“I’ve never put much of myself out there,” Mitch Rowland said of his revealing latest single Come June.
Earlier this month, we were treated to Mitch Rowland’s latest single Bluebells. Effortlessly melding a modern edge with all the staples of pure and cinematic indie pop, the track offers the sonic equivalent of a warm hug — a level of sentimentality only heightened by the fact that it was finalised immediately after Rowland learned he was going to be a dad.
The immaculate vibes only continued with predecessor Come June, which arrived in July and promptly had us cozied in a wintertime blanket. Come June forms the tracklist of Rowland’s upcoming album of the same name, which will bless our ears on October 16.
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In the meantime, we caught up with Mitch Rowland for a deep-dive into his sumptuous sound, working with Harry Styles, and years-long dedication to Rolling Stone magazine.
HAPPY: What are you up to today?
MITCH: I’m off to Green Man Festival in Wales for the day with my wife and son. We’re going to get muddy.
HAPPY: Tell us about where you are from? What’s the music scene like in your neck of the woods?
MITCH: It’s been at least 11 years since I’ve seen a show in Columbus, Ohio, but stoner rock and metal went down pretty well while I was there.
Used fuzz pedals at guitar shops didn’t last long. There was an amazing power trio from Ohio called the Buffalo Killers. I’d see them at every opportunity. I wanted to be them.
The two brothers (Zach and Andy Gabbard) who wrote the songs now play in The Black Keys. They are the beards in the back.
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HAPPY: Describe your ultimate day?
MITCH: If the tracking reads “out for delivery” for a guitar I’ve bought online, that’s a good start.
HAPPY: What did you read or watch growing up that fuelled your passion for music?
MITCH: I used to watch VH1 Storytellers and read Rolling Stone. That was when they were still nice and large. Rarely would the magazines stay crisp because they needed to be stuffed into the rack in order to fit unlike other magazines.
Growing up, most people probably didn’t realize our schools had a subscription. I’d swoop in and place each new issue under my own permanent loan. I had a poor understanding of the library system.
HAPPY: Your debut single “Come June” marks the beginning of your solo career. How does it feel to step out from behind the scenes and take center stage?
MITCH: Revealing. I’ve never put much of myself out there, so this is sort of a lot for me.
HAPPY: “Come June” carries a certain emotional depth. Can you share the inspiration behind the song and what it means to you personally?
MITCH: We were living in a pretty safe part of London, but one day you all of a sudden hear about an acid attack around the corner, and the next week a stabbing. I hadn’t really thought about it, but I guess it’s a sick of the city kind of song. I love London though.
HAPPY: As someone who has primarily collaborated with Harry Styles, how does it feel to have your own album, “Come June,” coming out soon? What can fans expect from it?
MITCH: It’s very gratifying to be doing the thing I’ve always wanted to do. I’ve always wanted my own record in the bins and I feel proud of how this record came together with Rob, Matt and Sarah.
I’ve also loved every minute of the last seven years with Harry, but I was never looking for that. Where would you even begin to look for that?
From the theatre tour in the beginning to the recent stadium tour, I’ve had my mind blown over and over playing next to him. He’s always had my back and continues to as he puts this album out. Fans can expect about 37 minutes of me doing my best.
HAPPY: Collaborating with producer Rob Schnapf must have been an exciting experience. Can you tell us about the creative process behind your album and how Schnapf’s involvement shaped its sound?
MITCH: Everything was already written when Rob and I began working. I wasn’t going to subject myself to being on the spot, having to finish incomplete songs in front of guys I didn’t know.
So, I came prepared. The demos consisted of a vocal, often doubled, and an acoustic guitar. When I came in, I told Rob I wanted these songs to sound woody. What I meant by that was I wanted a lot of upright bass, which engineer Matt Schuessler conveniently contributed.
With every song, I would always get the foundation down first. I would track the main guitar, then vocals, then usually drums unless it was Sarah playing.
That way, Matt could play along to the drums and lock in a bit better on bass. Oftentimes, Rob would be playing along in the control room on his guitar while we were getting our parts down.
And it was good. So, that’s how he ended up on nearly everything. His studio (Mant Sounds) is small, but mighty and packed full of amazing gear. Once a song was fully recorded, Rob would sit with it, put his headphones on and do his thing.
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HAPPY: Are there any particular songs on your album that hold a special significance to you? If so, could you share the story behind one of them?
MITCH: All The Way Back. Considering this is one of the shortest songs on the record, it definitely required the most work. I had to really sit and dovetail the parts of this song more than the others.
And in the end, it led to Ben Harper singing and playing on it, which is beyond the bucket list for me. The cherry on top was having my wife, Sarah Jones, play drums on this song.
HAPPY: As a guitarist, how did your experience touring with Harry Styles influence your approach to songwriting and performing your own music?
MITCH: Certainly when writing and recording, I would notice Harry’s ability to put his whole self into a song at a moment’s notice. And he can work pretty fast if he chooses to. If I’m remembering correctly, Watermelon Sugar was one of two songs written and demoed that day.
When it comes to my music, I’m pretty slow. The keepable stuff doesn’t always come all at once. I’ll work on some songs, then put them away for a while.
When it comes to shows, keeping it fun is the most important thing to Harry. That’s what I try to remember when walking on stage with my songs.
HAPPY: Lastly, what makes you happy?
MITCH: Marks & Spencer’s Plant Kitchen.
