Shower Beers took time out from beer and college football to tell us about his music and how he makes it. Let’s see what he has to say!
First off, What’s up with your name? Is there a story behind it?
I’m a huge college football guy, and since college one of my gameday traditions was to drink a beer in the shower before heading to a tailgate. When it came time to name this project, I felt Shower Beers was an easy choice. It’s a fun name that reflects the music but also is rooted in something relatable to me.
Tell us about your musical past, would you tell us about your early years?
I was in the New Jersey pop-punk scene back in High School. My band at the time Gone By Tomorrow was running in the same crowd as bands like The Years Gone By, Like The Stars, The Call Out, etc. We were just 16 years old at the time and I think the music reflected that – it wasn’t super complex, but was a ton of fun and a little too angsty at times for its own good. What was great about that experience was I learned a ton about song structure and studio etiquette, and I made some awesome connections within the industry. We eventually called it quits and all went to college, but I never forgot how much fun writing and recording music was. I always said that once I made enough money in my corporate job to start paying for studio time on my own, I would get back into pop punk. Covid happened, and I decided that was as good a time as any to start demo-ing what would become the songs for our first EP. Since then, Shower Beers has turned into this incredibly fulfilling project that I am super grateful to be a part of.
How would you describe your sound?
Shower Beers’ tagline is “pop punk that pops off the pregame,” with the idea being that I’m going to write energetic and catchy pop-punk that are meant to excite. I love huge hooks and riffs which are the focal point of the music. Lyrically and sonically I try to always keep it fun with some over-the-top moments, but am very strict about HOW I write songs. I’m a stickler for writing rules such as syllable-matching, hook repetition, verse patterns, etc. So the songs end up feeling very pop-oriented even though the drums and guitars are aggressively in your face the whole time.
Which artists have the biggest influence on your sound?
Musically I think Shower Beers sounds closest to those easycore-adjacent pop-punk bands like Hit The Lights, New Found Glory, and Chunk! No, Captain Chunk. From a vibes perspective, I’m more drawn to the sillier acts like Bowling For Soup and blink-182. But I’m also super interested in the more bedroom pop-focused music that’s coming out of the Nashville pop-punk scene. Some of the choruses that these producers are putting out are so clean and well-put-together, I think the genre has a ton more runway left before the innovation dies down.
What’s the last song you listened to?
I’m writing this while watching College Gameday so I think it’s gotta be “Comin’ To Your City” by Big & Rich (the CGD theme song). Recently I’ve been all over Beartooth’s new album The Surface – I love the hooks Caleb Shomo put together for that project.
What’s your source for hearing new music?
I discover music everywhere. Spotify’s algorithm helps a ton, but I’ll also discover bands on Reddit, Instagram, via write-ups on blogs I follow, Tik-Tok, random shows that happen in NYC, and submissions to some of the playlists I cultivate.
Who is your dream producer?
Avicii, no question. He was a melodic savant and second to none when it came to producing hooks that could shake the Earth.
Genre-specific, I think I’m supposed to say Jerry Finn. But being from the NJ pop-punk scene, I’ve always been a huge fan of what Rob Freeman was producing out of Audio Pilot Studio. So to get the opportunity to work with him on this new EP was awesome. He fully pushed me further than I’ve been pushed before, and I think it shows in the finished product. If I had to work with someone new, I like what Cam Becker has been producing out of Nashville. His layering and the spice he throws on hooks are so keen, it would be awesome tracking some songs with Cam.
If you could collaborate with anyone, who would it be?
I always say Bowling For Soup to this question – I think our energies match well. I love collaborations – the new EP has a feature on every track which makes for a unique listening experience. I’ve got a long list of folks in my Notes app I’d love to work with down the line: CVBZ, Between You & Me, John Harvie, Bilmuri, tons of artists from all over.
What led you to music, and what motivates you to keep making it?
Growing up I was a pretty good writer. I ended up being the editor of our school’s literary magazine, won a few poetry competitions, got some pieces published, etc. But I never really cared too much about poetry. I did like pop punk though, so when I heard a band was coming together I pitched myself hard as a songwriter (even though I didn’t exactly know what I was doing). After a lot of trial and error, I started to come into my own style and got a ton of pleasure from putting out songs. As I’ve gotten older, it’s become more clear to me that creating in any capacity is necessary to feel fulfilled in life, so my drive to write and record continued to grow. Shower Beers is a product of that drive and I’m confident I’ll continue writing songs as long as I can.
Tell us about the songwriting process. How does it all come together?
I’m very melody-focused when it comes to songwriting, so most songs begin with a hook I’ve hummed or ad-libbed into my voice notes. Sometimes a melody will just come to me on a run or in the shower, sometimes I’ll have to work it out with a guitar in my hand, and sometimes I’ll be listening to a song and think, “damn, I wish this melody actually went THIS way.” From there, I follow pretty strict songwriting rules. I’ll ensure melodies get matched both from a structural and syllable standpoint. I’ll typically try and work a verse with flavors taken from the chorus melody, and sometimes will also build the guitar/bass riffs off of the chorus as well. I purposefully try to add repetitive elements throughout songs. For example, when I write lyrics I’ll try to include what I’ve been calling “passing rhymes” in lines, which is the idea of including extra similar-sounding words outside of the main rhyme scheme. Or how in “One More Shot,” I hint at the “Feeling This” sample we run during the bridge via a background guitar riff in the song’s intro. Recently I’ve been very into vocal melodies that have some sort of droning element to them – I feel like this style is popular amongst a ton of TikTok producers/artists. Once I have a plan together in my head or my voice notes, I’ll demo the track out in Reaper. Typically I try and complete 15-20 demos before determining what might make a 3-5 song EP. Once I hit that threshold, I’ll reach out to songwriters and producers I respect to get their opinions on what works, what edits I can make, etc. I try to ensure songs are as close to complete as possible before hitting the studio – I’ll never walk in with the intention of having a writing session or anything. Being prepared in the studio is so important, specifically when you’re the one bankrolling the sessions.
How do you connect with your audience? What is the easiest way for them to connect with you?
I try to make myself available to folks, whether that be over Reddit or on other social media sites. You’ll often find me reviewing and offering preproduction notes to other artists/bands which gives me a unique opportunity to meet new people online. Content-wise, I try to keep it light and funny on our socials.
What’s next for you?
I’ve already begun writing for EP #3. Shower Beers has established enough of a base that we will start looking into show opportunities in the NYC area. The hope is to become a local draw for acts touring through New York City. It would also be a dream to hop on a local festival.
Anything else you’d like to add or let us know about?
I’m excited about what’s been released across the genre and think the next year will continue that trend. Will be fun to watch.
