If you aren’t already familiar with The Living Street, then you need to be. This folk-rock duo is comprised of Edward J. Angelo and Nick Guckert. When they formed in the summer of 2017, the powerhouse duo had already been songwriting together for well over a decade. Now, after consistently touring and performing, The Living Street was able to hone in on their authentic craft and release their sophomore album, “It Won’t Last”, at the end of August 2019.
The album features highlight tracks like “Mean The Most”, “Home On The Road”, and “Disco Ball” and 6 other original songs. The Living Street are experts at telling their story and spreading their musical genius wherever they can. The chemistry that Nick and Edward hold is so evident and pure. This can only come from a lifetime of friendship and collaboration. The two have recently announced that they will be heading out on an East Coast Tour in the winter of 2020. If you have the chance to see them live, I would highly recommend it. The charisma, authenticity, gorgeous soundscapes, and overwhelmingly honest sentiments that The Living Street delivers with every song is admirable, to say the least. Keep an eye on these two, they’re headed to the top! Listen to The Living Street’s album here.
Welcome back to BuzzMusic! Congratulations on the success your album “It Won’t Last" has received! How long has this project been in the making?
Thank you! We've been working on "It Won't Last" for about a year and a half. Some of the songs were written during our first tour down the east coast, spanning three months. We didn't get into the studio until quite a little while later, but it gave us time to play the songs out first to see how the audience reacted.
Being a lifelong friend duo, are there any prominent challenges you two face musically more than that of other duo bands? Do you believe having such a long-standing connection aids in the development of The Living Street’s music?
We believe being life long friends has helped us in our ability to communicate effectively with each other. We know what pushes one another's buttons and actively try to stay away from them. So, in regards to songwriting, if an idea comes around one of us feels could be improved upon, there's a gentle way to express it where neither party gets upset. So, it tends to get our songs together with a little faster than if we weren't as good of friends. We are basically married.
What predominant message was integrated within "This Time Around"? Can you tell us more about the concept of the music video? Why did you decide to release a music video from your previous album?
This Time Around was easily the most enjoyed song from our last album. We were given the opportunity to work with an amazing charity out of Tampa called Warrior Pals. The song has a theme of being there for a loved one to help them through a hard time. It can fit a number of situations that are all unique, and we really love that aspect of the song. It can be special to a lot of people for different reasons. Warrior Pals is a charity that helps the loved ones of fallen soldiers get back and stay on their feet. So, we made a music video attempting to show the awful loss that too many have to feel and the eventual recovery from that grief.
You seem to be artists who put more thought into their lyrics than most. What can you tell us about the lyrical depth within your most recent singles?
We have been songwriting together for nearly ten years in different projects. It started in early high school. At that point, we were just writing songs to have songs to play. We recorded them as well, and hearing them back was key in figuring out we weren't all that good at songwriting. I didn't believe in the words I was singing. It is very important for us to believe in the music we are recording and putting out. It also acts as a therapy for us. When I'm feeling down, I write about how I feel or what I wish someone would say to me. If it helps us, then maybe it can help someone else too and that's the goal for our music! Also, to write something meaningful and real I think the person has to have had some life under their belt, some battles, both internally and externally. We both have had those struggles. We've now been all over the country, slept in the car, ate poorly, met so many interesting and unique people, missed family and loved ones, struggled with mental health, lost loved ones, have seen loved ones lose themselves and nearly lost ourselves at times. Anything negative we have had to go through has only made us stronger. And the silver lining? Meaningful song lyrics.
Thank you so much for talking with us about your new album and creative process. Can you describe how your performances feel? Do you enjoy live shows, or do you prefer the actual songwriting process?
Thank you for asking about it! Our performances are the best part of our job. We play almost five days a week on average, and sometimes, the shows can last over four hours. We pride ourselves in our ability to perform and entertain! There's no better feeling than having a whole room of people having the best night of their lives, and we are partially responsible. It truly is a blessing. Performing is also a part of the songwriting process. As I said earlier, there's no better test of a song than to play it for the people who are going to consume it. We are writing for ourselves and for our audience.
What can we expect to see from The Living Street as 2019 comes to an end?
We're home for the remainder of 2019, playing as much as possible in and around Pittsburgh. We are catching up on spending time with our family and loved ones as we gear up for another three-month tour set to kick off in January 2020. We are flying to Nashville at the end of the month to do a singer/songwriter showcase. We are hoping they like our Pittsburgh songwriting down there. We are also pumped to announce a whole new line of fall/winter merch coming soon.
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