Today we’d like to introduce you to John O’Brien.
Alright, thank you for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us how you got started?
Early Eyes is currently made up of keyboardist and vocalist Jake Berglove (he/they), guitarist and vocalist Joe Villano (they/them), guitarist John O’Brien (he/him), bassist Megan Mahoney (they/them), and drummer Sam Mathys (he/him). The band started in October 2016 at the University of Minnesota’s campus with a much different lineup (Jake Berglove being the only remaining founding member). We released 3 EPs in 2017-2018 before signing to Epitaph Records in late 2019. Since the signing, we’ve released a handful of singles, another EP, and our debut full-length, “Look Alive!” released this past February. Through the tumult of dropping out of college to pursue music, touring both regionally and nationally, and multiple lineup changes, Early Eyes today is radically different than the Early Eyes from that first fall semester. Still, we’ve become more comfortable and confident than ever through it all.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s been quite the ride so far! We’ve had to make a lot of personal sacrifices; as I mentioned in the previous answer, we all dropped out of college in 2018 to devote more time to the band, which also effectively limited our employment options. The biggest struggle we face in an individual and collective sense is the challenge of existing as creative people within the exceptionally unforgiving system of American capitalism. While we are fortunate to be on a label as artist-friendly as Epitaph, the broader state of the music industry makes it difficult to survive as full-time musicians without other sources of income. All of us have day jobs (aside from Megan, since they play in countless other bands across the Twin Cities), and the struggle of balancing work, life, and creative output is something almost all musicians can relate to. That being said, the difficulties we face are far outweighed by the support we’ve received along the way! We wouldn’t do this if we didn’t love it! Anyone who has ever enjoyed our music, gone to a show, or let us crash on their floor while we’re on the road has given us something invaluable and irreplaceable.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
We’re a pop band that believes in pop music. Our album “Look Alive!” is a love letter to pop in the broadest sense, and it’s by far our favorite thing we’ve ever done. Previously, when writing and recording, we often felt the need to conform to a preconceived notion of what Early Eyes are supposed to be. This isn’t to say our pre-2022 output is inauthentic – not – it’s just to emphasize that “Look Alive!” is the most authentic record we could have possibly made at this point in our lives. When we were in the studio recording the album, the only goal was to make something that sounded like it was made by people who love music. It was like Rock Lee taking the weights off; we realized we didn’t need to worry about something not sounding like Early Eyes because It can be whatever we want. It’s all pop. We all come from diverse musical backgrounds and have a wide collective taste, and our willingness to incorporate as much of that into our music really sets us apart. There’s no shortage of fascinating music in the world, so there’s no shortage of inspiration either.
We love surprises, fun facts, and incredible stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Meg could beat the rest of us in a fight.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://earlyeyes.band/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/earlyeyesband/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/earlyeyesband
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/EarlyEyesBand
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeZezmhroDh6qlD7LCFgoQQ
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/earlyeyes
Image Credits
Personal Photo: Albie Sher Additional Photos: Bethünni Schreiner
