Would you each please give your name and respective instrument?

• James - Rhythm guitar and vocals
• Justin - Lead Guitar
• Jon - Second Lead Guitar
• Ryan - Bass
• Evan - Drums

How did you all meet?

We have all met and connected through living in Pittsburgh and through a common interest in music.

How did Painted Dog start?

Painted Dog started as a home recording project of James. I wrote all of the songs and instrumentals at home, mostly in my apartment bedroom. Over time, this great group of talented friends were willing to help make this recording project a live band.

Why did you choose Painted Dog as a name?

Picking a name was actually really difficult. For a while I settle on one, and Jon helped create the name. He had mentioned using it in the past for another music project, but didn’t end up using it, and suggested it for us. I thought the name sounded evocative and just really fit the sound of the music so we ended up using it.

Since being a band, what is your favorite band story or experience?

We have a lot of fun as a band. I think one of the most memorable experiences was actually playing our first show as a band. It was a house show in a student neighborhood in Pittsburgh. I really had no idea what to expect as we took all of our gear down into a crammed basement and set up. This was shortly after the COVID pandemic, when it was safe to have gatherings again, and the energy at this house was completely uncontrollable. Between both the band and the 60 or however many people crammed in this basement watching us, there was this powerful exchange of uncontrolled energy and excitement. Probably one of the most unique experiences that I’ve ever had playing a show and am continually striving for that energy to this day.

Could you briefly describe the music-making process? How do you write your songs?

The music making process is often still a mystery to me. It usually starts with a musical idea on the guitar and a set of images in my head that I turn into a lyrical idea. From there it's layering other instrumental parts and then presenting the demo to the rest of the band.

What are your band and personal goals in 2025?

I think one personal goal and band goal that aligns for all of us in 2025 is getting our record out which will be happening finally and is an absolute dream come true.

Who are your biggest influences and who would you say that you sound like?

We all have a love for post-punk and underground music with ranging influences that overlap. For me (James) a lot of influence comes from artists like Suicide, The Birthday Party, These Immortal Souls (all of the music projects of Rowland S. Howard), The Stooges, The Gun Club, and the likes of artists like those. A lot of synth pop and modern music influences me as well as old music, even if it doesn’t come out in our sound. I hope we sound akin to the artists that I mentioned, as well as sounding unique and adding something original to the styles we like!

What are the lyrics about?

The lyrics are mostly based around images and using words to create atmospheres. I’m not always sure what they are about.

What is your latest single about, and could you share the lyrics with us?

Our latest single that will appear on our full length album is called ‘Midnight City’. This was actually written with another single to go back-to-back with it, titled ‘Midnight Rose’. I like to call them ‘The Midnight Singles’. Midnight City is one of our songs that is a bit more lyrically straightforward. It is a song about someone who has delusions of grandeur surrounding a destination. It’s a bit lyrically humorous, while ultimately not being a joke of a song.

‘Going down to Midnight City
Gonna tell my ma she’s pretty
Gonna tell my papa too
He's pretty good lookin' too

Going down to Midnight City
Heard it’s really pretty pretty
Heard there's lots and lots of beer
Land where no one sheds a tear

In Midnight City

I'm in love with Midnight City
I'm gonna see it, so so pretty
Gonna get there half past two
Stay awake till the morning dew

In Midnight City

Going down to Midnight City
Gonna tell this gal she’s pretty
Gonna take her out tonight
Gonna have a real good time

In Midnight City’
  

Could you describe your debut album?

Our debut album is a collection of songs written over several years, as Painted Dog became a clearer creative sound and vision. It’s a high energy post-punk album with a lot of relatively short songs that accompany the night time well. I hope it’s a fun and enjoyable album for people to listen to.

How has your music evolved since you first began playing music together?

I think we’ve become a lot more at ease with chaos and creating controlled noise in the music, while also becoming tighter dynamically as a band. When I first started writing, the music kind of lacked the wildness and energy that playing as a live band has brought to it. We’ve gotten more comfortable playing together over time and really developed a good dynamic energy.

What are some things that inspire you to keep playing music?

Hearing new artists that are always pushing sound and genres in new creative directions are deeply inspiring to me, as well as the friends that are in this band. Everyone in Painted Dog either writes or plays in amazing bands outside of this.

What are your plans for the future?

We hope to release this record, keep writing, as well as hopefully play some out of town shows and meet more great artists along the way!

When you aren’t playing music, what do you each get up to, work or otherwise?

We all have a lot of hobbies and various jobs. We all mutually have a love for the arts so a lot of creative projects and appreciation of others art through reading literature, watching films etc.

What are each of your favorite records to “play alone?”

• Evan - Monomania by Deerhunter
• Justin - The Idiot by Iggy Pop
• Ryan - AVVOLGERE by True Widow
• Jon - Pressed in Glass by Soft Vein recently.
• James - International by Lust For Youth

Links

https://www.instagram.com/painted_dog_official/
https://www.youtube.com/@PaintedDogOfficial
https://painteddogmusic.bandcamp.com/album/midnight-city-rose