A-Go-Go Is Reviving Garage Rock

Meet this Ohio-based band that's on the rise after releasing their latest singles, "Ain't So Easy" and "Keep On."

Ohio-based band A-Go-Go is on the rise after releasing their latest singles, "Ain't So Easy" and "Keep On" which are a true revival of the epic 1960's genre of garage-rock. — Photo: Mitchell Multimedia

You just debuted two singles. From songwriting to recording, what was the creative process to bring these songs to life?

Our creative process is that we each write songs individually, and then bring them to life as a band. We have two of our songs coming out soon, "Ain’t So Easy" + "Keep On" - here's how both came to be:

Ain’t So Easy: I was driving home pretty late and listening to the radio because my phone was dead, then a song came on that really captivated me. I knew it was popular at the time, though I couldn’t figure out who it was by. It had this melody that was almost intoxicating. I went straight to my guitar when I got home and tried to emulate the way it made me feel. I later found out it was a Mac Miller tune, which is funny because "Ain’t So Easy" sounds pretty different from that kind of music.

Keep On: I was living out of my car in Colorado doing seasonal trail work for a stretch of time, and was far away from friends and family back home in Ohio. I wanted to write a song to help me process the beauty of new friendships and landscapes around me in Colorado, all the while missing my loved ones back home. The whole song is kind of about the positivity of change and how relationships stay strong despite being far away.

Every band has a unique story. How did A-Go-Go come to be? Is there something that connects you all outside of music?

We’ve all been pals for a while and are each hooked on making music, so it seemed silly not to form a band. Some other things that bring us all together are gardening, pedal steels, eggs, skateboards, rock climbing, dirt, David Lynch, cigarettes and coffee on the porch, and YouTube boat videos (going over big waves).

We’ve gotten some snippets of your music through your Instagram and it sounds DOPE. How would you define your sound?

Rainbow cowpoke garage-rock.

We know the creative journey of every artist and band is different. Where do you draw the most inspiration from? Are there other artists or bands that have influenced you?

We draw a lot influence from soul, 60s garage/roots rock, outlaw n’ cosmic country. Specifically, we really admire artists like Richard Swift who pushed the idea of pop songs in creative directions. To list a few specific artists... Trey Gruber, The Replacements, Courtney Barnett, Twin Peaks, Willie Nelson, and Parquet Courts.

What’s next for the band? Are there any upcoming shows or projects in the works you can tell us about?

Our debut double single “Keep On / Ain’t So Easy” release on Friday March 4th through all platforms (Spotify, Apple Music, etc.), which we’re incredibly stoked on. Beyond that, we’re playing our first out of town show soon in an Ohio college city called Athens. And we LOVE playing local house shows as well as Columbus venues like Ace of Cups and Cafe Bourbon Street.

Make sure to listen on A-Go-Go's latest releases "Ain't So Easy" and "Keep On" out now on Spotify. The band is set to open for Juan Wauters in Columbus, OH on April 15th. Make sure to follow them on Instagram for updates on shows, music, and the band.

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