No stranger to this blog, Ron Pope has some gorgeous new music out. Having spent his lockdown becoming enamored of his young daughter, Pope’s music — previously a mix of good-time rock and heartbreak songs that remind me of a more polished American Aquarium — has evolved into gritty acoustic contemplations of the future and mortality. On “Good Old Days,” Pope hopes to capture the warmth of nostalgia of having a young child in the house — with the hope of more to follow.
Pope features Stockholm-based duo, The Mayries (Matilda Ekevik and Sofi Lindblom), on the single.“I asked The Mayries to sing on this because I thought having other people who are parents involved in the thing would just feel right, and sure enough, they really got it. This song wouldn’t be what it is without Sofi and Matilda,” Pope says.
Pope will tour in major cities throughout the US with artists Emily Scott Robinson, Miko Marks, Lizzie No, Lauren Morrow, and Izzy Heltai supporting specific dates. Click here to learn more about Pope and see a complete list of 2022 tour dates here.
Name a perfect song and tell us why you feel that way.
Muna’s “Silk Chiffon” is currently my favorite song. I think it’s pretty perfect. Comparing the lightness that comes in the first stages of a flirtation to a light fabric is one of those “why did I never think of this myself” lyrical moments. I can’t stop listening to it. Even when I shut it off, it keeps playing in my head.
What’s your biggest pet peeve about venues?
Unclean bathrooms! Actually, the entirety of the backstage needs to be clean and comfortable. We have to live back there all day. When venues don’t keep the backstage area clean, it feels to me like they don’t respect the artists who play there. I once ran to a drugstore to get Scrubbing Bubbles, paper towels and rubber gloves to clean an especially disgusting backstage bathroom myself lest someone in the band catch a plague in there. And I’m not talking about some tiny rock box in a random market when I was first starting; this was a big, well known venue in a large city! I know it seems ridiculous but we spend many hours backstage and we’re all far from home and traveling non-stop; so when it’s gross back there, it’s a real bummer.
Do you try to make the most of being in a city, or do you prefer to just rest up?
Whenever I have the chance, I like to go for a run around a city in the daytime; that allows me to see a whole bunch of it in an hour or two (depending on what kind of shape I’m in). When I’m on tour with the band, if we get in early enough, Paul and I will often go out and see if we can get the city’s best cup of coffee and their most ridiculous baked goods. This is essentially the opposite of the running. We try to do that wherever we can just to do something other than going from the bus to the venue and back to the bus. In terms of taking on the city, we can only really do that on days off.
On the last tour, we took Cleveland by storm on an off day. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, cocktails, Mexican food (a band member who shall remain nameless even snuck off and got herself a steak at noon, just because)…it was almost like we were on vacation for half a day. We had a similarly wonderful night in Toronto; Peking duck, weird fancy cocktails, the whole nine yards. If there’s a local thing that everyone’s meant to eat when they visit, assume I’m going to that place if I’ve got the time. (Maybe I should start going to museums instead so I don’t have a heart attack?)
Have you ever been star-struck when playing with a musician?
We were on this tribute for David Bowie at Radio City a few years back and we were hanging around backstage with all the artists and crew folks. I noticed a group of younger guys looking at Mumford and Sons, obviously very stoked to be in the same room as them. The Mumford guys were kind of googly eyed at Michael Stipe. Stipe was talking to somebody, off in a corner. Some of us were eating. People were laughing and carrying on. Then Debbie Harry walked in and everyone stopped their conversations and their meals and just stood there, slack jawed. That was a star-struck moment for sure. Then the band played and they are still so damn good. Reminded me that you don’t get to be Blondie without being awesome for a long, long time.
What’s the best way a fan can support you?
Come out to the shows. Buy some merch. Become a part of the community, both in person and online. Share the music with people you think might like it. I want people to feel like they’re a part of something when they become fans of my music. “The Sweatpants People” as my fans call themselves, are a great group. Come join our little circus!