Virginia Beach’s feedtherightwolf storms onto the scene with a fiery debut self-titled EP release
Based out of a basement and a kitchen table, GGT Records is the ultimate DIY operation. Their goal? Pushing out hardcore jams without being shackled by trends or labels.
Happy Mag recently caught up with Barone and Goff for a chat about their musical escapades. They spill the beans on their recent musical endeavours, where they draw inspiration for their art, some nice tidbits on the music industry, all with some banter sprinkled in.
Rob: Great to see you man, I hope you’re ready for the hot seat
Adam: Only the toughest questions please
Rob: Only the toughest, of course…. Seriously though, I’m stoked to do this, it will be fun.
So I’ll go first: How would you describe GGT Records to people who have not heard of the label and the artists that you promote? (GGT after the Descendants staple “Good Good Things” by the way)
Adam: More than anything, GGT is a label that releases music for artists that speak to us. Most of our releases are in the hardcore/indie realm of music and we really try to approach our relationship with bands thinking genuinely about the best way we can help them as artists
Rob: Follow up question…. see I’m just going to keep asking you questions so I can stay out of the hot seat. What inspired you to start GGT?
Adam: Elbert (the label co-founder) and I have been friends and were in a band together back when we were still kids. We always wanted to do a label but never really took the initiative to get it going. Fast forward several years and our friend John sent us some songs he had recorded with his new band called Mean Jesus. We just loved them so much and it just felt like now had to be the time to really do this.
Ok, my turn…
Tell me about feedtherightwolf and what got you back out playing music after laying low for a few years?
Rob: Ya, it is funny for as awful as the pandemic was, one positive spin was that the down time meant I had a lot of time to think. I mean, I guess a lot of people did that haha.
So while I never really stopped playing music I kind of had this moment where I realized something was missing and that was getting together with other people, blocking out the noise of the world, and just creating.
The problem was you couldn’t really get together with people. At a certain point though our guitarist Matt, who you know from when we all played together years back, reached out about doing some acoustic stuff and because it seemed like overnight everything got easier to do online I started messing around with some ideas.
Things went really slow for about a year, but at one point Matt and our vocalist Josh did get together and wrote some heavy/grungy sounding ideas that just got us all really energized to explore it and see where it might take us, and here we are.
Adam: It is pretty wild how quickly everyone seemed to learn how to play, write, record online. So many cool videos came out during that period of people jamming from different places.
You mentioned heavy/grunge sound, for someone who hasn’t heard the band, how would you describe the music and what you’ve released so far?
Rob: Definitely some 90’s alternative vibes for sure, but with a modern twist to it. Our vocalist Josh, who also wrote/recorded drums on the EP, really focuses on bringing the drums together with vocal melodies and it’s the little details like this that most people won’t notice on the surface, but really ties everything together.
There’s also a lot of melodic textures and “noises” for lack of better word that our guitarist Zach brings to writing and recording that I think gives it a distinct sound. It is pretty straight-forward and palatable though for a broader audience, which is very different from what I used to play.
Back to you – You’ve been in several bands over the years and dealt with labels, touring and so on. What have you learned from those experiences about the music industry and how has that influenced you in your role at GGT?
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Adam: Yes definitely. Our approach with the label, like I said, it’s about the relationship so the first thing is we don’t have contracts, just a friendly agreement.
We also recognise that merch is really where bands can make money so we try and do a big push in the beginning, like a first t-shirt run where we may take in the initial cost from sales but everything else goes to the bands.
Same is true for digital sales where our bands do 100% of profits. So it really is about the artist as much as possible, and we’re excited to keep things going with some other great bands and releases going forward.
On that note, what are your plans over the next few months with the band?
Rob: Yes, things are moving along. Have a show coming up down in Virginia Beach as a little bit of a delayed EP release party which will be fun.
You know how it is though, once you start rolling you’re always excited about the next batch of songs for people to hear.
It’s still early but you can already see how our songwriting and sound is really starting to round out with the new songs we’re working on.
I imagine after the EP show, we’ll release another single and B-side with maybe a little bit of a video surprise and then early next year we’ve been in touch with a couple of really cool studios/producers about knocking out 3-4 more songs, maybe more we’ll see.
And in the meantime, hoping to do an east coast run of shows with some bands we’re excited about. Maybe someone will fly us down to Australia who knows, haha.
Speaking of shows, you live in Seattle man. Might be a tough question to answer but is there a show or venue you’ve been to that really stuck with you?
Adam: There are so many great venues and acts that come through here, but more recently I went to a venue called Tacoma Real Art, which is a little bit south of Seattle.
There was a show that came through with Webbed Wing, Spiritual Cramp, Soul Blind and Soul Glo. All very cool bands with that raw energy and vibe that I’ve always loved about the hardcore and punk scene.
Rob: Alright so last question and you’re out of the hot seat. Right off the top of your head, what are three records that come to mind that people should listen to?
Adam:Three records off the top of my head, the new As Friends Rust record “No Joy”. The last Be Well record, “Hello Sun” and then Spikepit’s demo – They are a band we just put out on GGT from Virginia Beach. Amazing heavy hardcore with Black Sabbath sounding breakdowns. Just so much fun and so heavy.
Right back at you – Same question
Rob: Oh man, so hard. I’m with you on Be Well. You put me onto them initially a few years ago and I just can’t stop listening.
I won’t copy you though. Just saw Rival Schools play “United By Fate” front to back live so not new, but definitely top of mind and such a great record.
I’m really into the band Spotlights and their new album “Alchemy for the Dead” is so cool. And then maybe keeping with the Australia theme, I recently got put onto the band Wayside, and the singles/EP they’ve been putting out the last couple months are awesome.
I did have one more question for you actually. Who’s your favourite bassist?
Adam: Come on man that’s a trick question. You of course. I mean what am I gonna say? Love ya man haha.
Listen to feedtherightwolf via spotify.
