Written by Ashley Friedman
Sleeping Lion band members Nate and Noah may be on two different coasts right now, but that doesn’t stop them from collaborating and making the music that we see today! With a few singles under their belt and an EP, the band has a drive and momentum that is much needed in this growing world of seriously talented musicians.
Sleeping Lion, formed in 2015, is comprised of Nate Flaks and Noah Longworth McGuire! A dynamic duo that actually started writing music via Skype due to being in two different sides of the world; Nate in Boston and Noah in Europe. “What’s interesting about that summer is that nothing existed yet, so making a record wasn’t particularly intentional…” says band member Nate. “There was very little planning or coordination. It just so happened that on these Skype calls Noah would show me a beat, or I’d read him some lyrics.” Their first single “You Made Me” was a product of those writing sessions.
Starting off as college roommates before they were band members, Sleeping Lion tells us that with time comes more comfortability with relying on “each other’s strengths to mediate their weaknesses.” and comment with, “…fans that compare our first songs to our newer songs will hear a major jump in production quality & a more conversational lyricism.”
The band’s first live performance was at Midway Café in Boston. “The crowd was actually bigger than we expected (though we did go around inviting everyone we knew beforehand),” says Sleeping Lion. Besides losing the click track for a brief moment, the show went pretty smoothly for the band. “When the crowd sang along to “Generous” for the first time it really floored us.” Both band members admit that even to this day their favorite song to perform is “Generous.” “I get to slam on the drums at the end, Noah wails out on guitar, and the crowd often sings along,” says band member, Nate.
Coming from musically inclined backgrounds, it’s almost like both band members were pre-destined to be in music! Nate comes from a long line of musicians with his Mom being a theater teacher, Dad always being in a band, a Grandmother that’s a classical pianist and Noah grew up with a father who was constantly strumming on his guitar! Both Nate and Noah, surrounded by musical inspirations, caught the bug at a young age by picking up the piano and creating tunes of their own.
The one challenge that the band still faces to this day is distance. “Every day, I wake up in Los Angeles, do a writing session with an artist or songwriter, and I call Noah to catch up,” says Nate. “[Noah] does writing/production sessions with artists in Boston, and often produces demos of songs I wrote the day before.” The band will finally be permanently together in Los Angeles by the end of August! “I’m excited to see what that weekly life looks like then!” comments Nate.
Sleeping Lion hopes that fans can connect with the underlying authenticity & transparency within their music from songwriting, all the way to production. “We want to make songs that help people recognize that some of the more subtle complexities that come with life are actually universal & that they’re not alone in feeling the way that they feel.”
If there is one place that the band could play throughout their career, it would be Red Rocks or Madison Square Garden. “We’d want all of our friends to be there as well as the people who inspired us like Lido, Justin Vernon, Brasstracks.” On a more subtler note, the band also mentions that having a song in a TV show/film, touring internationally, supporting acts they listen to, collaborating with artists they respect, and a sponsorship with Hot Pockets would be pretty epic too. “We’re 100% serious about that last one,” comments Nate.
Today, Sleeping Lion releases “How We Know” featuring LA-based singer-songwriter Cass Miller. “This song came together in somewhat of a whirlwind!” comments Nate. “Rehearsals turned into writing sessions, where we’d talk openly about relationships & how rare it is to just fall in love in a clear-cut kind of way.” Fun fact: The single was written and produced within just a few hours! Listen to “How We Know” here.
As for advice for up and coming musicians like themselves, the band says, “Be honest with yourself & figure out what you can do today to work towards your goals. Likewise, figure out your limitations & find people you trust who can help cover your blind spots.”
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