. :)
KH: Are there any favorite moments or out-takes from filming that are safe to reveal, and if so what?
MD: Well… Dylan definitely almost actually turned the paddleboat over, haha. So that was certainly a pretty hysterical moment.
DL: It was a close call.