Music Makers

Three Music Thingz with Broken Record

feature image photo credit: Chris Carraway

Oh WOW, it's another rendition of Three Music Thingz, the blogseries where I ask musicians for three thingz that are essential to their music-making.

That's right. The Thingz are back. I know you missed them. It's been a while since we went Thing Mode but something is calling me toward it, and I must answer the call.

First back on the Thingz roster is Broken Record! You have last read about them in I Enjoy Music when I asked them some questions about having their song played at an NHL game.

They have a new album out on Power Goth Records, Routine, on which they have leveled up their game considerably. Assisted by Justin Pizzoferrato, who co-produced and engineered the album, the band (Lauren Beecher on vox/guitar, Nicholas Danes on drums, Corey Fruin on bass and Larson Ross on guitar) have taken their signature "stadium emo" and gotten heavier and harder. Whether cranking the tempo for "T-60" or slowing it down for the massively slammin' "What Always Happens," Broken Record create a perpetual sense of going against the grain, fighting the odds, striving to break through. One might imagine...a power play in a hockey game?? In which the asymmetry creates a surge of energy that lifts your heart and glues your eyes to the action.

Lauren from the band sent over her three thingz...below...you will find them...

2001 MIM Fender Strat

My first electric guitar that I got for my 13th birthday. Not my most frequently used guitar, but I swear this thing makes it onto every recording Broken Record does. It’s even made it onto Flesh Tape and Replica City recordings—truly a unifier of Power Goth releases. When we haven’t had access to mine specifically, we’ve subbed in very similar strats.

When I was in college I thought strats were extremely lame and I have never been so wrong in my life, so I am very grateful to my sentimental streak for holding onto it all this time. 20 years after getting my first strat, I am fully strat-pilled.

Sugar Free Red Bull

I’m blaming our drummer Nick and Costco for this one, but I think all 4 of us have some sort of low key Red Bull addiction on tour, at shows, and during recording sessions.

Brunch

Nick asked us (myself and our bass player Corey) out to brunch at the start of the band to make sure we’d be a good friendship fit before we played any actual music together. It worked out and we’ve had many excellent brunches since, most of them home-cooked. Broken Record in its current form would not exist without this very important meal.

Honorable mention to Haribo Twin Snakes, which fueled many of our early tours and recording sessions. A perfect candy. Our dentists are thankful that we’ve since slowed down our Twin Snakes intake significantly.