Q&A: A Candid Tale of Creating Art in New York City, Richie Quake Releases Latest Single “Crawl”
INVITING US INTO THE DEPTHS OF HIS OWN SELF-DOUBT – Richie Quake explores his own experiences with the highs and lows of music creation in his latest track “Crawl”. The single sees Quake’s soft and dreamy vocals joined by those of fellow New York-based indie-pop artist Anna Shoemaker. Together the duo have created the perfect exemplar of the toxic relationship they share with being musicians and second guessing the paths they have chosen in life.
Lasting an ephemeral two minutes and fifteen seconds, the track is an irresistible, genre-bending mix of indie, pop, and alternative. Mixing lush synths with electrifying guitar riffs, “Crawl” is the sonic translation of a lively and upbeat summer in New York.
“Crawl” is the latest taste of Quake’s upcoming summer album. It follows the release of his earlier collaboration with Shoemaker “That’s Not Love!”, a poignant exploration of everything healthy love isn’t. The album is an ode to New York City and all of its people. An avid lover of the city’s eclectic range of social groups, Quake hosts weekly events inspired by niche nightlife communities in hopes of bringing together people who otherwise would not find themselves in each other's company.
Keep reading to explore the depths of Richie Quake, as he talks us through how he creates his music and his deep reverence for human connections.
LUNA: Congrats on your new single “Crawl”! Can you talk us through some of the inspiration behind the track?
QUAKE: Thank you! The inspiration behind “Crawl” is a mixed bag. I was in a relationship with someone who I absolutely hated and I wasn't super happy about that so It’s mostly just about dealing with the choices you make in life, in your career and in your relationships. There are always pros and cons and it all comes down to how you deal with it.
LUNA: What was the creative process for this track like?
QUAKE: I was working with Anna, Andreas, and Tabi at my studio and we were eating some Levain cookies and it was pretty casual. I made some weird guitar layers with all different effects and then Anna and Tabi started singing along like a chorus of little angels. Anna and I eventually finished the lyrics later on over some delicious salads.
LUNA: How does “Crawl” make you feel when listening back to it?
QUAKE: I don’t really listen to my music once it comes out. It feels good to play live though. [It] makes me feel like an Olympic diver ready to plunge into the pool and ready to score a 10/10.
LUNA: What are your earliest memories of music? How did that eventually turn into pursuing music as a career?
QUAKE: I knew I wanted to pursue music as a career when I ran away from high school and joined up with a homeless musician named Mustard. I had gotten in trouble at school and they were gonna suspend me and I ran away to Washington Square Park. My plan was just to live in the park and play music but he told me to go home once it got late into the night. I realized I didn't want to live in the park, but I knew I wanted to keep making music and turn it into a career.
LUNA: Is there a common theme you’re drawn to when creating your music?
QUAKE: The human experience, human connection and love are always what things come back to for me. I’m always just trying to make something as real as possible. I want it to be raw and from the heart. If it's not real, it's fake.
LUNA: Would you say the physical space you inhabit influences your creativity?
QUAKE: For sure. My studio has like three stuffed owls in it, a golden cat, a fake baguette, a disco ball, and an Andrew W.K. CD in it. If those things don’t inspire you then what else will? I love that my studio is right in the middle of Soho too. I can walk around and people-watch and get a bougie dinner and then go back into my zone of comfort. It's very inspiring.
LUNA: How did you develop your sound? What were your main influences?
QUAKE: I developed my sound by being terrible at everything for a while. I still think I'm developing because I still feel like I'm terrible at music most of the time. I’ve had so many influences over the course of my life but probably the most consistent one has been The Beatles. Right now I’ve been very influenced by rock stuff like Nirvana, Melvins, Turnstile, Alex G, and RHCP.
LUNA: How would you describe your music to someone who’s never heard it before?
QUAKE: I’d say this music is made for you. Its indie, its alternative, its rock, its pop. It’s everything you want and nothing you need. It’s the taste on your tongue that makes you salivate.
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