Today we’d like to introduce you to Spencer Waldron
Hi Spencer, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
90-Proof is an eclectic mix of musicians with wildly different lives that were brought together by the love of music and performing. The group formed in 2019 in Madison, Wisconsin, consisting of original members Andrew Hake on guitar, Becca Murray on vocals/guitar, Briggs Clarke on bass, and Spencer Waldron on drums. The make shift jam-band began their journey at a small battle of the bands hosted by an organization through UW-Madison that Spring of 2019. From there the group took to writing and perfecting their craft.
School among with other world interruptions led to a small lull in the group’s production, but in 2021 90-Proof began performing live regularly with a mixture of covers and the few originals that had blossomed from the depths of the group. From small virtual performances during COVID to local bars and restaurants, the group was playing anywhere that would host them during this period. That process led to the band booking more shows at larger venues, and in different cities between Madison and Milwaukee. This continued through the winter of 2022 into 2023 when the group was able to finally raise enough funds to produce their first studio album, Lucid Dream. Inspired by two years of personal and world struggles, the album is something that is special to each member involved with the first project.
Following the release of Lucid Dream, the group entered a period of transition as the original bassist Briggs leaves the group upon graduating from UW in the Spring of 2023. This led the group finding a replacement in the newest addition to the group, Justin Graham. This new addition helped the group become more involved with recording as Justin was an up and coming producer in the Madison area. Not needing to worry as much about a budget allowed for the group to conceptualize and work through album two to it’s complete state. Releasing New Year’s Eve 2024, Fool Me Once is scheduled to hit the stores and all streaming services.
Currently Justin has stepped away from performing with the group to focus on producing full-time. In the Summer of 2024 90-Proof welcomed Andrew Braught into the group as the newest bass player with the remaining original three members. The group seems to be hitting their groove as more shows continue to be booked for 2025 and even more music on the way after Fool Me Once is dropped. The future is bright and the story is long from over for this young and hungry group from Madison.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It was very difficult producing our first album. We went into it with a budget of $3,000 which was covered by band funds, but after it was all said and done we poured about $6,000 into the project including extra studio time, advertisements and album art for the album. The additional funding came out of the member’s pockets at first making things difficult for the group during that period in the Spring of 2023.
Briggs Clarke leaving the group after the release of the album was also a tough period for the group, but we had found Justin quickly which was refreshing. When Justin announced that he wanted to leave the group this past Spring, that was our toughest challenge yet because he was seemingly irreplaceable. It took us a while to find a replacement so myself, Becca, and Andrew Hake were playing shows as a three piece which came as a challenge since a lot of the songs we play require two guitars. The group had some success as a three piece, but finding Andy Braught to join as the full-time bass player gave the group a lot of relief and freedom to get back to the group’s roots.
Each member still has a full-time job, so committing so much time to music has been difficult for all. People have been audited for work, warnings have been issued, and sacrifices have been made for this group to succeed and it has not been easy on any person in the group.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
We enjoy playing live and recording music at a high quality. Creating is something that we all enjoy doing, and it becomes even more special when your creations can connect with an audience. That is the sole reason we do what we do. I would say this has played a large role in the band’s reputation. We specialize in mostly blues or alternative rock, but also have some more folky, singer-songwriter influence in our music that gives it a unique twist.
We are most proud of our creative process: all members of the group write the songs that go on our albums, and have creative input in the lyrics or otherwise. This is unique because most groups are typically led by a singular writer or a pair of writers but both albums that we have made so far have music from each member.
We believe that our energy, stage presence and original music set us apart from others. We play only original material these days unless we need to fill a set over 2 hours, and we have played sets as long as 3.5 hours with little to no breaks. Our passion for the music and the culture that surrounds it drives us to be our best selves, connecting with people on another level that we never thought possible before the conception of the group.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Dive in head first, and never look back! There may be some hurdles in the way, but that’s just part of the journey. If you have any remote interest in anything creative, explore that and learn about yourself in a new way! Also, do not ever let up. If you’re not putting in the work there’s somebody else out there that is and might catch the opportunity YOU have been waiting for. Consistency is key, hard work never goes unnoticed if it is productive and good.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://epkbuilder.com/epks/90prooftheband?_gl=1%2a5dtl51%2a_ga%2aMTEyOTAwMjc5OS4xNzMyMjk3MjMx%2a_ga_RQ0W8JNQ3P%2aMTczMjI5NzIzMC4xLjEuMTczMjI5ODUzOS4wLjAuMA
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/90_proof_official/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/90proofofficial
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@90proofbandofficial
