By Sean Maldjian, Contributor

Meet Blonde Otter

A self-portrait by, Blonde Otter

Would you rather…

be trapped in an elevator alone, or with two other people? Who would you want to be trapped with?

We'd rather be trapped with two other people rather than alone. We would choose Mike Myers and Kanye West.

Some questions with Blonde Otter

Thanks so much for putting this together with us. Hello, can you tell us a little more about your project?

Blonde Otter is a rock band that formed in the Bronx, New York in 2017 while we were attending Fordham University. We released our first EP in April 2017. We like to laugh, write, record, and perform music that we think sounds nice. We also try to facilitate a good time for people who come see us live to the best of our ability.

What is your favorite venue in NYC to play a show? Why?

Our favorite venue in NYC to play at is Bowery Ballroom. It has the best sound, and we're treated really well when we perform there. The management is organized and courteous. Kieran the former general manager was a great hang and we miss him dearly. They also have the downstairs lounge area. It's nice to conveniently be able to hang out with friends, family, and fans after the show. I think that's really crucial to the community we've built.

We've played Bowery Ballroom three times now. The first time was in August 2019, immediately following a significant personal loss in the Blonde Otter family. The second was in August 2021, and we were either the very first or second concert to return to Bowery Ballroom following its closure due to the pandemic...And most recently we went back in August of this year, a little bit after Dan, our lead guitarist got married. We're also taking a bit of a hiatus from headlining shows to work on new music. Bowery Ballroom has become a meaningful place in that sense, several significant chapters of life seem to begin and end at that venue for us.

How did you feel about the reception of your 2021 self titled album?

From our perception, people who have heard the album really seemed to like it. We don't really know anything about marketing ourselves on the internet so we basically rely on word of mouth and outlets like yours to get our name out there. It's worked well enough so far!

Do you have a drink of choice? What is it?

We like PERONI.

What is the creative process between the five of you while writing new music. Is it organic or a little more siloed and structured?

Previously, the creative process usually went a few different ways. Rob, our bass player, would make demos of pretty much fully arranged songs, present them to the band, and we'd learn them and Matt, his brother, and our drummer would come up with his own drum parts, and Dan would write guitar solos. Also, Dan, our lead guitarist would write an instrumental track and our lead vocalist Mike would find melodies and words to sing over it. More recently, Mike will send out a voice memo of words and a melody and the rest of the band will find an arrangement that works. Right now the creative process has been much more collaborative with every member equally building a song from the ground up regardless of what instrument we tend to play. Our rhythm guitar player Stephen has a lot of great riffs and ideas that we're excited to continue working on together.

Do you remember the first album/CD/tape you ever bought? Has it had any impact on the music you are making today?

Rob (bass, vocals): ‘Hot Sauce Committee Part Two by Beastie Boys’ - yes, this album showed me the joy of creating art and experimenting with your best friends.

Michael (lead vocals): My mom rented a copy of ‘Guero’ by Beck from the library when I was in 5th grade and would play it in the car. I remember that was the first album I really listened to front to back and enjoyed “for myself”. Then I burned it to my iTunes. Those pop+alt melodies have for sure impacted me, whether subconsciously or intentionally in my songwriting— especially songs like ‘Girl’ & ‘Go It Alone’.

Dan (lead guitar): ‘Minutes to Midnight’ by Linkin Park.

Matt (drums): With my own money was the deluxe version of ‘Weezer's Pinkerton’, definitely still has an impact.

Stephen (rhythm guitar): ‘International Super Hits’ by Green Day.

Do you have anything in the works that you are excited about?

We are recording a new single soon. We have no current plans for another album, but intend to record singles as we write them.

What is your dream neighborhood to live in, and why?

An NYC that is affordable.

How do you feel the music scene in NYC has changed post-pandemic? Have some things stayed the same?

The music scene in NYC post pandemic seems to feel like 2019 from our perspective. From 2020 to 2021, we were able to really work on songcraft while not being able to perform live, and I think that same scenario also affected many artists in the same way. It seems everyone appreciates live performances more now because I don't think anyone could predict the idea of it not being accessible. Hopefully we don't lose that excitement anytime soon. Also here's some NYC music we want to shout out: TVOD, My Son the Doctor, Softee, Blaketheman1000, Dog Date, @, DJ Silky Smooth, Nancy Whitaker, Peaer, Drobakid, Tim Mountain, Di Ivories, Rebounder, Taxi Vision, Nicolas Pozo, Punchlove, Nisa, CGI Jesus, Kid Sistr, Jeanines, Psymon Spine, The Post Nobles, Frost Children, Moon Kissed, Water From Your Eyes, My Idea, The Cradle, Sweet Baby Jesus, Brook Davis, Kyle Guffey, Toobin, The Dare, Stranger Ranger, Dirt Buyer, Mary Shelley Band, and of course, Jazz2d2. If we forgot anyone, we're sorry.

Any final comments? (This is your electronic soapbox for one last answer.)

Thank you for reading, listening, and supporting. We love you very much :*