By snoadmin
Many local bars in Long Beach feature some up-and-coming musical groups, working to solidify their place in the realm of independent musical stardom. One band in particular, SQUAREFISH, is attracting a lot of attention in the Long Beach underground musical scene in bars like Clancy’s and the Blue Café.
The eclectic foursome are making quite a splash all over Southern California. The Long Beach natives have stumbled upon big opportunities this past fall with the release of an EP and music video, and have even bigger creative plans for the future.
Maggie Boles (vocals/guitar) began writing music and playing shows with Anthony Verzirian (drums) in 2008 as a freshman at Cal State Long Beach. They began playing gigs at small coffee shops and on-campus events.
As a vocal performer with a minor in creative writing, Boles writes songs that encapsulate the heavy pangs of love and life, while managing to keep that soft folky undertone.
“Writing is cathartic,” Boles said. “I try and create something constructive out of negative things.”
After a creative break with Verzirian, Boles met Mike Amico (bass), a film and electronic arts major, while living in the dorms. Amico used to watch Boles at local performances and began playing with her mainly because one of her songs required a male vocalist.
“I really wanted to start playing music so I forced my way in,” Amico said.
In 2010, music major Lauren Pennington (keyboard) was added to the band and Verzirian reentered the group.
Making the transition from coffeeshop acoustics to Indie rock performers has allowed the band to grow immensely over the years. With Boles’ ability to write inherently clever hooks that fans can’t help but sing along too, the group has come together to encapsulate the sound that is true Indie, pop, folk, rock.
The Daily 49er sat down with the group, getting the opportunity to discover the ins and outs of the lifestyles that personify this musical team.
49er: The name SQUAREFISH is interesting, where did it come from?
Amico: We used to be Magza C. Creature but nobody ever knew what we were saying, plus no one knew how to spell it. But eventually after pushing different names across, SQUAREFISH seemed to work because it’s a really easy cartoon to draw and it makes a good logo. Plus Maggie’s obsession with sea creatures made us have to relate it somehow.
49er: What sets you apart from other bands?
Amico: Well, we have two girls and we have a gay (referring to his own sexuality).
Boles: A lot of what sets us apart also holds us back. We’re a lot poppier than most bands around here and a lot of people just write us off because we’re too pop. However, it’s something that makes us catchy. If something has a hook in it, then that’s good.
Amico: If I didn’t play in this band, I would want to listen to it all the time.
Pennington: It’s the kind of music that gets stuck in your head over and over again.
49er: With so much on your guys’ plate, how do you manage to juggle school and being in band all at the same time?
Verzirian: We just do it. We find time for practices, we get on a good groove, and then…
Pennington: …then we drop them.
Amico: But when we play so many shows, it’s like practice. But finding time to get together definitely still remains a challenge.
49er: What is your favorite part about making music?
Verzirian: It’s exciting to know that we are making a sound together that we couldn’t do all by ourselves.
Amico: Definitely when we form a new song and it all just seems to come together and click. It’s really awesome to know that we have a totally collaborative product that comes together in the end. It’s really fun and exciting.
49er: What is the most important message you try and evoke to the audience with your music?
Amico: Especially with the first EP, we have really corky, folky, love songs that are really clever. At first it’s really catchy and cute-sounding, but if you actually listen to the whole song and think about what it’s all about, it’s about something a lot more than that. It’s so easy to take our songs on just service value, or consider it just a corky folk song.
Boles: But there’s a lot in our songs that require you to read between the lines and think a little bit deeper.
For more information and songs, visit SQUAREFISH.bandcamp.com.
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