The Sonder Bombs are a local Cleveland Uke Punk band mixed with pop influence and a dash of inappropriate language.

Please list all of your band members and their roles in the band.

Jimmy Lo Fi : Guitar/Bass/Drums & back up vocals

Willow Hawks : Uke/Guitar & main vocals

For starters, what bands were you guys a part of prior to The Sonder Bombs? How long has the band been around?

Prior to The Sonder Bombs, Jimmy was the only one in any other bands. He started a solo project called The Pillory when he was 15 and that later transformed into Jimmy Lo Fi. He is also in a band called The Scuzzballs, which has a garage/surf punk kind of sound.

I haven’t been in a band before this so it’s my first shot at it. We’ve been a band for about 8 months and so far I think we’re doing pretty good. There’s not much that’s better than making music with your best friend.

What’s the origin of that name and have you changed the band’s name before?

“The Sonder Bombs” came from a mixture of having recently watched The Runaways movie about Joan Jett, with the song Cherry Bomb fresh in our heads, and love of the word sonder. The definition of Sonder is the sudden realization that each and every passerby is living a life just as vivid and complex as your own. And when you get that sudden burst of understanding that comes with Sonder, it kinda hits your brain like a bomb. I guess we kind of want our sound to do the same.

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?

Well on our EP that we’re currently recording, it’s a collective project more or less. I write the lyrics and the vocal melodies and pretty much the bare bones of the song on uke, and then once I feel comfortable enough to show Jimmy, I bring it to him to help me polish and he adds the guitar and bass and drum accents. I love writing with him because he does so much to the songs by adding so little and still keeping true to the original song, while highlighting everything about it.

A lot of our songs are about one night stands, living under the influence, friendships and relationships all sorts of stuff. And I am sure that these topics will change over time just cause I write about life and my life experiences so as my life changes, so will my music. Which is cool with me.

What bands are currently inspiring the music that you’re making?

As I’m the main song writin’ mother fucker right now, my musical inspirations change all the time. But I am infinitely inspired by Max Bemis from Say Anything, Pixies, The Front Bottoms and Mac Demarco. But a lot of our guitar leads are influenced by Weezer as well. Cause everybody knows that Rivers Cuomo is a damn catchy guy!

Was there a particular band/artist or concert that inspired you to start a band?

Well Jimmy and I bonded over Pixies from day one and that’s always been a huge influence for both of us. Weezer is another big one. But I think that it had less to do with a band making/influencing us want to be in a band together and more that we just realized how well we clicked musically and that we hadn’t been able to really find that in other musicians that we’ve worked with separately. It was an Ah-Ha moment for sure that neither of us were planning on passing up.

What do you do to prepare for a show? Any flexing, exercises, ect …

Drink beer and try to not throw up from nervousness! Jimmy is usually fine Haha but honestly before shows, we usually practice in the day and then I try to distract myself as much as possible cause I get so nervous. The second I get to the venue and set up and I’m on stage, I’m fine. But all the time leading up from the moment I wake up and remember that I have a show that day, I’m an anxious mess.

What has been the biggest highlight of the band’s career so far?

So far every show is a highlight. We love playing at Mahall’s in Lakewood. That place feels like home to us.

But I will say that playing at the Rock and Roll Hall or Fame was awesome. AND we have a show in October at Mahall’s, opening for one of our new favorite independent bands, SALES. They kick serious ass. So that’s definitely a highlight that we’re looking forward to.

If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would they be and why?

I’d think touring with Joan Jett would be the most amazing thing ever. Being able to tour with another woman who has been in the business for years and was able to break stereotypes for woman in music would be incredible. And I think Queens Of The Stone Age would be a fucking rad party just all the time.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

We always try to make it a point to kind of briefly touch on the importance of wearing earplugs to shows.  Everyone loves loud music to a point and even those who don’t regularly expose themselves to it should be equally as careful. This means not only preparing when you know the band is going to be loud but also when you think that the band will be quiet. You never know, you could have a band sound engineer that has the volume up way too high on everything. It’s such a small and easy step to take in being protected.  

Jimmy and I have a close friend who suffered from pretty painful and traumatizing hearing loss at only 20 years old due to playing in/attending loud punk shows while not protecting his ears properly.  HEARING LOSS ISN’T PUNK ROCK.