We're stuck at home. Musicians are stuck at home. We're looking for entertainment. Musicians are looking to entertain. So Pittsburgh City Paper is working with Pittsburgh artists and bands to bring you Quarantunes, a series of at-home performances to bring a little enjoyment to your day.
How are you adjusting to your new day-to-day routine?
I'm still in school at the University of Pittsburgh, so my classes have changed to online classes, and I basically spend all my time at home. Band practice has been suspended indefinitely as well, so when I'm not doing school work, I'm playing a lot of guitar to make up for no band practice.
Name a song that you feel encapsulates our current state.
"Nowhere Man" by The Beatles.
What's been your favorite way to spend your time at home?
Playing guitar by myself and working out as much as I can. I've also been watching a lot of movies and standup specials. All my favorite comedians have released specials during the quarantine, [including] Bert Kreischer, Tom Segura, and Chris D'elia. So I've been able to laugh a lot during quarantine in spite of our situation.
Tell us about the craziest dream you've had while quarantined.
I had a dream ironically enough that my whole family had a giant gathering at my grandparents' house during quarantine for the Easter holiday, and I got all mad at everyone for hanging out together and not social distancing and made a whole scene. I guess quarantine has made its way to my subconscious? Wild.
How can people support your music during this time?
They can buy our music on Bandcamp and follow us on social media to get any updates on what we're doing. However, if they don't have the money to pay for our music during these trying times, they can find it on all the streaming platforms. It means the world to me when people listen to our music.
The next Daisy Chain album is pretty much already written. However, Ethan Mackowick (guitar), Giovanni Orsini (bass), and J.J. Young (drums), who make up the three-member rock band, are going to have to wait to actually cut the record.
"We need time to make demos in order to get an idea of how we're going to record it," says Mackowick. "But now we have to wait to go to the studio because of the quarantine."
While the quarantine is working against them in the recording aspect, it has given Mackowick extra time to write music. It's only been a few months since the release of Oh My, Satan, Daisy Chain's debut album on Orsini's label Steel City Death Club Recordings.
"We need time to make demos in order to get an idea of how we're going to record it," says Mackowick. "But now we have to wait to go to the studio because of the quarantine."
While the quarantine is working against them in the recording aspect, it has given Mackowick extra time to write music. It's only been a few months since the release of Oh My, Satan, Daisy Chain's debut album on Orsini's label Steel City Death Club Recordings.
Oh, My Satan, released in December, is a raucous collection of tracks ranging in length from two to almost 14 minutes. It's a superb introduction that tells stories of the band's demons which Young described as "a snapshot of our growth as a band."
Below, find out more about Mackowick and hear "Stringray," the energetic fifth song on the album, performed for an episode of "Live at SCDC" in December, ahead of Oh, My Satan's release.
Below, find out more about Mackowick and hear "Stringray," the energetic fifth song on the album, performed for an episode of "Live at SCDC" in December, ahead of Oh, My Satan's release.
How are you adjusting to your new day-to-day routine?
I'm still in school at the University of Pittsburgh, so my classes have changed to online classes, and I basically spend all my time at home. Band practice has been suspended indefinitely as well, so when I'm not doing school work, I'm playing a lot of guitar to make up for no band practice.
Name a song that you feel encapsulates our current state.
"Nowhere Man" by The Beatles.
What's been your favorite way to spend your time at home?
Playing guitar by myself and working out as much as I can. I've also been watching a lot of movies and standup specials. All my favorite comedians have released specials during the quarantine, [including] Bert Kreischer, Tom Segura, and Chris D'elia. So I've been able to laugh a lot during quarantine in spite of our situation.
Tell us about the craziest dream you've had while quarantined.
I had a dream ironically enough that my whole family had a giant gathering at my grandparents' house during quarantine for the Easter holiday, and I got all mad at everyone for hanging out together and not social distancing and made a whole scene. I guess quarantine has made its way to my subconscious? Wild.
How can people support your music during this time?
They can buy our music on Bandcamp and follow us on social media to get any updates on what we're doing. However, if they don't have the money to pay for our music during these trying times, they can find it on all the streaming platforms. It means the world to me when people listen to our music.
