If you missed the listening party of ‘A Gentle Reminder to Rest’ Digital Album pre-launch, don’t worry. We got you! Our team had a chance to get to know the band on a much more personal level. Here to share their journey in creating the album, are the guys from Amateurish.
Discover the creative dynamics and stories behind the songs. Also, have the first bite of new and upcoming projects the band is excited about. What’s next for the band? What songs speak most to the members? And why the Llama? We know you are curious, too! Tune in as Amateurish reviews their journey, and share the stories behind some of your favorite tracks in their album, now available on Spotify and other digital platforms! Read on while you listen!
Apsi: Please introduce us to the album “A Gentle Reminder to Rest”
Amateurish: The album will feature 11 songs in total, 5 of which are already on Spotify. It includes songs from our first EP and new never-before-heard tracks. Turbulence being one we think some of our fans are excited for.
Congrats on your album! Finally! What else would your audience anticipate and any exciting news we never expect from you guys?
On top of the album, we’re also going to release two EPs. We plan to release a 5-track Japanese version, and a 5-track electronic remix of selected songs.
You mentioned this album is dedicated to the “heroes”. How much do your fans and supporters play a role in the band’s journey?
Yes, Heroes. We get comments like “Why amateurish if you guys are clearly not?
The name is actually more of a statement. That in whatever we pursue, being an amateur is not a bad thing. That we can just be average at our own pace and still get to where we want and be content with it!
Each and every one of our followers are heroes in their own right. Students, working single parents, burnt-out employees, breadwinners, you name it. If you constantly show up even when things get difficult, you’re a hero in our book (we love you guys so much). If there’s just one person we inspired to pick up an instrument or start a band, then we’ve reached our goal.
No Cape is an anthem for ordinary people, everyday heroes who work tirelessly. What does each song in your upcoming album mean to you? Is there a track with more special meaning to you guys?
You’re 100% accurate on No Cape!
Quick story, we had the melody playing in our heads coming from a gig and as soon as we got home, we wrote the lyrics, recorded the guitar parts added drums, and released a raw version the next morning! No Cape was probably the fastest song we wrote, recorded, and uploaded.
Each song has a special place in our hearts but one track that stands out to us is “A gentle reminder to rest.”
It was written during the pandemic with Dilaw’s guitarist Vie providing the original rhythm section and Grey writing the lyrics. We had to park writing it when the lockdown ended as both our bands started playing live gigs. It sounded very different from what it is now. After a few months, we needed to complete the album with one last song and it was just the perfect one to end the album with. We feel like it perfectly ties all the songs together and marks the end of a chapter for us.
Every track tackles a unique story and they sound conversational. Your fans love how thematic they are. Tell us about your songwriting/creative process. What inspires you with the song lyrics and making their melodies?
Each song is greatly inspired by our individual experiences in life and the specific emotions we felt at the time of writing, and we’re just really happy that our fans found something in our songs that they can relate to, and that means the world to us.
The songs started out as poems scribbled in a notebook that was originally meant to be published as a book. The process begins with either the lyrics or a basic riff from one of the members. The creative collaboration comes naturally after that. We know what we want to convey and we try our best to let our songs do the talking.
Obviously, you guys are not that “Amateurish” really, but what types of challenges do you face when creating your songs, if there are any?
We are a constant work in progress. We often joke about “running before learning how to walk” and that’s how we’ve been treating it. We try to step out of our comfort zone ‘cause we believe that’s the only way to go.
Writing the songs is one thing, being able to play them almost-perfectly live is a whole new monster to overcome. We spend a huge, HUUUUGEEE amount of time practicing. It helps that each of the members understand their role and are committed to it. But yes, we practice a looooooooot. Our neighbors are starting to hate us. lol
How is it working with a band where everyone has high caliber skills? What is your favorite thing about working together and your dynamics as a band?
It’s surprising how in tuned we are with each other, not only in music but in other things as well. You can even say we finish each other’s sentences or we laugh at each other’s joke even before we get to the punchline.
We personally don’t think we have high-caliber skills since we know people who actually do. We are just fueled by the hunger to reach the standards we’ve set for ourselves.
Here is a very curious question. The title of your album calls for a gentle reminder for who? Is this your fans? Is this you?
The album title “A gentle reminder to rest” (and the song) is for us and for anyone who’s been struggling in life one way or another. A message to take it slow and breathe everything in.
Another curious question, and we fans are very mystified about it. Why the Llama?
Llamas are social and gentle animals but with enough agitation, they can show their edge. (They spit and kick lol). Be like a Llama, cute but will fight back.
There have been years since you made your first single until your album release today. How does this album culminate your journey as a band?
“When we initially signed under a different label in early 2023, the album was already nearing its release. We focused on playing live gigs while we were waiting for its finality, unfortunately, things did not go according to plan. “
Fast forward months later, Offshore Music picked us up and we can’t thank them enough for helping us get the album out.
The album has been basically on the back burner for the longest time. And now that we’re able to release it, we can finally shift our focus on our new materials, where we can apply the things that we learned not only as a band but as individuals as well.”
Lastly, how it is working with Offshore Records? Any future projects you are cooking with them right now that we must watch out for?
Signing under Offshore Music is definitely one of the best things that happened to us. We can finally focus on our material with them behind us providing all the support we need!
We’re still a “DIY” band but having a solid team that believes and supports our music keeps us going. We can’t thank them enough especially now that we’re already working on the next album!!
April 6 marks the start of the mini album tour and we’re very excited to share this with everyone. Our songs are your songs and this journey is yours too.
Love you heroes.
Listen now to “A Gentle Reminder to Rest” on all digital music platforms!
Check out a related article about Amateurish, here.
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About the Author
From Marikina City to Baguio, Bien embraces two cities teeming with art and music. Passionate about #supportinglocalartists, she gives back to her inspiring community. By day, she’s a freelance writer, but at night, she immerses in music, crafting melodies. As she crafts stories for others, hers evolves, influenced by her eclectic musical background, from classical and gospel to Mathrock and Experimental Jazz, favoring emerging Indie OPM artists.
