Since 2022, the California-based band Wage has been busy in the studio and making the radio rotations with their debut album, “What Are The Odds?” But this is far from their first time in the spotlight. The band’s members come with a wealth of experience, and in this interview, they share past projects, how Wage came together, and what we can expect from them in the near future.
What kind of experience does each member of the band bring?
Decades of experience, lol! We all have a ton of recording under our belts working on multiple independently-produced albums, live shows, and touring. Scott and Paul, aside from Wage, worked relentlessly in the band Last Issue for years. Roeland went on tour overseas with his band, Old Man Down, and played for US Army troops. Jason’s band, Dr. Package, had a song on KROQ FM in LA for a bit, live TV performances, brand name apparel sponsorship, and was voted best band in Orange County in 2005 by OC Weekley magazine. But the real experiences come from off stage. The life lessons we learn and incorporate into our music. Love, loss and redemption, those are the ingredients to music that moves and inspires.
How did the band come together?
We met through summer jobs in high school. Just starting to play our respected instruments, learning covers, we gravitated towards each other and began writing our own stuff. Throughout the 90’s Jason, Roeland and Scott played together in the band Minimum Wage. We recorded an album and gigged to support it. We split up to try other ventures. Scott and Roeland continued with MW and added Paul to the mix. Years later Jason and Scott would go on to form Dr. Package. Then Scott left to start Last Issue with Paul.
You see, we were always jamming together no matter what groups we were in. Even while in separate bands we would gig together. Then, life happened, marriages, kids, so we all took breaks to be with our families. In 2022, Scott got that songwriting itch again and arranged for us to get together. It was like no time was lost. The language that we created together was still there. Only this time, it was mature, seasoned, kind of like when you open a vintage bottle of wine and let it breathe for a period to allow it to fully bloom, releasing its fragrances. We were ready. It was time.
Since the band formed in 2022, what have you been up to?
The main thing we collectively wanted to do was record. Gotta have songs first! We wrote together, wrote separately, sometimes over the phone if we couldn’t be in the same space. Once we fine-tuned the songs we had, we recorded our debut EP, “What are the odds?” at Iron Tracks Studio. We also made a video to accompany the release of our first single, “Wreckage” with Joe Lomelli Productions.
Then it was time to release it into the wild. The response has been great! Three of our tracks are in rotation on FM stations in various parts of the world. A feat that was so hard to do when we started years ago only loaded with demo tapes and postage stamps. We’ve been a featured artist on Lonely Oak radio in San Diego and Only Rock Radio in Spain. Album reviews and podcasts help us cast our sonic net.
I saw that the band’s based out of Brea, Cali. Any good venues in that area?
Orange County, California, had a pretty good music scene years ago. Most of those clubs have gone out of business or closed due to the pandemic. The fun places to play are the local bars and breweries where there’s not a lot of pressure. House of Blues in Anaheim is still a pretty good gig for local acts and major acts passing through town. The medium-sized venues have always been pay to play. Meaning if you don’t sell the minimum number of tickets, you owe the club money. Not always easy for a Tuesday night 11 p.m. slot. So, to answer your question, any venue is a good venue for us.
What’s on your to-do list this year?
We are currently in the process of writing songs for a follow up to, “What are the odds?”. Shows are starting to line up now. Not just parties and family, but gigs where people pay to see us. We got into this to rekindle our passion for music and to have fun. Remembering the latter half of that statement is important, fun. We are still quite involved in various stages of raising our kids, providing for our families, being supportive partners. The music is therapeutic. The music helps us tap into that section of the brain that often lays dormant. It’s healthy. It’s exciting! It is right and just. None of us have delusions of grandeur about the path ahead. We’re here to create and have a good time. It’s exactly what it needs to be.
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