the reds, pinks and purples

we caught up with The Reds, Pinks and Purples for an intimate interview

question: We are loving your album ‘The Town That Cursed Your Name’ Can you tell us a little about the backstory of the album? When was it written and recorded?
answer: Starting around 2019 I stumbled on The Reds, Pinks & Purples method and sound. I have written and recorded about 200 songs since then. This batch was finished late last year. I record everything at home by myself. Live, I have a 5-piece band that interprets the songs their own way.

question: We named your song “3rd Flower” Premier Music, what is the story behind this instrumental? What is your goal in releasing an instrumental?
answer: I use instrumentals to expand what the project can be about musically. I think they also create breathing room on an LP.

question: Where do you reside and what’s your favorite thing about the area? What does your daily routine consist of?
answer: I live in the Inner Richmond district of San Francisco, California. I live near two large parks, so I enjoy those. I write a lot of my songs in my head while I am walking in the park. I wake up pretty early, make black tea with oat milk and a peanut butter sandwich, go for a walk, then I work from home most days, for a non-profit. I try to go out walking three times a day to get away from my computer. I have every Friday off, and that’s when I am usually recording.

question: Which album did you love the most while growing up? Who are some of your biggest musical influences?
answer: I am record-collector, so this answer could be pages long. Husker Du’s ‘Warehouse: Songs and Stories’ is big favorite from my teenage years. It’s a master class in songwriting and is probably still my favorite album of all-time. REM’s ‘Murmur’ had a huge impact on me too. That one never gets old or loses its mystery. Galaxie 500’s ‘Today’ is the album that revealed the beauty of making songs out of two or three chords. “Tugboat” is probably the first song I could play on guitar and sing. The Television Personalities album ‘The Painted Word’, I should also mention, but I am a musical omnivore, so I pull influences from everything, every genre. I am most interested lately in classic songwriting, which can come from Reggae, Country, Soul, Punk…anywhere really.

question: What is the most difficult part of creating music? What is your ultimate goal for The Reds, Pinks and Purples?
answer: The business side of music is difficult to navigate. Streaming being so low-paying makes it difficult to make a living. It’s not a life I would recommend unless you absolutely have to do it. I have always had a job to support myself. My goal is to always feel creative and inspired, to always be learning new things. I hope the band is a success too, but mostly I just want to have new experiences, travel and play shows for nice people.