Loud, Dense, and In Your Face

Photographs By Paige Norris

San Diego band Pleasure Pill opens up about enjoying every step of the process, touring with Benches, and their debut album, Hang a Star.

San Diego, USA

What is Pleasure Pill’s origin story?

Five guys from San Diego with nothing better to do but to try and be in the best band in the world

How would you describe your sound? How did it develop into what it is today?

Our sound comes from those who came before us and is meant to be easy to pick up. It’s loud, it’s dense, it’s in your face, and it’s set to compliment our great songs before anything else, like any other guitar band that’s worth something.

You just came off of your tour with Benches. How was it?

It was a very fun tour, so much new love felt by people who have never seen us, and it felt important to both bands that we were able to represent San Diego in this way, being that we’re both from there. No other city in the country has two bands with our musical merit touring the club circuit properly like us two, that’s not a jab at anyone that’s just fact. San Diego currently is producing the best bands in the country.

Which cities were your favorites to play in and why?

Seattle was awesome for so many reasons. Can’t go into too much detail, but I’ll say shoutout to Maxwell from Screwdriver bar.

**You just released your debut album, Hang a Star. What is the album about?**

First and foremost it’s about whatever the listener wants it to be about. I don’t write music for myself, I write music for other people and I hope no one is ever jaded or skewed by our music because of some sort of meaning I put on it in an interview or something. This isn’t my album to decide what it’s about anymore, it’s the world’s.

What were some highs and lows while making the album?

The first listen through all together for me was probably the highest I’ve ever felt in my life. The sense of accomplishment and fulfillment in that specific moment is what continues to drive me back to the studio to this day. There’s no lows when making a record for me. We’re not digging holes or unclogging toilets, we’re making music. Those who don’t enjoy every step of the process should probably stop doing it to make room for bands like us.

For each member, which song is your favorite to play live? Which song was your favorite to record?

Jonah - My Way To You for both

Ethan - My way to you is my favorite live, in our time to record

Dom - To play live favorite color gold, to record was so long

If you could put this album as a soundtrack to any movie, which movie would it be?

Fever pitch

**Last Friday, you threw a Hang a Star release party at Whistle Stop Bar in San Diego, California. How was it?**

It was great, that bar has been a meeting ground for our band and our friends for years, it felt good to bring it home at that spot. We also raised a lot of money for ICE detainees at that show, which for us rounded the night off in a perfect way.

**What is next for Hang on a Star? What is next for Pleasure Pill?**

First pressing of the vinyl is sold out, reviews have been great, bonus songs are getting ready to be released as we speak, we go on tour again with benches at the end of this month, and I start recording album 2 today.