Homer
Texas pop duo Homer releases new single ‘Mine’.
The self-produced single reflects on the beginning stage of a relationship.
“There’s always a piece of embellishment when you’re writing a love song, but for this one I wanted to share real thoughts and feelings. It’s an honest love song,” says McCurdy.
Comprised of Will McCurdy and Zach Castillo, the band is developing their own musical genre by combining electronic elements with pop sonorities.
‘Mine’ is now available worldwide.
Photo credit: Justin Stewart
Introduce the band - what's your story?
Our names are Will McCurdy and Zach Castillo and we are Homer. We both grew up together in College Station, Texas, writing and playing in bands since middle school.
When did you realize you had to form a band?
We were always in bands whether we were starting them or joining them. It just came naturally when we decided to start a new project and write something new. We wanted to be identifiable and create something that we loved – a band was the only option we considered.
What was the biggest challenge when your first started?
Finding your identity is the first question we wanted to answer but we knew it would take time. The only thing we wanted to do was write music that we liked and thought was good. Discovering our sound though was going to take time and we’re still figuring it out.
How would you define HOMER, the band?
Homer is a pop band. It’s as simple as that. Our progressive aim it the marriage of the modern banging thrills and athemic classics. It’s years of growth and practice amongst two friends just trying to write the best damn good song they can.
What biggest lessons did you learn since your very first release?
We constantly have to refine our writing process and trust it. Sometimes an idea just doesn’t work out and you’ve got to move to the next one. Other times, the song just needs time and we eventually break through the writing blocks. We’ve had to practice a lot of patience with ourselves and hold a song with a loose grip. Working together and separately, we have so much to learn about producing pop music.
"Mine" is your new single. What's the story behind this song?
We’ve always gotten inspiration from our relationships, both good and bad. “Mine” was really inspired by that beginning stage of a relationship, the “honeymoon” phase as we all call it. When I was writing it, I had just started seeing someone. So of course I was experiencing a lot of emotions at the time and that led to writing songs. There’s always a piece of embellishment when you’re writing a love song, but for this one I wanted to share real thoughts and feelings. It’s an honest love song.
Could you describe us the songwriting/production process?
We usually start with an idea that one of us brings to the table. It’s a lot of sending files and voice memos back and forth honestly. Once we get together we usually revisit any ideas that we liked and pick one that we think will resonate with others. Sometimes it’s working separately but we try to be in the same room as much as possible during the production process. We also wanted to be self-sustaining from the start. There are only two members of Homer and we keep it entirely in house from writing all the way to mixing.
What made you want to release "Mine" as a single?
Since we started Homer, we really haven’t wanted to try and write a full album or EP. For us it has just made sense to release singles whenever they are ready. It helps us get them out faster to our listeners and we love just putting all of our effort into one song so it can be the best song we’re able to produce.
What do you like the most about this particular song?
We fought really hard for the chorus lyrics, it took many iterations before the one that is on the record. And we love where it landed. We have been intentionally trying to write full, singable choruses and have moved away from the “drop”. So this song was a big step in that direction.
As artists, what is the hardest part? And what is the best part?
The best part for us, is getting to put songs out in the world that represent little time stamps in our journey as songwriters, producers, and artists. We get a lot of joy from just having songs out there, whether or not they do well or not. The hardest part is also a piece of that. The pop world is saturated and it can be deflating to get caught up in comparison of our successes next to other artists we respect so much.
What are your thoughts on streaming platforms?
Our favorite is Spotify. We both used it long before we put music out as Homer. It has given us a platform to be heard by people we would never have access to on our own, and has connected us to people around the world.
What do you think of today's music industry? If you could change one thing, what would it be?
The tools we have at our disposal to create music is crippling at times. On top of that the tools we have through streaming platforms to see daily engagement can be a roller coaster of emotion as we track stats. I think sometimes I feel like going back to an era where the tools were fewer and the process was slower… but then I remember.. Nah that would be a pain the ass.
As human beings, what do you want to accomplish?
We want to love and treat everyone we encounter, like we want to be treated.
In your opinion, what would make the world a better place?
The world would be a better place if we all focused less on ourselves, and more on other people.
Connect with Homer: