WYSO music intern Peter Day spoke with Jake Diebold and Dylan Sage of Speaking Suns on December 20, 2022. In the interview, Diebold and Sage share how they met one another and began to play together with the other members of Speaking Suns, which include David Byrne, Than Reed, Jay Teilhet and Rory Papania.
They also talk about their musical influences, which range far beyond indie rock. “I think Indie music can kind of fall flat when it comes to the lyrics.” Diebold, who writes the lyrics for the band, said. “Sometimes it’s good and it’s called for, but I’ve found that other genres have deeper and more poetic avenues when it comes to writing.” In particular, he and Sage said that they have drawn influence from hip-hop—especially its politically conscious lyrical content. In addition, the musicians talk about the benefits, and the challenges, of being based in Yellow Springs, and discuss whether physical location still matters in the age of streaming, social media and Covid.
Speaking Suns’ latest single is “100/Going Home,” was released in August 2022. Their third studio album, “Terrestrial Year,” came out in 2020. Both are available for digital or vinyl purchase on their Bandcamp. According to Diebold and Sage, the band will record their next full-length record in January, and resume live performances in the Spring.
