Catch up with The Crazy Carls' Alex Baugh and check out new single "To The Stars".
What got you interested in music?
Alex Baugh: I guess, when I was a little kid, my parents always played music, really awesome music. My family lived all over the world so they'd play Peruvian music to classical music to Led Zeppelin and we'd always dance around the house. Then I got into playing classical piano when I was a little kid and then I was dying to play guitar and so I got the guitar and then I started writing songs and singing when I was in high school and went to college and kept it going from there.
Any bands or artists who have influenced your sound?
Yeah, I mean, really I like everything. I guess, you know, being a guitar player, growing up I always loved bands with funky guitar and I loved the Chili Peppers when I was a kid - one of my favorite bands - so I liked that style of guitar work. Then, later on, I got into a Prince style, Michael Jackson style which is influencing my style now, for sure.
How would you describe your style?
It's pop rock. Everyone compares it, I guess, to Maroon 5, kind of. It's pop rock, high energy, creative, fun, dance music.
"To The Stars" is the first single off the forthcoming EP; is that the kind of sound we can expect on the next EP?
Yeah, it is, we might have another song on there but, yeah, we actually just got a date, we're going to be releasing it at the end of January and "To The Stars" is the big single off that one; we just released the music video for it and we're getting a good response from it.
I would say it's a part of it. I don't know, I mean, I'm a songwriter so I like to go into each song with an open slate and see where it takes me but they're all in that realm of pop rock. We're making sure to keep that organic element in there, as far as the guitar work and live bass, things like that, so yeah, you could say it'd be similar to that.
What's the best response you've had to your music?
I got a really good response: I played a show in Orlando and someone said it was the best show they'd ever seen done live, so that was a pretty nice comment, I would say. But, yeah, a lot of people comment that it's pretty unique and that's what I like so I try to make it my own, but still make it something a lot of people can enjoy at the same time.
How has your sound evolved since the first single was released?
Yeah, it's definitely evolved. When we first started the band had more of a beach-y feel to it. I was just surfing all the time and hanging out with a lot of that kind of crowd and I really got into that kind of beach-y, a little reggae-ish, you know, and then I just kind of, the more I've been writing songs, I've been learning my strengths and learning what I enjoy best and what my voice fits with best so it's gotten a little more pop-y, a little more dance-y and I think I've really found my sound with these latest songs.
What types of tracks have you got playing now?
I jam on everything. That's hard, I don't know; I guess, I like the new Bruno Mars record, that really funky Bruno Mars record. I listen to so much stuff. I like Chvrches' new song. I've been jamming on these bands that are coming to Orlando - we're doing this big festival there - so I've been jamming to Young the Giant and I'm excited, we're going to be playing with them. So, all over the damn place.
We've been on tour with Aaron Carter and we've been playing some Sam Smith which the fans really enjoy. We have played the Chili Peppers live, we've played some Michael Jackson, even some rap tracks sometimes for fun so, yeah, always keeping it interesting.
What do you hope people take away from your music?
I guess, I hope that they can take the positivity. It can help them and hope it can give them a good time; brighten their day, I guess. Just have some fun and, also, I want people to relate to the lyrics that I'm writing, because I try to write some real lyrics. I guess, just trying to make some original music right here and I hope people can realize and relate and take away from that.
