They started as three friends surfing, playing half-finished songs and simply enjoying life. Now, they’re touring the globe and taking the same playful spirit with them wherever they go. In this interview, the group shared more about their new album, growing up together as friends, life on the road, and the stories behind their songs.

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BR: You just released an album, Thank God It’s Almost Monday. What does this new chapter mean to you?

Dawson Daugherty: Yeah. This album means a lot to us. We wrote it last year, kind of in the middle of just, like, touring a lot. So it felt like there wasn’t a ton of time to, like, get our heads on straight of, like, what we were making. And we also made it in, like, a really, really great year of our life and also a really challenging one. So that was interesting to sort of figure out how to make an album with so many different emotions going at the same time, like, in tandem. So the album means a lot to us kind of in terms of that, because I think we really just set out to make an album that felt really, like, honest. And I guess that’s what we did. We just wrote what we felt and the album kind of reflects that. And yeah, it’s kind of just, like, a gratitude to still be in a band with our best friends doing this stuff. So yeah.

There’s this really bright, feel-good energy throughout the entire album. What were you guys listening to or drawing inspiration from when making it?

Daugherty: A lot. I’m trying to figure out, like, what specifically? I think we were listening to a lot of Gorillaz. They’re a huge inspiration to us, and there’s…

Luke Fabry: There’s some Beck in there as well.

Daugherty: Beck. Yeah. It’s, you know, it’s funny, like, I feel like when you’re in the studio, you’re just listening to so much. It’s, like, I guess it’s, like, a little less, like, one specific artist and a lot more of just, like, everybody’s kind of just playing songs or records that they really like. So it’s hard to, like, pinpoint one specifically. But I do remember Gorillaz, Beck felt, like, were frequent.

Fabry: Yeah, one to, like, sometimes we’ll, like, like a drum beat for, like, one song and then, like, a different, like, texture in another. So you’re, like, jumping around from one song. You could be, like, listening to, like, twenty different songs. So it’s, it’s quite the collage.

So you have a favorite song on the album?

Daugherty: Ooh.

Fabry: Yeah, I like “Better Late Than Never.” That’s my favorite. We wrote it in, like, the final hour of the album, which is funny because the title is “Better Late Than Never,” and it just came together so quick. And it was one of the songs that at the end, while still basically having the album done, we’re like, “This has to make it.” And so that was really, really fun to play live too. So it gives me a good feeling.

Daugherty: Mine changes. I would say though, probably “Losing Streak.” That one means a lot to me. But I also really like “Class A” right now. Yeah, it kind of changes. It’s also, like, I think evolving playing, like, live because you’re sort of seeing, like, what people are into. And I think it’s, like, swaying, like, swaying me. I’m like, “Wait, maybe this is, like, one of the best ones.” So yeah, it’s changing for sure.

Cole Clisby: I’d probably say, yeah, mine changed as well, but I really like “No More Regrets” and “Super Prism.”

Mhm. I love “No More Regrets.” I also really love “Classic.” I’m like, oh.

Daugherty: Sweet. Thank you. Yeah, those are fun.

You started this band as three friends who met through surfing. How has your friendship changed as Almost Monday has grown?

Daugherty: Mhm. Wow. It’s probably changed in terms of, we’re growing as people, and the people that we were when we were, like, younger has just obviously gone, like, evolved. So I think that there’s kind of, like, a beauty in long friendships because you’re kind of, like, growing together and seeing new and different versions of each other. And that’s pretty cool when you, like, stay really close and, like, can watch somebody just become, like, a new version and still see, like, the old things. But it’s, like, pretty, pretty cool seeing it. So yeah, I don’t know. We’re pretty similar though at the same time. Like, I feel like we’re still the same dudes in the little surf shop, just a little bit more mature, but not by much. Or maybe that’s just me. Maybe I’m the, I don’t know.

Clisby: Yeah, I’ve heard people say before that, like, the year you start your band, if that ends up being, like, your lifelong career, is kind of, like, you, like, stay at that age, kind of. So I’ve, I’ve felt that a little bit. I mean, you meet a lot of musicians, and a lot of people are, like, so youthful and, like, kind of come across almost younger than they are. So I guess for us, we, we started, like, we started really touring when we were, like, twenty-one or so. So maybe our twenty-one-year-old self has evolved a little bit, but it’s kind of, like, still feel like we’re kids getting a tour of the world for the first time, which is cool.

Daugherty: Yeah. I asked our sound, or our video guy, the other day, I was like, “Yeah, how old do you think we are?” And he’s like, “Oh, like, maybe, like, twenty-three, twenty-four.” And I’m like, “Oh my gosh, that’s rad, because we’re twenty-eight.” And I’m like, “Yeah, so we look young,” and he’s like, “No, you guys are just kind of, like, goofy. So, like, I assumed you’re younger.” And I’m like, “Oh, okay, bummer.” Shout out John Mark.

Do you guys remember the very first song that you made? Not necessarily put out, but the first thing that you created together?

Fabry: There was a batch that we put out on YouTube that has been taken down. There was “Goldfish Taco.” “You’re Free.” “Take Me Higher.” That people might be able to find, but…

Daugherty: Yeah, that’s on YouTube. Yeah. Unfortunately.

Fabry: Yeah. In those early days, we didn’t really even finish writing songs. We just kind of played them. It’s kind of something that has been true about our band all the way till now, is that we just love playing live. So we just throw all our friends together and play songs that were half written, but still managed to have a good time.

What did “Goldfish Taco” sound like?

Daugherty: It sounds so bad.

Fabry: Yeah, it’s kind of like reggae.

Daugherty: It’s nothing you want to hear. It was, like, just, just throwing. Like, I think I, like, jumped onto the drums. And then, like, our old drummer, like, went into the synth. It was terrible. It’s pretty good title, though. “Goldfish Taco.” It is intriguing. I would want to hear that.

I wonder what it was about.

Daugherty: No idea. No clue. I actually don’t really remember.

Fabry: I just remember I liked it.

Daugherty: You liked it?

Fabry: I did like that song.

Daugherty: Oh, gosh. Yeah, I don’t remember. It was, like, reggae. Synth-pop fusion reggae.

Daugherty: Yeah.

Daugherty: There’s another song called “Wars and Gossip.” So bad.

Was it about wars and gossip?

Daugherty: I don’t even think so. I think, I think just terrible. Yeah.

What do you guys feel like you’ve learned about each other that makes the group work really well?

Daugherty: Hmm.

Fabry: I think Dawson thrives on fun and spontaneity, so making space for that is really important and keeps a good morale there, and then keep it fun is important.

Daugherty: Keep it fun, man. Or I’m out. I’m just kidding.

Fabry: And then for Cole, I think being precise. Cole’s a very precise person. And that helps too. It helps a good balance. So yeah, those are two things that I’ve noticed and learned.

Daugherty: I have learned, and this is getting so deep, this is like therapy now, I have learned Luke thrives on getting some good alone time and then coming back recharged, which is really hard to find that time on tour. So sorry, Luke, sometimes for being loud. And yeah, I think, I think we all love having fun. It’s, like, pretty easy to get, like, on tour and, like, fall into just, like, the basic, like, just play the show and then, like, get in your bunk and stuff. But I really love that we all really like to have, like, new experiences, even if we’re in, like, a city that we’ve been in, like, five or six times, we’ll always try to find something new to do, which I think that’s pretty fun, because you hear some stories of bands that, like, they are just, like, I don’t know, not really hanging out and stuff. So we try to do that. Yeah, try to, like, actually stay friends. Yeah. Like, you know, because I think that comes across when you’re playing shows.

So you have to intentionally do that?

Daugherty: Yeah, like, sometimes, like, it would seem intentional, but sometimes tour is so busy and, like, you’re so tired, and, like, an off day, like, it might just feel easier to, like, just scroll or something. But we try to fund max, as we call it.

If you could take one song from your most recent album and use it in the soundtrack of a movie, what song would it be and what movie?

Daugherty: What’s that? Oh my gosh, what’s that hockey show? There’s so many hockey shows. What’s the one with, the new one? What? Oh, yeah. Not okay. I know that’s the…

Daugherty: Off Campus. I would just put one of our songs in there because it seems like every song that’s on that show is just, like, blows up. So I would just, like, throw any of them on Off Campus. I, I started to watch it with my wife, and it’s pretty good. It, it got me. I was in, but I’d put “Class A.” Yeah. Oh, you said movie. I guess it’s a show. Well, does that count?

Yeah. It counts. Okay. I love Off Campus. Okay, so it counts. Okay.

Daugherty: All right.

Clisby: I’d probably put in, I feel like when we were making the album, a couple songs were like, “Oh, these could be, like, needle drop, end-of-movie songs.” And those were “Skinny Dip.” And I think “Leaving Is Easy” was one of the ones, and maybe “Better Late Than Never.” But yeah, there are some, some movies that we were referencing that were like, “Oh, this would fit as, like, the end of the movie scene” or something. But I think one of them was, like, Walter Mitty. Yeah. Or something. I was a couple that were being thrown around, but we’re always looking for that needle drop, end-of-movie-vibe song.

Fabry: Yeah, Walter Mitty was where I was going with that. So nice. Yeah. “Better Late Than Ever” would be my choice for that, by the way.

You guys have been in Toronto for about four or five days now?

Daugherty: We’re in Hamilton last night. Okay. Which was awesome. Hamilton was lit. Really cool.

Have you been to any nice food or music spots? Can you rate them?

Fabry: Ooh, in Toronto? Yeah. I mean, I went to a really nice, like, coffee shop, bookstore, wine bar called Neverland. Okay. It was really quaint and nice. And I read my book and I had a coffee, and it was very nice. And it was so close to the venue too. It’s so nice. You can just walk, like, two minutes and find a great spot. So that was my, my choice.

Clisby: We went, we went to this place called the Rivoli, which apparently is pretty famous here. I saw the, Nirvana, the band, the show, the movie. And I was like, it was next door to the Horseshoe Tavern. And I was like, “I have to go see what all the hype is about.”

Daugherty: It’s pretty cool.

Clisby: Yeah. So we went over there and we played pool in the upstairs area, and then we popped into the venue and checked out whoever was playing the show that night. But it was cool to see the outside of it, like where they filmed some of the movie. I’d rate it highly.

Daugherty: I went, yeah, that was fun. I went to a diner. I’m, I think maybe it was called Beauties. Maybe.

Fabry: Yeah, that was in Montreal.

Daugherty: Oh, that was Montreal. Okay. There’s another diner I’m thinking. I, I’ll have to find it. But I walked there on literally the coldest day I’ve ever experienced here a few years ago. And I just took a shower and I just, like, I guess we’re from San Diego. So I took a shower and, like, walked outside and it was, like, negative, like, twenty or something crazy here. And my, my hair became icicles, and I’ve never experienced that. And I was walking to this diner by myself and it was, like, hard to breathe. I don’t know if this is a common Toronto experience in the winter, but for me, I was, it was very jarring, and it was, like, a ten-minute walk, and I, like, Ubered back. But anyway, all that to say, I don’t remember the diner, but it was really good. And I remember because my hair was icicles and that was new. Yeah.

A song like “Delicate,” for instance. Take me through it. How did it start? What did you do? What was the first thing you did? Then what did you do after that? And then how did you decide when it was finished?

Daugherty: Yeah. “Delicate” was, I think, Luke, you came in with a track, a track star. And I think we just, again, kind of back to what I said earlier, but, like, I think we were just having fun with it. That song is, like, kind of ridiculous. Like, the lyrics are, like, just this story about, like, this guy who’s just, like, really, like, not confident in himself. And I think for us, like, we all really love, like, films, and, like, making music videos is, like, a really big part of, like, Almost Monday. So sometimes it’s really fun to write a song with, like, that feels like a little story. So “Delicate” was kind of just, like, having fun writing this little short story. And yeah, it’s the opener on our album. Yeah.

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