Q&A with Winnetka Bowling League
Winnetka Bowling League
In A Lane Of Their Own
Los Angeles-based Winnetka Bowling League has scored a string of strikes since releasing their debut single "On The 5" in 2018. Helmed by pop hitmaker Matthew Koma, the award-winning artist, songwriter, and producer serves as the band's lead singer and is also the primary writer and producer, with previous credits ranging from Tiesto to Bruce Springsteen to Kelly Clarkson. He even wrote for Shania Twain's long-awaited comeback album. Rounding out the band are Koma's brother Kris Mazzarisi on drums, Sam Beresford on keys, and newest member Sage Chavis on bass and vocals. Winnetka Bowling League will soon be releasing the new video for the Congratulations EP's title track, capturing the bouncy effervescence of the tune - yes, we will be there to share it with you! The track "Congratulations", along with the dreamy "Come To The Beach", definitely offer good-time vibes, which were actually written pre-pandemic. These, along with the infectious "Kangaroo", the falsetto-heavy power-pop love song "CVS", and the 90s punky "The Romantic Way" showcase a range of pop, indie rock, psychedelic, and ska sounds with a ton of nostalgia. [Speaking of nostalgia, bonus points on your bowling score sheet if you spot Koma's wife Hillary Duff as a CVS "pharmacist" and actor Christopher Mintz-Plasse making cameos in the "CVS" video]. In one moment, Koma has a knack for creating a pop melody suited for an intimate coffee house and the next a stadium-ready anthem. Matthew Koma spoke with IndieWavves about Winnetka Bowling League's decision to release these bright, summery songs in the middle of a pandemic (cause why not?), the upside of being on lockdown with family and a new batch of music coming early 2021.
IndieWavves: How did you come up with this band name, and what can you tell us about your bandmates?
Winnetka Bowling League: Yeah, so, I guess maybe about three years ago, one of my best friends knew that I was in a weird transitional period in my life and said, "you should join my bowling league - It's me, my dad, and my brother." I'm the worst player, but I got some shoes, and I joined at Winnetka Bowl. Around that time, I started writing songs for this band. I didn't know what it was or what it sounds like. When I wrote the song "On The 5", I thought this one feels like the start of it, and I was going bowling that night. My brother plays drums, we've played music together forever, and that continues. Sam is our piano player and all-things keys - we met him through a friend. He was the first one I met when I thought about starting this thing. We had a bass player named Maddie who we adore, and she always kind of had her solo music thing going on and like being able to pursue her own music, and she graciously moved on. We found Sage, and she joined right at the top of quarantine; and she's new but starting to get to know three new people.
IW: How did you decide to move on from a solo career and work with other musicians in a group?
WBL: I was really fortunate in a lot of ways that doors opened fairly regularly when songs started connecting in the electronic world. Though I was super grateful for that, it was never the sort of music I listened to. I wanted to work on songs that came from a singer-songwriter place, and for three or four years watching those songs start working, I was touring and doing DJ sets and shows, but it wasn't exactly what I wanted to be doing. I thought I'd ride this, but I always kind of had an end date in mind and thought I'd start from zero again. I didn't know exactly what that was, but it's something closer to my roots. It was for the sole purpose of being able to stop for two years. It was very much a product of I need the headspace to commit to this other thing for it to actually happen. I was still writing and producing for other artists. I want to leave a party but not be the last one there.
IW: The Congratulations EP was released in September, a solid mix of summery and upbeat danceable jams ("Congratulations", "The Romantic Way", "Come To The Beach", "CVS"). So you wrote these songs pre-pandemic. What were your thoughts and even reservations about releasing music right now, especially happy songs?
WBL: You know it's weird. At the beginning of the pandemic and conversations being centered around social injustice, it felt for a long time like I don't want to put any flashlight on this thing 'cause there's so much more important things than our fucking three-minute love songs. But as we got stuck longer and longer doing live stream concerts and being stuck at home, and realized there isn't going to be traditional live music and ways to connect, and I was watching some of my favorite live streams and feeling really great. We had this EP in the can, and it's finished, they are happy songs, but they will hopefully percolate following this period. It felt sort of like for the fans who have seen us tour on these songs, like when are they coming? We'll just release them; it doesn't just have to be a big statement. We're a band and just move on to the next collection. Hopefully, it will make someone's day 3% better.
IW: How devastating has the sudden stop to live music been for you? I imagine it was a huge bummer having to postpone touring. What have been the plus sides of slowing down, perhaps having more time to yourself? Have you been creating and writing more?
WBL: At first, I think it was this weird - I dunno it's like when you have plans or something that gets canceled, and it's a little party, and you're like sucks it's canceled, but I have a little moment for myself. I haven't been home this long since I was a teenager. I've gotten time with my daughter that I wouldn't get in this way, and time playing iPad games with my stepson. The first month I had no desire to go to the studio or to work, it was like stay in the bunker, and nobody leave. But I, fortunately, have the ability to go to the studio and carve away some work. I did focus on some other artists, knowing I had the EP in the can. I didn't feel the pressure of getting back into Winnetkaland. It was a good opportunity to get into some awkward Zooms with friends. I don't see anybody or talk to anybody and then go to the studio, work again, and then Zoom in and out. Remember when we did that for a year? Slowly shifting back to "fuck, I really miss touring," it's really the last thing that will come back in 2022 when we come back fully. I'm really grateful I have music to work on and ways to be creative. It's so weird to think, wow, it was that long ago, it's a weird sensation. And I miss live music too as a fan. That's how I get my jealousy.
IW: I hear a lot of hope in "Kangaroo" - with the lyric "I'm right where I'm supposed to be." What's this one about?
WBL: I think it's coming to terms with being OK with where you're at. I think I feel like I have to be apologetic about things I'm doing. I think "Kangaroo" is kind of like this is who I am, and I am pretty happy, and that's cool. I want to accept myself for myself. I think it's a song that's really about coming to terms with where you're at and being good at that. You tend to fast-forward in your mind to get to the place where you're going to be happy, but you're never going to be. It's about finding happiness in the details.
Written by Michael Menachem
Photo by Paige Sara