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Falllift | Live in the rBeatz.com Studio
Falllift’s, Micah Cottingham & Steven Hall, talk songwriting style & their new album Geronimo Minor. The development of coming from an emo style to creating a new band & personal journey together, through a songwriting relationship that was created in the middle of Covid! Join Greazy Keyz on this musical journey and 2 song live performance as he joins Falllift in the rBeatz Radio Studio.
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Q & A with Falllift
Greazy : Hey, what’s up? rBeatz fam. This is your boy, Greazy Keyz, here with another interview with some of my favorite folks of the Charlotte music scene. I’m here with Micah Cottingham and Steven Hall of the band Falllift. Welcome, guys.
Steven : What is up?
Micah : Thanks for having us.
Greazy : Thank you guys so much for coming in and sharing your story and sharing some music with us today. Very cool. So tell us a little bit about where Falllift comes from.
Micah : Wow.
Steven : Well, it was a dark and dreary night.
Greazy : Many years ago.
(laughing) Yes. Decisions were made politically, the whole world got sick. (laughing)
Oh, that’s true. So this was a COVID band, you’re telling me.
Yeah, this was born, we met officially in late 2020 and began writing around that time and then kind of decided to make it more official in February of 2021. Which was like sort of our relationship, officiality and the band officiality sort of at the same time.
Well, we didn’t release our first EP until 2022, I believe, just to be clear. No, but Steven had been in his touring band for the whole time. Swim in the Wild and I have Micah out of nashville and during the pandemic, there was nothing to be done. I mean, couldn’t play gigs or anything like that so I came back to North Carolina. I wasn’t living here, I came back to North Carolina and we had discussed writing together and making some music, so we gave it a shot. Originally we thought that it was going to be like a one -off album. Just a kind of a Scotty – Jessica Lee Mayfield thing. Just do a one -off and then we decided we liked it a little more than that. So we figured it’s nice to have a dedicated bandmate. So why not make the most of it?
No doubt. Well, I can say for sure that I’ve been privileged to play with you guys and record with you guys and you are some of my favorite musicians, people, and artists around. So, I’m grateful to be a part of the Falllift family and I think you guys are just some of the best songwriters around.
Thank you for saying that.
It’s true, it’s true.
Dad’s proud of us, guys.
No, you guys rock us. So, with that, so what are some of your influences, would you say? Like, obviously, you know, you kind of come in your world and obviously, Steven, you have your background with Swim in the Wild and kind of a musical family. So what are some of your influences that you guys bring to your current collaboration?
You know, I think the Swim in the Wild background, we all came from like Indie Rock, Emo Rock, just a lot of rock and roll influences and just a lot of the newer wave, Indie, I don’t know, you could call it pop now because of the production level they use on a lot of the music. But even like the local natives kind of style where it’s like a little genre -less, those kind of influences were heavy on us and–
You started heavier with even heavier things.
Yeah, it used to be even heavier. Like a lot of musicians, my musicianship came from playing hardcore music in high school.
Right. As many notes as possible, right?
Yes.
How fast can I move?
Exactly. Just go until it hurts. And then take a break and try again.
Right. How about you, Micah?
I was really privileged. My dad was a songwriter and singer and musician and all the things. So when I was younger, I wasn’t, when most kids were starting to speak, I didn’t want to, but I did wanna sing and my dad noticed that. So he said, fine, if that’s how you wanna communicate, that’s how we’re gonna communicate. So he would just like imagine a bear of a man and a little tiny toddler, little platinum blonde toddler, just like falling around the house and my dad just singing to me every time he has a question or like singing to me to get something so that I would sing back because I knew how to speak, I just didn’t want to. I was unconcerned. So I really got a lot of it from him growing up and watching him play and then at some point I just thought, I want to make my own music. And when I was about 10 or eight or nine maybe, I went to my dad and said, hey, I want to write a song. And he said about what,
you know? And I said, well, I don’t know, I’m nine. Like I’m not a child, I don’t know.
Come on, dad.
I was like, give me a topic and I’ll write it.
Wow.
So my dad was a big like Pink Floyd fan and he was like in the Beatles and Led Zeppelin and a lot of the classics and he said well give me a minute and he came around the corner and he said write something about dark rain make it moody you know and I said cool so I did and 30 minutes later showed back up with a song he said really? I said yeah I have a song and it kind of just started from there. I mean I think most women my age, a lot of kids my age, I guess, grew up on things they were kind of forced into the boy bands, the Christina Aguileras. So I loved singing along with that stuff, of course, but I mean, all the sad songs in my life have probably inspired me more than anything else. So I don’t know that I could associate it to one artist or anything, but between my dad and the songs that hit when they needed to. That’s probably where it comes from.
I love that. That’s awesome. So you guys, each strike me as being a very independent artist, you know, like you can hold your own. So tell me about your creative process, what’s your typical approach to songwriting and composing and composing as a duo, do you each play a certain role or you just sort of, you know, one may start lyrics and one adds music or vice versa, what is there a typical formula you guys use or?
I think each song is different.
Yeah, yeah, for sure. It would be too difficult to stick to a formula with us ’cause there’s just so many variables.
I think it’s whoever’s moved first by the idea.
Sure.
So he might have a riff that he’s just like, “Man, I’m really digging on this, I wanna play it.” And then I’ll might sit with it and we might come up with the concept together, how it feels. But I mean, typically I would say it’s, one of us has an idea for a song and kind of starts putting it together. And we begin putting it together separately and then bring it to the other person and say I’ve got the bones of something here, do you want to make it into a whole piece? Then we do or we don’t.
That’s great and that speaks to your your relationship because you know a lot of songwriters you know their songs are their babies and they may hear it a certain way and want it executed a certain way so to have that sort of you know, give and take and collaboration, I think is really cool, that’s awesome.
I think at first it was interesting for us to find a balance between the way we write lyrically. I think the way he tells a story versus the way I tell a story is going to be different. And so you can hear it in our earlier songs, there’s like a more of a staunch difference between the verses or lyrics that I wrote versus what he wrote. Not good or bad, just different. And in the newer things, I feel like it’s becoming a little more congruent. We’re finding out the best way to tell the story while keeping our own flavor, but in a more congruent fashion.
Right, that’s really cool. So with collaborating with each other, Have you worked with other artists or producers and has that influenced your music at all? I mean, I know we recorded at Doug’s studio in Winston Salem, which was pretty cool. And then you guys just did some recording in Nashville, right?
Yes.
So, so tell us about that process and how is that? Does that shape your music at all? Or are you pretty concrete with once you have an idea, establish that this is the way you’re going to do it?
There’s a lot of factors and I think when we’re writing now, we’re kind of trying to accommodate the growth we want to have as a group, as opposed to just kind of being a duo with acoustic instruments. We like to elevate to like the full band sound.
Which I gotta say, Steven, you kind of already have that in the group currently. Steven plays drums, guitar, and sings all at the same time. So, Steven, tell us– Occasionally harmonica.
When did you realize you were such a control freak?
Oh, my gosh.
That was a joke. That was a joke.
Oh, it’s true.
But you’re amazing. No, I mean, I’ve sat on stage with you and seen you play drum kit, guitar, and seeing all at once. So that’s, and that’s really a pretty amazing skill.
It’s probably no secret that that setup has some Avett Brothers influence. Cause that’s how they kind of started with similar instrumentation and they’re local. So I like to support the local stuff. To be honest, though, it started back in the day with Swim in the Wild. That was the original drummer, and then we took in a drummer who we thought was our good friend, but he ended up having a cliché drummer situation meltdown.
Drummers spontaneously combust.
The ego explodes.
Spinal Tap over here.
I’m convinced they just combust.
At that time, we were so new into the scene, we were like, “We don’t know how to make our band a full band we just rolled with the three piece and I started doing the feet percussion, which opened more doors because we were such a loud rock band. This setup was a little quieter and could operate in different situations.
I didn’t realize that was the case with Swim in the Wild that you guys were at more point, just a trio.
Yeah, like way back. And yeah, it is a good experiment. It was not nearly as tight back then, but.
Well, so with the current group, you have, you know, you two. I’m playing keys, Emmanuel’s playing Fiddle. Oh yeah, absolutely. And don’t forget Duke.
Duke Wicker, of course.
Great, great combo. But yeah, tell us some more about the guys you’re playing with.
Well, Greazy Keyz is great (laughing)
Of course, yes. The best member is Greazy, by far. So our buddy Sam Tayloe of Time Sawyer throws these Sam on some day shows. I’m sure he’ll be on here if he hasn’t been already.
Yeah, we’re gonna schedule him in. And the next Sam on Sunday is on July 19th Anyway, I’m going to be there. I’m going to playing there.
We’ll probably be there too. We won’t be playing, but we’ll probably be there. But anyway, we’re at Petra’s and it was kind of like one of our first little debuts together as a duo.
Yeah, Sam offered to have us come play the feature and you and Emmanuel were there as well for the Sam on Sunday. And those programs that Sam puts on are like a jam. So anyone can kind of jump in and everyone’s a ripper, everyone’s a player. So there’s this trust factor of let ’em jump in, let ’em jump if they feel it.
It was just this moment of like, all right, let’s debut this song to all these people, you know. It’s in B. Yeah, you guys gonna jump in. That was like such an incredible experience playing that song because we all vibed it so hard. I think we were all goose bumping. There are people crying in the room and it’s not even that sad of a song. There’s not a sad song really. It just gave everybody such heavy feelings because we all just kind of came together and it’s we created that magic that Sam’s trying to capture every week with the kind of impromptu in this
And to circle it back to your earlier question about when we’re working with producers, you know during that show at the end of that show, Daniel Costin,
you know the legend local photographer here. He said I loved it. And I know who needs to be the producer. I know who needs to do this album. And we said, sure, you seem very confident in this. So sure. And he said, I just already know, we already know. And it was Doug Williams. And that full circled back because he’s gotten so much influence from the Avett Brothers, I would say, over the years. And Doug did several of their albums and still does. Once we got in there though, he just, not that Doug is very hands -on as far as production goes, but he has a way of getting in there and capturing the sound. Capturing the feeling behind the sound.
Right, in its rawest form.
Yeah, he captures what you’re trying to put into it. And he’ll bump you, you know, he’ll say like, “Hey, maybe try this or maybe try that. And there is a fluidity needed in the studio because when you put those ears on it that have heard thousands of songs, trust them.
Right, you’re right.
Trust someone who’s made thousands of good songs to say, “Hey, maybe not that.” Or try this or try it one more time. I think you can do it better or whatever, right? But to have that trust of like, hey, we’re working with someone who knows what they’re doing. So let them do it.
And he carries such a neutral energy. So there’s, you don’t really feel, you don’t really feel pushed or pulled.
It’s not really a pressure.
Yeah, there’s no pressure.
There’s not even a like, that was so good. It’s more just like, that was great. Let’s move on. You did, you nailed it. That’s Doug Williams and EMR Recorders. Yes out of Winston Salem. You will not break your bank and you will be recorded on incredible analog 60s refurbished gear that he has all fixed up all himself. Yeah, he’s a wizard.
He is a wizard.
You want to know anything about tubes, knobs, switches, boards, everything. He’s got it. You I’m gonna go into a little gear nerd mode, you can do it.
Right, we love you, Doug. It’s amazing, very cool. So, you know, what’s coming up for you guys? Any shows to talk about? Any new promotions going on?
We’re so glad you asked. (laughing)
There’s one little show coming up on us.
There’s one little show coming up, let’s go.
We’ll be at the Evening Muse this Sunday. Jason will also be there. Emanuel be with us. Duke will be with us on bass. We’ve got Courtney Linn and Quinn opening the night. What else we got?
Oh What time is the show?
Seven seven o ‘clock.
Yeah, you want to get there at seven for sure. Yeah earlier show.
It’s a Sunday. The last two have sold out so we’re hoping for a third on that, but even if not, we’ll have a nice fun intimate time. We’re playing some new tunes at that show that are not released, so if anyone would like to hear anything new that they cannot hear anywhere else right that’s the time.
Like I said, the magic that this group generates happens every time. I mean, every time I’ve sat down on stage with you guys, no matter what, whether we’ve rehearsed a lot or or not. The magic is very, very real. So I’m thrilled about the show, and I know the audience will be thrilled about the show as well. So yeah, if anyone’s listening, watching right now, if you’re looking for something to do on Sunday, what’s the day?
June the 23rd.
Make it out to the Evening Music and get your mind blown with some incredible musicians and some great songs. So you guys have any other future upcoming projects or releases that fans could look forward to? I know Micah you had mentioned.
Oh yeah. Well Falllift is releasing music all year. So we’ve already put out Geronimo Minor. We might have a little surprise coming up. On Sunday. We have two more songs that we’re going to get out this year. We haven’t quite released the dates on those, but we’re doing it seasonally. That’s what we’d like to see. We wanted to, because we’re, even though we are not new musicians, the band is still new, and we wanted to put more of a catalog out there so that when people find our music. They have a little more than just the EP to run with and to see what we’re doing. So that’s kind of been our focus for this year is to get some Falllift music out so that people have a little more to hold on to in the meantime while we’re working on like a full album.
For the follow -up project.
Right, there are other projects. You guys are very diverse, not only was Falllift but then in your own right. So you guys want to talk a little bit about that?
Well, I’m so excited. I’ve been sitting on a two -part album for several years now. Part one has been 90 % complete for a little bit and I was supposed to announce this part one at the beginning of 2023. And on like January 2nd, 3rd, 4th, my producer calls me and says, “Micah, don’t announce the album. The studio has flooded.”
Oh no.
And I said, “Okay, what do you need? How can we fix this? How can we, like, what do we do?” Yeah, it’s like, it’s a whole thing. So the studio was flooded and here we are, he ended up having to rebuild everything. He had to rebuild everything from the ground up, but it’s for the best. The studio looks incredible. It’s gonna sound incredible. And we only have one more song to record for part one. And I can put that all out. I’m not gonna put a timeline on it since that has clearly not been working for that project right not putting a timeline on it but I am getting back in the studio to finish that song at the end of the summer. Hypothetically, there could be a new Micah album within six months, a year we’ll see.
Cool, do you see yourself supporting that album with any shows?
I would like to.
I’m gonna say yes.
The Micah shows are more involved. They’re more in depth. It’s more of a production. There’s makeup. There’s outfits. There’s it’s like it’s a thing. There’s a full band.
I usually get to play an instrument.
I let him play.
What do you dress him up as? I wanna know.
Well, I started the Micah project in Nashville. So with it happening there, my players were there. And Clay is my typical guitar player and all of the things. But as musicians know how that goes, sometimes it’s just not everyone’s available for every gig, you switch people out sometimes it’s until you’re a more established band. Sometimes that’s just how it is. And so luckily we’ve done some rearranging of players that has worked out great if Clay is in Nashville and unavailable, which he’s so good. He usually is. Then if I’m more over this way on this side of the mountain, then I’ll ask Jeff Small and I’ll be like hey, man and he loves— I think what I like about Micah is that I write these songs. I write them by myself. I write them in totality and and I hand them to musicians that are better than me, and I say, “Hey, here’s the guitar chords, but you know,”
Do you see the vision?
Do you see the vision? And with the right musicians, they take it to places that I can hear, but maybe don’t have the practice or dexterity. I can’t do everything, right? And the reason I have also waited on Clay, because several other producers have stepped in and said, hey, let me produce it. Let me finish that last song for you. Let me get in my studio and do the thing. And I’m like this is mine and Clay’s baby. His hands are on it as much as my hands are. So I don’t, I couldn’t take that from him. Like this is also his child. So I am beyond excited to put out a project that from top to finish like from top to bottom is not a concept album, but it’s in the same era. It’s in the same vein. It has the same energy on it it has all the magic everything that I could pour from myself into it is there. As an artist, it’s self -indulgent and I don’t care. It’s exactly what I want it to be and when you get those moments to do the self -indulgent projects There’s this release that you’re just like, oh great. This is my truth. This is my message. This is my authenticity and I hope that the right audience receives it.
Absolutely, which is how it should be. Five minutes left guys, so we’re gonna take a quick break get some things set up or we’re gonna play a song, but do you guys have anything else you’d like to share? About anything else in your lives that maybe we hadn’t touched on it. You just want to let the public know?
Oh my goodness. We’re just so happy to be here.
We’re happy to be here. Stop conforming the societal norms, love people, be nice to them.
You have to open your mind and find as many avenues to work on and work with people as you can, because being your only single individual artist is probably not going to sustain you in this current economy.
No man’s an island.
Well, again, the band’s fantastic, the music’s fantastic, you’re both fantastic in your own right, but then on top of the music you have your other creative ventures, right? I’m going to talk about that real quick, Steven.
Yeah, I shoot a lot of photography, mostly for artists, and we do a lot of videography projects together. Micah does a lot of graphic design. I’m also in a couple of galleries around town. I’ve done a lot of artisanal pieces out of wood and resin, and I have the special treatment where I electrocute the wood at 10 ,000 volts of electricity. It’s called lictin burning, And it comes out in these cool tree -like patterns, and I can decorate those patterns however I need, or just leave them nice and raw and burnt on wood, or it looks amazing.
Yeah, the woodwork is truly amazing.
I can do it on guitars too.
Oh, now, you’re talking. So folks, if you tune it in, please make sure to follow Falllift, check out what Micah’s got going on, check about what Steven’s got going on. A lot of really, really cool things happening. Awesome show coming up at the evening news on Sunday, June 23rd at 7 p .m. with Falllift and Courtney Lynn and Quinn, my bad. But we’re gonna take a short break. We are back for a play song for you guys,
so stick around.
*break*
Hey, welcome back to rBeatz. We are Falllift here with Greazy Keyz. We’re gonna play you a tune. It’s called “Shelter.” We wrote this recently about the mental struggles you have as an artist in society. Or maybe not an artist, but whatever you’re doing that the people around you don’t necessarily understand or agree with, which affects your mind of like am I doing the right thing? So this is kind of goes with that.
*song*