REVOLT WINE CO.

Interview

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1.  Can you tell us about the journey of Tess & The Details, from forming the band to signing with Double Helix Records and Engineer Records?

Tess & the Details began as a singer-songwriter project. In 2020, Tess went to the studio to record an EP, where she met Jacob and Gideon. After releasing the first EP, “Patient 139,” Tess and Gideon became close friends and started writing songs together. By the beginning of 2021, they realized they had enough material for a full-length album. Tess and Gideon returned to Jacob at ModernTimes Studios to record the album “Runaway.” When the recording process for “Runaway” was completed, there was a lingering question of “what’s next?” Tess and Gideon wanted to form a band, but Jacob couldn’t commit. That’s when Tess and Gideon teamed up with Lawrence Hood on bass guitar and Dustin Galecki on lead guitar.

Regarding Double Helix Records, Gideon had a connection with his old bandmate Yotam Ben Horin from Useless ID, who loved the record and introduced the band to Double Helix Records. The people at the label were kind, genuine, and fans of the music, so there was an immediate connection between the group and the label. Double Helix took a chance on the fairly young, unsigned band and decided to release the record.

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2.  How was it recording your debut album “Runaway” at ModernTone Studios? What influenced the sound and direction of the music?

The writing and recording process of “Runaway” was different from the previous EP because this time there were several writers in the process. Gideon & Tess wrote a lot of the songs together and discovered a very fast and streamlined way to write music together. At the beginning of the process, Tess had a very specific and targeted vision for the record, which evolved into something fairly different as the recording process took shape. Jacob’s producing process is very methodical, organized, and detail-oriented. There is not a single chord or snare hit that is not thought of, planned, and accounted for. That, in conjunction with his approach of getting the best take out of musicians, resulted in the sound of the record. Every song was played tens, if not hundreds of times, and every take was played tens, if not hundreds, of times until the perfect take was captured. The recording process was a combination of every good and “healthy” recording process. There was a lot of sweat, laughter, tears, broken guitars and broken drumsticks, but overall it was a celebration of creativity and friendship. All the members of the group came from different backgrounds in the punk scene but mutually tried to mold their influences and approaches into this record. Some of the songs are dark and heavy, some are happy and poppy. The common base for all the songs is that each one had the same amount of attention and love invested.

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3.  What inspired the themes of mental health, gender equality, and optimism that are prevalent in your lyrics and social messaging?

Experience inspired our message. We’re a female-fronted band and we embrace that fact. Mental health is something everyone is responsible for and we want to encourage our fans and friends to take charge of their mental state and not make excuses. People get hurt too often when we’re living in our own heads. No journey is perfect, but being optimistic while giving our demons a run for their money in our songs is what we aim for. We want to inspire people to live their lives to the fullest, no matter what stands in their way.

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4.  Could you share some insights into the creative process behind the music videos for “Canary” and “Runaway”?

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5.  During your set, I noticed how you’re able to foster connections with your audience. Is there a particular artist who inspired you to connect that way?

Every show is different and just get inspired by what we see. We embrace every audience from the people in the front going nuts to the random people milling around the bar. Each person is an opportunity. It’s our job to entertain you, and we hope we do that well!

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6.  The band name Tess & The Details suggests a meticulous approach to every aspect of the craft. Can you elaborate on your attention to detail in songwriting, sound production, merchandise, and/or live performances?

That is exactly what originated this name. We strive to place a lot of attention on everything we do, everything is planned. From the songwriting process to our stage clothes, cover art, merch, etc. Just to share a few examples, Tess is an avid reader and a true hardcore bookworm, so when it comes to writing lyrics, she will never opt for a rhyme just because it sounds good in the ear; she will always fight for a good storyline or something the listener can resonate with. When we choose our gear, everything has to be both sonically and aesthetically aligned, from the Gibson Les Paul guitars to our Marshall JCM amps, and the pearl sparkle drums, everything needs to be aligned with the color scheme of the record. When we write our live set, again everything needs to be streamlined and thought out; we’re connecting songs when we can, we plan the stage banter, we have backup plans for when things go wrong. Whether we play a dive bar or a festival – we treat every performance as if we’re on the Warped Tour. We strive to find the perfect balance between being professional and taking ourselves seriously and NOT taking ourselves too seriously. Details matter.

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7.  What impact do you hope to achieve with your music, both on a personal level and within the broader scene?

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8.  Looking ahead, what can fans expect from Tess & The Details in the future?

We are a very hardworking band, and we recognize that it doesn’t end with “writing music”. Most of the work is being done in the background, promoting the band, the music, and just hustling. Currently, we are playing shows, tours, and working on booking opportunities to promote “Runaway”. But we are constantly writing and demoing new material. The plan is to start recording the next release by the end of 2024…..

More Info:  Website // Bandcamp // Instagram