We recently connected with S.W. Lauden and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, S.W. thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

During the pandemic my old friend Marko DeSantis and I discussed the idea of doing an oral history article about his ’90s Santa Barbara, CA band Popsicko. Marko was the bassist in that band which was fronted by my close high school friend and former bandmate Keith Brown. They were a pop band in the vein of Cheap Trick, but with punk energy based on the music Keith grew up listening to and playing as the original lead singer of Pennywise. They toured California relentlessly and self-released one amazing album, “Off to a Bad Start,” before Keith died tragically young in a car accident.

I decided to do an oral history of Popsicko for the ‘Santa Barbara Independent’ featuring quotes from members of Foo Fighters, Nerf Herder, Pennywise, Baby Lemonade and many others from the ’90s alternative rock scene. That led to Marko and I approaching an LA-based indie label called Big Stir Records. They loved the album and the oral history so we partnered on a re-issue campaign in early 2023. The final package included ‘Off to a Bad Start’ on vinyl for the first time ever along with an expanded oral history book.

Keeping our long lost friend’s memory and music alive was a very meaningful experience. It was amazing to see how the music got embraced by rock fans of all ages around the world.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I have been a lifelong music fan and an avid reader of fiction and nonfiction since my teens. When I was younger, I would seesaw between playing music and writing, both of which I did professionally (to one degree or another) in my 20s and 30s. I worked as an arts editor for my hometown newspaper in Manhattan Beach and as a freelance food writer for a few years, and recorded/released albums as the drummer for bands like Ridel High (A&M Records) and Tsar (Hollywood Records). In recent years I have combined those passions, starting with the essay collection ‘Go All The Way: A Literary Appreciation of Power Pop,’ which I co-edited with Paul Myers for Rare Bird Books, followed by the sequel, ‘Go Further.’ Then, in early 2022, I edited the essay collection ‘Forbidden Beat: Perspectives on Punk Drumming’ for Rare Bird.

In January of this year I launched a free Substack newsletter called ‘Remember The Lightning’ which focuses on pop rock and music books. That has since evolved into an indie publishing project with the semi-annual ‘Remember The Lightning: A Guitar Pop Journal.’ Volumes 1 and 2 are available through Amazon in print and ebook formats. I do all the article curation, assignments and editing, but have been really lucky to work with the experienced music writers and talented musicians who have contributed pieces so far. It’s a lot of work for a side hustle, but I feel very fortunate to combine my love of music and writing in this way.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I have been lucky enough to pursue both music and writing as careers at various points in my life, but these days I mostly do it as a labor of love. The stuff I write about and the kinds of articles I curate from contributors are pretty niche, so I have to keep my expectations in check. Mostly I’m just trying to bring the kind of writing into the world that I would like to read myself. That’s enough for now.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I’m a lifelong Kurt Vonnegut fan. He’s the author that really turned me on to reading as a teen and he helped to form a lot of my young world view. I have always embraced this quote from him: “Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven’s sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possibly can. You will get an enormous reward. You will have created something.”

Whenever I get ahead of myself, I read that quote and try to remind myself what the true purpose of creativity is for me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://rememberthelightning.substack.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swlauden/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/swlauden

Image Credits
Photo by Chris Strother