Thieves & Lovers is rock band from Pittsburgh, PA by way of sunny, sultry, southern California blending melody and driving guitars.
Please list all of your band members and their roles in the band.
Stoner here from Thieves & Lovers, thank you so much for this interview opportunity! I do vocals/guitars in the band, and Scott plays drums, percussion, piano, and believe it or not…accordion! He’s a really talented guy and a pleasure to work with.
For starters, what bands were you guys a part of prior to Thieves & Lovers? How long has the band been around?
Scott has worked with a number of bigger artists, playing and doing sound. He’s a true music professional and his insight into the industry is amazing. When the band started in Los Angeles I was the lead guitar player in a band called Rook’s Empire. We had a great vibe and were really making some noise on the club scene – but it just started to fizzle, as it goes. I had been coming up with a batch of songs that didn’t really fit that vibe, so I started Thieves & Lovers in 2014.
We all have varying careers outside of performing music. I do audio engineering, sales/marketing, and journalism, and Scott is a full-time audio engineer. It’s tough to make it just doing music these days, even for artists that have gotten pretty big. You have to be versatile. The silver lining is that a lot of things you learn working in other areas can translate into running the band business more efficiently.
What’s the origin of that name and have you changed the band’s name before?
We get asked that a lot, there’s not really an interesting story there. Somehow it came into my head one day and I thought it was the kind of name that could have many interpretations to different people. I also felt there was room to grow within it, stylistically.
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?
I come up with the ideas and then we run it through, working on arrangements and things like that. It’s always a back and forth, and the best way to know if a song resonates is to play it live. The audience won’t lie to you.
The songs come about just from experience I guess. I feel like the answer to this question is always some sort of cliché – but it’s true. Songs that hit a chord with listeners always come from a real place, regardless if it’s pop or thrash metal.
What bands are currently inspiring the music that you’re making?
There are so many great artists that have been inspiring. Jimmy Eat World, Gaslight Anthem, and Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers I would say are some of the biggest influences. There’s also some great new artists that are sort of more in the pop vein, but bring a cool twist. Huge 1975 fans – their stuff just keeps amazing me. There’s a newer artist called Lauv that has a really unique vibe, kind of like emo pop, and that’s inspired us to push creative boundaries.
Was there a particular band/artist or concert that inspired you to start a band?
I would say that inspiration started with FM radio, actually. There was an awesome station in my hometown when I was a kid called The Revolution that played all kinds of stuff – more modern rock like Green Day, Blink-182, and Third Eye Blind – but they also played classic rock. I would sit by the radio for hours and here a Metallica song, then a Green Day song, then Fleetwood Mac, then Barenaked Ladies. That exposure to so many different types of eras of rock was really inspiring as a kid just getting into playing guitar.
What do you do to prepare for a show? Any flexing, exercises, ect …
Being punctual and making sure all of the gear is ready for the show is important, as it really reduces a lot of show day stress. You don’t want to be scrambling around last minute. Aside from that, proper warm up is key. Everybody has their personal routines, because you have to get your mind and body into that performance mode. I do some yoga, which helps me get physically and mentally ready to throw down. Tea is mandatory. It warms up the vocal chords and the body.
Overall I would say just being ready to play – mind, body, gear, being rehearsed. It’s a cumulative effort.
What has been the biggest highlight of the band’s career so far?
Getting to play shows all over the country with all types of artists, and meeting so many different types of people in the process has been amazing experience. With Thieves & Lovers is really just comes down to being out there playing live.
If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would they be and why?
I always thought it would be amazing to open for Tom Petty or the Eagles, because we have that classic rock element. But there’s also more modern bands that touring with would be a dream come true – like Jimmy Eat World or Gaslight Anthem. There’s too many to pick.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
We’re really thankful for the opportunity here, and want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported the band over the years! You mean the world and it is literally impossible without you.