Weathers may have first appeared on your radar about four years ago when you heard “Happy Pills.” The song peaked at No. 21 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart.
Since then, the band has gone on to bigger and better things. See and hear for yourself this Saturday when Weathers hits the World Cafe Live stage along with Echosmith and Jayden Bartels.
Initially, vocalist Cameron Boyer and guitarist Cameron Olsen met in 2012 while attending a battle of the bands in the Los Angeles suburb of Manhattan Beach. By 2015, they had formed Weathers, recruiting bassist Brennen Bates, and drummer Cole Carson.
Having gone through some challenging events over the past two years, Boyer wanted to process his struggles through songwriting. He felt compelled to make feel-good songs about self-value, self-discovery, and about being betrayed and moving on.
When Boyer and Olsen began writing new songs in January 2017, what emerged was “this messy, glitchy sound,” Boyer says, adding that a 1958 Silvertone guitar bought from a garage sale is played on nearly every song, and gave the music what the album’s producer Tim Pagnotta (WALK THE MOON, Neon Trees) called a “ratty, acoustic feel.”
PW recently caught up with Boyer to talk about the band and its upcoming show in Philly.
Describe your first five years together as a band. Is the experience everything you thought it would be?
Mostly, no. The past years have been great, but filled with so many unexpected twists and turns. It’s hard to predict anything but, overall, it’s been a great time.
Back in the day, artists were very dependent on radio to get their music to their fans. Social media and the internet have changed all of that. Talk a little about how the growth of technology and online options have helped you reach and interact with your fans.
Radio is still very influential today, but definitely not the only outlet. Social media can be a blessing and a curse, for sure.
Back in the day, you would only ever see your favorite band if they were in a magazine or in a music video or if you went to see them live. So physically SEEING the band was always amazing.
Now, you can see the band anytime 24/7 anywhere. And there can be a ton of pressure to have to be more present on social media than you really want to be just to keep people interested. But on the flipside, we can actually talk to our fans at any time. We can connect with them in different ways. And we can be closer to our fan base which can help us and help them.
“Happy Pills” back in 2016 proved to be a breakthrough for you on the charts. How did the success of that song change the path of Weathers? Did it influence the type of music you want to make today?
Our music is always changing and evolving. The success of one song doesn’t change that.
We are young and still growing up and our music will grow with us. But that song definitely has made us known and expanded our reach which is cool.
What can your Philly fans expect to see at your show at World Cafe Live on Feb. 15?
New music. And a fun and emotional experience.
What’s next for Weathers? Where do you see yourselves five years from now?
We are releasing lots of new music this year. There’s plenty to look forward to, and we will be touring nonstop as well. Hopefully in years to come, we will be known as a band that’s more than our music. I think we already are to our fans now, but hopefully that will keep growing.
Weathers | Saturday, Feb. 15, 8 pm. $25-$75. World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St. Tickets and info: worldcafelive.com.
