Interview: Hannah Judge
Discussing fanclubwallet's New Band-Centric EP
We live an an era when some of the best indie pop music is being produced at home by solo singer/songwriters like Hannah Judge (aka fanclubwallet).
But what happens when one of those songs gains a following that demands a tour? After fanclubwallet’s break out single “Car Crash in G Major” took off—the track currently sits at a whopping 13M+ plays on Spotify—Judge turned to some trusted friends and collaborators from the Ottawa, Canada music scene.
“I was lucky that when the time came to find a band, I had one standing right in front of me,” Judge said. The line up includes Nathan Reid (Bass), Eric Graham (Guitar) and Michael Watson (Drums, in addition to producing/mixing the new EP).
That transition from the bedroom to club stages is the underlying theme of fanclubwallet’s excellent new EP.
Fittingly, Our Bodies Paint Traffic Lines was launched with a playful video for lead single, “Band Like That.” The track is the EP’s closer, but in many ways represents the beating heart of this exciting new direction…at least for now.
“I'm not sure it will always be full band stuff for the future—but for this moment in time I really wanted to capture our dynamic and make it sort of a ‘collectible’ moment for fanclubwallet,” Judge told me for the interview below. “The band are my best friends. It's everything I'd ever hoped for and more.”
I caught up with Judge by email a week before Our Bodies Paint Traffic Lines is released.
Hannah Judge Interview
Congrats on the great new EP! What made you decide to turn fanclubwallet into a full-blown indie band?
Hannah Judge: Thank you! I've always loved the full band aesthetic and honestly I spend so much time with the band we were already sort of functioning as one, but I had been dealing with some really terrible writers block and I ended up jamming out "Band Like That" with the band and realized the solution was right in front of my eyes!
What are some of your favorite things about collaborating with other musicians on your songs?
Hannah Judge: It's great being able to hand off stuff I'm not as good at, and just being able to geek out over inspirations and hangout more has been awesome. The ability to celebrate as a collective when something sounds awesome is the best feeling.
Are there any songs from your back catalog that have transformed overtime when they're performed by the band?
Hannah Judge: I think when we play live some of the stuff has a little more of a Shoegaze sound than it did before. Eric does a lot of guitar swells.
In addition to "Band Like That," I'm really drawn to the jangly pop of "Easy." What was the inspiration for that track?
Hannah Judge: This song kind of came together out of nowhere—but lyrically it's about how I was really shy as a kid and wondering what the kid version of me would think of me now playing on stage in front of a lot of people. I think that song is like a better sounding version of my first ever song ‘Fike.’
The lyrics to the title track can be interpreted a few different ways. Is it more of a relationship song, or about the band?
Hannah Judge: ‘Our Bodies’ is actually just about touring; the whole EP is about being in a band too haha. It's about how we've been to all these new places we never thought we'd go and how much we've changed, and sort of just the idea that we're paving the roads of our lives with our music.
When fanclubwallet tours, is one of you the resident DJ in the van?
Hannah Judge: I definitely kind of take over haha—but I try to consider everyone's tastes. We listen to a lot of This is Lorelei, Pinback, Chad Vangaalen, Beach Fossils and The Drums.
What's next for you and fanclubwallet?
Hannah Judge: Hopefully an album! Maybe some songs just by me...maybe some by me and the band...who knows? Anything is possible!
