Daniel KarasekTo round out the Thanksgiving holiday, I had the opportunity to sit down with emerging Athens four-piece Walden. Comprised of Richard Becker (vocals/guitar), Jamie de Lange (bass), Eric Hangartner (vocals/piano) and Andrew Mendel (drums), the band formed when the members were seniors at Pope High School in East Cobb. From their humble beginnings playing house shows and the local Pizza Hut, the group has since graduated to headlining packed-out venues and performing at festivals, including major destinations like Bonnaroo and Shaky Knees.
My friend Maggie Schneider, a rising talent in her own right, was helping promote Walden’s show at Aisle 5 with guests Reptile Room—an Atlanta electropop trio you are probably sleeping on—and the Revelries, a rock act hailing from Baton Rouge. Maggie got me connected with Walden, which led me to join the band for a quick bite at El Bandido before the gig. Over some delicious burrito bowls, we shared a casual conversation to dig into a bit of their history and what motivates them to keep pushing forward. You can read the interview below.
After completing our discussion, we meandered back to Aisle 5 so the band could get ready for their performance, and I could grab a beer and find my spot for the evening. As the night progressed with Reptile Room and Revelries both crushing their sets, people were flooding into the venue. Don’t get me wrong, there was a solid turnout for both of the opening acts, but by the time Walden took to the stage, the crowd at Aisle 5 was packed like sardines.
The audience was an interesting mix, combining local hipsters with college kids adorned in UGA attire, as well as older folk who were family friends of the band members. This blend of attendees was telling, really paying testament to how Walden’s music has managed to engage a wide range of listeners. When the group took the stage, the entire venue popped off, changing the vibe from some a subdued buzz to a jolt of electrifying energy. Walden’s sensational performance and demeanor towards their craft have made me a fan, and I’m avidly waiting for what this band has in store on the horizon.
Tell me how you got your start.
Andrew: Originally we are from East Cobb and grew up there. We formed a band during our senior year at Pope. We broke up the band when we left for different colleges. Freshmen year we rekindled the band in Athens. Half of us went to UGA while the other half went to Georgia Southern. In our third year, our bandmates transferred to UGA and we all got a house. Athens is where we got our start.
What is your vision for the band?
Eric: We’ve always had big aspirations. We’ve always wanted to do big shows. We have wanted so badly to do stadium shows since day one. We are at a point in our lives where we want this thing to work. We want to be musicians as a profession. The bands I still admire are the ones who are creative, have fun, and are authentic. Ones that push the envelope. Some of the cooler stuff is more out there and creative. We want to be like that, but still have fun even at a big level.
What is the best thing about Athens?
Jamie: Athens has a super tight music community. A lot of support.
Eric: It’s a place where so much live music goes on, and people go out and listen. There is a culture just to go out and drop by a venue to see who’s playing. People care about live music. We have met so many friends playing shows in Athens.
What artists have you been listening to?
Jamie: Hedonistas and Pink Floyd.
Eric: I’ve been listening to MYFEVER recently.
Andrew: We honestly all listen to a wide variety. I grew up playing drums to Led Zeppelin.
Now a tough question. Hard or soft tacos?
Eric: Soft. Absolutely. As soon as the shell splits it’s done. You would be hard-pressed to find a hard shell to last a meal. And we know tacos. We were featured on Taco Bell’s Feed the Beat where we got $500 in Taco Bell gift cards for our tour. We’ve eaten more Taco Bell than anyone should.
What advice would you give to other aspiring musicians?
Eric: In some aspects, we are playing catchup without having formal music backgrounds like going to school for music. You need to devote time to your craft. Even if friends and family say you won’t make money and share their doubts, you need to be constantly honing in and getting better. Early on, focus on making something really great. If your product is broken, no one is going to buy it. We heard once that as soon as someone stops writing, it’s suicide. Keep working. Do stuff good enough that it can’t be ignored.
Tell me about “Alive” and the video for it.
Richard: The video location is not where we recorded the actual track. It was a replica for the video. We tracked the song up at Echo Mountain Studios in Asheville. We came back to Acworth to finish and master the tracks. The strings were done remotely and added in.
What are your plans for 2020?
Andrew: In about two months we are moving to Nashville. Planning to make a lot of new music.
Richard: The most important thing to us is new music. We want to release music every couple of months. Go lighter on touring and focus on creating music.
Eric: Really buckling down so that the next time people come to see us, we’ve grown and wed do something new. Each time we perform we try to do something new.
Andrew: Yeah, in a 13-song set we like to throw in some fresh covers. We want to keep it fresh. When we do covers, we try to do them differently each time. Tonight we are doing our take on “Fly Like an Eagle.”
More Info
Web: www.walden.band
Facebook: @bandwalden
Instagram: @waldengrams
SoundCloud: @bandwalden
Twitter: @waldentheband