Q&A: The Greeting Committee Talks Making Music Videos, Creative Change and New Single “popmoneyhits”
WITH TITLES LIKE “POPMONEYHITS” — The Greeting Committee has arrived again, cementing themselves back in the indie scene. In just the first few months of the year, they’ve released the singles “popmoneyhits,” “Where’d All My Friends Go?,” “How It Goes,” and “Cyclical,” announced their upcoming third studio album, Everyone’s Gone and I Know I’m The Cause, as well as a major US tour this summer.
Boasting a new lineup composed of core members Addie Sartino, Pierce Turcotte, longtime member Noah Spencer, and newcomer Micah Ritchie, Everyone’s Gone and I Know I’m The Cause promises a revival for the band with a newer sound that still delivers the charming energy longtime fans have come to love.
Exploring topics such as wanting a life sustained off making art, realizing growing up doesn’t mean you don’t need to heal, and the fact that some groups need to break off in order to come to fruition, The Greeting Committee’s new singles hold a lot of promise for their upcoming album. Available on June 21, Everyone’s Gone and I Know I’m The Cause is already looking to be a stellar listen for fans and new listeners alike.
Read below to hear more from Sartino on songwriting styles, what has changed since their last album, and more.
LUNA: Hey, Greeting Committee! It was a total joyride to check out your new single, “popmoneyhits,” and its accompanying music video. What would you say was your first big inspiration for this new track?
SARTINO: Sonically, “popmoneyhits” pulls inspiration from The 1975 and Charli XCX. Pierce and I were constantly pulling from the album “Crash” and various 1975 records.
LUNA: As far as creating visuals, how does your creative process for music videos usually go? Does an idea come along with a track, or do you have ideas stored away that you someday want to create and eventually you have a song to match? What was the case for “popmoneyhits”?
SARTINO: Directing and creating music videos is one of my favorite parts of sharing a record. I typically sit in my car and listen to the song on repeat while envisioning how I’d want the video to look. For “popmoneyhits” I really wanted to call back to the band’s first “big kid” photoshoot we did with photographer Zachary Gray at the Belmont Mansion.
LUNA: Do you guys have a favorite memory or moment share from the journey of putting together “popmoneyhits” and its music video?
SARTINO: The music video was rather stressful because we only had four hours to film it, which was only possible because of the amazing team we had working with us. I love how it all turned out, though. As for the song, I remember kicking Pierce out of the house (we lived together at the time) so I could just freely let anything out that came to mind. I was excited that I allowed myself to write a song like “popmoneyhits” because it is so far out of our comfort zone.
LUNA: In the way of perhaps lyrics most, it feels appropriate to say that as a whole. The Greeting Committee has a knack for taking complicated emotions and situations to make upbeat, warm songs that create a space where the listener feels understood and comforted even. Is it cathartic for you as artists to write these songs? What type of space does it create for you guys?
SARTINO: More times than not, I find myself not knowing what a song is about until I’m finished with it and can reflect on it. Of course I have an idea of where I want to go, but I’m more so being led by something than leading it. It’s very cathartic for me, and even more so cathartic to perform the songs live.
LUNA: Looking back to your sophomore album released in 2022, Dandelion (which is fantastic by the way), how would you say you have grown or transformed as a band since then? What are you most excited about in terms of your next release?
SARTINO: There are so many changes that have happened since Dandelion, a change in band lineup being a big one. I think a lot of people are going to point to the change in band member’s as a reason for album three being different than Dandelion, but the truth is that we were never going to have a record like Dandelion follow up Dandelion. It would be monotonous and dishonest to where we currently are mentally and emotionally.
I saw someone say something about Dandelion having less guitars and it was “our way of pushing our former guitarist Brandon out.” The funny thing about that incorrect statement is that it was Brandon’s idea to move outside of the guitar. While I didn’t fully agree at the time, that was his truth. It was what he needed in order to feel at peace with what he was creating and some of my favorite work of ours came from that decision of his.
This upcoming record is different from Dandelion in the same way that This Is It is different from Dandelion. The Greeting Committee has always made big turns from release to release.
LUNA: Back again to “popmoneyhits,” what would be your ideal situation for someone to experience the song for the first time?
SARTINO: My ideal situation for someone to experience “popmoneyhits” would be anywhere with booming speakers.
LUNA: Lastly, what advice would you give to fellow creatives and listeners who feel the same fear and pressure as explored in “popmoneyhits”?
SARTINO: I am still looking for advice myself, honestly. I’m not sure yet, but I’ll let you know if I find anything.
