We caught up with Swimming With Bears, the four-piece band behind the stunning single ‘Patient Disguise’, released on March 29, 2024, alongside a haunting music video. With 5 million monthly streams, support from Billboard, and an NPR Music live session, the band has shared stages with acts like Panic! At The Disco, Weezer, and Blue October, and worked with top producers including Gabe Simon (Dua Lipa) and Ryan Hadlock (Lumineers). Influenced by Red Hot Chili Peppers, Amy Winehouse, and The Gorillaz, their music—likened to Kings of Leon and Vampire Weekend – combines passion and artistry, leaving a lasting impression on listeners.
Listen to ‘Patient Disguise’ while reading the interview below:
1. Tell us about you, how long have you been making music? What inspired you to start?
I’ve been playing drums and guitar since I was a kid. I was very fortunate to meet my band members during my freshman year of college when we formed Swimming With Bears. As an artist and musician, I truly cherish the process of creating art. It allows me to transform internal emotions into tangible forms, ultimately allowing others to connect with those feelings.
2. The music industry is super competitive these days, was there a moment in your life that you wanted to give up on music? How did you manage to stay focused and achieve what you want?
There are numerous different kinds of success as an artist, and that’s where I was naive upon first entering the music industry. I think the world measures a band’s success on platinum/gold albums or how many followers they have on social media. However, organic bands such as SWB often endure a slow rise to fame, which leaves you with some invaluable and unforgettable moments.
3. How would you describe your creative processes? Are the music and lyrics written in conjunction, or separately?
We typically bring a rough mix of an idea into the studio, where we can iron out the details and professionally record the parts. Joe is great with lyrics, so we all just create a sound that inspires him to write and watch the song construct itself.
4. Where did the inspiration come from?
The four of us collaborate as a unit in that one idea from either drums, guitar, bass, or vocals could spark the inspiration for a completely new song. I think that’s why our discography varies so much from one song to the next: we go into a songwriting session with something that feels cool to us, not something that particularly fits in any specific genre.
5. What’s next for you?
Over the holidays, SWB will be working on new music and preparing for a new release. The new song, set to release in early 2025, is called Sunday Afternoon. It favors a lot of music from the late 60s, think The Mamas & The Papas, but it’s indie rock with synth backing.
