Making Music

One of the benefits of doing a radio show is the opportunity to explore music with musicians who make incredible art. To sweeten the pot, the chance to interview musicians who write genuine songs that speak to you as a person is a gift. When Sarah Rudy who records as Hello June, agreed to answer some of our questions, we were overjoyed. Hello June’s ‘Artifacts’ was our top pick for album of the year in 2023 which was a rich year for music. What especially moves us is the authenticity of the music that Hello June creates.

The power of authentic music lies in its ability to transcend barriers, evoke emotions, and create connections that resonate deeply within individuals and communities. Sar Rudy possesses an incredible ability to create music that does exactly that. Authentic music, born from genuine expression and sincerity, possesses a unique capacity to speak to the human experience in profound ways. And this is deeply needed.

One of the most striking aspects of authentic music is its ability to communicate universal emotions without feeling false, fake or unreal. Regardless of language or cultural background, the raw honesty and genuine expression found in authentic music can touch the hearts of listeners wherever they might live. Whether it’s a quiet – yet powerful – ballad like ‘Napkin’ or ‘The Moon’, or a spiritual folk tune ‘Soft Love’, or a passionate rock anthem ‘Faded Blue’, ’23’, or ‘California’, authentic music made by musicians who themselves feel what they are playing has a way of tapping into shared feelings of love, loss, joy, and longing, fostering empathy and understanding among people from diverse walks of life. We all have all felt this way. And the music of Hello June, carries all of those characteristics and even more.

Moreover, Hello June‘s authentic music serves as a powerful tool for cultural preservation and expression. Through reinterpretation of traditional songs ‘Country Roads’, gorgeous guitar tone ‘California’ and ‘No Easy Answer’, and incredible melodies — the whole record! — artists preserve their experience, heritage, pass down personally meaningful stories, and celebrate their unique identities. Authentic music becomes a vessel through which cultural narratives are woven, ensuring that rich histories and traditions that do receive the favored celebrations of an ever decreasing set of themes in the mainstream music industry are not lost to time but instead are celebrated and cherished for generations to come.

In addition to its cultural significance, authentic music has the power to inspire and provoke change. As listeners we are changed when we hear this music. A whisper — ‘Country Roads’, ‘Soft Love,’ ‘The Moon’ — can be as powerful as the loudest cry in the mix of hope and despair — ‘California,’ ‘No Easy Answer’. A protest song does not always require a message to fuel social movements with anthems of resilience and hope in the face of adversity, that can be accomplished within a deeply personal statement as well. Music has historically played a pivotal role in driving social and political change. Through its ability to rally people around common experience and ignite a sense of solidarity from the ebbs and flows of pain, authentic music becomes a catalyst for action at all levels, challenging the status quo and advocating for a better world, even if the focus is in your neighborhood or your home.

Dr. J: What can you share with us about when and how you started writing music?

Sarah Rudy (SR): I started to learn to play guitar in high school, but I wasn’t truly focusing on the act of songwriting yet. It wasn’t until college, where I spent a lot of time exploring with different artistic mediums and experimenting with different forms of creating. This is where I started to really feel an affinity towards writing songs.

Dr. J: What first led to your recording music? How do you approach production?

SR: I started to craft songs on the GarageBand DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) about the same time I started writing. Using a DAW in my workflow made sense, even at that point, because I wanted to work out fairly full arrangements. I wasn’t happy with just writing the bones of the song – I needed to feel the environment that song created. I guess my thought with this has always been that if I can’t get the song to “feel right” in physical space, I wouldn’t want it released. These days, I’ve found that my process is less of a rush to the production phase of things.

For me, the daw has been an integral part of my writing, but when it comes to recording an album, I’ve let others steer the ship. I’ve loved each studio experience I’ve had, but Ive learned so much that I can’t imagine giving up that much creative control on the next one. For the next releases, I plan to record those here in our studio and I plan on pulling in some good musician/engineering friends as needed. With the next releases, I want the recordings to be as vulnerable and closeup as they can be and I feel like it’s my job to figure out how to get there.

Dr. J: The song ‘California’ captures a remarkable constellation of musical influences. The song seems to have an almost 1980s feel. Is that a correct interpretation? If that is correct, did you intend to create a song that connects to that time period? If that is not correct, how would you describe the feeling of the song?

SR: I wanted the song to have a “nostalgic” feel – that was my main goal, tone-wise. I wanted California to capture the feeling of charged love – the kind that feels exciting and scary. In order to write the song, I really needed to take myself back to the “me” that existed in my 20s. I wanted the song to capture a certain hue/tone/light – I love that it takes you back to a particular place.

Dr. J: Where do you often derive inspiration to make music?

SR: I like to be completely focused, immersed, and filled up by the things I’m working on. If there is a thought, a line, a feeling, anything that sparks something in me that makes me tilt my head or feel a bit of magic, I usually feel inclined to chase it. I have found though, that the hardest thing is pulling inspiration from an anxious or avoidant mind, so in order to allow myself the freedom to create, I try to practice self awareness and allow myself the grace to come back to an idea if my mind/body isn’t in a favorable state to produce something meaningful. In terms of what I’m writing about lately – this week I’ve written a song that nods back to a time in my childhood and another one about feeling sort of feeling like an outsider. I guess I’m always just trying to process the thoughts that go through my mind.

Dr. J: How would you describe the music that you create? How has that process evolved or changed over time (especially as you think about your journey in the last few years)?

SR: Hmmm – great question. I usually tell people that we are an “indie rock band” that has been accepted in the Americana crowds. Live, we like to get down really soft and vulnerable and we like to bring the volume up just as heavy in those big parts. I love to marinate in the details of ambient sound, so that aspect usually isn’t too far away. I try to write songs that heal my head because i do feel like we’re all sharing around ideas and latching onto the ones that resonate with us. I guess I just hope that I get a chance to resonate with the right people.

Dr. J: What is next for you musically? How would you describe your thoughts at this point for your next project or release?

SR: I feel like I am just now really starting to understand who I am as a musician, as a singer, and as someone who is committed to living a creative life. I just had a few really exhaustingly rough months – this industry is tough. I do, now though, feel like I can clearly see my path forward, and I haven’t felt that, until now. I feel strong, autonomous, and I’m moving with purpose and allowing myself to nurture my creative spirit in ways that I haven’t felt able until now.

We will be launching a Patreon here in a month or two and I couldn’t be more excited about all that comes with it. We’ve labored so much over these thoughts. My next moves, including the Patreon, are a shift away from asking the industry to see me. The industry isn’t healthy enough for anyone to lean on, so leaning seems like a bad idea, right? To me it does, and I’m unwilling to spin my wheels anymore, I guess. I want a conversation directly with my fans. I want a way to build a community up in the way that I want to – not what someone else thinks I should be doing. It’s maybe an unglamorous and practical way to see it, but I hope to be a voice in this realm and I believe we need more alternatives thrown around. My hope is that my fans (and others) begin to see that the industry only serves the very top artists – the rest are hoping, floundering, and making bad decisions that they feel like they have to make, just to be seen. As an artist, you’re told many things you “need to do” and a lot of these things are distractions from what we should be spending time on. I’ve built a strategy that is not reliant on any industry because I refuse to be dragged around, and that’s where I felt I was.

That all being said, I am working on my first solo record. I am separately working with a small group of people on a brand new Hello June record. What’s more exciting to me than that is how much I’ll be incorporating Patreon into these releases. For instance, one perk of the Patreon that I’m super excited about is letting our fans in on our process. By that, I mean, incorporating them into the process – they will get access to bits and pieces (say, a verse and a chorus in length) and they’ll be able to choose which songs we move forward with as a band. We’ll then get to work and have “fly on the wall” sessions where they are invited to watch the next steps of the process. We’ll come back around to everyone with full songs, and some those full songs will eventually be released. I’m hoping to bring my fans closer to the project, be creating more than I am “content posting” and really grow and learn as musicians and artists in the meantime.

Dr. J: What is your favorite song to perform live? What is your favorite song to perform in general? What makes that song a current favorite in your performances?

SR: I think I’ll always be fond of playing “Handshakes” live – the flow of that one live is just really really fun. When people lock in with me, it’s as if we’re actively having a conversation and they get me. They hear me. The same goes for Interstate. That song has bridged gaps and has healed my heart in ways that only sharing that song with fans would have allowed. I love looking out to audience and knowing that our experience is shared. I’ve had many beautiful experiences with this song.

We also have a currently unreleased song called “Another Life.” We decided not to put it on Artifacts, but it’s been a fan-favorite since we’ve played it live. It stems from the same story-line as “California,” so I’d say you can expect a similar air to it. Our Patreon folks will get that one early for sure.

We want to extend our sincere gratitude to Sar Rudy for answering our questions and continuing to make truly authentic excellent music! Click on the links below the article to visit Hello June’s social media or to listen to the songs that we discussed! If any musicians or artists would like to participate in future ’Questions with…’ columns, please feel free to email us at drjytaa@gmail.com. All photos and images courtesy of Hello June.

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On December 1st, The Plus Four released an EP. However, that band is actually a trick, a sly slight of hand from Paul ‘Trip’ Ryan of SUPER 8. All songs on the EP were written, performed, recorded, and produced by Mr. Ryan. The music incorporates love of The Beatles, a sweet nod to Donovan, early ’60s melody and melancholy, and an unflinching focus on pop songwriting. The music of the 1960s stands as a testament to a revolutionary era, marked by social upheaval, cultural shifts, and artistic innovation. Drawing inspiration from this golden age of music allows contemporary artists such as ‘Trip’ to tap into a rich reservoir of creativity, blending nostalgia with modern sensibilities.

The ability to take influence of the past and build on to it is a testament to enduring impact on the evolution of the music being made by Mr. Ryan. From innovative approaches to sound and studio techniques to timeless songwriting and eclectic influences, music of the 1960s and 1970s continues to provide a rich tapestry for artists and musicians to draw inspiration. As indie musicians continue to forge their own paths in the ever-changing whirlwind of the music industry, the bands and musicians of the past remain a guiding light, a source of encouragement to embrace experimentation, celebrate diversity, and pursue artistic independence. The spirit of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Kinks, The Animals, The Searchers, Donovan and The Dave Clark Five lives on in the independent music scene via innovative artists like Paul ‘Trip’ Ryan. He holds a sacred testament to the timeless and transcendent nature of music that is catchy and thoughtful.

Remember that when the beat leads you to sway, clap and hum with a smile on your face — even if the lyrics are telling you terrible things can happen to all of us — it is because of the undeniable gravity of the pop hook. And, Trip is a master of the pop hook. Sometimes looking back allows us to move forward.

The elusive secret of the pop hook lies in its ability to transcend the boundaries of musical genres and captivate the listener’s attention with infectious melodies. Trip’s music, and especially this EP, stands in the present while looking back over his shoulder to a past that still sounds fresh and meaningful. A pop hook is that magical element that makes a song unforgettable, a snippet of sound that embeds itself in the listener’s mind and refuses to let go. It’s the sonic glue that binds the entire composition together, creating a memorable and often addictive experience. And that magic is the stock and trade of Paul Ryan.

At its core, a pop hook is a concise and catchy musical phrase that serves as the focal point of a song. It can manifest as a catchy vocal melody, an irresistible chord progression, or a combination of both in most of Trip’s songs. The secret lies in its simplicity and universality, making it accessible to a broad audience. Whether it’s the sing-along chorus or the infectious riff of a guitar, the pop hook has the power to resonate with listeners across diverse musical tastes.

The elusive nature of the pop hook is in its ability to strike a delicate balance between familiarity and novelty. It draws upon musical conventions and structures that are recognizable to the listener, providing a sense of comfort and predictability. Yet, at the same time, it introduces a unique twist or unexpected element that sets it apart from the mundane, ensuring that it stands out in the crowded landscape of popular music. This ability to hold these competing ideas together at the same time is a gift that Trip was blessed to possess.

The pop hooks of Paul Ryan whether we call him ‘Trip,’ ‘Super 8’ or ‘The Plus Four’, possess a magical quality that transcends cultural and linguistic barriers. It communicates directly with the listener’s emotions, creating an instant connection that transcends words. You want to sway, hum, and nod your head. The simplicity of a well-crafted pop hook allows it to become a universal language of emotion, enabling it to resonate with people around the world or across the years. Trip’s music is a carefully crafted combination of simplicity and uniqueness that transcends genres and cultures, leaving an indelible mark on the listener’s musical memory. As long as there are ears to listen, Trip’s quest for the perfect pop hook will continue to inspire anyone interested in great pop music regardless of the label we put on it or the time period in which it is generated.