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

Chasing, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

I would say the most meaningful project I’ve worked on is my last EP (BLOOD. RED. CONFUSION.). The creation of that EP helped teach me it’s important to know your limits and it’s important to know when to relinquish some control and accept help.

I was working on Chasing Mice alone. It had been a while since I had recorded and put something out and I had a few songs that I thought went well together. I wanted to try recording them myself – and why shouldn’t I: I’d recorded my last single and EP with a friend and the songs I wanted to do required minimal production (I was only going to record vocals and guitar). The very first day I hit a wall on something I hadn’t encountered before and knew I was in trouble. After months of making no real progress, I decided to focus on a few shows I had coming up, knowing I could do those at least. At one of those shows I was talking to the sound person after my set and found out that he had a recording studio, and when he learned I was trying to record an EP, he said he’d be interested in working together. He played me a song he was working on for another local band and I loved it, so I booked a session at his studio (Treetop Studio).

This was my first time recording with a studio and my first time recording with people I didn’t know, but I realized this wasn’t going to get done on my own and I needed help. So, I trusted the two people who owned this studio to help me realize this EP. As we recorded and then started talking additional production, I realized that they did understand my vision for the EP and, not only that, but they were inspired and excited with a lot of great ideas of their own. They helped me realize that the EP could be more than I had originally envisioned and we ended up with something that I’m more proud of than anything else I’ve ever done.

The self-confidence I gained from that EP also helped me feel more confident about networking with other local musicians and gave me the confidence to want to build this band into more than just me. It also helped me realize that I had more songs that I had been working on for too long and that needed to be completed. Not long after releasing the EP, I began putting together the album that I’m currently working on with the same studio. It can be really important to recognize when you aren’t capable of finishing something alone and when it’s time to bring in some outside help to get the thing done instead of continuing to go in circles.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Chasing Mice is an alternative/indie-rock/emo band from Baltimore, Maryland. I like to describe it as catchy, moody music you can move to. The project started out with a somewhat basic indie-rock sound and has evolved to somewhere between 90s bands like Radiohead and Smashing Pumpkins and early 2000s emo/pop-punk bands like Brand New and Blink-182.

The project really started with two friends trying to put together some original music in a basement to a working 3-piece who still tries to put together original music in a basement. Since 2019, we’ve released two EPs, several singles, and are currently recording an album. We’ve also played many shows in Baltimore and around Maryland and have more planned throughout the year – so come out and hang sometime!

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I wish I had known earlier how much easier it is to get yourself out there by just getting involved in your local music scene. It wasn’t until I really started going to local shows and introducing myself to other bands and musicians that I really started to get asked to play shows and some interest in my music. I was able to build a band and got to know many great, talented people that have really been a huge help in the short amount of time I’ve known them. It’s scary putting yourself out there, but I’ve found other bands and musicians to be very positive and welcoming – and it’s great feeling like a part of a community. So, try going out to local shows and meeting other musicians and, if you don’t feel like there are any local shows near you, try starting some – you can’t be the only one around you who feels the same way…right? Right??

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

The thing driving my creative journey isn’t any more complex than I just really like doing it. So far I’ve enjoyed most, if not every aspect of working on this project more than anything else I’ve ever done. It’s been very challenging and very rewarding. And I guess my goal is to keep making music and playing shows and to take this project as far as it’ll go.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://chasingmice.neocities.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chasingmicemusic/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@chasingmice
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/chasingmice
• Other: https://chasingmice.bandcamp.com/

Image Credits

Person Photo: Alex Coleman; 1: Drew Danburry; 2: Saz Ross; 3: @etakon; 4: Alex Coleman