Batfarm is a two-piece, self-described “darkadelic”, alternative rock band comprised of singer/lyricist Alexx Calise and arranger/sound manipulator Dennis Morehouse. The duo met in Los Angeles and began seeing each other as part of a romantic relationship but eventually began working on music for licensing together. Even after they had broken up due to Alexx's solo success and Dennis' touring schedule, they later realized their bond over music was unbreakable and thus Batfarm was born. Currently, they are recording their debut EP and if their newest single “Get Out” is any indication, Batfarm is a quirky hybrid of blues, grunge rock and pop music that is not for the faint of heart. Alexx's passionate vocals shine on this song, sounding like a cross between Alison Mosshart, Stevie Nicks and Joan Jett. The music is hard to pinpoint but will remind you of bands like Foo Fighters, Royal Blood, Audioslave and Heart, to name a few, with some subtle synth work to help blend the elements. Thankfully for Calise and Morehouse, this duo isn't just another chapter in each other's books. Hopefully, Batfarm will still be a part of each other's stories for many years to come with even bigger rocking tunes.
Listen to "Get Out" on Spotify, and keep scrolling for Batfarm's exclusive interview with BuzzMusic!
Hello and welcome to BuzzMusic, can you tell us about Batfarm?
Alexx: Batfarm is a darkedelic duo comprised of myself (Alexx Calise) and Dennis Morehouse. Our original intention was just to write some songs for licensing purposes (we wrote a song together for a movie, and then we just decided to continue on with it), but we found that we just really enjoyed working together, and that the musical chemistry was undeniable. We have been best friends and songwriting partners for almost 11 years now. Sound wise, people have compared us to Portishead, A Perfect Circle, Nine Inch Nails, The Cure, Alanis Morrisette and Peter Gabriel. I know that sounds like a bunch of stuff that shouldn't necessarily belong together, but it all makes sense when you see us live.
What's the hardest part about working together now that you're not a romantic couple? Do you face any challenges?
Alexx: Actually, it works better in a lot of ways that we are no longer together. When we were a couple, our relationship suffered because we spent so much time pursuing music together, and we didn't do a lot of the things "normal couples" do together, like go on vacations and hit the farmer's market every weekend. Now, the pressure's off. We don't have to worry about keeping a romantic relationship alive; we're just best friends and bandmates. It is a challenge however, when either of us choose to date. Because we are essentially family at this point, a lot of people have trouble understanding and accepting our closeness. We are constantly hanging out and are involved in most every aspect of our lives. That's threatening to another person when you're dating.
How does your process for writing songs work?
Alexx: It kind of varies. Dennis is a master arranger and creates all these awesome soundscapes that you hear in our music. You can hear him from a mile away (stylistically speaking). I'm the harmony and melody person (and yes, Dennis comes up with that stuff too), and more often than not, the lyric writer, because that's always been my calling card. Sometimes, Dennis will kind of paint the picture musically and, then we'll both add the production and ear candy stuff together, if that makes any sense. Sometimes, I'll play him a melody and write some lyrics, and he'll build the music. It just depends; there's no real set structure. More often than not, we both kind of write independently and then come together when the endoskeleton is complete, so to speak.
Tell us about your new song "Get Out"?
Alexx: "Get Out" is a very anthemic song about depression and mental illness, and battling one's inner demons. I played the original idea for Dennis a while ago, and being the tormented, self-doubting artist that I am, I wasn't even sure if it was something worth building and shaping. Well, Dennis loved it, so we began fleshing it out, and it eventually turned out to be what it is now. However, the recording process of this song was not easy. We essentially re-tracked and/or reproduced the song 3 times because we weren't getting what we wanted with it. It was kind of a nightmare, but for this song, it works, because you can hear the frustration and angst in there. It's authentic frustration and angst. We wanted the shit to be done already, haha.
What can we expect next from Batfarm?
Alexx: Next on the docket is releasing our next song, "Now That You're Gone." This is a song we wrote probably 10 years ago about suicide, and what happens to those you leave behind. You know, the usual lighthearted Batfarm fare. We'll be releasing our new as of yet untitled EP in a few months as well. It's been a long time coming, and we're quite excited. It's sure to be "bat ass."
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