Paul Sprangers had a good thing going with Hockey Night. The band was received well by critics evaluating their music, fans digesting their music, as well as other musicians. They built a solid following, capsized by their most popular album, Keep Guessin’. But, while the music continued to flow, the vibe was not right and Paul decided to leave putting enjoyment ahead of everything else.
“To be clear– every relationship has ups and downs. Always,” Paul told us. “But if there isn’t some deeper, constructive satisfaction maintaining the relationship then what’s the f**king point?”
After leaving Hockey Night, Paul started Free Energy alongside his Hockey Night bandmate Scott Wells. The two roped in Nicholas Shuminsky, Geoff Buckum, and Evan Wells to complete the band. As the name suggests, Free Energy works very much on a do what you feel type of vibe. As Paul said, “ultimately the name sums up the band, it’s ethics, and the music pretty well without really sticking out too much. I think band names should be pretty simple.”
The music also carries a similar simplicity, which makes it catchy, attainable, and just down right fun. The band ended 2008 by capturing buzz and “working the room” by releasing an EP and finishing their proper debut album, Stuck On Nothing. The band’s music, approach and much more are all up for discussion in this in-depth interview with Paul Sprangers. Check it out below.
RubyHornet: They say energy is neither created, nor destroyed… Do you agree, and do the same rules apply to Free Energy?
Paul Sprangers: Of course I agree- that is a fundamental law of the known universe! And no, The band Free energy is not exempt from this law. But I will say this– the fact that we have to pay electric and gas bills each month is f**ked.
RubyHornet: On a more serious note though with the name, Free Energy communicates a creative freedom and a certain vibe, does the name have to do with how the band was created and the exchange of ideas, sounds, and energy?
Paul Sprangers: Awesome question. I think yeah, ultimately the name sums up the band, it’s ethics, and the music pretty well without really sticking out too much. I think band names should be pretty simple.
RubyHornet: The album is being released March 9th (tomorrow) how are you guys feeling the day before the LP drops. Is it a topic of discussion amongst the band? Do you have any special celebrations planned for tomorrow?
Paul Sprangers: We haven’t talked about it. We wish we had the vinyl or cassette in our hands. Then it would seem real.
RubyHornet: Within the last 6 months or so you released a self-titled EP and now have the LP, Stuck on Nothing. Is there a noticeable difference in touring this time around, now that the EP and LP are available for consumption, and are also getting good reviews? Is there any feeling like this is a time period that is reflective of previous hard work?
Paul Sprangers: Totally. We always hang out and talk to people after shows, and it really seems like people are finding the music and connecting to it. It blows my mind.
RubyHornet: I read another interview with Paul in which you said, “Hockey Night just ran it’s course. We actually stayed together as Hockey Night long past the point it stopped being fun.” How important is it for you have fun making music, and what lessons can you apply from that experience to the vibe in Free Energy?
Paul Sprangers: To be clear– every relationship has ups and downs. Always. But if there isn’t some deeper, constructive satisfaction maintaining the relationship then what’s the f**king point? No amount of talking or “working” will solve that fundamental rift once it is identified as such. So why agonize? Everyone wanted different things in that band; also the band refused to accept direction from Scott and I, so we were just really never having fun or satisfaction at any point in the process. But it was hard to leave cause they’re great guys; so, we stayed together long past the point when being friends was enough to hold the band together. Look, There has to be more- a shared purpose, a musical language–or more importantly, a willingness to grow and change-and that was absent from the live group known as Hockey Night.
RubyHornet: Your song, “Something In Common” was posted on our site, and is a song I know a lot of people like, but that you’ve said wasn’t really finished up to your standards, and you didn’t have enough time to really finish it. What was the recording process like with Stuck On Nothing? Was there a point when you felt the album was “complete” more or less from a musical standpoint?
Paul Sprangers: Good question! The album was recorded and mixed over long, alternating stretches of working and not-working. So it was a slow, staggered process. Eventually, yeah, we knew we had done everything we could reasonably do. There’s always a ton you wanna change or redo– but there was probably a point James didn’t want to see our faces and we couldn’t sleep on the DFA floors any longer. So we wrapped it up.
RubyHornet: Your music has a really blue collar Rock N’ Roll sound and feel to me, I guess that’s one way I would describe it. What do you guys think of that assessment? Is there anyway in particular that you hope the music is described in the current world of buzz-terms?
Paul Sprangers: That’s cool. We love big, simple rock music like Springsteen or Seger. We certainly don’t want to be described as white collar rock. I hope people realize that the music is made with absolute love and inspiration, and that’s why it’s good– not because it references a few classic rock albums which is a much smaller component to what we do than people think. We are transmitting love and cosmic truth through our music- the form we’ve chosen (rock) is just what has continued to hold up through our explorations and experimenting and laborious testing.
RubyHornet: In “Hope Child” you say, “We broadcast hope”. How important is it for people to get something from your music?
Paul Sprangers: Well, it’s important but not vital. I mean, most reviews say it’s just mindless party rock-which is totally fine!! The music was designed to work at many levels. And we really do not want to be seen as a smart, intellectual band. But if one decides to dig in they will find other facets of the music that require a bit more creativity to articulate-and most writers and people don’t dig in, which is fine. But the hope is that the music is catchy enough that it compels multiple listens and people (and animals) to absorb the positive energy from the music.
RubyHornet: What does it mean to you to “broadcast hope”?
Paul Sprangers: Well, everyone says times are so dark and our media is so cynical. But I think it’s all f**king hilarious. I am absolutely amazed that I draw breath on this beautiful planet. We all live in absolute paradise, but we are completely blind to it. So we are broadcasting hope through sound–in particular, rock music. It’s like an S.O.S., but positive.
RubyHornet: The artwork for Stuck on Nothing is pretty dope, and getting your shoe stuck on chewing gum is one of life’s little annoyances that we just have to deal with. It seems that album title and the cover art speak to those kind of little things that people get hung up on, but in the end don’t mean much. Is that what the band was going for w/the title and artwork?
Paul Sprangers: I think that is a beautiful explanation of the artwork. That is better than anything I could come up with!!!
RubyHornet: We also write about and post a lot of Hip Hop music, and cover musicians in other genres that we feel share some kind of sound or aesthetic that our audience will find fresh and interesting. I’m just wondering what your relationship is with Hip Hop music?
Paul Sprangers: Man, I listened to so much Hip Hop growing up. Public Enemy changed my life. De la Soul, NWA, Tribe Called Quest, Pharcyde, Eric B and Rakim, Run DMC, Beastie Boys, so much more. Hip Hop taught me about words, and how to syncopate words effectively– that is to say, how to choose words and put them together and make it interesting. Cause words suck, and it’s hard to transmit energy through them. People get caught up in words. That’s why I’m a fan of simple words and cliches.
RubyHornet: Lastly, for some of our readers, this will be the first time hearing of the band. What are three things you’d like to them to know before they leave this interview and go check out more music.
Paul Sprangers: We are on this planet to be successful and to realize our wildest dreams.
We now have the industrial means to effortlessly feed every human on earth. Therefore, all war will cease very soon.
You can really do anything you want. You just have to take the first step.