CLEOPATRICK DEBUTS THEIR NEW ALBUM (INTERVIEW AND GALLERY)
CLEOPATRICK AT THEIR LA SHOW AT THE ECHOPLEX ON NOVEMBER 6TH
Photo by @liz.kushnir
Canadian band Cleopatrick consisting of Luke Gruntz (guitar/vocals) and Ian Fraser (drums) exemplifies modern rock 'n' roll with their guitar-driven sound and sharp, witty lyrics. Their music draws from personal experiences while offering insightful commentary on the world around them. With each album, their sound evolves, yet they remain deeply rooted in their origins, seamlessly blending innovation with homage to the past. A few months back they announced that they would be hitting the road to play their unreleased album in major cities like LA and London. We got to chat with Luke before they went on tour to learn more about their new body of work and their shows:
What are your top 5 things you need to have with you on tour?
Instruments, a vehicle, gasoline, airpods, and wet wipes.
You guys document a lot of the bts of your tours and music making process. What is a pivotal moment in your career that wasn't caught on tape that you wish was?
Haha there's been a lot of missed moments because Ian and I are always the ones filming ourselves. So any time we are really locked in creating something, or dealing with a situation on the road we never think to pull the cameras out. I guess that might be a bad thing these days. Should probably be Tik Toking every second.
One missed moment that comes to mind is when Ian and I made the music video for our song "OK" -- I had this idea of filming the lyrics to the song in the reflection of my eyeball. We were on tour in Switzerland at the time. Our set-up making that video was so funny. I was laying on the floor of Ian’s hotel bathroom with all the lights off while Ian held my Iphone up to my face with the reverse images of the song lyrics flashing on the screen. He had a camera in his other hand zoomed up to my eye and we had to do so many takes to get it right. It was a hilarious BTS, DIY setup that we did not get to showcase because we were so occupied with the task at hand.
How has your recording and songwriting process evolved from your ep "14" to your latest song "Lost?" Do you still get excited about your earlier work or are you more eager to focus on your newer material?
It's changed a lot. When we made "14" we were just kids. Like for real. Those are among the first songs we ever made in our lives. You can hear us wearing a lot of our influences in pretty overt ways. Our taste has developed so much since then, and with our newest music, I think we have stumbled into making stuff that sounds only like us. it feels much better as an artist.
What can you tell us about your new upcoming album? Did you intentionally decide to make an album or is it more a compilation of songs you've written along the way?
We knew we wanted to make another album at the end of 2022, but the stuff I started writing at first was admittedly not very good. We had been touring so much leading up to this point that I felt pretty disconnected with myself as an artist and a person. We realized that in order to make something meaningful and true, we would need to take our time and prioritize a reconnection within ourselves. So with the album as a future goal, we took a bunch of time to make music without any expectations. I eventually forgot that anyone was watching and wrote some of my favorite songs ever, which have since become our album.
What song from another artist do you wish Cleopatrick wrote?
“Gods Plan” by Drake
In your whole discography what song was the most difficult to write and record and which one came the most naturally?
"THE DRAKE" took me forever. I had a really strong vision of it in my head, but it just took many many revision stories get it to flow the way I wanted from section to section. There are so many demo versions of that song - its actually hilarious.
"SCARING ME" happened really naturally. I didn't even realize I was writing a song actually. I had watched a video of a guy showing "how to get the tame impala drum sound" and wanted to try it out with this new snare drum Ian had given me as a birthday gift. I totally failed at getting the tame impala drum sound -- but ended up writing scaring me as an accident during that recording bout.
Photo by @liz.kushnir
What are you looking forward to the most on your tour?
Just playing live again. Especially these new songs. It’s going to be a very freeing and powerful experience.
Is there anything in your music career that you wish you could go back and do differently?
Sometimes! Ultimately that's life though. Most days I am at peace with every decision we've made.
Your EP DOOM as well as your website is a reflection of the digital age. Where do you get inspiration for your music on the internet? What inspiration was used for your upcoming album?
I love Youtube. It's one of the best websites ever. The algorithm kind of sucks but if you can wriggle out of it during your surf there are so many inspiring video essays and thought pieces on there. Great for opening the mind to future lyrics and concepts. However, the new record was influenced mostly from my lived experience + books I've been reading. The last 5 years have been some of the most confusing and reconstructing of my entire life.
CLEOPATRICK
CLEOPATRICK
Some devoted fans made the long drive from Santa Barbara to catch their favorite band live. Among them was Anshuman Dash, who proudly wore a shirt that boasted of his previous trip to Cobourg, Canada, just to see Cleopatrick perform. When he had the chance to get his shirt signed by the band, he was absolutely ecstatic—his excitement was unmistakable as he relished the unforgettable moment.
Photo by @liz.kushnir
EXUM
EXUM
Former NFL player turned singer Exum kicked off the night with an electrifying set that seamlessly blended indie and alternative vibes, building up to a high-energy performance that had the crowd diving into a wild mosh pit. His range and raw intensity set the perfect tone for the evening, leaving the audience buzzing with excitement.
