Today we’d like to introduce you to The Baby Goats.
Hello The Baby Goats, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
We are from the San Fernando Valley here in Los Angeles, CA. The three of us found each other at our kids’ elementary school. The drummer Pickle and I met whilst playing in a parents’ band for an annual school fundraiser. Lance and I met one day while our kids (my son & his daughter, both in the same grade) received an “Outstanding Achievement Award.”
We started playing out live in 2022. First, in the valley, then eventually making our way over the hill into Hollywood. Now, we’re venturing out to Ventura and Orange County.
Some of our favorite clubs to play are Club Decades and Bar Sinister (both at Boardners), Harvard & Stone in Hollywood, but believe it or not, lately, this tiny club in Ventura that found us called Sans Souci (better known perhaps as The Sewer) is downright magical. It’s TINY, a total dive, and not the place you’d think you’ll get much accomplished. But you couldn’t be more wrong. The fans there are a fricking revelation. They LOVE live music. Everyone who works there, the promoters, all are just the best.
Recently, I’d say our favorite show of note was our recent (and debut) performance at Harvard & Stone in Hollywood. The crowd gave us as good as we gave them.
This year holds a lot of promise:
Our debut album began its release in February, and now our 2nd song is coming out on March 15. We’ll release a new song every month til it completes its release.
In the 10 days since our first song’s release, our Spotify listener count increased by over 4000 percent. That’s so absurd it sounds like we made it up. But listen: we’re still very much a tiny little baby band so we accept much of this change with a grain of salt. That said, at this stage, you gotta celebrate the victories when they come! That made us very happy, but it’s still very early, and there is so much to do and so much to grow.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Ha! Pandemic, party of 8 billion. Your table is ready.
Without question, the band’s initial struggle was one that everyone on planet Earth faced, and that was the COVID-19 shutdown.
Our first step was to practice with masks. Which we did for months. All that time, though, a good thing happened; we were able to concentrate on the most important thing a band should have, which is good songs. Sounds quaint, but it’s true.
Now, I certainly wouldn’t call it a blessing in disguise because that would be damn tin-eared to the sadness and gravity of the worldwide experience, but we did what we could given the circumstances.
We were lucky, too: only one of us caught it before there was a vaccine. The others after, and we dealt with it as best we could. We didn’t start playing out live til March of 2022, when most clubs were re-opening here in LA.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
What’s the old adage? Wisdom is what one might call experience. So, there’s that; as well, we have become known (at least locally to start) for our showmanship and stage presence when performing live.
Our live show means the world to us. We work very hard and dedicate a lot of energy to make sure it excels. We believe we have something special here. So, we work hard to make sure it grows and blossoms. It’s fun to see people’s reaction to our improvement. A lot of our fans are not the casual type. They really dig The Baby Goats, sure, but more so, it feels like the beginning of a community. That’s affirming to say the least.
Insofar as your question as to what makes us most proud? Hmmm, I guess I’d say that dedication to craft, as stated, but honestly, I think we also work hard to communicate well with each other. Might be a little dorky to say, but being in a band isn’t as easy as one might imagine. Certainly, akin to herding cats, but we try to create an atmosphere where we are considerate of each other. Is. that rock n roll? Ha. You’d be surprised. Sometimes, the revolutionary/punk act might just be something as simple as kindness.
The other thing, too, is again how we built this band from the inside out: we have really close family members and friends who help us. Whether it’s merch, or management, stage crew, or shooting video of our show… Heck, even someone like our new photographer Lex (@poisonous.culture), whom we arbitrarily met on IG. She has provided a wealth of knowledge, and her eye is exquisite. We laugh at how similar our interests are. And she’s kind. That’s the currency of The Baby Goats, and these are the types of people who we like to work with.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
Hmmmm… I hate to say it, but IG is probably what we’re on the most, simply for promotion’s sake. The way of the world, I suppose.
Apart from that? I guess my favorite app for my work as a songwriter/dude in a band is, believe it or not, Evernote. Now I’m stupid, angry at them that they just jacked their rates (like absurdly nearly 3x as much as it used to be), but I’ve been using it for so long it’ll be tough to consider something else.
But anything from lyrics, to Spotify campaigns, to set lists, to lighting ideas, to song riffs, to photoshoot thoughts, to recipes, to letters I write…they all start or make their way there.
Recently read Mehdi Hasan’s book “Win Every Argument: The Art of Debating, Persuading, and Public Speaking” and I liked it very much. The man is brilliant at interviews, and I thought it might be nice to hear what he has to say. Glad I read it as he gives a lot of good insight into his craft and ability.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thebabygoats.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebabygoatsmusic/
- Facebook: http://facebook.com/thebabygoats
- Twitter: http://twitter.com/thebabygoats
- Youtube: http://youtube.com/@thebabygoats
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebabygoats
- Other: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/thebabygoats
Image Credits
Lex Hockey
