It’s been two years since All Dogs released their 7″, revealing their power to leave listeners completely shaken to the detailed reality of their own friendships and unfinished business. A mere four simple punk songs opened a world of consciousness that bands try to wrangle with a full discography. The band now has their first full album, Kicking Every Day, set to release this fall. Building a solid pocket of teary eyed fans, these new 10 songs are awaited with clenched fists.
Vocalist/guitarist, Maryn Jones, holds positions in two other projects, folk inspired, Saintseneca and her solo project, Yowler, both of which have also released new material this year. Fresh off of a Saintseneca tour and giddy about All Dogs’ first album, Jones took time to discuss some things that shaped the lyrical content and sound.
Allston Pudding: How did you begin to make music?
Maryn Jones: I come from a very musical family, people used to jokingly call us the Von Trapp family because we were all taught to sing together from the time we could talk. So I’ve been singing for my whole life. As for playing guitar and when I started getting into the idea writing songs: the summer after 8th grade I saw a VHS of music videos from Green Day’s ‘International Superhits!’ and I was never the same. I wanted to be Billie Joe but I also wanted to, like, marry him. That’s why I asked my parents for a guitar. My dad taught me to play and I started writing songs immediately. I recently found a recording I made at 16 of the first full song I ever wrote. Pretty crazy.
AP: You have a knack for making a song so simple, yet pack so much emotional weight. Where do you find most of your lyrical inspiration?
MJ: I used to only be able to write songs in a moment of very strong emotional turmoil, and I would just say exactly how I was feeling, no matter how simple. Recently I’ve been able to center that energy a little bit outside of the moment and write a bit more about just myself in general or things I’m struggling with in a broader sense, or things I’ve dealt with in the past. So I guess you could say my lyrical inspiration is pretty much just myself. Ha! A lot of the songs on the new record are about dealing with trauma and mental issues. Those have been a big theme for me lately because it’s therapeutic for me to talk about them.
AP: How do you know that your ideas are specifically meant for an All Dogs song, rather than a Yowler or Saintseneca song?
MJ: Well, as much as I do contribute musically to Saintseneca, I don’t tend to pen any of the songs. As for Yowler I guess I could say I’m not sure…but I just know? Hah. Well, I think Yowler is more of an extension of my older solo project, so to me those have a certain private intimate vibe to them, and less restrictions on song structure and such. But it’s weird cause there’s a really quiet intimate song on the new All Dogs record, but for some reason when I was writing it I knew it was going to be an All Dogs song. It might have just fit into the overall tone and theme of the record maybe. I don’t really know. Haha!
AP: What challenges and benefits did you find in writing more collaboratively on Kicking Every Day?
MJ: I love it so much. The songs are just so full of life when I can take a guitar part that Amanda writes and sing over it. And then when Amanda, Nick and Jesse bring in what they wanna play and pretty much only what they wanna play, you know they are having fun playing their parts cause they are parts they love. I think it gives us a really rich array of types of songs and I love it when bands do that. The Lemonheads, for instance, which is one of all of our favorite bands I would say. Honestly, there haven’t been challenges so far. I am proud to say that I am working with some of the most creative musicians I know.
AP: What comes first to mind when you think of your title, Kicking Every Day?
MJ: Being tied down or drowning and trying to get the fuck out, or float to the surface. Also kicking life in the face because sometimes it’s an unfair jerk. Ha!
AP: Does the Columbus, O.H. music scene play a big part in the way that you have developed as a musician?
MJ: Definitely. I moved to Columbus from Boston about sevenish years ago because I couldn’t be there anymore and just personally needed a less toxic environment. The scene when I moved there was the most fun I’ve ever had. I miss it all the time. It was a thriving and supportive place for many people, all coming together around the idea that music is supposed to be fun and the friends you made because of it were people you weren’t afraid to truly love with every part of you and show that to them. All coming together in basements around town. Most notably, the house of all houses: the Monster House. It definitely had its flaws looking back, but at the time it was a very inspiring and nourishing place for me. And then when I started playing in bands, people were like “YES! DO IT!! YOU CAN DO IT”. That’s the one things that’s stuck around: I’ve felt so supported here. My friends from back then still come to my shows. It’s really great.
Be sure to catch All Dogs at O’Brien’s on Monday, August 24th with The Sidekicks, Save Ends, and Fucko. Tickets are $10. You can get yours on the O’Brien’s site.