Classically trained on the piano from ages 8-17, Mark DiLillo began writing solo piano songs while living on a street named Welsh Avenue. After learning how to produce music on Ableton, Welsh Avenue really started to take on the mold of the alternative electro pop act that it is today.
Please list all of your band members and their roles in the band.
Mark DiLillo - vocals, keys, production
For starters, what bands were you guys a part of prior to Welsh Avenue? How long has the band been around?
I had a project with my great friend/roommate Colin Klingemann in college called Lunar Caustic but we live in separate cities now so that was just a fun project; we still jam out sometimes when we see each other. During that project I learned how to use Ableton for lo-fi producing. I also currently play keys for an artist named Christine Renner. I have been writing as Welsh Avenue for about 5 years.
What’s the origin of that name and have you changed the band’s name before?
Welsh Avenue is the street I lived when I started writing songs. I just liked the esthetic of the phrase and just stuck with it.
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 (Mark) write the songs. The themes of my music are the patterns I observe in life. Life is built upon and exists within a series of patterns, and so does music. So music is a very realistic form of art, which is why a concert can bring you to tears. It's something like, when the patterns of the music you are hearing align with the patterns of life that you are experiencing, great emotion ensues. So I try to pick out the patterns of life that inspire me and turn them into a listening experience, to hopefully inspire others. Which is probably true of many songwriters.
What bands are currently inspiring the music that you’re making?
Toro y moi, Tennis, Dawes
Was there a particular band/artist or concert that inspired you to start a band?
Not really one in particular. I started writing music to express myself and my creativity I think. But I go to the symphony with my mom sometimes, and I really draw inspiration from all those individual parts working together.
What do you do to prepare for a show? Any flexing, exercises, etc …
Just a short time of meditation so I can hyper-focus.
What has been the biggest highlight of the band’s career so far?
Working with Joshua Rumer and Invengo Productions. He really helped my art become a well-polished product.
If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would they be and why?
Toro y moi, Kanye West, Brian Williams of Beach Boys, Trevor Powers (Youth Lagoon) and Twin Shadow. I would just like to chance to sit down and have conversations with these artists so I can find out what their inspirations are, and get to know them outside of the music that they write.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Thank you so much for the interview!