Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Bennett Smallwood. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Bennett, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

The most meaningful project we’ve worked on as a group is our Debut Album “Solitary Refinement”. Before 2020, we were playing shows every couple of months as After Wednesday. We were all still in college at different places but were always doing what we could to make it work. We had recorded a few eps and singles at different studios but we always wanted to be able to jump into a huge project. After COVID started, we took a break from shows but were itching to create and play music. We decided to take a lot of the unrecorded songs we were currently working and write a little bit more to jump into the album making process. This time we wanted to have full control. No studios and no outside mixing and mastering. Everything was done with myself, Patrick Wilson (Vocals/Guitar) and Jack Kellett (Drums).

Many of the songs on the album were written pre-Covid or had soft structures in place like “Lonely Eyes” and “Homebound” But several of the songs like “Path of Flowers” and “The Rhythm” came when we spent our time individually writing. Patrick spent so much time learning how to record, mix and master himself to make this project happen. We officially started recording in late 2021 and were able to drop our first full-length release in late 2023.

So much was put into making it sound exactly how we wanted. The album art, guitar tones, vocals and everything else were discussed at length to make sure we were happy. Our goal was also to make something that we could look back on with only positivity, which heightened stress to perfect it, but made the final product worth it.

Bennett, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

After Wednesday started as Patrick Wilson, Jack Kellett, and Bennett Smallwood getting together in 2015 while still in highschool for a jam session. Pat and Bennett liked a lot of pop-punk and alternative records from the mid 2000s like Green Day, Blink, Sum 41 and more. We all threw out different bands and songs we wanted to learn together while also writing a few originals to sprinkle into potential live sets in the future. Ultimately that is what happened as After Wednesday played their first show in 2015 at the Sky Music Lounge in Saint Louis, MO.

The fun they had playing that show led them to reaching out to artists and venues to open and play more. The band originally started out with the name Casper, which would ultimately change to After Wednesday sometime in 2017.

Shows eventually led to headliners at Blueberry Hill in Saint Louis and an opening gig for Nick Jonas at Saint Louis University’s campus. Several other STL and Columbia shows occurred over the next couple of years pre-COVID.

Under the name After Wednesday, the band has released 3 individual singles, 2 eps, and ultimately “Solitary Refinement”.

The album has several guitars, synth and keyboard which would make it very hard to pull off live as a trio. So in 2023, A.P. Lewandowski and Michael Wilson were officially brought in for lead guitar and keys respectively. Both ultimately joined the band full time. The new roster has played 3 shows and have a few more for the rest of the year.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

I think the best thing people can do to support a creative ecosystem is to just simply engage with it. There are so many local artists and musicians who are probably making your favorite style or art without you even realizing it.

As we jumped into the process of making “Solitary Refinement” I myself started to engage with more music that was made in the DIY style. This past year I’ve found some of my favorite records including the new LPs from Topiary Creatures, 95corolla, and Strelitzia. All artists with under 1000 monthly listeners on Spotify at the time of their release.

When you support local artists, you’re bound to find something you enjoy and share with others.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

For me personally, I want to create something that is timeless for me. I know that chances of millions of people hearing our music is slim. While that would be great, I want to make something that I can look back fondly on. Something that I made with my best friends that I can show to my future family. That’s the goal for all of this.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/afterwednesdayband
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afterwednesdayband
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AfterWednesday?mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Twitter: http://twitter.com/afterwedband
• Other: Apple Music:https://music.apple.com/us/artist/after-wednesday/1337210643tSpotify:

  https://open.spotify.com/artist/3wNcNN8AT4WGe7oL3NcfYh?si=exCMOPPZSGatNF1Rt26LyA

Image Credits

Kara Smith

Elise Gauthier: Solitary Refinement Album Art

Cory Montero: The Network Album Art