Anyone Else is wired with the kind of renewed pop-rock electricity that comes from a band finally operating at full force again. After two years as a six-piece shaped by stop-start momentum around singer Meghan’s Air Force duties, the Omaha outfit now sounds fired up, focused, and ready to widen their reach. In this interview, they talk about the reignited energy within the group, their six-track EP This Could Be Dangerous, the tension and chemistry of six different musical tastes, and how producer Sean Tillman helped their songs hit with fresh force. They also touch on Omaha’s local scene, shaping space around Meghan’s voice, summer shows, label hopes, and the stubborn joy of making art they genuinely believe in.
You have been a six-piece unit for two years now, but the stop-start pattern caused by your singer’s Air Force duties clearly shaped that early phase. Now that she is finally back from her long posting, how different does the creative energy feel within the group?
Having the break actually seemed to bring us an unexpected new energy. When Meghan came back, the fire was reignited and burns even harder now. We’re writing new music, setting clear goals, and of course capitalizing on new opportunities for shows like the upcoming Goodlife Fest and Nebraska State Fair in August this year!
You have three singles already out in the world, and listeners can see the uptick in interest on Spotify. With the next three tracks already locked in, what part of your sound or story do you feel these upcoming releases reveal that the first three only hinted at?
The next three on the EP is gonna show how diverse our sound is. Every member of the band has their own taste of music, heavy and soft – none of us really listen to the exact same genres. Which definitely makes for tenstion in the writing and recording process! But, our music really blends a diverse sound that appeals to all of us when it’s all said and done. I think that will become apparent when ‘This Could be Dangerous’ (the six song EP) drops in a few weeks. We have CDs available on June 18th and will be everywhere for streaming on August 2nd btw!
As a six-piece pop-rock band from Omaha, you bring your own flavour to the local scene. How has the hometown environment influenced your songwriting as you build towards bigger visibility?
The local scene in Omaha has some incredible talent, and we absolutely draw inspiration from the scene. Watching what works and maybe what doesn’t as well. We recorded our EP with one of the best (Sean from Aleyeska) and there’s no question his style bled into the tracks. His inspiration and the talent in Omaha forces us to be better for sure!
You mentioned that your singer’s live voice tends to stop people in their tracks. When you are arranging new material, how much of the writing process revolves around shaping space for her to do what she does best?
Meghan came into the band with the bulk of material already written, but she of course reshaped some of the lyrics to fit her – both in terms of her abilities and also in terms of making the songs true to her own life experience. The one track from the upcoming EP that is an example of writing with her vocals in mind is ‘Bangarang’ I think it stands out on the EP for that reason. Honestly, there is almost a feeling of relief now that we’ve made it through this ‘initial’ material phase, because we can’t wait to get out the new new material that we have writen with her that really showcases her talent.
You are working closely with producer Sean Tillman in Iowa. What was the first moment in the studio where you felt the songs lift and take on the atmosphere you had been trying to pin down?
Like I said earlier, Sean’s style bleeds into the recordings and has helped us grow substantially. I sent demos to Sean in advance before going to the studio but from the second we walked in the door he had drum tones already developed for us that immediately gave a new energy to the material we had, so it was literally instantaneous.
As a band actively seeking label support, what qualities would the right label need to have to understand your ethos and back the scale of what you are planning?
The music industry is constantly evolving. There is an unbelievable amount of musical talent out there. The labels of the past really seemed to act as a buffer, that helped bring great stuff to the masses. Social media has significantly impacted that role. A label can most certainly help bridge gaps and make connections to larger groups of people, but it’s hard to say what the future holds in terms of finding a label. Right now we are focused on making art that we love and sharing it with whoever wants to hear it. Hopefully there are a lot of people left to reach that don’t know they want to hear it yet! We’re excited to get it to them however possible, and enjoying the ride as it comes!
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Interview by Amelia Vandergast
