It's just the beginning!
Hailing from Williamsburg, Brooklyn is 21 year old indie rock artist A.D. Wells. It's been a month since he debuted his newest EP of 8 tracks, titled "The West Hollywood Broken Hearts Club." The singer describes his latest feat in music focuses on "sweet yearning, desired loss, hopeful love, crippling failure, and somehow self-driven optimism in the face of defeat-all with the backdrop of mysterious Hollywood behind it." I had the chance to interview him about his venture as the solo artist while remaining a significant member of the band SOPHOMORE.
What was the inspiration behind your stage name?
My real name is Ethan, I like my name but it’s not very stagey. My middle name is Alexander and my last name starts with D. Wells just came to me. A.D. Wells in some ways is a character of sorts.
When did you first start to record, play or write music?
I started playing bass guitar in the summer of 2012. I can’t believe it has been that long!
Around 2014 I started playing keys and only started guitar in the spring of 2018. I’ve been writing music and messing around with chords for the last 5 years but it wasn’t until the around the fall of 2017 that I decided that I was going to consciously start writing songs, I never thought I could do it, but I’m glad I tried it.
Music for me has been a way of expression, understanding and just a cool way to get your art and viewpoint across to people. When I think of all the different things going on in my life I am always thinking about the next song, and nothing seems to excite me as much as that.
In addition to A.D. Wells, I am also in a band SOPHOMORE. We wrote the music for our debut record starting last fall. I would say it was around early February that I began thinking about doing a solo record and that’s when this process got started. The songs came pretty quick, especially when I had this thematic concept for the story and place of “The West Hollywood Broken Hearts Club.”
What about your genre fascinated you? Did you always think that would be your sound?
I am drawn to indie and alternative music, specifically indie rock/pop. I don’t know if this record would be considered indie rock but I think there are indie and alternative elements for sure. A term I’ve been describing with this record has been “lounge rock,” I think it fits that and maybe synth-pop as well. With so many influences I think my sound blends from a lot of inspiration. When I consciously make an effort to say “I want to fit this vibe of this sound” it usually has a starting point but ends up a slightly different place because I’ve filtered it through my own self, I guess that’s the whole purpose of the creative process though and
how I make the music my own.
Who are your inspirations (sound and lyrics wise)?
So many! I am so inspired by so many great musicians. My favorite band is The Killers so they fall into my sound somewhere for sure. Sonically for this record, I was inspired by Lorde’s “Melodrama,” Alex Cameron’s work, the latest Arctic Monkeys record, The National, Phoenix, the early Strokes concepts (especially Julian Casablanca's lyrical capabilities) and of course David Bowie. It wasn’t until recently did I discover Lou Reed’s music and he had an impact too. His songwriting style was pioneering and just genius-like.
Thematically there was so much inspiration I found for this record. I had never been to California before up until this last March and although I had started work on this potential solo album I was taken aback by this concept of people chasing stardom and success in Hollywood which is kind of like this unsaid element that seems to exist there. It’s such a beautiful place of potential possibility. there are so many artistic elements that arose.
Sonically and thematically that’s how "The West Hollywood Broken Hearts Club" was realized, once I had the concept I began to think about who would be at this club and what would their story be? In some ways, A.D. Wells might even be there for himself. Once I combined these concepts with my own real-life experiences of love, loss, and just life itself these songs came into light. I tried to make these songs real, sometimes realness can be daunting for people to face, especially with music, but honesty within myself and what I see around me creates the best work. There is a story being told on this record, it’s all there for people to put it together.
What are your goals for the rest of your music career?
Writing and sharing my music excites me like nothing else. It’s exciting, trying and liberating process. I’d love to get my work into as many ears as possible, I believe in these songs and I think people will love them if they hear them. As more and more people listen and give me feedback, it’s just more motivation to keep working. I think that finding success for me would people simply enjoying my music and delivering something that makes them feel and reflect on something real, even if they don't quite figure out what it is.
How do you think your sound has developed throughout your involvement in music?
I consciously am trying to find new inspiration and sound to keep the creativity fresh. I’m 21, as I get older and experience more I am sure the sound of my music will transition with that too. From where I was when I first started writing music I think my capabilities have gotten better too. Every day I work more and more on my craft, and I like to think it’s gotten me to a good place, but there is always room to keep getting better.
Do you have a favorite song of yours? Do you do anything outside of music?
It changes! I am very, very proud of this record and the work that went into it. At the moment I think "Crush" or "Redondo" might be my favorites of this record, but Silver Screen is up there for me too. Music takes up a lot of my life and brings me so much joy so a decent amount of my free time is either writing, playing or going to a show.
Besides that, I am currently a student in college which is enjoyable. I am also very into running, it keeps me fit and mentally well.
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