We recently spoke with Captains of Entropy, about their music and their latest single, ‘The Flea’. Please enjoy the answers from keyboardist Mike Kanon, bassist Reilly Wareham, and drummer Jason Young.
Tell us a little bit about how your casual jam sessions evolved into the Captains of Entropy.
“The world was at a standstill. We needed something to keep us going. We would gather as friends and play together for its medicinal joyful and therapeutic benefits. Eventually from these free and informal sessions a sound emerged and some tunes began to take shape and our fate as band mates was determined.” – Mike
Your music blends many genres and influences to create a unique, groovy style. How would you describe your signature sound?
“I’ve always been a huge fan of instrumental improvised music across many genres especially rock and jazz. I love its ability to take you on a journey without words. All the different band members enjoy different music from each other but share this common thread. I like to think we come together as a trio and create a tapestry of sonic textures to explore together.” – Mike
What was it like to record this record at the iconic Sunset Sound Studios in Hollywood, CA?
“Absolutely incredible. The history of the building was inescapable and incredibly cool to absorb while creating. The sound of the room was as I like to say… choice! Bill, Alex and everyone else was amazing at letting us do our thing and capturing it”. -Mike
Walk us through how a small infestation sparked the idea for the narrative of “The Flea.”
“Well the jury is still out but I’m convinced it all started from my filthy neighbors cat who was often in my yard crop dusting it with whatever she came replete with. Long story short, I got fleas in my carpet and bites on my legs appeared and I entered a pit of despair that could only be rectified by (pest control) and the composition of what ended up being the music video and my fav song on the record. So I guess I should be thankful for the temporary affliction thanks to what has since transpired as a result” – Mike
Were there any creative risks or bold choices you made in the video production that you are especially proud of?
“Shooting on actual film was something that I had never done before on a music video. I was a little nervous about running out of film and we did a few times. It made things slightly more complicated but I think it looks awesome and we had a great crew who knew how to adapt to the challenges as they came up. For the band itself, our most challenging piece was learning the choreography. All of us were way out of our comfort zone but we had a blast trying to learn all the moves and get in synch” – Jason
“The Flea” is a culmination of music, acting, and dance. Was it fun for you to explore other creative areas for this project?
“The acting and dancing aspects of this project were absolutely new territory for me! Knowing that both my co-captains had had some experience in theatre and television was helpful but I still had to push myself way past my comfort zone. And I’m so glad I did – it was so fun, so very very fun! Honestly it was hard to keep a straight face during some of the scenes because the atmosphere on set was just really playful and silly. Matthew and Ryan and the entire production team were so enthusiastic and supportive throughout the whole process that by the end of the shoot I felt like an old pro. And I definitely need to give a shout out to our choreographer Paul Fears – he also played the Flea – what a trooper! He came up with the dance of course and I must say we were a pretty sad sight when we first ran through it. But, under his patient tutelage we eventually got it down – and then he showed us all up by doing the whole thing in the full Flea costume! Man it must have been hot in that thing.” – Reilly
How does “The Flea” and the accompanying music video represent the lighthearted spirit of the band?
“The whole point of this entire project, of this band, has always been pretty straightforward: we are doing this for FUN. If we aren’t having fun doing it, then what the heck are we doing it for? And this song is a perfect representation of that mindset. I mean, let’s face it – “The Flea” is not your typical pop song – it has an atypical structure with odd chord changes, diminished and whole tone scales, it mixes meters and has no lyrics – it’s a weird song. We had fun writing it and we have fun playing it – and that’s part of why we chose it as the lead single for our debut LP. And bringing the story of “The Flea” to life is just an extension of that lighthearted mindset. We’ve taken this thing this far, how can we take it even further? Who is The Flea? Where did it come from? What is its program? We all love sci-fi and fantasy stuff, especially old B-movies and monster flicks. We just took that and ran with it and had as much fun as we could along the way!” – Reilly
We’ve heard that “the flea” has the potential to return on future projects. Should fans be keeping an eye out for “The Flea: Part 2?”
“We have already started writing the next record and if all goes as planned, we hope to start recording at the end of the year. The Flea may return in some way but we won’t know until we go through the creative process and see what comes out on the other side. Wherever it goes that’s what it will be and we hope to see you there!” – Jason
You can watch the epic music video for ‘The Flea’ below, and find out more about Captains Of Entropy and their music online onYouTube, andInstagram.
