EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Rebounder

Stage Right Secrets caught up with NYC-native Rebounder. The singer/songwriter/producer recently released his latest single, “Night Sports.” Read our exclusive Q&A, below.

Thank you! When it came time to shoot a video, it didn’t seem responsible to get a bunch of people in a room and party, but that’s really what the song is about. I posted a few Instagram stories asking all my friends to send in videos of them having good times, then found a few on my phone. My buddy, Ben is a great director and editor, and he compiled it into the video!

If I say then they won’t be hidden! I really like the East river park tennis courts on the FDR. This summer I also spent a lot of time in Seward park. I have a studio in greenpoint, so I like skating around there near McCarren park.

Totally, I think a lot of my music is informed by being from here. Whether it’s a musical cue or a story the song is telling, I think both would be pretty different anywhere else.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeQlEo-zkeI[/embedyt]

Yes, finishing up a new project right now. It’s nearly done, recorded mostly during quarantine at my apartment and studio, really excited. I think it’s 5 songs. James Ireland from Pond did some mixing on some of the tunes, it was cool to work remotely with someone on the other side of the world.

I think after Night Sports I’ll start releasing the new stuff. My little brother Noah (Chenfeld) also sings lead on some of it.

Initially I found it really difficult. I think a lot of people did. Now that we’re all a bit more used to this life I think I can make it work. One thing that I’ve found helpful is moving around, even if it’s between rooms. Some days I just practice guitar and write songs in my kitchen, other days I bike to the studio. In the beginning I was just cooped up and not leaving my bedroom, not hard to understand why I didn’t get a lot of great work done then.

These days I’ve been doing so much production. Sometimes the production leads the song and isn’t the final thing but the first thing, I think that’s just with using production / laptop as an instrument. Sometimes I’ll make tracks / grooves / riffs and work that way, where in the past I would’ve thought that was backwards. I know that’s how a lot of modern pop music, rap music is made, I don’t know if as many ‘indie’ heads make tracks, then write to them, then go back and forth between the two, but that’s been a fun way to keep it exciting for me.  I still like sitting down with one instrument and writing a more traditional song, I think the forthcoming project has a bit of both.

Watched all of Peaky Blinders, which was fantastic. Finally caught up on some old movies and books. Lots of home workouts, though I don’t know if that’s something to really publicize. Skated and played a lot of tennis.

A lot of mid size acts playing to their audiences, less phenomena. Good and bad. A lot of live streams.  I do think the era of only rap and pop being allowed to be proper mainstream acts will come to a close as streaming democratizes what can become ‘popular music’. Hopefully the music climate becomes a bit more like the late 80’s/ early 90’s where what is considered ‘pop’ is what is ‘popular’ and not something made after the fact to emulate it.

Probably Nirvana’s “Nevermind,” what can I say, I’m a unique guy.

Nobody in New York could produce my songs the way I wanted to, and I was tired of spending money and leaving with something I didn’t love. I always thought working with a producer would speed up the process, but I realized it’s better in the long run to lean in and learn the skill. Now I produce my little brother and some friends acts and love it so much, I’m thrilled I spent the time. It’s so much fun. I think Rebounder would be a lot different or maybe a non entity if I didn’t put the time in.

I could’ve learned production a bit earlier. There was a period of time where my brother Noah and I were touring musicians in other acts, it was a great time, we did it to learn and to see what it’d be like to ‘do it for real’. I think when we returned to New York we were as excited as ever, but probably could’ve spent a bit less time on the road and a bit more time in the studio. These days we’re certainly getting that so I’m not mad. Living in New York forever has had its advantages, I guess I’d tell my younger self to truly go have a great time in the city, and figure the rest out later.