By Nancy Sheppard What inspired the creation of your album “Go Wild”? Were there any specific influences or experiences that shaped its sound and themes?
A: One of the core themes of the album was to express our identities and also show a duality between feeling a loss of control and freeing yourself. We felt it was very natural to show our fun, silly, satirical sides as well as how f**ing pissed we are at the world. Even the order of the songs was not arbitrary; we structured the album as if you were meeting and getting to know us as a band, and we were very intentional in the placement of every song which is why we hope listeners go through it in order.
Can you share the songwriting process behind “Go Wild”? How did you collaborate as a band to develop the songs and lyrics?
A: It was a pretty even split between songs we had written individually being reworked for the band and collaborating on new songs based on our growing bond as a band. For example, Go Wild (Act I & II) Revolve, & Dead Yet? were existing songs written by Nat and Paul, while Cats, Dogs, & Rock ‘n’ Roll & Grenadine Zombie were collaborations among band members made specifically for Night Fury.
What was the recording experience like for “Go Wild”? Were there any memorable moments or challenges during the sessions?
A: The entirety of ‘Go Wild’ was recorded in basements and bedrooms in the most DIY way possible (nowadays, the norm). We started our recording process end of January and finished about 80% of the recording end of February since some songs still needed lyric adjustments, and recorded the rest sporadically until mid-October while John mixed and mastered. Some of our favorite memories are of the three of us straight-up shirtless in the least sexy way possible, sweating our asses off in the basement on one of the hottest days of the year. For the gang vocals heard in multiple songs, we had to repeatedly chant in different “emotions” (angry, drunk, happy…) and we looked pretty silly. Finally, during some re-records in John’s bedroom, Nat & John had to endure some technical difficulties and when they were finally resolved, a classic Philly drumline decided to march outside the window repeatedly with perfect comedic timing. Needless to say, we rescheduled those re-records.
How has the band’s sound evolved since your previous releases? What new elements or styles did you explore on “Go Wild”?
A: Initially, it was just Nat and Paul writing songs about cats and stuff, reworking existing songs trying to find other musicians to join, so the songs were more simplistic while still having, in our view, strong lyrics. However, as we’ve evolved as a band, Paul and John figured out a grittier, meaner sound, especially regarding pedals used live and during recording. Nat personally has struggled with feeling okay with being angry since women are conditioned not to show anger the way men are allowed to, and you can tell in previous rehearsal recordings how she has “unleashed the angsty beast” now. You can also tell that in the songwriting. We’re still technically a “baby band” so that could really go any direction!
Which track from “Go Wild” is your personal favorite and why? What makes it stand out to you?
A: John: I’m biased, but my favorite is Grenadine Zombie. To me, it’s the most successful song I’ve ever written in connecting with the listener, having a bard-esque quality of filling you with energy and rage when you hear it. We’ve never played it live without getting an audible reaction from people. From the others, I’d say I’ve always loved Dead Yet. To me, it’s a shining example of expert songwriting that fully captures every corner of the band’s personality – dark, funny, clever, catchy, energetic, and powerful.
Paul: The heavy ones turned out really well, I was very happy with the blending of loud guitars with beautiful harmonies in Cool. And Revolve ended up sounding like Def Leppard.
Nat: Well, Paul and John stole mine so thanks! But yeah, in no particular order, Grenadine Zombie, Revolve, Cool, and Go Wild (Act I). Revolve was the first song I contributed that I wrote mostly on my own so it was a huge challenge; I was very scared to share it at first but it ended up being a fan favorite. I think going back on the process of finding my anger, Grenadine Zombie was a satisfying release and it was awesome to co-write with John when I had mostly been co-writing with Paul, so I felt like he and I got to bond. Cool is a freakin jam, and it’s strong. Go Wild (Act I) makes me feel like I’m soaring every time I perform it and it was mixed beautifully.
How did Night Fury initially form as a band? Can you share the story behind your band’s name and how you all came together?
A: Paul and Nat were the OG members, and we started as Facebook contacts. Paul and Nat were ships in the night in the Philly burlesque scene, and finally connected through Timaree Leigh when Nat expressed enthusiastic interest in starting a band on social media in May of 2022. From there, we had some ups and downs with members who just weren’t the right fit. John miraculously joined us in October of 2022 and we instantly had a mutual view of what Night Fury should look like. We’re officially announcing it at our Album Release Party, but we were recently joined by Travis John, our new drummer! He’s awesome and has blended in seamlessly.
Nat: Although I have a glittery punk aesthetic, I absolutely love animated films (Pixar, Dreamworks, Disney…), and my favorite character of all time is Toothless the Dragon from How To Train Your Dragon. The name of the species of that dragon is ‘Night Fury’. The reason I wanted us to be named after him was that he is super sweet and silly and loyal, but is also a badass warrior who fights evil and that’s what I want us to be; kind, badass punks.
What are some of the key influences and artists that have shaped Night Fury’s sound and style over the years?
A: John: I come from a mix of the thrash/nu metal of my childhood, the emo/pop punk of my early years as a musician, and even more random corners like 80s new wave and hyperpop nowadays. I’d say my biggest influences on the whole are My Chemical Romance, Linkin Park, Muse, and Ludo. Perfect Consumer definitely has some Duran Duran, Cars, I Don’t Know How But They Found Me, and Lady Gaga. Grenadine, on the other hand, comes more from those core roots.
Nat: For me it’s weird; I love power femmes like Lady Gaga, Pink, Hayley Williams, and LP, but when it comes to the band’s sound I felt a more glam vibe (I mean, there’s the Gaga right there) combined with the rawness of punk so I think MCR, Paramore, Green Day was another influence for me. I did realize during the process how much I unconsciously channeled Pat Benatar into Revolve especially. So a combo of 80’s/70’s glam with modern emo, theatrical rock, and, of course, femme power.
Paul: ’80s hair metal; 90’s alternative and musicals like Hair and RENT.
How do you approach your live performances? What can fans expect from a Night Fury show?
A: They should expect an experience and not just musicians playing songs in the background. We’ve been working on adding more theatricality to the show and getting the audience more involved. We want to bring the old-school rock show to the modern stage. Nat particularly likes glitter. I don’t know if that paints a picture for you. We just want people to be immersed in the performance and not just observers.
Are there any future projects or collaborations in the works for Night Fury? What can fans look forward to in the coming months or years?
A: Right now, it’s all “Go Wild” all the time (plus some downtime to rest and maybe cook up new material). But our goal in 2024 is to travel to the outskirts of Philadelphia and beyond to find our audience who we know is out there. We know it’s here in Philly too, but there are just so many good bands here that it’s hard to stand out. Our main goal is to build up our fan base so that our bigger city shows will be all the more exciting.
As a band, what are your long-term goals and aspirations? How do you envision Night Fury’s future in the music industry?
A: Firstly, women are getting snubbed in rock (I mean, in the music scene in general, but rock has been predominantly cis-man flooded genre). Even more so, Latina Women in rock. The only two bands I know in the mainstream (off the top of my head) that are more femme-powered are Paramore & The Warning. We need more. And we need more ‘song-focused’ rock bands in the current music climate too, with every song having its own personality. It is vague to say we want to be touring, paid recording artists, (I’m sure all bands say that, but we really mean it!) but at the end of the day, we have something we believe to be special, we think we have something different too, and in our short career as Night Fury, we think we may be onto something.
