We Spoke With Maggie From Glimmers
Glimmers
I was lucky to have a few minutes of Maggie’s time to discuss new music, upcoming tour, and 2023 plans for Glimmers.
How did you all meet?
“So all of us met in similar ways at different shows, different projects kind of in all different times. So I met Alex Downtain, our lead guitarist, and Ari, when their old band and my solo project opened for like Pacific in 2015. So that's how I met them. And I kept up with both of those guys as I continued doing my solo thing. And then I met Jeremy playing in like a final show for this local band. And I was filling in for guitar and he was filling in for drums. And then Alex Norrell. We met at a show, too, so how kind of over the years, we either all worked together or played a show with each other and we just kept in touch.”
That definitely makes it easy that you guys are already familiar with each other when you get started. So how did you go about deciding to do a solo project to make it like an actual band? Like a group?
“Yeah, So I was solo for a really long time. I would say about five or six years. And I enjoyed it. Like it was fun doing the acoustic thing. I tried to still be a very, you know, enthusiastic and entertaining performer. Like, you get the crowd going. But I always wanted to not only play with best friends, but have the opportunity to be in a collective and not just feel like I'm the only creative in the room.”
I know what you mean.
“Yeah, like collaboration can be so important and it can make songs or visuals or really anything just so much better. And so what happened was I got a show opportunity to play a cover set of all Paramore songs. Yeah, it was this like, annual event that happened in New Orleans, and it was all of these bands paying tribute to a pop punk or emo artist.
That is awesome!
“Yeah. So we were asked to do the Paramore set. And I was acoustic at the time. I was trying to work out different backing band members, but I said, okay, I need to figure out an actual lineup. And so I knew all the guys. I had been recording music with Alex downtown because he has a studio, and so he jumped in to do lead guitar and that was the first show in the Glimmers lineup. Once we did that show, it was so much fun and we realized how much chemistry we had on stage and it was a good time. And so over the course of that next year, we played shows still under my solo name, But we were still like testing the waters and playing with each other. Well, March 2020 happened. That was the turning point for me when I thought, You know what? I think I want to take this time off not knowing how long it was going to be. Yeah. To rebrand and go into this new direction where we're a collective and it's not just me.”
Yeah, no, that makes sense. I think it's funny that you guys started, like, your first show ever as a group was a Paramore cover.
Yeah, it was fun! We played for an hour, we played like fourteen Paramore songs.
And then so going on that your new single, Dreaming, it's definitely what I call a bit more guitar focused. It seems a little more gritty than your usual stuff. Are you guys taking more of, like, a pop punk rock approach going forward, or is it just kind of like a new sound you're playing with?
“Yeah. So for these upcoming songs that we have, I think we wanted to experiment because all of them have a different vibe. For the two that are out now, “Scared to Lose” in more of that, like piano based, has the pop punk element, but has kind of the 2000 pop rock nostalgia thing that I love. And then “Dreaming” is kind of on the opposite end of things where, like you said, it's more on that kind of darker pop punk driven type of song. So for these, we really wanted to experiment and just see, okay, we love all different types of music and we were curious to see what songs in this next collection resonate with people. But yeah, moving forward, I feel like we'll find the best of both worlds of both of those songs. That’s kind of my goal going forward.”
Because listening to your discography, I like the nice mix of everything where like some songs are going to be a little bit lighter, more piano focused with some like cool guitars in the background and then like “Dreaming”, I'm a metal guy, So like every time you get like a gritty guitar in there, I'm always a huge fan, but with dreaming, it's a little bit more of that, like rock focus, which I like. So I like that you guys are kind of dabbling in between the two. So do you guys consider yourself kind of like a pop rock or like a pop punk?
“Yea kind of like a pop rock. I would say like 2000s inspired pop rock… that vibe, like, I love everything from, you know, the band Camino to even, this is what I grew up with, but like the Jonas Brothers, like the 2000’s Disney Channel kind of influence.”
Yeah. Yeah. No, ‘Jonas Brothers’ did it, like, perfect. Where they had a lot of that, like pop-punk influence. But it was still very much a pop rock band to be Disney friendly or whatever it was. Yeah, but I love that sound. And now you guys are going on tour, how did you go about choosing where you're going to go? Because I know that's always one of the hardest things to decide on.
“It is, for this run we were debating where we wanted to take this. Because we were also thinking about going northeast and back to the midwest because with the midwest tour, that was really great last spring. But for us we decided to go Southwest because one, we get to go to more new markets, and kind of introduce ourselves to hopefully new people that like our music. But also kind of dovetailing off of our performance at “So What!” fest last May, which was in Alive, we definitely wanted to return to Dallas.”
That’s where I’m at, so I’ll definitely be there!
“Oh yay, so good! It’ll be awesome!”
Yea, I’m very excited!
“So we definitely wanted to go back there. And in terms of California, you know, we know so many people, friends and listeners of ours who have been waiting to go to California. So yea, we thought this would be a good way not only to be a little warmer in the holidays, hopefully. (We both laugh) but also have the chance to connect with people and maybe write out there and just do a bunch of things. And then we end our tour in Nashville, which is a favorite of ours.”
I haven't been, but I know a lot of people who have been to Nashville and they said that the music scene there is just incredible. So it's always worth going.
“It is. And it's not just country music. I feel like, you know, obviously that is what it's known for, but it's everything. I mean, yeah, it is so fast and so fun.”
Yeah, if you have guitars and drums Nashville will love you is what I heard. So do you have more releases planned in the future? And then what does 2023 look like Like for glimmers?
“Yeah. So we have three more songs ready to go then we are in the planning stages for We also have music videos as well. My big thing that I love doing is connecting the songs to visuals, I think that is so important. So definitely having videos for those songs. And then already for 2023, we're working on some tour plans for early winter and then spring. in-between those writing, figuring out what the next release is going to be. Overall, just staying busy.”
A fun question just to kind of wrap it up. If you could be a character from any fiction, whether it be book, movie, film, game, who would you be?
“Oh man, that's a great question. Um. That is so hard. So my usual answer, I'll give you a different answer. Usual answer is Jessica Day from New Girl, because I feel like I am her. Instead of apartment 4D, it's glimmers and all of the boys are roommates.
(We both laugh) That is really funny.
“But yeah, I mean, I love everyone from Mitchie and Camp Rock because she gets to sing and date Joe Jonas. I mean, yeah. To go the other route. Because when you ask that question, I was thinking more like super heroes. I mean. Hermione from Harry Potter would be great. I feel like I have very Hermione type A qualities. Being a wizard would be fun. So I think I would say Hermione.”
I also want one of those sweaters so bad, they look so comfortable.
“Yeaa, they sell them! I was at Universal Studios, Orlando, over the summer, and I saw that they were selling, like, the Hogwarts uniforms and stuff.”
They’re pricey though, you can get them custom fitted. They have that Harry Potter store in NYC, so when I went home to visit we went. It's a really cool store but you can get a full setup. If you want to spend like 8 grand there, you can easily.
“Yea, I had to stop myself, but yeah, big Harry Potter-verse fan.”
Thank you Maggie for taking the time to talk with me.
Be sure to check out Glimmers on tour starting today!
Get your tickets here: https://glimmersband.com
November 11 - Atlanta, GA
November 25 - New Orleans, LA
November 26 - Dallas, TX
November 29 - San Diego, CA
November 20 - Anaheim, CA
December 7 - Las Vegas, NV
December 9 - Albuquerque, NM
December 10 - Tulas, OK
December 11 - Nashville, TN
February 15 - Atalanta, GA
February 16 - Nashville, TN
February 18 - Austin, TX
February 19 - Fort Worth, TX