Trance-fusion outfit The Disco Biscuits released their ninth full-length studio album, Revolution In Motion, at the end of March 2024. Released in 4 parts, and produced by Derek VanScoten, aka Cloudchord, the album is a space opera narrating the tale of a group of aliens who come to New York City to freeze and abduct humans.
What the aliens didn’t plan on, however, is The Disco Biscuits coming to save the day. We then follow the band of misfit aliens back to their home planet with the Biscuit band members to show the alien Queen the power of music and how it could settle unrest amongst their people.
The Disco Biscuits are in the middle of a 35+ date coast-to-coast tour, yet vocalist/guitarist Jon Gutwillig found time to speak with XS Noize about the concepts behind Revolution In Motion, why the album was released in four parts, and his unique guitar tone.
What inspired your new album, Revolution In Motion? Tell us more about the wildly imaginative concepts behind the album.
We had lots of music accumulating during the pandemic and we realized that we could dream bigger with the types of stories we are telling and the characters we are creating. So, we took a shot at something as big as we could get. And in today’s space age, it led to a mammoth story about space and aliens and of course, the universal language, music.
Revolution In Motion is being released in four parts. What’s the reason for that?
We had a giant concept album on our hands and we wanted to tell the whole story to everyone right away. But the question was how do you get all the character details and chronological events across in a single release? So, we decided to release it in pieces because of the details. Each chapter has its own story, events, and emotions. We wanted to be able to capture each individually within the music of course, but also within the animated videos and the podcast detail discussions, in addition to the social media feedback conversations. It is important to us to have space on the timeline to allow the fans to jam with us on the narrative and add their thoughts and expressions to what we are releasing.
Who is in The Disco Biscuits and which instrument do they play?
The Disco Biscuits are Marc Brownstein (bass & bass synths), Aron Magner (keys & synths), myself (Jon Gutwillig) on lead vocals and guitar, and Allen Aucoin (drums & e-drums).
What’s the best part of touring?
The best part of touring is the sleep schedule. Waking up at noon every day is actually great. Also, rocking huge audiences of happy people, there’s that too.
What’s the worst part of touring?
The hardest thing about touring is saying goodbye to your loved ones when you leave home. Everyone understands and is ok with it, but it’s just a sad day every time.
How did you get started in music?
I don’t think there is a ‘start day’ of music for me. I was into music and studying music as far back as I can remember. Even when I was a little child, I was playing air guitar to Eddie Van Halen in the attic. My Dad listened to a lot of country music and classical music and my older brother played piano, so I was born into a very musical experience.
Did your sound evolve naturally, or did you deliberately push it in a certain direction?
Our sound changes and evolves very naturally. We spend a lot of time bringing in new instrument sounds, vocal samples, etc. When we are in the jam with new sounds, we let it happen freely 100% of the time. After writing the setlist for each night, we don’t like scripting anything at all. For us, it just doesn’t work, and it feels canned and limited. When we find a recipe we like, we go back to the general concept of it, but there is no planning beyond the general concept.
Are there any special recording techniques you used in the studio for this record as compared to your previous albums?
We started making a bounce – a demo mp3 – at the end of every session. Just make a bounce before you leave and share it with the group. This tiny little change has been incredible for our process. I don’t know why this helps so much, but if you make a bounce at the end of every session and share it with everyone and they all give it a listen, the project will snowball into something amazing.
What is your definition of tone? And has your tone changed over time?
People do all sorts of crazy things for tone. And I was one of those guys for a while. Hollow body guitar, bass amps, boutique reverb pedals, etc. But then I started thinking a little bigger than my setup. I started thinking about the mic on the cabinet, the snake going to FOH, the board at FOH, and finally even the main speakers. When I started down that path, I realized that my pedal board was too inconsistent and wonky. My guitar tech was very integral here. Together, we cooked up some big-time wins that contribute to what I think is a great and extremely individualistic guitar tone.
What inspires your writing? Do you draw inspiration from poems, music, or other media?
For me, writing is very blue-collar. You have to put in the hours to get to the inspired stuff. Music and music production is a very athletic job. You have to make these noises with your voice and your fingers, and you have to teach them how to do this stuff. You have to teach your ears how to hear this stuff. It all takes time, too much time for a day’s work. If you can find other humans that help you to get inspired and can help you to work faster and have more fun, that is the best process. Work with people and have as much fun as possible. I listen to a lot of music as well. I’m constantly listening to new dance music and old jazz guitar. I try to find poets, but they are hard to find.
What can you share about your writing process?
Share your demos early and often and allow people to join in on the writing process with you. Even if they aren’t writers. Music is universal.
Which artists in your opinion are killing it right now?
I’m not sure who I would say, but here is my Spotify history right now: Blond:ish, Solomon, Raf Rundell, Yussef Dayes, Hugel the Thug, Al Di Meola, Otis Redding, and Stanley Clarke. Ha, it’s been a good week.
What can your fans look forward to over the next six months?
We are playing incredible shows. Fans can look forward to some really great live experiences from The Disco Biscuits. The EDM kids are loving it and the jamband kids are loving it! Get out and see a show!
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