The Future is Now: Futurebirds Land in Portsmouth in Support of “Easy Company”

On August 9, Athens, Georgia-based rock and rollers The Futurebirds released their latest record, “Easy Company” — an absolute gem of a record. The band has not released a bad album since their inception in 2008, but this one just feels mighty fine. The three-headed frontman monster of Carter King, Thomas Johnson, and Daniel Womack have really hit their stride with regard to creating cohesive sets of music that are colored in with each of their unique vocal deliveries. And the harmonies… God the harmonies are good. Catchy pop rock bliss accented with an alt-country twang that hits you right where it counts. The heart, the feels… Whatever you want to call it. The Futurebirds have nailed it right here, right now, in the present moment. With each subsequent listen you’re bound to pick a new favorite tune, and when all the tunes of that quality, you know you’re in on something special.

The band brings their tour to Portsmouth on Friday, November 22 for a gig at 3S Artspace—a place they’re no stranger to. Back before 3S even opened the organization, they did a handful of fundraising shows at the Press Room; one of which was the Futurebirds (they’ve also played the venue proper, and, they once played the defunct Birdseye Lounge). If you’ve seen ‘em, you know how good this is going to be. If you haven’t, get a ticket. You won’t regret it. And, for those that have experience, I’m sure you’re just as excited as the author of this piece is to hear the new songs worked into the setlist. Winning abound.

Local music journalist (and Granite Rodeo DJ), Chris Hislop caught up with Tommy Johnson to discuss the new record, the lineage of the band, Motley Crue, Ryan Adams, the virtues of humility, and the importance of being good people and not burning bridges as we navigate this thing called life. Today, tomorrow, and into the future, birds.

Hislop: Let’s talk about “Easy Company.” What an incredible record. You guys keep getting better and better. What were the goals for this record? What do/did you take from past recording experiences that might have informed how you approached this album?

Johnson: First of all, thanks. I guess if you do something long enough, you can’t help but get better? Hope so anyway. We’ve never felt like we’ve made our “masterpiece” or that we’re the best version of what we can be, so in a lot of ways we’re just trying to get closer and closer to the sweet spot with every recording. So, we’re constantly adjusting in the studio, eliminating the things that haven’t worked or aren’t conducive to that goal, and reinforcing the things that work well. We worked with a proper producer this time (Brad Cook), which was a big change. It took some getting used to, but it was definitely beneficial for someone else to be quarterbacking the vision, while we focused on the finer points of writing and performing. He also was helpful in whittling down our massive demo folder into a cohesive collection of songs. Just having a place for the buck to stop when you’re making decisions kept us on track and prevented the sessions from bogging down into the vortex of indecision.

Hislop: Do you enjoy the studio? How does the studio environment help shape the blueprints you guys walk in with? Is it easy to focus when you’re in there putting songs to tape?

Johnson: We love the studio. It’s an integral part of what makes this such an awesome thing to do. Most of the time we do the bulk of our writing individually (Carter, Daniel, and I), and then we have a demo session (or many) to learn, flesh out, and bring the songs into focus with the greater group. So usually, by the time we’re in the studio, the blueprint is mostly complete. The idea being that once the red light is on, we’re not contemplating changes to the songs or trying to remember how they go. Even still, there are always songs that get brought into the sessions that we haven’t demoed, and while that makes it harder to focus, it’s an exciting challenge, and there’s something special about the first time you really nail a take or finally find that part in a song that you’ve been searching for.

Hislop: What excites you about this record? How has the reception been now that it’s out in the wild?

Johnson: The songs are great; I love every one of them. We spent more time crafting the songs than we have in the past, paying more attention to every detail, transition, etc., and making sure every second of the songs is intentional. The band is really coming into focus, and this record is exemplary of that. We’ve gone through a lot of different lineup changes over the years, and this group of musicians feels like we finally have the right folks in the right places. Nothing but love for everyone who’s ever been a part of our group, but we work together and have the same vision in a way that hasn’t always happened consistently. At the encouragement of Brad, we really leaned into the fact that we have 3 lead singers, and the song spread is equal. That’s translated to the live shows, and albeit quite obvious that it’s unique and a strength, we’ve never really embraced it like this before.

Hislop: What’s the collaborative process like in Futurebirds? I LOVE the three-headed approach to the frontman duties. It really keeps things fresh and engaging from track to track. How do you guys bring songs to their final state? Do you, Carter, and Daniel take your songs to the band once you’ve got them pretty fleshed out, or is everyone involved in the creation process at the outset?

Johnson: As far as the state of the songs when we bring them to the band, it’s completely different song to song. Sometimes an idea comes, or someone brings in a demo, and it’s basically done. Sometimes it’s just an acoustic guitar and a vocal. Sometimes it’s just a verse or a chorus. Some songs need to be fleshed out more for the vision to be clear; it’s harder to see the potential in a song if you don’t have a fuller picture of the direction. Some songs are just bangers from the get-go, and it doesn’t matter how you flesh them out; you just know they’re gonna be awesome.

Hislop: Do the three of you challenge each other in your evolution as songwriters? Do you feed off of any competitive edge at all? Have folks ever outwardly ranked you guys before (from first to third)?

Johnson: Haha, don’t think we’ve ever been officially ranked. I think there’s something out there for everyone/anyone. People will come and tell us all individually that they like our songs or voices the best, but the secret’s really in the sauce because we’re all contributing so much to each other’s songs. We don’t have any sort of contentious competition; we’re all able to take a bird’s eye view of things and are usually in agreement about which songs are the best or most ready. On the other hand, when one of the other guys brings in an absolutely awesome song, it definitely motivates me to push harder on the songs I’m working with and to work to make my songs up to snuff. I think the other guys would say the same. We all feel like we’re better at writing songs now than we used to be. Some of that has been the evolution of getting older, working harder, and being less lazy. We also all write a lot more now than we used to, so it always helps when you have more ideas to choose from, or you’re not forced to work on something that just isn’t coming together currently.

Hislop: I think my personal favorite track on the record is your tune, “Up and Out” (it’s close, though—Daniel has some real bangers on there, and Carter’s title-song duet with Waxahatchee is so fine as well…) Curious if there’s any Ryan Adams influence in there at all (specifically angling at his song, “Come Pick Me Up”).

Johnson: Thanks again! No, there’s no influence of RA’s on that one. I know the lyrics have some similarities though. That’s the third song I’ve done in collaboration with my songwriting buddy Reppard Walker. We’re from the same hometown, and he wrote all of these songs in the early 2000s that I loved, but he never really properly released. They stuck in my head ever since, so I’ve worked with him and the guys to bring a few of them back to life (“Put Up, Keep Up” and “All Damn Night” are the other 2). The sentiment in “Up and Out” and “Come Pick Me Up” are probably similar in some ways, although “Up and Out” is more about wanting to be taken away from my own brain than it is about wanting someone specific to come rescue me.

Hislop: Keeping on that tune for a moment, how on earth did you guys wind up on a merry-go-round for the supporting video? Any injuries to report?

Johnson: We did a marathon “Easy Company” content shoot in Savannah, GA, this past March. We ended up with at least ten videos from the session, a handful of “official music videos,” and an 8-song acoustic session. “Up and Out” was one of the songs we wanted a video for and didn’t have a concrete idea for yet. Daniel lives near the park where the merry-go-round is, and suggested we go there to shoot something. Earlier in the day, we had gotten the shots at the dock, so it made sense to finish up that song’s video with the merry-go-round shots! Definitely had some vertigo, but other than that, the only injuries were to our egos after seeing the BTS video.

Hislop: How’d the Futurebirds come to be? Why’d the Futurebirds come to be? From a longevity perspective, did you ever see this thing lasting the 16+ years y’all have been at it for thus far? Has the company been easy?

Johnson: We’ve told this story so many times that I once copied and pasted the Wiki bio of Motley Crue to our Wikipedia page and changed the names to ours. Briefly, though, we were all in Athens, GA, in bands that were fizzling out or breaking up. Although some of us had known each other for a while, our original drummer, Payton, kinda brought us all together circa 2008, and once we started playing music together, we realized we had something worth exploring. That being said, we absolutely did not see this thing lasting 16 years, although it’s hard to imagine doing anything for a decade or more. I’d say that we always felt we were tapping into something special, but we couldn’t have dreamed of having the luck, support, and longevity that we’ve enjoyed. The company hasn’t always been easy… It’s funny when I talk about the concept of “easy company”, I do so in the context of that being an intentional thing. When you’re young it’s hard to shed the negative/stress-inducing people and things in your life, you feel like it’s your responsibility to lend your time and energy to them even when they aren’t good for you, and sometimes it’s worth it or it’s a worthy obligation. As I’ve gotten older, I find myself seeking out people, places, and things that I can be myself around. Not to say that I avoid challenges, but just focus a lot more on experiences and relationships I’m not having to force and fight against constantly.

Hislop: What’re some key lessons you’ve taken from your collective experience as a Futurebird?

Johnson: Don’t burn bridges. People come and go; relationships fail for a myriad of reasons. Personal, business, creative… all of them. Sometimes things run their course and it’s time to move on, and that doesn’t have to be a negative or contentious thing. Trust your instincts, don’t be afraid to change. Don’t be too proud to admit mistakes, apologize, and make things right. Communication is such a gold standard. Collaboration brings out the best in everyone. A good friend of mine once said, “There’s no limit to what can be accomplished when no one cares who gets the credit.” – I think about that a lot.

Hislop: Music. Why do you seek it? Why do you create it?

Johnson: In the simplest of terms… it makes me feel something like nothing else. In a lot of ways, I don’t feel like I ever had a choice; it’s just something I was going to do. I create it because it’s the most direct way for me to express myself and get to that feeling that music stirs in me and, hopefully, others. It feels good, listening, writing, or playing.

Hislop: You guys are out on the road in support of “Easy Company.” You’ll be back paying us a visit in Portsmouth at 3S Artspace on November 22. What keeps you coming back to the Granite State?

Johnson: It’s such a beautiful place and such great vibes. There’s a really cool sense of community there, and the small towns and swimming holes remind me of the best parts of the south (although obviously quite different). Plus, it’s not as hot as Georgia.

Hislop: Is it weird to step out onto a stage to a sea of strangers staring back at you? Or is there a weird sense of comfort in that?

Johnson: It’s definitely weird. I’d say it’s less weird the bigger the stage. If it’s a huge crowd, there’s already a kind of dissociative aspect to it. When it’s a very intimate crowd, and it’s all strangers, you’re just kind of up there spilling your guts 2 feet from people, and it can feel invasive. Being up there with 7 of my best friends helps a ton; it’s a shared challenge/experience. All that said, I’d rather play to strangers than a bunch of friends and family for some reason.

Hislop: What can folks expect when they come out to see you all play this time around?

Johnson: The best Futurebirds show we’ve ever played in New Hampshire!

For further information on the Futurebirds please visit www.futurebirdsmusic.com. For tickets to the gig, hit up www.3Sarts.org!