Hi, everyone! Recently, I had the honor to chat with Dylan Baldi, frontman of the Cleveland-based punk band Cloud Nothings. While he was a student at Case Western Reserve University, Baldi began recording music under a variety of fake band names. The music he posted on mySpace accounts he created for each band ended up attracting the attention of underground rock promoters. They liked his music so much, he was given the opportunity to open for the band Real Estate in New York City. Realizing the possible success he could have, he dropped out of college, invited members to join his band, and the rest is history. Since the band’s creation in 2009, the group has released six studio albums- all to high praise from music critics. They have also had the pleasure of performing at large music festivals such as Coachella, Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza. The band recently got back from a worldwide tour after the release of their most recent album, Last Burning Building.
bazzreviews: Which artists or albums had a musical influence on you and your band, or for you to even have a music career in the first place?
Dylan Baldi: Well, the stuff that really made me think that I could do it was stuff I listened to in college. I was really into Julian Lynch (guitarist for Real Estate), and he had a record called “Orange You Glad”. That’s when I started getting into DIY music, and I realized I could do something like this. You don’t have to have a big label or anything, you can just make music, tour, and have a group of people that will help you make that happen.
br: I understand you were pursuing an audio recording major at Case Western. Was it your original desire to go into the music industry or was it a hobby that you decided to follow?
D.B.: I didn’t really know what I was doing at the time. I pretty much liked music and that was it. I was pretty good at saxophone at the time, so I studied saxophone and audio recording. I didn’t know what the endgame would be, but I never expected to be where I am today.
br: If you were not in the music industry right now, what do you think you would be doing?
D.B.: At the time I was in college, I really liked writing. I would probably be pursuing that in some form. I’d probably have a band on the side, too.
br: I understand that Cloud Nothings was originally a solo project, but how did you end up meeting the members that ended up forming the band?
D.B.: When I was in high school, I had a band with another kid I knew. We performed at the High School Rock-Off, which I’m not sure is still a thing. It turned out that one guy who was in a band with our current bassist [TJ Duke], saw us and said, “You’ve gotta check this band out”. We ended up playing a show with [TJ], and I ended up meeting the other two guys in our band through him.
br: Is there any significance behind the band’s name?
D.B.: I think there has to have been some significance at one point, but I don’t remember. When I was in high school, especially my senior year, I kind of checked out and did whatever I wanted. I would write a lot of fake band names and draw album covers when I should have been in class. I picked Cloud Nothings out at random when I was making the mySpace page for the “band”. I’m glad that people don’t think it’s a bad name.
br: You hold titles as the lead singer, songwriter and guitarist. Which do you feel is more important- lyricism or production style and instrumentation?
D.B.: I think the production style is pretty important. I have visceral reactions to things that sound certain ways. If something is really clean and perfect-sounding, it bothers me. You have to get something that sounds real. Once you have that, then the lyricism and other stuff comes into place. Bad lyrics can really f--k up a song too, so it’s really hard to say which is more important. I’d really like everything to be equal.
br: There appears to be a shift from earlier albums being more loud and aggressive to having a more clean and a higher-fidelity sound. What caused you guys to make the sonic changes?
D.B.: Our first record was just me and my bassman, and it sounded like trash. Then [Carpark Records] told us that we could go work with Steve Albini in Chicago. [Attack on Memory] was the first record that actually sounded good. Now, it’s been a progression of our albums doing well, and the record label gives us a little bit more money each time to go to nicer studios.
br: How has working with guys like Steve Albini and John Goodmanson helped your music evolve?
D.B.: They each had their own approach to things. I really liked Steve and felt safe with his style. He was really no-nonsense and knew exactly what he was doing. Having no idea what your music will sound like is what I want, and I like working with people who trust their producer to make the right choices. You should find a producer that you don’t have to ask a lot of questions about. Find something you like about them, and know they’ll make something I’ll like. That’s usually how it’s ended up for us, and it’s a lot more fun that way.
br: Throughout the band’s discography- I’ve heard song lyrics regarding regret, jealousy, rage-what does your work aim to say?
D.B.: I think every record is a little picture of where, lyrically speaking, I am in my own brain. Up until recently, it’s been an angry place. When you’re mad about something, rather than flipping out at someone or doing something bad, I can write a song about it. It’s a non-confrontational way to heal with whatever emotions you’re having, rather than expressing your rage.
br: If you could put together a setlist of three of your favorite Cloud Nothings songs- which would they be?
D.B: I really like playing longer songs that are jams. “Wasted Days”, “Pattern Walks”, and “Dissolution” are some of my favorites. People seem to react positively to our song, “I’m Not Part of Me”, so we always play that. There’s also a song on our very first record that we don’t play a lot called “Can’t Stay Awake”. I have a little soft spot for that one.
br: In the past, you guys had the opportunity to collaborate with Wavves. Would the band consider collabing again?
D.B: Yeah, we’d love to. My taste has slowly morphed to where I am more into punishing stuff that’s hard to listen to. If we did end up doing a record with another band, it would in that style. On “No Life For Me”, it was just me and Nathan [Williams] (lead singer of Wavves). It happened because I got a text from one of his friends about making an album. I knew Nathan already, and making the album was pretty quick and painless. It’s nice and lo-fi with a lot of good stuff on it.
br: What goals does the band have going forward?
D.B.: The goal for me, at least, is to not be fake and stay true to what I do. We want to keep making music on our own terms and make stuff we like. Music is still very important to me, and I take it pretty seriously. It’s something I’m going to do for the rest of my life, so I want to make the best of it.
For those of you who haven’t listened to Cloud Nothings, please go and support them! They have one of the best sounds of any band in the punk genre, plus the song quality on their records are second to none. I want to thank Dylan for giving me his time to interview- and I wish the band best of luck in the future. I also want to says thanks to my supporters for reading this article! More great content will be coming your way soon!
To support Cloud Nothings’ music, go to https://cloudnothings.bandcamp.com/
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