Plaid Brixx: Three guys from Columbus, Ohio striving to redefine the boundaries of pop and what it means to be a band. I got the chance to talk to Chris, the frontman of the band, about how the band formed and where he sees the group in five years.
Where does the name Plaid Brixx come from?
Hi, this is Chris—I am the singer and frontman of the band! Our name comes from my overwhelming love of plaid. I love it so much my parents let me put up plaid wallpaper in my room growing up. You can also do a lot with it visually, so I thought it would make a good band name. The brixx part of our name is a variation of the word bricks, which evokes an image of strength and solidity.
How did the band form?
The other members of the band are Mark LeRose on the drums and Jared Sawaya on bass. I went to high school with Mark and we played together in a not-so-great punk band. After graduating from college, I moved back to Columbus and recruited Mark to form a band. Jared was a fan who we originally recruited to play keyboard which he had to learn to be in the band. He is a jack-of-all-trades, he also plays guitar live as well as being our in-house live sound engineer. And Mark is also multi-talented as he designs nearly all the artwork for our t-shirts and EP/song covers.
Individually, how did you all begin getting interested in music?
I have known since I was 7 or 8 that music was my path. It just seemed really obvious to me at the time, and I have never strayed far from that path. Jared and Mark have both been playing instruments and listening to music since they were little—Mark’s dad plays in bands so I’m sure there was some encouragement there.
What is the songwriting/recording process like? Is it completely collaborative or segregated?
I write songs all the time, regardless of whether or not I am trying to—bits and pieces will pop into my head at times and I record them on my phone or write them down. When I sit down to actually make a song, though, I will create the music and beat first and polish up the song structure before adding melodies and lastly I will write the lyrics. I am responsible for all the songwriting in the band, but I have just started collaborating with other songwriters, specifically a few very talented ones in Los Angeles, in order to grow and hone my craft. For our summer single, “The Greener Side” I worked with a former college classmate of mine, Melody Noel, as well as Mike Molina and Nelson Kyle of The Agency.
You guys are Ohio natives, what was it like starting a band in your hometown? Is there a supportive local music scene?
There are a lot of great people in Columbus, Ohio who are interested in making Columbus a major music destination. There are a lot of great venues and a ton of great fans interested in consuming music, but as is true almost anywhere, it takes awhile to steep in the local culture and become a part of the scene.
You guys just released a new music video for your song, "Since You Came." Where did the inspiration come from behind the video? Do you have a favorite scene from the video?
I was inspired to write the video treatment based on my love of anime. I really enjoy Miyazaki’s work, and a lot of other Japanese animation (I love Crunchyroll if you know what that is). We also drew inspiration from Mad Max and Firefly. My favorite scene is when the band is standing there in the middle of the desert and the three muses approach us with the flag flying behind us, poised and proud!
What's one piece of advice you would give to someone wanting to start a band?
You have to treat your band like a business. Pick your band mates carefully. Never give up if you truly have the calling. Act like a professional. If you are a singer, there is no excuse for drinking alcohol or smoking. Quit doing anything that will reduce your chances of succeeding—i.e. don’t party too much!
What is your favorite/least favorite part about being in a band and pursuing music?
Doing all of the creative work – writing music and lyrics, coming up with video concepts, shooting videos. I hate the paperwork but it is a necessary evil!
Where do you see yourself and Plaid Brixx in five years? What are your goals?
We will be around. By then you will see us on the charts. We will keep working hard every day to achieve our goal of becoming one of the greats.
If you had to describe your music in five words to someone who has never heard it before, what would you say? Choose wisely.
Melodic, fun, sexy-pop-wonderment
Plaid Brixx recently released a new video for their track "Since You Came which you can view below:
Check out their new self-titled EP HERE.
Keep up with the band and what they're up to on social media:
Website: http://www.plaidbrixx.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PLAIDBRIXX/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PLAIDBRIXX
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/plaidbrixx
