Perenna is an alternative rock band from Boston, MA.
Please list all of your band members and their roles in the band.
Clark Davenport - Drums
Seth Christopher - Guitars/Bass
James Smitty - Vocals/Guitars
For starters, what bands were you guys a part of prior to Perenna? How long has the band been around?
Clark Davenport:
• 3 Good Reasons (2 Years)
• Modern Elite (2 years)
• Note the Nuance (6 years)
• MIT Festival Jazz Ensemble (3 Years)
Seth Christopher:
• At All Costs (1 Year)
James Smitty:
• Seconds to Stand (2 Years)
What’s the origin of that name and have you changed the band’s name before?
Anna Perenna is the Roman goddess of the “circle,” or the constant passage of time everlasting. We strive to create timeless music that can be enjoyed by all.
Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs and do you think these topics will change over time?
All members take part in songwriting, though Smitty takes the lead on most lyrical content. Typically, we write the music first without lyrics. The primary composer translates the emotions into melodies that the lyricist will create a story from. We write about loss, grief, isolation, paranoia, nostalgia, and triumph (or whatever is in Smitty’s little noodle at the time 🙈).
What bands are currently inspiring the music that you’re making?
Clark Davenport:
• Coheed and Cambria
• Dance Gavin Dance
• Tower of Power
Seth Christopher:
• Viro the Virus
• MF DOOM (ALL CAPS WHEN YOU SPELL THE MAN NAME)
• J Dilla
• Madlib
• Freddie Gibbs
James Smitty:
• The Wonder Years
• Incubus
• Aesop Rock
Was there a particular band/artist or concert that inspired you to start a band?
Clark Davenport: It looked like Travis Barker was really enjoying himself.
Seth Christopher: When I was 3, my mom had MTV on with a ZZ Top music video playing, and I turned to her and said, “Mama, I want big hair and a guitar.”
James Smitty: My elementary school buddy showed me Green Day, and on the same day showed me his older brother’s band that was jamming downstairs and thought, “I want to do that, too!,” because that looked sick - and the rest was history.
What do you do to prepare for a show? Any flexing, exercises, ect …
Clark Davenport: I play by myself in the corner with a practice pad.
James Smitty: I like to step out of the venue, clear my head, warm my voice up a little, and separate myself from the noise for a little bit before I head in.
Seth Christopher: I put my pants on, one leg at a time, and then go in.
What has been the biggest highlight of the band’s career so far?
Being able to produce an album and two music videos to support our singles with members located on opposite coasts is a pretty sweet thing for us.
If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would they be and why?
August Burns Red - Those dudes go hard!
Dance Gavin Dance - They’re amazing musicians and they seem hilarious.
Wu Tang Clan - Because they’re for the children.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Shout out to our boys Tommy Iannello for the production wizardry and Juanito Sanchez at Five X Films for the unmatched music videos!
“The Phantom Menace was a great Star Wars movie.” - Smitty
“Kobe beef is a scam.” - Clark
“Chipotle sucks, don’t @ me. (@Qdoba love you bebe grrrl 😘).” - Seth
Check out our new album, Muses, out March 11 on all major platforms!