Cameron Boyer of Weathers talks new album "Pillows & Therapy" and what he would do if he woke up in his favorite story - exclusive interview
LA based alternative pop-rock band Weathers' sophomore album Pillows & Therapy dropped today! We sat down with frontman Cameron Boyer to get the inside scoop on the album, the cinematic style of their music videos, and what slogan he would give the band.
1. What was creating this record like compared to Kids In The Night?
Kids In the Night was all written and recorded within a short period of time whereas Pillows & Therapy was very spread out. There's a song on the album that's about 5 years old.
2. What are some things you learned from past writing experiences that you tried to put into practice with Pillows & Therapy?
We kinda learned that writing what feels best to you is probably the way to go instead of writing what you think other people will like. We have been following our guts more, but we still keep a healthy balance of criticism and other opinions of course.
3. Were there things you've done in past writing sessions that you tried to shift away from this time around?
This time around we mainly just wanted to stay away from repeating some of the exact same musical tropes from previous songs.
4. Do you feel like quarantine helped or hurt your creativity?
I would say a little bit of both. It forced us to find new ways to connect with fans, but also the impact on our mental health made it difficult at times to be creative.
5. What has the transition between your debut record to this record been like for you?
It's been a gradual transition I would say. We are slowly evolving with every new song and we put out a few singles between the 2 records and I feel like you can hear the transition slowly happen.
6. Are there any songs on this record that almost didn't make the cut?
Yes, there's always some songs we have in our back pocket that almost replaced a song that's on the record.
7. Is there a song on the record that you're most excited for the fans to hear?
I wouldn't say there's 1 in particular but there's definitely a few that I'm excited to see a reaction for.
8. My dad always told me growing up that if I wanted to work in the music industry I had to listen to a little bit of everything. Were there any outside genre influences that went into this record?
Yes, we branched out a little more on this record in terms of influences. We will always have a little bit of 80's and 90's influences by nature, but we looked to other artists from different eras on this record as well.
9. Mental health is a common theme throughout your music. What would you say to the fans reading this that are struggling with their own mental health?
I would say don't give up. Look to the things in life that bring you comfort and/or joy and hold on to those things. And also, please reach out for help. Whether it feels hopeless or not, there's always somebody out there who can help you. It's ok not be ok, but it's never ok to not get help.
10. You have a strong cinematic style to your music videos. Do you visualize what the video to a song looks like while writing it or does that come once the song is finished?
I am personally a very visual person. When writing music, it's almost impossible for me not to see what it would look like in the scene of a movie or something like that.
11. If you woke up as the main character of your favorite story, and you knew the outcome of the story, what would you do differently?
Hmmm, it's hard to decide what my favorite story even is to be honest. There's so many that I love. And to be honest, my favorite stories are my favorite stories for a reason so I'm not sure I would change anything even if I could. Because what makes it a good story is partly the struggles and mistakes a character will go through. Even the main character or hero. And I think that's part of what makes someone who they are or what makes the story great.
12. Your first national headline tour starts this September. What song from the new record are you most excited to play live?
Talking is Hard, Rehab, Karma, Strange Dayz, Hello. Can't wait.
13. What does a day in the life of Weathers look like when you're preparing for a tour?
Lot's of practicing and me constantly forgetting the lyrics haha.
14. What is the weirdest or funniest thing you've seen while on the road
Oof, we've seen lots of weird shit. Lots of funny moment. I have to be lame, but I can't pinpoint just one. We've had weird encounters that are similar to that of a GTA game where you randomly meet some super weird people. And we've done really dumb shit that has made us laugh and grow.
15. If you had to write a slogan to promote Weathers, what would it say?
It's partially not originally our own slogan, but I would say "it's ok not to be ok, but it's never ok not to get help."
16. Lastly, is there anything else you'd like to say to the fans and All Punked Up readers?
Thanks so much for reading this and I hope to catch you at a show soon!
We want to give a huge thank you to Cameron Boyer for taking the time to chat with us! You can stream Weathers' sophomore album Pillows & Therapy now! Check out their newest video for "Talking is Hard" below!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=habCXJO2nWE