RICKY ROCHELLE
What are your earliest memories of loving music? You told me once that your parents were pretty supportive of you singing at an early age - do you recall any formative experiences where you realized, "Yes! I want to do this!"? Also, which bands/artists were your earliest favorites?
I first got into music from hanging out with my Dad and listening to the oldies station in the car, which played “Runaway” by Del Shannon and songs of that sort. I bought a few CDs in the late 90’s, like Stunt by Barenaked Ladies. Then I heard “What’s My Age Again?” on the radio in 1999 and loved it. I bought Enema of the State by blink-182 and I was hooked on pop punk from then on in. I discovered the Queers and the Ramones and everyone else from there.
When I was 13, my friend and I had the same taste in music, so while at a Mets game, we decided to start a band. I chose to play drums and he would play electric guitar. We met a bass player, and then a singer, which became my first real band, Project 27.
Were you in any bands prior to Project 27? That band seemed like it had the potential to really take off, but then it ended after the great album Smarten Up!. What are your recollections from that time, and how has your songwriting perspective evolved since then?
Project 27 started things off for me. We played from 2001 through 2011. I was the main songwriter for the band and I handled almost all of our responsibilities, it was a lot of work. We played almost 200 shows, including Insubordination Fest in 2008. We went on three national tours, released a few vinyl EPs, and two full lengths, Smarten Up (2009) and Missing One (2010).
Rookie Rochelle was our merch guy for years, so he was always hanging around and helping us. The guys in the band were a lot of fun. Sometimes I felt like the ringleader of a bunch of degenerates, which I basically was, but I liked it, and I miss that action. That said, things are easier now in the Young Rochelles because we all have roles we play to keep the band moving forward.
My songwriting perspective back in Project 27 was completely based on my reality. I was young and my emotions were a little less regulated. I write with a greater sense of understanding now, of music and life. I’ve since been successful in writing songs both novel and serious. I learned a great deal about production value by spending a lot of time in recording studios, which has helped me grow too.
Before The Young Rochelles, there was/(is?) The New Rochelles. My impression is that you weren't the primary songwriter in that band - so how did the transition occur and how did you want to distinguish The Young Rochelles from the former band musically? Both are clearly rooted in a very straightforward approach, but they each have their own distinct flavors.
The New Rochelles actually formed in 2002 as a side band to Project 27. Once Project 27 started to fade, we focused our energy on the New Rochelles. Ronnie Rochelle wrote most of the tunes and I was happy to drum and sing backups in the band. We were only really active in 2010 and 2011. In that time, we recorded It’s New! and then additional songs that made up EPs and later our full discography entitled, It’s New Too! We agreed to record the Ramones Animal Boy album, but Ronnie Rochelle moved to Florida in 2012. That left me, Rookie, and the Rochelles engineer/producer to learn it and start recording it ourselves. During that time, we won a contest to record for free at Converse Rubber Tracks studio in Brooklyn. The Rochelles producer became Ray Jay Rochelle, and we formed the Young Rochelles with leftover songs I had written for the New Rochelles. We recorded the beginnings of those songs at Rubber Tracks in January 2013 and the Young Rochelles were born. Next we recorded the music for Animal Boy, and in 2014, Ronnie Rochelle visited New York and tracked vocals for the album. The New Rochelles Animal Boy will eventually come, with it’s release date to be determined. No other plans for the New Rochelles are in the works.
I aim to be true to my sound as I write songs for the Young Rochelles. It wasn’t natural or necessary to copy the New Rochelles, though we still maintain a similar enough sound, but with a twist for sure. We’re family bands, and the Rochelles live on.
Not sure about the timeline here, but you recorded a solo album a few years ago. I don't even think a lot of YR fans know about it - care to shed light on this mysterious album? What were the circumstances that lead to it, and what were your goals in writing it? It definitely wasn't a Ramonescore album!
I recorded a solo album under my “alter ego” in 2012. It was in between the time when the New Rochelles became inactive but before the Young Rochelles existed. The album wasn’t promoted at all nor was it on a record label. It was electronic pop album. I’m proud of it even though hardly anyone has heard it. My goal for it was simply to make a great album that was different sounding than my other recordings. If people want to find it on Bandcamp, they can. I made a music video that’s on YouTube as well.
Something interesting I've noticed is that the Young Rochelles songs seem to stray further from the typical "Ramonescore" structures and trappings arrangements-wise, yet the overall aesthetics are still clearly rooted in what I'd consider to be a modern and updated version of traditional pop punk. What is your take on this? I know you write songs on an acoustic guitar, so do you think that these songs could be just as easily recorded in a different style of rock?
The Young Rochelles preserve the Ramones energy in the way that suits us. I dislike the term, “Ramonescore,” when describing my band because it pigeonholes us. The best listeners will hear and appreciate our true formula which extends beyond that.
When writing, I have a “campfire rule.” I write songs on acoustic guitar to ensure their universality, if you will. If someone could play my songs on a guitar around a campfire and people could easily sing along to the song, without the big production value necessary to its success, then I know what I’m doing is working. I intend for people to digest and cover my songs with ease. Finally, I believe transposition is powerful -- Most songs can be transposed into any genre and any key.
Production-wise, I've always been rather jealous of both your patience in pacing your releases and also the extremely high quality of your recordings. Do you personally have a lot of knowledge that lends itself to the YR recording process? Have you always had a specific criteria for quality with respect to the recordings you release? Even going back to Project 27, everything has always sounded very tight, clean, and full production-wise.
Anything I release officially has to be ready for all ears. I want it to appeal to everyone, so the quality has to be high. Occasionally, punks perceive “overproduction” in my music, but I think a song is a song at the end of the day.
I work with producers who I trust. I put my faith in them and allow them to shape the music. The balance of ideas are an important part of both the journey and the result.
Is it ever weird being the drummer who's also a lead singer? And furthermore, how did you develop the perfect Marky Ramone technique? When I watch your hi-hat attack, it's got a lot of finesse and technique in there that suggests you may have some formal drum training? What about vocal training or other musical schooling? How formal are your skills?
Thanks!! I’ve had drum lessons, yeah. At points in time I’ve wanted to just sing, but it doesn’t end up happening.
I was in the school chorus for nine years, from grades 4 through 12. I took several music theory classes and joined songwriting workshops. I attended graduate school at one point for music therapy, but decided to discontinue it. I worked in a nursing home and rehab center for seven years as a musician which furthered my experience. I strolled around the hallways and rooms playing guitar and singing, and I held jam sessions where the residents played percussion instruments and sang. I also led a chorus there and we held four concerts a year.
Your voice for the Young Rochelles is very tuneful and crystal clear in pitch, but I know it's only one of many styles of singing that you can achieve. What were your intentions when you developed the vocal aesthetic that you're known for? How would you describe it? To me it's a very friendly, inviting tone that is an interesting contrast to the fast and loud rock attack it's set against.
I’d say I’m a friendly and inviting person, so if my singing reflects that, that’s cool. I had no clear intentions of my vocal style beyond just being me. I hope it has a unique quality to it, but that’s not for me to judge. I knew I wanted to mostly sing and not yell, although I do like to switch between my typical singing voice and my throaty snarl within the same song sometimes. I always warm up my voice before practices and shows, and I use a headset monitor while on drums so that I can hear myself sing. I think all that’s rare for singers of the punk genre.
Punk rock has become a habit for me, and at this point in time, I’m tired of hearing synthesizers in every song on the radio. I want rock to return. The world is too shallow in feeling without it. I’m making an effort to continue the legacy of rock’n’roll for the people who need it.
You guys are a New York band, yet always seem to be on the periphery of the New York scene. Even though you got to play Insub Fest in 2013, I always felt that you guys were outsiders somewhat in the PPMB scene. Do you feel that way? To what extent do you feel like you're part of a pop punk community? Which bands and fans do you connect with the most on a personal level?
I didn’t make efforts to be active on the PPMB, but I think we are liked by the our local music peers who were on it. Unfortunately, there’s not much happening in the New York pop punk scene right now, but it’s always good to see those old friends out at shows when bands like Teenage Bottlerocket come through town.
The Young Rochelles go beyond the New York scene. We’re a part of the global pop punk community, if you will. The internet has made that easier. Our friends are truly scattered all over, but they know who they are. You’re one of them, DEEDS!
You guys have filmed several music videos and they're all very official. I know that must be a very time-consuming and exhausting process, though. Do you feel it's worth it? Does it sometimes feel that the collective attention spans are so short that your hard work is bound to be digested and shat out quickly, if at all?
Our videos are actually pretty easy and lots of fun to film. We get involved in editing when necessary, which can be more of a process. We make music videos for fun and to keep the band official. The videos highlight our timeline as a band. It’s another way for fans to enjoy the our work, so it’s worth it.
What are some of your long-term goals for the Young Rochelles and for yourself musically? Are there other genres of music you'd like to explore? Do you sometimes feel that the aesthetic of The Young Rochelles is too confining? Band uniforms, all downstrokes, LJ's in tow - do you ever get sick of that?
My long term goal is to compile a respected discography throughout my music “career.” It’s sometimes a challenge to work within the aesthetic of the Young Rochelles, but I like that challenge. I also feel the power to stretch the formula if I’m inspired to do so. The Young Rochelles can be whatever we want it to be, and there’s freedom in that, while still focusing on the big picture. It’s all about balance.
Who are your all-time favorite songwriters? What more would you aspire to be as a songwriter - are there levels you've yet to achieve that you're working towards or are you just letting it happen naturally? How much "study" and thought goes into your songwriting craft? Do you feel that your songwriting personality is distinct?
I feel more strongly about songs, not songwriters. That said, some that stand out in my mind are: Lennon/McCartney/Harrison, Bri
I’m constantly thinking about songs and the elements that make them hits. Music is a language which I’ve worked to understand, and I use thinking and feeling when creating songs. I like to utilize as many chords in the key that I’m in. I sometimes sprinkle in extra chords that are outside of the scale, yet still work in context. I like to add unexpected elements when I can. For instance, including a descending key change, like in “She’s Always Glowin’.” My best songs capture a particular feeling or mood, have emotional lyrics that are personally meaningful, include melodic leaps in its vocal melody, and contain interesting chord progressions.
I’d say my songwriting style is distinct. I think about it more as a timeline of my life versus it being levels to achieve; I grow as a songwriter in time with experience. It’s a natural process. I’ve always been critical about what songs I choose to keep for albums because I believe that’s an important part of the big picture. I’d like to have a greatest hits album someday.
You also play in a cover band and have told me that it's more "successful" in terms of the money and the crowd enthusiasm. Is it fun for you? Do you feel that this avenue is satisfying enough that it could potentially eclipse the independent route of playing originals and trying to "make it" in a punk band when pop punk's relevance today is highly questionable?
It’s been fun at times, but no, I love making original music and I don’t get enough satisfaction out of playing strictly covers. It’s not what I was meant to do.
What are some of the best and worst times you've experienced as a musician? Do you often feel discouraged or frustrated by the results of your musical efforts? What do you consider to be your proudest moment as a songwriter? What's your favorite song that you've written and album that you've played on? What's next for Ricky Rochelle?
My favorite album to play on was Project 27’s “Smarten Up,” because I enjoyed collaborating with all the musicians that were involved on the album. My favorite song for Project 27 is “Next September” and my favorite song for the Young Rochelles is “Cannibal Island.”
The best times as a musician happen when listeners appreciate what you do. It brings about feelings of pride and the reputation earned makes it worthwhile. I suppose the worst experiences stem from how musicians are treated. There are times when we’re treated pretty poorly and left working under stressful conditions. We don’t want to be paid in pizza either, as tasty as in may be. I appreciate anyone who has taken care of us and made our appearances worth our while.
I sometimes get frustrated by the public results of my efforts, but not discouraged. I see the long view and steamroll through adversity because I have enough knowledge and drive to keep going. I know that time is on my side, and that’s a big factor.
My proudest moment as a songwriter came in 2012 when I had a meeting with Sony/ATV Music Publishing in New York City. I met with the co-president of the company and the vice president of marketing who were impressed with the songs I had sent to them. They asked me to travel to California to be on a songwriting team that writes for radio. I should have done it, but out of fear of the uncertain and because of loyalty to my job, I said no. You’ve gotta take the opportunities when they come to you. Sony/ATV later assigned me to write and record a song for a commercial, which I did, but it unfortunately didn’t end up being used.
Luckily, songwriting is my true passion in life and my motivations continue beyond a past regret. I’m working obsessively now on the next record for the Young Rochelles; Thinking, writing, and constantly sequencing the existing songs. We’ll be touring this July/August in support of our live album entitled, It’s Alive, Too! and we hope to begin recording our next studio album by the end of this year. It’s gonna be a great one... I can’t wait for the world to hear it!!
Thanks for the interview and thanks for reading!!
Great interview. Much respect!
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