Adam Merrin of The 88
With tracks in films like You, Me and Dupree, Failure to Launch, and Dirty Love as well as in television shows like Grey's Anatomy, The O.C., 90210, One Tree Hill, Summerland, and Gossip Girl, The 88 have established themselves as an indie-rock powerhouse. When FourTrack was still in its infancy, this innovative and ambitious group made a video of themsevles recording their single, "Love Is The Thing" directly on their phone with FourTrack. The video was a huge hit and got the band even more attention. In addition to getting the band amazing exposure, the video helped establish FourTrack as a serious songwriting tool. The 88 continue to crank out amazing music, and Adam Merrin of the band emailed us with some news about their current album.
How did you get into music? What are your influences?
I've been playing the piano since I was a kid, but what really got me interested in playing in a band was when I discovered The Beatles. I got into them when I was 14, and they've been my favorite ever since. I started learning all their songs on the piano, and playing them with friends. Their songs definitely made me feel something differently than any other music I had been into in the past.
How was The 88 formed?
Keith and I started the band. We've been playing together since high school. We met Anthony through a recommendation from a friend. And we asked Todd to play bass with us when his band, The Green And Yellow TV, stopped playing together. I am so lucky to play music with those guys. They really inspire me, and we've had some incredible times together.
What can people expect from a live performance from The 88?
Expect the unexpected.
How did you guys hear about FourTrack?
Keith heard about FourTrack, and thought it would be a great way for us to record songs, especially while we were away on tour. When we recorded the song on the iPhone, we thought it would be neat to film the experience, which we posted on YouTube. I didn't know that it was going to be featured, and when I woke up that morning, I had hundreds of emails in my inbox.
Your YouTube video was featured on USAToday and a host of other news outlets. What was that time period like?
We were on tour with the B52s right around that time period. They told us that they had all heard about it, which I thought was really neat. We chose to record "Love Is The Thing" because of its positive message, and we were very pleased that it spread to such a large audience. We had a fun time recording the song, and I think it's great that anyone can now record their ideas so easily.
What's next for The 88?
We have been writing a lot lately, and are starting to think about recording our next record. There are always surprises around the corner with this band, which is something that I have always loved.
Where can our users hear more of your music?
People can find us at www.facebook.com/the88, www.twitter.com/the88, www.youtube.com/ilovethe88, www.the88.net
