Spring Sprang Sprung

LEATHERS Album Pre-Order Begins May 3rd 🌟

Hello friends! 🌷 How is March for you? Are you good? Vancouver has finally entered Daylight Time and violet buds have started to peek through the soil here to say “Oh hai”—another spring is arriving. It’s been a bit quiet on the newsletter here, but I want you to know I’ve been thinking of you often and appreciate your company and support.

On this side, we’ve been occupied meeting the delivery deadline for the Leathers record. New songs, photos, vinyl and CD layouts (yes, there will be vinyl!!!), merch designs, press, music videos, teaser clips, and so on. I’m delighted to let you know that the pre-order for our full length album Ultraviolet will arrive for Bandcamp Day in May, just before our live appearance at Cruel World. So, please mark your calendars for May 3rd! We’ve got some brand new shirt designs and merch items coming soon too.

Settling in for a vocal session at Jacknife Sound.

Our studio days are super intense, and the work doesn’t stop when we get home. The songs play over and over in our heads until we find the right melodies, words, and arrangements. Then once we nail things down, we drive ourselves a little nuts wondering if we’ve made the best decisions on the mixes. Is that synth too loud? Is the kick loud enough? Are the lyrics any good? Ah! Being a musician is a special kind of madness; you eat, breathe, and sleep songs without any mental rest, but that’s what’s required to make a record. I’ve also made a list:

10 Things You Need to Make a Record

1. Caffeine.

2. More caffeine.

3. A lava lamp for vibe.

4. Treats for morale.

5. A space heater for warmth.

6. Kleenex for the crying.

7. Water. For your voice, and hydration after the crying.

8. Ideas of all kinds. Good ones, lots and lots of bad ones.

9. Courage, to fail, look stupid, sound horrible.

10. And a sense of humour, to laugh about it!

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RANGE Magazine recently invited me to be a part of their Pedal Pushers segment (with wardrobe by Gravity Pope x Puma), where I chat about playing guitar, guitar pedals, and their impact upon my songwriting process. You can find the RANGE Spring Issue with Kim Gordon on the cover for free in Vancouver, but since you might not be nearby to get a copy, I’ll post the transcript and images below for your enjoyment.

Behind the scenes, wardrobe try-ons. A lovely Marni mohair cardigan.

SHANNON HEMMETT » (LEATHERS/ACTORS)

A queen of the synthesizer through and through, Shannon Hemmett is a member of not one, but two of Vancouver's most exciting bands. Taking the lead vocals in electro-pop band LEATHERS and playing the synths for darkwave titans ACTORS, Hemmett's work on the guitar is where all of her songs are first born. Inspired by acts like David Bowie and Depeche Mode, she's also a designer, a photographer, a writer, and if you're looking for some new ink, she also works as a tattoo artist.

What's your current set-up?

I play a 2022 Fender Strat; it's from the International Series, which are manufactured in Japan. At the store this guitar had an attractive aura, it stayed in my thoughts, and after a few days of yearning, I brought her home. Sometimes it's nice to name your guitar, so I named her Cherry. Pedal-wise, I use the Earthquaker Devices Sunn O))) Life Pedal for distorted sounds. The octave effect is massive and haunting sounding. When paired with a chorus and/or delay pedal, the saturation and depth takes the tone to dark, dreamy heights.

Which track features your best pedal work?

Although LEATHERS's current recorded material has been more synth-based, my songwriting process always starts on the guitar, and I write much of the lyrics while strumming the chords over and over like a meditation. I think our songs "Day For Night" and "Ultraviolet" are well-suited to being stripped down to just guitar and my voice.

Words by Ben Boddez
Photos by Noga Cada and Danielle Costelo
Stylist Austin Taylor

Me + my article-mates (L-R) Tega Ovie, Ayla Tesler-Mabé, and Cole Jandrisch

I was also featured in the Gravity Pope x Puma print ad. Fun! 👟

That’s all for now. Back soon. XO