Interview with The Band of Heathens

With Country Sides marking your 20th anniversary, what does this album represent for you at this point in your journey?

This album is a band at the top of their game, twenty years into their career. A band that knows who they are, where they’ve been, how they like to work and keep things fresh, and how to build a creative world independently, completely outside of the music industry machine.

What inspired the title, Country Sides?

We love the idea of bucolic imagery of the word “countrysides,” but by separating it into two words, it seemed to open up and have much more meaning. Sonically, the album leans into the country side of the band with lots of pedal steel. There’s obviously a play on sides as in A/B sides, but also it’s an interesting time in our country at the moment where everybody seems to be divided up into sides… My favorite interpretation, though, is the one that the album artwork portrays… The countryside is often the best part of the meal. Okra, mashed potatoes, cornbread… what’s better than that? The food symbolism resonates with us as a band that lives on the edges of the mainstream music industry.

If you had to describe this album’s vibe in three words, what would they be?

Listen For Yourself.

What do you hope listeners take away after hearing the record?

I hope listeners feel a sense of hope that they can take with them on this roller coaster of life, and I hope they feel more connected to each other, knowing we all have more in common than not. I also hope people see the beauty in committing to something bigger than yourself for the long haul — whether it be a band, a job, a marriage, or a friendship, there is beauty in seeing something through.

After two decades together, how has your creative partnership evolved or changed?

I think mutual respect has been the driving force that has given us longevity. We know that we’re better together, and over time, that mutual respect has led us to knowing how and when to give each other space, how and when to push each other further, and how to trust the other’s instincts as much as our own.

Are there any songs on Country Sides that feel especially personal or meaningful to you right now?

“Forever’s Not a Long Time” is still revealing itself to me and hitting me in different ways. It’s about commitment to each other, whether that means commitment to a marriage, a friendship, a band, or to our fellow citizens we may not see eye-to-eye with.

How do you keep the spark and inspiration alive after so many years as a band?

I think gratitude for what we have, knowing it could fall apart at any point, drives us to not take anything for granted and to keep pushing forward creatively. Inspiration is everywhere — the hard part is having the discipline to be still enough to notice it and write it down. I don’t know that we have it figured out, but I know that we’re still working hard to keep it alive.

Is there a song you’re especially excited to play live on this upcoming tour?

I’m excited to feel how crowds might react to “Pleasing People,” and I’m excited to see how we’ll open up some jams on “Forever’s Not a Long Time.”

Looking ahead, what are you most excited for fans to experience: the new music, the tour, or something else?

I’m most excited for people to hear the new music on record and then to come experience how those songs blossom into something else in the live setting.