interview from The Small Square

The Small Square is building on its 2015 self-titled album with second collection, Ours &
Others, arriving on Farm to Label Records October 31 as a CD, digital download and via
streaming services. The duo of multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Paul Chastain and drummer,
percussionist, and vocalist John Louis Richardson recorded Ours & Others at Richardson’s
Drum Farm Studio, returning to the same studio space in a modified 18 th century granary located
on 80 acres in which they created their first offering. The Small Square re-released their debut
album digitally on Farm To Label Summer 2023.
Chastain is the songwriter and co-founder of Rock group Velvet Crush and has worked both live
and in the studio with Matthew Sweet, Mitch Easter, Roger McGuinn, Susanna Hoffs, Tommy
Keene, and more. Velvet Crush’s Teenage Symphonies album was re-issued Spring 2023, it’s
first release on 12” LP vinyl in the U.S., marking its 30th anniversary. Richardson has recorded
and performed with the likes of Joey Molland (Badfinger), Gin Blossoms, Jay Bennett (Wilco),
Tommy Keene, and many others.
Chastain and Richardson have a long association and their collaboration pre-dates The Small
Square Small, where recording at Richardson’s Drum Farm Studio sees Chastain traveling from
his home in Japan to work with contributing musicians for a week or more at a time, and then
continuing to hone and expand tracks from his home studio.
Musical differences between Chastain and Richardson are also a source of productivity as each
might suggest new directions for material that either have generated. Chastain and Richardson
share producing duties, with production playing a major role in the songwriting process and in
finalizing songs.
Key collaborators on the album include Adam Ollendorff (lap steel, 12 string guitar) and R. Walt
Vincent (bass, keyboard, engineering), while many more, like the band Shoes, also added their
personal touch to the individual songs on Ours & Others.
Chastain often works on possible lyrics for quite some time and is comfortable with this ongoing
process which leaves some unfinished. The key element for him continues to be a particular
phrase that captures a feeling, and he often assigns a phrase to a song fragment to act as a kind of
signpost for future development.
The song “Insta” from the new album was an example of close collaboration where Chastain’s
original version was inspired by a Small Faces vibe, but Richardson suggested a new direction
in-person and they developed a new version in an immediate way whereas “Days Inn” had a very
intricate genesis as Richardson explored an idea based on a cigar-box guitar sound using open
tuning and was joined by Cory Wong to nail down the sound. Chastain then received the material
and set to work.
While Chastain prefers to leave his lyrics open to interpretation, “N. Main Blues” and its lyrics
were inspired by his time in Providence, Rhode Island during the foundational period for Velvet
Crush, including small lyrical details in an “otherwise straightforward Rock song” that suggest
truth can be stranger than fiction.

A major through-line for the album Ours & Others was shaped by life-events due to the passing
of longtime mutual friend and bandmate Tommy Keene. As an inspirational figure who opened
for The Matthew Sweet band, toured with Velvet Crush, and played in Richardson’s band, the
impact of his loss was significant. This led to the inclusion of Keene’s song “Baby Face” on the
album, as well as aiding in the completion of the track “Can’t Let Go (Oh Tommy)”.
https://www.instagram.com/smallish.square/

https://www.youtube.com/@TheSmallSquareGroup
https://www.smallsquaremusic.com/

1. “What’s a common myth about Independent Artists and can you debunk it?”

Myth: The Overnight Success. While anything is, of course, possible, achieving

some level of success, usually, still requires the dreaded paying of dues. Often years (and years) in the making.

 

2. “What advice would you give to someone wanting to enter the music industry?”

Be good at your thing and be prepared to promote yourself 100% of the time.

3. “Are there any resources or even advice that have really helped you on your journey?”

My journey has been pretty haphazard so I would recommend learning about

all aspects of the business, as it is today, and being really working on whatever

you are trying to do, art-wise. Be good, be smart, be artful.

4. “What has been your biggest accomplishment in your career thus far?”

I feel like the biggest accomplishment is simply to be able to keep doing it.

Some memorable items would include, working with Mitch Easter (producer, musician), Matthew Sweet (artist), Susanna Hoffs (The Bangles), Roger McGuinn (The Byrds), Greg Leisz (musician). Appearing on late night chat shows like (Conan O’Brien, Jay Leno, David Letterman). Being on a festival bill with Dylan.
.
5. “What do you wish you had known when you started out?”

I wish I had started being serious earlier.

6. “What led you to becoming a singer-songwriter?”

I was really interested in the process of writing songs and capturing them on

a recording.

7. “What do you think is your unique skill(s) that has helped you become successful?”

I am too dumb to stop.

8. “How was your journey to what you do
Now?”

9. “How did this project begin?”

The Small Square project began with two friends wanting to make some

songs/recordings together. There was not much thought of releasing music

or even playing. Just making.
.
10. “What makes this project different from “past projects?”

One thing is the way we must work remotely because we are in different

parts of the world much of the time. So we come together to begin songs/recordings and then work separately after that.

.
11. “What’s the inspiration behind this project?”

One of the main themes of this record is loss and learning to deal with it.

12. “What word or phrase would you use to describe this project?”

Homemade

13. “How can listeners get in touch with or support you?”

https://www.instagram.com/smallish.square/

https://www.facebook.com/TheSmallSquare

https://www.youtube.com/@TheSmallSquareGroup

https://www.smallsquaremusic.com/

https://farmtolabelrecords.com/artists/the-small-square/

14. “What is coming up for you in the near future?”

Telling folks about this record, trying to put the music in front of as many ears as possible and continuing the creative process.

15. “Many people believe that becoming a musical artist is challenging to the point it
becomes overwhelming and too much to handle. Why do you think people believe that?”

The music and the business of it will take as much as someone can give and sometimes more. So, I think that can be true depending on the artist and the situation.

16. “What’s the most common reason for people failing or giving up?”

Disappointment
.
17. “What is your favorite word?”

18. “What are you not very good at?”
Self-promoting
19. “If you could have one superpower, what would it be?”
The ability to always understand what someone means despite what they

may be saying.
20. “If you were a type of food, what type of food would you be?”

Today, I would be an empanada.

21. “If you could switch lives with someone for a day, who would you choose?”

A butterfly. I know, not a person.