Warm Soda are a power pop band from Oakland, California. They mix elements of pop, glam and garage rock.
Perfecting the blend of glitter and grime that earned Bare Wires a soft spot in the hearts of the bubblegum-popping, foot-stomping masses, Matthew Melton joins with bassist Chase Oren, guitarist Rob Good, and drummer Ian McBrayer as Warm Soda.
With their debut LP, Someone For You, the outfit charts the familiar territory of power pop, glam, and punk, but with a decidedly more confident stride. The twelve resulting songs smack of sugar but sate an appetite that craves more than something sweet, their initial taste of preeminently listenable simplicity giving way to a lingering flavor of their compositional complexity. The group plans to take the debut album on the road this year, cruising America’s historic highways in the spring and crossing the Atlantic for a European tour before summer’s end.
I got to talk to Matthew Melton of Warm Soda about influences, breakfast and CCR.
CincyMusic.com: Tell me how the band started? Have you been friends forever? Did you meet through Craigslist?
Matthew Melton: Rob Good and I have been recording bands in the bay area for a couple years now at our studio called Fuzz City and we actually all met through that. Chase Oren was playing in a band called Poor Sons that we recorded in San Francisco in like 2011. Rob Good and Ian McBrayer were in a band called Jesus Sons that ended up moving to LA. We clicked instantly and took Warm Soda on the road. I have a strong aversion to the internet and would never trust meeting someone over the internet. Meeting in this was seems to defy the natural order of things.
CM: Who are some of your musical influences?
MM: Pop music has to be sincere. It’s the quality that is lacking in a lot of acts today when you see a band that has a good sound, decent songs, no one misses a note, but still something is missing. That illusive thing is undoubtedly what I'm looking for in music. I've all ways been a fan of The Real Kids early single - Common at Noon. The Hollies, Tommy James, anything as long as it’s a sincere expression. That is the most important thing.
CM: What's it like on the road? Paint a picture of a day in the life on the road…
MM: Touring is all about breakfast. It’s definitely a subject of much interest and debate in Warm Soda. Eggs, French toast, Orange Juice, it’s all good. It’s important to eat healthy on the road - Ideally you should eliminate candy, meat and dairy products from your diet, as this will greatly increase your chances for survival. When you eat these things it takes a lot of energy for your body to process them so you will have more energy for your performances if you aren’t busy processing all of that. Next thing is you want to show up to your gigs as late as possible. This prevents wasting energy sitting / standing around / drinking at the venue before you play. Performing is entirely about energy and the way you execute your set.
CM: What's been you biggest moment so far? The time when you felt like this is why I do this?
MM: I can't remember what state we were in but there was this time at a Waffle House where we all autographed a napkin for a young girl who was excited that she identified us as the band. We had Creedence "Lodi" playing on the jukebox and it was a very heartwarming moment to witness this young person's genuine fascination with music.
CM: What advice do you have for a new artist just starting out?
MM: Make sure that the music you are creating is truly you. The only thing that matters is if the way you express yourself is sincere.
What: Warm Soda w/ Tweens
Where: The Comet
When: 10P
