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How the Lumineers outlived stomp-clap’s biggest hit

BBG News

The tale of The Lumineers goes back approximately a decade, following their battle to replicate the pop fame achieved by their debut single. Their music, characterized by the stomp-clap sound popular during the Obama era, which was also promoted by Mumford & Sons and Of Monsters and Men, earned them a Grammy nomination for “Ho Hey” in 2012. This unexpected hit catapulted Wesley Schultz, their singer-guitarist, and Jeremiah Fraites, the drummer, to stardom. They had started off playing small house shows and open mics, and suddenly found themselves on Top 40 radio alongside big names like Maroon 5 and Flo Rida.

Although the Denver band, the Lumineers, haven’t reclaimed their position on the Hot 100, they may have accomplished something even more significant. They’ve arguably risen to become one of the most prominent live acts in rock music, while also significantly impacting the rising generation of acoustic songwriters. In 2023, Zach Bryan invited them to collaborate on his number-one hit track “Spotless” from his self-titled album. Last year, Noah Kahan brought Schultz and Fraites on stage during a performance at Boston’s Fenway Park. Furthermore, Shaboozey has publicly acknowledged that the Lumineers served as an inspiration for his smash hit “A Bar Song (Tipsy).

Zach sports a tattoo of the “Cleopatra” emblem on his arm, as shared by Fraites. This brings to mind their 2016 album. Additionally, in an email exchange, Noah mentioned, ‘The Lumineers are integral to who I am.’ It’s quite challenging to fully grasp this connection.

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42-year-old Schultz and 39-year-old Fraites recently unveiled their fifth album titled “Automatic.” They’ll be performing it live this year, with scheduled shows at Fenway and New York’s Citi Field, as well as a two-night engagement at Inglewood’s Kia Forum in August. Schultz discussed the upcoming tour during a recent interview at the Sunset Marquis, explaining that the extensive promotional activities have kept him away from his wife and their young children for a longer period than he has been before.

On a day when Lenny’s school celebrated music, anyone who wished could perform. Dressed casually in jeans and an old Talking Heads shirt, he mentioned that he would be there supporting Lenny. Suddenly, Lenny asked, “Dad, I want to play ‘Ophelia.’ Will you join me?” Whispering the lyrics, Lenny shared the song with him, and they sang it together.

As for me, I’m quite oblivious to whether my rock star dad status at school is a topic of discussion. Recently, I accompanied a friend on a date with someone she met through an app. We were hanging out in a park, and he suddenly asked if I was part of a Lumineers cover band. Though their music is well-known, we as individuals aren’t. It’s not like it’s by accident, but it’s also not something intentionally avoided.

I often humorously compare us to the Steve Miller Band of our time, not caring about their physical appearance or personal matters. All that mattered was enjoying their greatest hits, finding them to capture a certain feel.

The idea of a cult of personality can be questionable as a foundation for anything. To illustrate, when I first began playing guitar, I found that people responded enthusiastically to well-chosen songs, especially in a bar setting. It wasn’t as if the original artist was performing it, yet a song like “My City of Ruins” by Bruce Springsteen, which isn’t even a hit, could silence an entire room.

What led you to believe it wasn’t you making that noise? Because as soon as I played a few tunes of mine, the venue would emit an unpleasant gas-like sound.

I’ve never considered the Lumineers as elder statesmen —
Same here.

Zach mentioned to me that I’ve turned into a significant act for many upcoming singer-songwriters. He said something along the lines of “You’re my Tom Petty, man” [laughs]. I was quite taken aback as I still consider myself a newcomer in this field.

Television

The renowned country artist finds themselves right back where they started, as they join forces with Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie to judge the 23rd season of the popular TV show.

How did you manage to join the band “Spotless”? Reflecting upon it now, this seems very much like Zach Bryan in real life. He was performing at a festival we were also participating in, and he dropped by to watch our performance. He wanted to greet us, and he just appeared backstage, surprising our security team who asked him for his pass. He explained that he had been playing on another stage, but they didn’t believe him initially. I learned about this later. So, I asked my manager to obtain his contact information, but his manager was reluctant to give it out. They said he would reach out to me, and I wasn’t given his number. I eventually reached out to him via Instagram, but it took months before I received a response.

One day, I received a message on Instagram from someone who admires me greatly. He said, “You’re one of my role models.” I replied with congratulations and mentioned maybe meeting up in the future. He suggested we write a song together, to which I agreed if he ever had an idea. Soon after, he sent me an idea for a song called “Spotless”. We exchanged ideas back and forth, but it was amusing because while I was recording my parts at home, I was supposed to be barbecuing for friends who were waiting in my backyard. I joked that there’s this guy named Zach Bryan, and the song we made would soon be released. Within a year, they all knew about him.

Does it seem a bit strange or even make you feel somewhat aged to be regarded as someone’s idol? I guess it would be hard not to feel that way, especially considering the fact that this new record we’ve created has me quite elated. It’s been 20 years for Jer and myself writing together, and never have I felt more driven by our work.

Are you aware of the reason behind it? Well, it was quite spontaneous, much like capturing an authentic instant – not staged or rehearsed in any manner. Since we didn’t have any demonstration recordings, what you hear are our initial and subsequent attempts.

Why did you compose the song that rhymes with “Glass Bowl”? Since it can’t be printed in the L.A. Times, let me explain that it’s autobiographical. My college roommates would often tease me saying, “When I first met you, I thought you were a difficult character.” My wife also said, “The first time I met you, I found you challenging.

As a film enthusiast, I’ve been told my fair share of criticisms, but this particular one seemed to resonate more than others. At first, it felt like a challenge, almost like a badge of honor – as if her choosing me was a victory. But I’ve since moved past that. What truly captivates me about the song is its cyclical narrative, which echoes: “Perhaps I am an ass. But so are you. You may hide your dark side, but it exists.

Are you still perceived as someone who could set people off unexpectedly? I guess I’ve become more open, but I’m more like a simmering pot. If you asked my wife, she might tell you about many instances every week where she wonders, “What on earth was that?” and I’d be puzzled, thinking, “What?

In 2013, “Ho Hey” peaked at No. 3 on Billboard’s Top 40 radio chart.
I think it peaked at 2.

Well, I found myself captivated by its progress, thinking, “Could it possibly reach the number one spot?” It came incredibly close, holding firm at position three for an entire week. Let me tell you, it was quite a laughable situation!

Preceding it during that particular week were Bruno Mars’ “Locked Out of Heaven” and Rihanna’s “Diamonds.” At the time, people questioned the likelihood of “Ho Hey” achieving success. However, examining the songs surrounding it on the chart makes this doubt more apparent. My friends would share Howard Stern clips where he would express frustration while listing down the Top 10 and say things like, “What in the world is this?” The common belief is that when a song becomes popular, it’s deliberately created to be successful. However, listen to that song and you’ll realize it wasn’t intended to become a hit.

In the interviews conducted then, the underlying question was always: “You’ve been performing exceptionally well. Could you elaborate on your success?” This question might come off as slightly condescending. The nerve-wracking moment following this was a crossroads: You could either strive to produce more hits and prove you weren’t a flash in the pan, or – like us – choose to continue undeterred, trying to ignore such implications.

They aimed to turn “Stubborn Love” into a popular track. However, they suggested trimming down a significant portion of the song, stating that its length of 4 minutes was excessive. Our response was a query, “What do you mean by that? What adjustments will be made?

In retrospect, I found myself somewhat taken aback when I discovered an additional verse in Third Eye Blind’s “Semi-Charmed Life” during my first listen to the album version. It felt like a bit of a letdown, as if they had withheld something from us fans. As Billy Joel sings, “If you’re gonna have a hit, you gotta make it fit / So they cut it down to 3:05.” Sometimes, artists may not fully comprehend that they hold the reins and have control over their work.

Why did you come to understand that fact?

In asking you to do something like that, what are you actually seeking? What holds more value for you? Is it the sentiment of having created the song and cherishing its original form, or the notion of being recognized by strangers in everyday settings such as a supermarket? During our discussions with several managers when we switched management in 2018, I recall one individual spent nearly half the meeting boasting about his clients’ use of private jets. At that moment, I found myself thinking, ” frankly, I don’t find jets all that intriguing – I simply yearn to compose my own music.

While jets indeed are impressive, they often serve as the backdrop for some truly moving musical compositions. In a way, it’s like the music is directing the jets, rather than the other way around.

Have you ever pondered about the outcome if you had accepted the radio edit version? Just for curiosity’s sake, let me share a thought. Imagine that you have two successful songs in the Top 40 format. This success creates a specific benchmark for your team to measure success, which is quite peculiar. You begin to observe what the format prefers, and over time, you might unconsciously adjust your songwriting to fit this format. However, it’s the artists who stick to their unique style that endure. As Neil Young put it: “When I was in the middle of the road, I aimed for the ditch.

Have The Lumineers created anything quite like that? Our album “III” might be the most similar, as we intentionally crafted it to be intensely melancholic yet therapeutic.

Is the album both sad and relieving in nature? My wife’s mother struggled with alcoholism for much of her life, even when our band began earning some money through hip-hop music. We bought her a small house as a result, which she used to drink large amounts of Tito’s vodka every day. She would order both food and alcohol delivery services so that she didn’t have to leave the house, eventually becoming so immobile that she needed a dish mat on her La-Z-Boy recliner chair because she couldn’t get up to use the bathroom. The album was about this situation, its consequences, and trying to understand what might have led to it.

It’s fascinating to note that while many Weezer fans claim “Pinkerton” is their favorite album, a surprising number of people prefer “III.” Despite being less commercially successful, it has its own unique charm. The low points in this record create some incredibly high moments, and the song “Stubborn Love” plays a crucial role in shaping its overall character. I can’t help but wonder if we would have had “III” without it.

Music

30 years following the launch of their initial studio album, the individuals from Weezer share insights on how the Blue Album was created.

As a music enthusiast, the track “Automatic” from the latest album resonates deeply with me due to its thought-provoking imagery: “Shooting stars / Driving electric cars / Grazing at salad bars / Yearning for the rain.”

Originally, it was about exploring Mars, but it seems to reflect a sense of both idealism and despair that pervades our current times. We’re living in an era marked by progress and innovation, yet many people express feelings of sadness rather than joy. It reminds me of Steinbeck’s quote where he talks about people seeing themselves as temporarily embarrassed millionaires — I am more important than I currently am — a sentiment that seems to have resurfaced. There’s an insatiable hunger embedded in everything, and if one isn’t careful, it’s easy to never feel truly content.

What’s the habit you find yourself indulging in the most when it comes to media consumption, especially on YouTube? Despite my attempts at moderation through self-promises, I often find myself drawn into specific videos and falling prey to their suggested content.

What’s the deal with wormholes?
Recently, I’ve been consuming a lot of content from Coffeezilla, an investigator who focuses on fraud. I’ve also been drawn to MrBallen, who spins captivating tales. Plus, I’ve watched numerous clips of Joe Rogan. Shane Gillis is particularly entertaining.

I’ve grown accustomed to having kefir on hand as it saves me from dealing with hotel breakfasts during travel. We also have a portable fitness setup which I find delightful for staying active throughout the day. Expending that energy helps reduce my pre-show anxiety. My tour manager’s grandfather once said, “Life’s too short to drink mediocre wine.

What’s your preferred beverage? I typically enjoy a glass of White Burgundy, particularly Chablis, but due to my profession as a singer, I mostly stick to non-alcoholic drinks these days.

Does red wine affect your voice?
If you were to ask an ear, nose, and throat specialist who frequently works with singers, they’d likely share the same experience I’ve encountered. Furthermore, as a vocalist myself, when I consume red wine, it tends to darken my teeth, giving me a somewhat unrefined appearance on stage – reminiscent of Johnny Depp prior to his dental surgery.

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2025-03-07 14:33

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