In this interview spotlight, I chat with bedbug about the latest project, AI in music, dream collabs, and more.

Full Q&A along with links and music below.

This AI thing is getting way out of control. I have students using ChatGPT to write death metal songs about country music…and country songs about being sad. You can feed some Ais a text prompt and create a Hollywood-quality short film. How do you feel about this new wave of technological innovation?

I always told myself I would not fall for the same fear mongering about new technology that plagues older generations. I grew up defending social media and smartphones. But I can acknowledge that the fear is not always baseless. In a purely aesthetic sense, I find AI art soulless and tasteless. But so do our parents about videogames, and their grandparents about TV.  But in a practical sense, when huge innovations are made, industries change. A lot of people will probably lose their jobs. How many cobblers do you know? How about cartographers? Not many, because technology killed those arts. Is that the fault of AI, or an economic system that prioritizes efficiency and profit over human lives? I don’t think I would care much about AI if I didn’t think there was a likely reality where it ends up replacing a lot of talented artists, whose art will no longer be funded or created. Instead they’ll all probably have email jobs. Also it’s pretty ugly. 

I know it’s hard…but what’s your favorite song and/or favorite artist of all time? If not favorite, in your top 3?

It’s actually pretty easy, I’d say Modest Mouse and my favorite song is Edit the Sad Parts. 

Were you trying to accomplish anything specific or different with this project? What’s the back story?

This record was my first attempt to write and record with more than just myself and my bedroom in mind. I wanted to have a band, and I wanted it to be loud and dynamic and a little bit timeless in the way that my favorite 90’s bands feel. The real backstory is that my drummer (Mina) insisted that we test out a real studio instead of using my basement and that our friend (Nick) had just gotten a job at Big Nice Studio, and offered to help us out. 

What drives you to create? What keeps you going, especially on the bad days?

Honestly, it’s all second nature to me at this point. It’s not very intentional. Every few days I pick up the guitar and fiddle around until I find something cool to record on my notes app. Every few days I open my notes app and write a few lines of poetry/lyrics. Eventually, after a few months I sift through it all and realize I actually have enough good ideas to start tying stuff together. Eventually, that becomes an album! I definitely suffer from writer’s block though, so I try not to force it. Thankfully, I don’t rely on music for anything financially and really never intend to!

If you could collaborate with anyone – dead or alive, famous or unknown – who would it be and why? Please plug them with a link so readers can check them out.

I’m horrible at collaborating, so this is a pretty tricky question for me. I like involving friends in recording and playing in bands, but when it comes to songwriting, and the bones of a song, that’s a pretty solitary experience for me. The easy answer is that it would be cool to be more associated with the scenes that were really influential to me, like the pacific northwest indie scene in the 90’s, or even the emerging bedroom pop scene in the 2010’s. So, I don’t know. Maybe I could help make a beat for Playboy Carti. 

Where is the best place to stay connected with You?

Instagram (@bedbugofficial) if you just want music updates. Twitter (@bedbugofficial) if you just want to hang out. 

I appreciate Your time. Want to say anything else before we sign off? 

Nah! Thanks for having me!