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1.) We’re excited to be speaking today with acclaimed musical artist Andrew S. Lentz who is perhaps best known far-and-wide by his famed nom de plume *Splash!*; greetings and salutations, Andrew! Before we dive into the musical Q&A rabbit hole, how is the freshly-minted New Year treating you and yours?
Hello! This new year is off to a wonderful start. I’m so incredibly excited to finally be able to share some of what I (with the help of many others) have been working on for the past year plus.
2.) Starting at the top, congratulations on the brand-spankin’ new single Under the Rose and the January 26 premiere of its music video companion of the same name! What inspired you to record this inspiring and deeply spiritual tune?
Thank you so much!
Starting with my earlier project, The Floating Perspectives, music has long been a vehicle for spiritual exploration, as well as a repository for the fruits of my practice.
It’s always been there in the music, but in the nascent stages of my spiritual journey I was much more reticent to talk openly about my experiences or beliefs. At that point, I was primarily focused on establishing certain things within and for myself. I had enough to deal with from my own doubts and skepticism and wasn’t ready to subject these subtle (and largely counter-cultural) ideas to the scrutiny and potential derision from the world at large.
This song in particular felt like a turning point. I have a teacher, Dr. Robert Dee McDonald, who often says “if you don’t tell people who you are, they can’t hurt you… but they can’t love you either”. I finally saw the necessity of telling people who I am despite the risk (or perhaps inevitability) of being misunderstood. It’s the only way of finding the people who WILL connect with what I have to say.
3.) We’re absolutely transfixed and mesmerized by the music video for Under the Rose which features the most clever use of shadow puppets that we’ve ever seen! Can you take us through the making of the music video which was directed by Nat Allister and Becca Mellstrom and break down for us how involved you were in the behind-the-scenes production of it?
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I’m so thrilled with how it turned out as well.
All the credit goes to Nat and Becca. Even the idea of using shadow puppets came out of seeing a production that the two of them had worked on for Nat’s company The Fox & Beggar Theater.
This show, Vanaheimr was rooted in Norse mythology and made extensive use of shadow puppetry and projection work. I was already friends with Nat and went to see a preview performance of the show. It was there that it occurred to me that a shadow play was an excellent extension of the metaphor of this song. I approached Nat about the possibility of a music video, and he got Becca on board, who single-handedly made all the puppets and scenery for the video. I handed them the song, we had and a few early conversations about scale and direction, and they pretty much took it from there!
I did get to help out a little on filming day! I think that may be me slamming the gate at the end.
4.) Your producer on Under the Rose is the ever-brilliant Matt Patrick. What was your collaboration process like with Matt in working on the new tune?
Matt is such an excellent collaborator and a joy to work with.
In past experiences with recording, I’d mostly gone in with an existing band and arrangements. In this case, I came in with the melody, the lyrics, and my acoustic guitar.
We started with scratch tracks and built it up from there. Matt had some structural suggestions that really served to open up and fill out the songs (the addition of the instrumental interlude in this song was his idea). He also plays electric guitar (as well as a few other instruments) on the album.
It was so clear that he understood where I was coming from and what I was trying to do with these songs, and I am so grateful to have had his guidance and expertise in fleshing them out and bringing them into the form they are in today.
5.) Speaking of collaborations, Under the Rose features a doozy of one with the addition of a gorgeous violin solo which was written and performed by Shannon Frid Rubin of Cloud Cult fame. What was it like for you as an artist in bringing Shannon’s very particular energy to the new song? And can we look forward to future team-ups between the two of you?
I have been an ardent fan of Cloud Cult for many years (I have their name, logo and the words “no one said it would be easy” tattooed on my right shoulder).You hit the nail on the head with “very particular energy”. Shannon is such a wonderfully expressive player with a heart-achingly personal tone, and I knew that her unique voice would be the perfect addition to this tune. I sent her the drafts, asked her if she was interested and available for some studio work, and was absolutely over the moon when she agreed to play on the album. She contributed original string arrangements to this and 4 other tracks.
I would relish the opportunity to work with her again any time. I don’t know what the future holds, but I can say for certain that she will be playing with us at the release show on Feb. 2 at Phoenix Theater, and hopefully at the album release show as well.
6.) In your humble opinion, what differentiates Under the Rose from the Distinguished Competition on the 2024 music landscape?
Hmm, that’s an excellent question, and kind of a hard one to answer from where I’m standing… I’d be much more interested in hearing your thoughts on the matter!
I don’t really know what to say in regards to trends or other musicians styles… Some people are musical chameleons and can create songs in whatever style they choose, but I’m not really like that. For better or worse, all I’ve ever really been able to do is sound like me, so I try to do that as best as I possibly can.
All I can really say is that it feels very satisfying to perform. I feel like I succeeded in saying what I wanted to say with it; in freeing this particular angel from the marble slab that encased it, so to speak. This song means a lot to me. I hope the sincerity behind it comes across, and I hope that it translates to others in a meaningful way.
7.) Who inspires you musically?
Oh boy, how much space do we have? Of course I have to say Cloud Cult. A few years back, a book was written about them (coincidentally by Nat Allister’s father, although this was years before we met) that included blurbs from fans about their connection with the band. Mine was one of many selected for publication in that book, and I talked about how they changed my concept of what “favorite band” meant. They served an important role in my life by showing me what music could be. In them, I saw reflected things that I felt, but was not seeing anywhere else in my life. Things that I needed to hear. I aspire to provide that for others with my music.
Damien Rice has been a big influence on me and on this album in particular, as I was learning to play and write on the guitar.
I love artists that have a very distinct sound like The Magnetic Fields, and Mates of State (particularly their early stuff).
Some other favorites are Dawes, I’m With Her, Nickel Creek, Brandi Carlile, OZMA, The Killers, Belle and Sebastian, The Shins and The Decemberists.
8.) You have a single release show and video premiere for Under the Rose this coming February 2 at the Phoenix Theater; congrats! Aside from this event, do you have a pretty full touring and performing dance card in the coming weeks and months?
Thanks! Very excited for this release show. We’re doing a little bit of touring coming up, mostly the surrounding states for now. Paper Chain (who is also playing the Feb. 2 show) and I have been doing a lot of joint booking because besides the fact that I play keys and sing harmonies with them, there is a natural synergy between the two projects and our artistic goals.
I encourage people to sign up for the mailing list at splashysongs.com to stay apprised of our plans as they develop!
9.) Can fans look forward to an EP or LP release from you in 2024?
Absolutely! We actually have a full album, “Breaking the Dam” already recorded. It’s still in the process of being mixed, but we’re hoping to have it out by summer of 2024, with perhaps another single (and maybe even another video??) in the meantime. Again follow us on the above website or @splashy_songs to stay in the loop!
10.) We’re in love with your moniker of *Splash!* How did you decide upon this as being a perfect stage name for your act?
Aw, thank you! It’s an interesting story actually. Many of the songs that ended up on this album came out of a Facebook group I was a part of during lockdown where every two weeks, the members would vote on a prompt, and then write, record and post a new song based on that prompt. From that I had written “Here Comes the Flood” and “When the Well Runs Dry”, so there was already a water theme evident in these and a few other songs.
After that, I was in a strange and wonderful program where, as part of a ritual, we had to “sign our names into the book of the dead” and pick a new “liminal name” out of a bowl. The name I drew was “Splash”. I had never had a nickname my entire life, not even “Andy” or “Drew”, but as soon as I saw this name, it just felt right. It suited me. It helped me connect with some qualities I was trying to bring more fully into my life, and to let go of some things I needed to let go of. Between that and the existing water theme, at a certain point, it just became the obvious choice. No choice at all, really. I added the asterisks and exclamation point later for aesthetic reasons.
11.) At the end of the day, what do you hope listeners walk away with after giving many-a-spin to your beautiful new single Under the Rose?
That is a wonderful question, thank you so much for asking. We live in a very scientific-minded “seeing-is-believing” culture. As much as that way of thinking has given us (and it has given us plenty), it has hidden just as much.
There are certain dimensions of human experience, vital aspects of life, that are by their very nature entirely subjective. When we are too attached to objective, observable reality we miss them entirely.
There are subtle aspects of life that can only be accessed through subtle means; meditation, ritual, ceremony, various other spiritual practices and even some very playful, imaginal techniques.
At this point in my life, I’ve seen enough to be quite convinced that this side of things underpins and is primary to much of what we see play out in the material world.
I certainly don’t think we should throw out any of the important discoveries we’ve made here on the material plane, but I do think we should balance it with a sincere and open minded exploration of subtler aspects of existence. I strongly feel that this is absolutely necessary to make a better world and live a complete and fulfilling life.
For those already on such a path, I hope this song will galvanize and validate you in the way that you live. For those unaware, or just discovering the subtler aspects of life, I hope this song will encourage you to continue to open your mind and give yourself the opportunity to experience it for yourself, because that is the only way it can be understood. Come on in, dive deeper. Make a *Splash!*
