Joy Buzzer told us all about themselves and how they write music! We love it! Let’s see what they have to say!
First off, What’s up with your name? Is there a story behind it?
The name of the band is Joy Buzzer. We agreed that the sound of it really matched our power-pop music – fun, buzzy, joyful! Some people don’t know what a joy buzzer is – they think it’s some kind of dirty joke! For those who don’t know, a joy buzzer is a device you hide in your hand to prank someone – when you shake their hand they get a mild zap.
Tell us about your musical past, would you tell us about your early years?
I started playing piano by ear as a young child, and was in bands all through my teenage years. After years of writing music for tv, I found my way back onstage with a band called the Lord Calverts. During COVID that project ground to a halt and I started writing a lot of power pop songs, eventually asking Kevin Lydon, the lead singer of the Calverts, to join me, as well as the drummer Mark Brotter.
How would you describe your sound?
Joy Buzzer is a power pop band, and my definition of that term is pop music with huge hooks, kick ass drums and loud guitars. Fun, clever music you can sing along to.
Which artists have the biggest influence on your sound?
As boring an answer as it is, discovering the Beatles and unpacking how they made songs work was probably my first inspiration. Further inspiration came from songwriters such as Difford and Tilbrook, Collingwood and Schlesinger, the Johns Flansburgh and Linnell, Devo, XTC, Jeff Lynne, Peter Gabriel and Paul Westerberg.
What’s the last song you listened to?
I was listening to some Sloan this morning.
What’s your source for hearing new music?
Mostly through recommendations of friends and social media groups that like the same kind of music I do.
Who is your dream producer?
Wow. Steve Lillywhite, Todd Rundgren, Tony Visconti, the list goes on. I produce all Joy Buzzer music along with my partner Askold Buk.
If you could collaborate with anyone, who would it be?
As Adam Schlesinger is sadly no longer with us, I would have to say Andy Partridge, because if you’re going to collaborate with someone, why not a songwriting genius?
What led you to music, and what motivates you to keep making it?
Music is something to came to me very easily and naturally as a kid, and writing and playing music has never stopped being an obsession of mine. The gratification of hearing my ideas realized with a talented group of musicians in front of an appreciative crowd still feels like no other buzz!
Tell us about the songwriting process. How does it all come together?
Generally, I might hear a groove or rhythm that inspires me, especially if I think its really fun and I don’t have a song with that beat in our set. I’ll sit down and see if I can bang out some chords that lead me someplace interesting. If so, I keep playing with it, molding it this way and that, until it begins to take the shape of something that gets me excited – “huh, now THIS could be something!”. Lyrics for me typically come last, but occasionally I’ll come up with a line or a title that I shape a song around.
How do you connect with your audience? What is the easiest way for them to connect with you?
WE are on Instagram and Facebook, so we stay in touch with our fans that way. Direct messages from anyone that digs our stuff is always appreciated.
www.facebook.com/joybuzzerband
www.instagram.com/joybuzzerband
What’s next for you?
We’ve got two gigs coming up in NYC – Bowery Electric on April 12th and Berlin on May 12th.
