Newcastle, England band, Club Paradise started 2020 with the release of their nostalgic 80s inspired track āTeenagers.ā Their latest single, āGrowing Up,ā is a sentimental synth-rock anthem that looks at our paced culture that makes changes before many are ready to let go of familiar items, trends or technology. The catchy lyrics plead for understanding of readiness, noting that āWeāre still growing up.ā
We chatted with Ryan Young, Jackson Vert, and Harry Webb about the single, recording in lockdown and more from the Club Paradise universe. Take a listen.
%CODE1%
Excerpt from the podcast:
What was the inspiration and writing process for your single, āGrowing Upā?
Jackson: We were in Ryanās – essentially a locked away little studio room. I remember the original idea came from using Ryanās DL6 964. I was like, letās just use the reverse function and see what happens. We used doubleĀ time and then, after that, it was just like this is too cool of a sound not to use. Thatās how the original beginning of the song came from one session.Ā
Ryan: For me, once we had that part, Jackson did this low guitar riff that you hear in the chorus. Once you add those bits, I was kind of like well we canāt let this go. We wrote it as a demo before we wrote āTeenagers,ā which is the single before this one. We kind of just let it sit for a while. Because it came around from a loop, it was a different process to approaching it. It follows the same structure, but dynamically is all itās driven off of because it follows the same pattern. It was cool to do something that style of song something that felt a little bit darker. I remember when Jackson did that little riff, it was the āNight of the Long Knivesā by Everything Everything – kind of like that industrial sort of tone we kind of had going on and we kind of went for that thing. The lyrics were the precursor for āTeenagersā because they go together so well, but this is kind of the more dystopian take on growing up, whereas āTeenagersā is the more nostalgic, dream-boat version, I guess.
If you could set fans up in the perfect environment to listen to āGrowing Up,ā what do you imagine it looking like?
Ryan: The artwork bedroom. So youāve got your favorite band posters on the wall, your Nintendo 64 and then thereās the GameCube in the corner. Youāve got your headphones in, playing music on an mp3 player. Youāve got some Reebok classics on, but at the time they’re not classics because it’s still back when they were new. Youāve got some straight cut jeans and a gray oversized t-shirt. Youāve got your trucker cap like Jacksonās on and a skateboard lining the wall at the side. Then when it turns to night, you can see all the stars and the lights going through your window, but a very colorful palette as well.
Listen to more of our interview with the band here:
%CODE1%
Listen to their new EP here:
%CODE2%
Amelia Cordischi, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Juice Box Press, is an accomplished digital marketing professional with over a decade of experience in media and communications. Her work has been featured in notable publications, including The Boston Globe. A communications graduate of Simmons University in Boston, Amelia served as manager of Simmons College Radio (āThe Sharkā), where she also launched and co-hosted her radio show, The Find.
In addition to her editorial work, Amelia is an established freelance photographer, with bylines in Blended Magazine and CelebMix, capturing artists and cultural moments across the music and media landscape. Her career began at WCVB-TVās Chronicle, the ABC affiliate in Boston, where she gained firsthand experience in broadcast journalism and storytelling.
When sheās not taking photos from the photo pit, interviewing emerging artists, or crafting the next Juice Box Press feature, Amelia can be found thrifting and exploring the world of sustainable fashion.