Shoegaze is having a bit of a renaissance lately with DIY music scenes across the midwest. Nashville band Total Wife is part of that wave, having just released a new album come back down on Philadelphia based independent record label Julia's War (run by Douglas Dulgarian of They Are Gutting A Body Of Water).
"Doug set up our first Philly show and we just kind of kept in contact and kept booking shows. Then eventually when we had this album done, we mulled over it and we were like, 'This is the only label we really want to present it to because they're so DIY.' When you do it yourself for so long, it's hard to hand over the reins to somebody else," said vocalist and co-composer Ash Richter.
"All of those bands on Julia's War are so sick and all very experimental and different sounding to me. They all kind of operate the same way we do, just like the DIY thing." said composer and producer Luna Kupper.
Similar to here in the Miami Valley, the DIY scene in Nashville is very strong – it's not all just country music and big labels running the show in Music City.
"We love how much music is different from what you'd expect in Nashville. Like just so much variety and experimentation and everyone having like their own individual sound. The DIY scene specifically has to live separately from the whole industry thing, so it stays really strong because of that," said Kupper.
A DIY scene creates a new space that can feel more welcoming to indie bands and music lovers alike while also giving more opportunities for the youth.
"There were a lot of teen centers in the general area that I grew up. So I spent a lot of time there, like whether it was just like after school or going to a show, those places make a difference. It changed our lives, honestly," said Richter.
Total Wife's new album come back down is out now on Julia's War Recordings via Bandcamp.
