The power of music is integral to communications and what we do as an advertising agency. Marketers and advertisers have long known the power of music to influence consumer buying. It’s all about emotion. As an agency with a rich and unique culture, we’re proud to provide Stereo 550, a platform that celebrates the beauty of music and brings a remarkable experience to the people of GTB.
Stereo 550 has been a musical platform at GTB for 12 years, bringing art and soul to our agency and drawing people together through music. Over the past decade we’ve hosted nearly 100 shows, from emerging artists to seasoned performers such as Portugal. The Man, American Authors, Neon Trees and Third Eye Blind. Ultimately, GTB connects artists to the communications world.
This week we welcomed Sam Getz of Welshly Arms for our second virtual Stereo 550. Sam performed hits from Welshly Arms set list including Legendary and Stand. Before his final song, GTB EMEA President Paul Confrey joined Sam for a Q&A where he picked his brain about his creative process and what he would name a Saint Bernard.
PC: Okay everyone, so I just want to be clear that we have a professional rock god and very much an amateur interviewer. Okay? So, this ain’t no Rolling Stones series of questions. Let’s dive in with Mr. Sam Getz of Welshly Arms.
SG: Hello! How’s everyone doing?
PC: Very good, thanks mate. So, get ready, it’s going to be a roller coaster.
SG: Okay!
After sharing a laugh, Paul dives into his questions for Sam.
PC: Right. In Darlington, New South Wales, Australia there is a pub called ‘Welshly Arms.’ Now that leads me to a three-part question: Have you ever been? If not, why not? And thirdly, was there actually a time when you were called something like the Cleveland Choir Boys? There was a four-day bender and you ended up in New South Wales, no idea why, and the drummer from the pavement looked up and saw a swinging metal pub sign ‘Welshly Arms’ and he said ‘Lads, THAT is our new name!’
SG: Oh man. I love it. I might start using your story, if that’s okay.
PC: Go ahead!
SG: But there is a story. I’m pretty sure you’ve been in bands yourself and had to name a few. It’s not an easy thing.
PC: True.
SG: It’s like naming babies, but maybe even harder because you feel like you have to somehow express your art through it.
PC: It’s tough.
SG: So, we had a hell of a time trying to come up with a name. The drummer and I had been friends since we were in high school and we used to recite all the ‘Saturday Night Live’ sketch comedy shows. We happened to be watching The Best of Will Ferrell and there’s a sketch, him and I believe Rachel Dratch and Jimmy Fallon, and they’re in a hot tub at Welshly Arms.
PC: Beautiful!
Sam: As far as I knew that was a fictional place. Now I know that there actually is…
PC: A real one in Darlington, New South Wales, Australia! Okay, nice one. Some colleagues here at GTB obviously won’t be familiar or have heard of Welshly Arms. How would you best describe your sound and how it differs from the solo performance you just gave us?
SG: Well, we’re a big band. We’re a six-member band. Five of those six have strong vocals. So, that right off the bat is the biggest difference.
PC: That’s unusual.
SG: I don’t have the vocal support that I’m used to having on stage or in a studio. Also, I don’t really touch an acoustic guitar on our records, definitely not on stage, so that’s another big difference. I do think these songs come to life with the banging drums and the electric fuzzy guitar and the electric piano.
PC: I get it. That always sounds cool. Very good. So, let’s talk about your writing method now. I’m interested in how that works. What is your method?
SG: I don’t have any method. It changes all the time. My main objective is to always move with inspiration. It might be a title—we have a song called ‘Legendary’ that opened the doors for us, or maybe it kicked them down, I don’t know. But that was the song. Before that we were just making music that we wanted to make and there was not really an audience that was waiting for anything in particular. That one, I had written in the shower.
PC: Nice! Classic!
SG: I was singing in the shower, as I often do because you sound better in the shower, everyone knows that. And I came up with the hook, the chorus part. Then I went into the studio and started working with Jimmy, our bass player, and we put the track together. I wrote the verses, I wrote everything. So it all followed that chorus and, I guess you could say, that title. Sometimes it works that way. Sometimes it’s a cool guitar riff, and I like it so much that I keep jamming on it, or I jam with the band and I have a mic set up and I start free-forming. I would say more often than not, the way I like to do it is just spew a whole lot of words and melodies. I just go with it, you know? Go with the flow.
PC: Kind of like a freestyle?
SG: Yeah! I either voice memo that or record it in a session in the studio. Then I go back and listen. I’d say seven out of 10 times, there’s one gem in there. One little word. Or I have someone else sing a little bit and take that gem from there. That’s usually my process, but it does change.
PC: This question is a bit left field. Okay?
SG: Okay.
PC: So, picture the sea. You’re up a mountain and you’re lost. The fog has come down, and out of the fog comes a Saint Bernard. And this dog leads you to safety back to your beautiful home in Cleveland, Ohio. Then you realize this dog has no owner and no name. So, Sam Getz, what name are you going to pick for that dog?
SG: I like this question a lot. I’m going to go with Bernie, not only because of the obvious, but I have two little kids and they name all of their things like that. If it’s a monkey it’s “Monk” or “Bernie.”
PC: Very logical.
SG: Very literal names. That popped into my head really quick and I was going to change it, but my grandfather who isn’t with us anymore was named Bernie. So it has both the literal and someone looking out for me.
PC: Very nice. Okay Sam, let’s assume the rest of the band aren’t listening. Do you prefer playing solo or with the lads? You can whisper if you’d like.
After making a show of cupping his hand to conspiratorially whisper, Sam answers.
SG: In all seriousness, I prefer playing with those crazy bunch of goons. I like collaborating. I would rather play with people that can help raise my abilities and push me, one way or another. I’m getting bored in this quarantine thing. Writing some cool songs, finding some introspective moments, and I’m liking what I’m getting out of it and myself, but it’s boring as hell. I’m ready to be playing with the guys again.
PC: I get it. You want to be playing with the lads again.
SG: I would always choose to play with my band.
PC: Good man. Nice to hear.
