Love Fiend: Punk Meets 80s Synth, Interview
Love Fiend, an American band currently based in Los Angeles, California, was initially formed in Oakland. The band consists of Owen Summers (bass), Owen Barrett (drums), and Raymond Schmidt (guitar and synthesizer). They are noted for combining punk with 80s synth sounds, utilizing a mix of guitars, synthesizers, and saxophones. Their upcoming 10-track album, “Handle With Care,” features the single “Hard Feelings” and is set to be released on July 12, 2024, through In The Red Records.
How did Love Fiend come to life? Was there a defining gig, jam session, or meeting that sparked the formation?
Since 2015, the band has consisted of myself, my brother Owen Summers on bass, and Owen Barrett on drums. We started out in Oakland playing shows and writing, and all of our current recordings were created with this trio. About 2 years ago, our buddy Raymond Schmidt joined the group on guitar and synthesizer once we moved to Los Angeles. Our new record “Handle With Care,” out July 12 on In the Red Records, was written by Raymond, Odie and I last spring. The name “Love Fiend” was a gift from a legendary drag queen named Cherry Poppins in Oakland who thought our band needed a spicier name.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLHWAiMcAtY
Who were the major influences on your early music, and how do they echo in your sound today?
Really we all grew up on classic rock like The Who, the Stones, ACDC, etc. and for me it’s that boyish joy of rock and roll that motivates me. My brother and I watched a lot of concert films on VHS as kids like “Stop Making Sense,” and “Live at Donington,” which showed us how larger than life music could be. When Pete Townsend does the crazy windmill at the end of “A Quick One” in “Rock and Roll Circus,” that’s still the vibe.
What were the major challenges you faced in the beginning?
Honestly, we still face the same challenges that we faced when we started out. Writing, rehearsing, recording, and playing is easy because we enjoy it. But having to be your own promoter, booking agent, manager, etc., will always be a pain in the ass. We are grateful to John Dwyer who was the first person to really lend a hand to us. He got us some money from In the Red (Thanks Larry!) to record our first LP, and he produced it at his studio.
Read the full interview with Love Fiend at Retrofuturista.com.
