By Keith Walsh
The L.A.-based rock duo Second Skin has reportedly completed their debut album and already has a second in the works. Luckily we don’t have to wait to hear a taste of their captivating sounds, as they just released their second standalone single, “Eyes Closed.” Like their previous release, the track “Eyes Closed” features vintage Linn Drums, along with classic Moog, Oberheim and Sequential synths played by Brian Tarney, along with top notch guitar work and vocals by Brian DaMert.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1joAdV9I1k
The tune “Eyes Closed” is catchy in all the best ways, and its instantly memorable sound deserves a place on the loudest of the world’s airwaves. Brian Tarney is the band’s wizard of synths and electronics. I asked him about the 80s influenced sound, about his vintage gear, and about the upcoming album.
Synthbeat: You must have been a kid when hearing ’80s music. How did it come to be such a strong influence?
Brian Tarney: “I was born in the 70s and growing up in the 80s midwest was very fascinated by both MTV and music that I heard on the radio. Even throughout the various musical stages I enjoyed during the 90s and beyond, I have always felt a deep kinship to synth pop and new wave/new romantic music.”
Synthbeat: How did you develop an interest in synths from that era? Does ‘Eyes Closed’ feature the same gear as was played on ‘Colder?”
Brian Tarney: “I’ve been a synth nerd/collector for many years now. The various bands I’ve played in over the last twenty years always had vintage synths and drum machines involved in the production and performances. When Brian D. and I first connected I was in love with the songs he was developing but wanted to assimilate the gear and knowledge that I had acquired over the years into our sound to bring an added layer of warmth and depth to the project. Now we’re back on a roll acquiring vintage gear at a pretty fast clip.”
“We used similar gear on this track (‘Colder’ and ‘Eyes Closed’ were recorded and mixed in tandem) but maybe we used a lot more Emulator 2 on this one.. The OB-8 horn pad was used for the big hits on the chorus and the Prophet VS was utilized for the lead riffs on the bridge and solo.”
Synthbeat: Was ‘Eyes Closed’ completed at Infinite Power as was ‘Colder?’
Brian Tarney: “The track was initially recorded at our own studio in Hollywood. We re-recorded the Linndrum and bassline on a ‘75 Minimoog at Infinite Power as well as all of the mixing with Matia (Simovich)”
Synthbeat: Are you planning to release singles rather than an album?
Brian Tarney: “The first album is basically done with a second well in the works but we’d like to get a record deal going before we release too many more singles. We have some shows booked and another single or two planned for the summer/fall. “
Synthbeat: In keeping performances authentic, did you and Brian DeMert record most of the song as an actual performance rather than piecing it together? Any other interesting aspects of the recording process?
Brian Tarney: “In terms of recording and production we spend a lot of time arranging the songs and then recording and re-recording our various parts and probably arranging some more. Some of our newer songs have come out of studio jams but ‘Eyes Closed’ is a particularly good example of the collaboration that has evolved between the two of us. Brian D. had sketched out the verse and chorus quite a while before I had ever heard the song. When he first played the demo I got super excited about the hooks and pop sensibilities but I wanted to stretch the song out into something more epic so we reworked the intro and wrote a long bridge section as well as an extended solo outro. I always kind of saw the song as our album/show closer and wanted to take people on a bit of a journey with this one. I probably also listened to too much Genesis and King Crimson as a kid as well.”
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