Pop-Culturalist.com

All eyes are on alt-rock band Hotel Mira. The quartet, composed of Charlie Kerr (vocals), Colton Lauro (guitar), Mike Noble (bass), and Clark Grieve (guitar), are making huge moves in the industry, amassing millions of streams worldwide. Their latest single, “Speaking Off the Record,” is one of their most personal songs to date and the first glimpse of the band’s evolving sound and maturity. In 2020, they’re dropping their highly anticipated new album, and we got the inside scoop from the guys themselves.

PC: How did you discover your passion for music?
Charlie: I always just loved music, and when I was ten, I asked my dad for a guitar. I was really, really horrible at playing and singing, but it gave me insane amounts of joy, so I stuck with it.

Mike: I grew up listening to music and started playing guitar in middle school because a girl I had a crush on said she was into guys who played guitar. Eventually, I wanted to play in bands with people, and everyone played guitar, so I switched to bass. Also, it didn’t work out with the girl.

Clark: My passion for music evolved out of my study of the guitar when I was a kid. It was fun but frustrating. Until one day, it just clicked, and I could play with ease. That was when I got inspired to write my own music, and from then on, I was truly hooked.

Colton: I was a shy kid, and I think I was looking for a way to express myself and found that in the guitar. The ability to communicate my emotions through the strings became an essential part of my life from there.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your careers?
Charlie: My guitar teacher, Al. He believed in me and encouraged me to write songs and be a singer when I had no business being one. He also helped me make my first records as a teenager and has kind of kept an eye on me the entire time.

Mike: I feel just the drive to keep going. I’ve never been one for a boring, repetitive life, and music lends directly to that.

Clark: Likely my mentor Kris Schulz, who I took guitar lessons for nearly ten years. His passion for music is truly contagious, and not only did he teach me most of what I know about music, but he also taught me how to truly apply myself, to work hard, persevere, and practice. He taught me to be stubborn in my approach to learning the guitar, and I’ve applied that same stubbornness to building a career in music.

Colton: My biggest influence has been many artists over the years, but Pink Floyd has always rung louder than the rest. They built a legacy untouchable and are true to themselves in doing so. I have great admiration for them both as individual members and as a team.

PC: What has been the key to the band’s success?
Charlie: Determination, drive, loyalty, commitment to originality in the work, and kindness.

Mike: We all get along amazingly well. Outside of being on stage, we’re all huge nerds who talk about Steely Dan and which Nintendo Switch games we’ll be playing on the road next.

PC: What’s one thing about you that the fans would be surprised to learn?
Charlie: I fucking love Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares, and I have seen every episode of America’s Next Top Model.

Mike: I’ve put one hundred hours into Fire Emblem: Three Houses, and somehow I still have a girlfriend.

Clark: I have a bachelor of science with honors in molecular biology and biochemistry, which was indeed one of the qualifications for playing keyboards in this band.

Colton: I may be a big rock and roll fan, but I listen to anything from fifties big band to death metal.

PC: Tell us about your new single, “Speaking Off the Record.” What inspired the track?
Clark: I’ll let Charlie speak to the lyrical content of “Speaking Off the Record,” but needless to say, it is a fairly dark song. We wanted to create an equally dark and gritty soundscape, which involved, among other things, layering a ton of different keyboard sounds. I’ve always loved exploring the weird, wonderful darkness that music can be a conduit for, so I got to have a lot of fun with this track in the studio!

Charlie: It is one of the bluntest and personal songs I have ever written or recorded. The song starts and you come on this messy journey with me through my subconscious, all about doubt and shame, and the musical backdrop varies from intense and grand to intimate and quaint. Ultimately, it’s a song about my past that I have been avoiding talking about. It’s airing out a lot of laundry. Making private thoughts public. It is a legitimately scary song to release in the public for me.

PC: You’re releasing a new album in 2020. What can fans expect? How will this collection of songs differentiate itself from previous releases?
Charlie: Fans can expect a personal album of pop songs. Some of it almost feels like a character study. It’s inspired by love. In particular, that kind of twin flame love that feels very once in a lifetime. It’s called Perfectionism, which is something I think we all suffer from in one way or another. Regarding how it is different? It’s just a whole different mood board than the other records. And I love that. I love that our music evolves and nothing ever sounds identical to how it did earlier. What’s that old Jay-Z line? “If you want my old shit, buy my old album.” We are trying to evolve, change, and grow.

Clark: I think the upcoming LP is going to feel like a pretty natural next step for the band, given the sonic trajectory it’s been on from the previously released JPNSGRLS material to the Hotel Mira EP to the latest singles. I didn’t get the chance to work on the Hotel Mira EP in the studio, but everything the band has recorded since then has been with Eric Ratz at the helm. He really pushed everyone to be the best they could be, and it shows. And I say “pushed,” but it was so natural and fun and easy. Combine that with his expertise and you’ve got the recipe for a great record!

PC: If you were to pick one song off the new album that best encompasses you as an artist, what would it be and why?
Charlie: It might be “Speaking Off the Record” because it’s just very blunt and is as frantic and emotional and self-destructive as I am.

Mike: It’s very hard to say. I’m incredibly proud of the entire record, so it’s hard to single out a track to be proudest of. That said, the most obnoxious bass fills are in “The Eyes on You” and “Better on Your Own,” which is something to note.

Clark: One of the best things about this record is that no single song from it really encompasses what we’re all about. Every song has its own character. In fact, I think we’re still learning what we’re all about as a unit, and that in and of itself is a really exciting thing. It’s fluid and it’s evolving, and I can’t wait to see where it goes next. For now, we’ll keep the delicate balance of indie boys and dad rock dudes in check and hope for the best!

Colton: “Perfectionism” is a great example of everything our band is. Catchy, unique melodies, and everyone has a voice.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Charlie: Oh, dude! I love everything. But I guess maybe people would be surprised to find out I loved the Final Fantasy 7 soundtrack as much as I do. I seriously listen to that all the time.

Mike: No lie, I have three gym playlists that are exclusively WWE entrance theme songs. It’s great workout music!

Clark: Fans might be surprised to know that basically all I listen to is Steely Dan, but they shouldn’t be. Don’t you know by now that Steely Dan is the best?

Colton: Opeth. They are masters of composition and groove.

PC: First album you bought?
Charlie: I have a distinct memory of buying Room on Fire [the Strokes] for my brother Sam to give to him for his birthday and him already owning it.

Mike: The first album I bought with my own money was probably Death Cab for Cutie’s Plans. The first album I owned was I think Aqua, the one with “Barbie Girl.”

Clark: I can’t remember the first album I bought, but the first album I was given was Green Day’s Dookie. Iconic. It inspired me to be angsty and play guitar for years to come!

Colton: Pink Floyd’s Animals. Funny enough, I bought it not knowing who or what it was, and I didn’t like it. I was naïve, and it ended up being one of my favorite records.

PC: First concert you attended?
Charlie: Prozak!

Mike: Linkin Park, with P.O.D., Hoobastank, and Story of the Year opening.

Clark: It must’ve been Warped Tour, probably in like 2003? Rad!

Colton: I saw Santana in 2004 at GM Place (now Rogers Arena), and it was so loud. You could barely make out which song was “Smooth.”

PC: An album that changed your life and why?
Charlie: Frank Ocean’s channel ORANGE because it made me want to be a better singer and a more vulnerable, honest artist.

Mike: Bloc Party’s Silent Alarm. A front-to-back jaw-dropping album with crazy drums, incredible bass, and wild guitar effects utilized tastefully and creatively. Lyrically it holds up as well, feeling strikingly modern despite being released almost fifteen years ago.

Clark: Okay, now I’m going to be made fun of for having Steely Dan in two answers but Can’t Buy A Thrill really opened my eyes to the band, which in turn opened my eyes to the sheer level of excellence that can be achieved in music performance and recording. It’s fuel for my ghastly perfectionism, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Colton: Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here. This record has a very special place for me because the lyrical content has depicted a lot of feelings I believe all of us have. Many albums do this, but none, in my opinion, as genuinely as this record.

PC: A venue on your bucket list to perform at?
Charlie: Madison Square Garden. Dream Big.

Mike: The Orpheum in Vancouver. The last time I was on that stage was for my high school graduation, and I told myself I’d make it back there.

Clark: I feel like if I get to play the Royal Albert Hall, I would die not only happy but also maybe pretty successful?

Colton: Royal Albert Hall would be a dream of mine. Some of the greatest artists in the world have played there, and I’d like to stand where they’ve stood.

PC: A must-have on the road?
Charlie: Really great company and conversations. And with Hotel Mira, I definitely have that.

Mike: Nintendo Switch with Smash Bros., Fire Emblem, and Zelda out, and Pokémon Sword just around the corner, tour is basically just an excuse to play video games.

Clark: Vegetables. Seriously. It’s kind of easy to forget they exist on tour. And water too. And the water doesn’t count if there’s coffee in it!

Colton: Good company and Mike’s Nintendo Switch.

To keep up with Hotel Mira, follow them on Twitter and Instagram. Pick up or stream “Speaking Off the Record” on Amazon Music, iTunes, or Spotify.