San Francisco, United States singer/songwriter, self taught guitarist and producer, Josh Long joins us to talk all about his latest single, ‘Last June’.
With music influenced by an eclectic array of artists, including NoMBe, Lenny Kravits, the Bee Gees, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Michael Jackson, and KAYTRANADA, Josh Long produces a unique and signature style of music that blends the use of retro instrumentation and elements from modern pop music, with an upbeat and nostalgic vibe.
The latest self written, recorded and produced single from Josh Long, ‘Last June’ provides a look into the upbeat feel of the hustle and bustle of the San Francisco life, in which the track was recorded and combines the feels of pop, disco and funk, into a unique soundscape.
“At its core, this is a song about romanticizing a prior relationship or time in someone’s life that has passed and longing to return to that time. Even though you want to go back to that time, there is also a subtle acknowledgement that it can’t happen.” Josh Long
Overall, this is a fun and vibrant track with driving beats and an upbeat groove that will leave you feeling positively inspired.
You can listen to ‘Last June’ below:
Would you like to start by telling us a little about yourself?
Sure!
I’m a 22 year old musician and producer of over ten years, born and raised in San Diego and currently based in San Francisco.
I think I got my first guitar when I was around 9, but I’ve been playing seriously since I was 11.
Outside of music I’m a pretty regular guy; I go to nursing school, work out, hang out with friends, and go camping.
Little fun fact, I’m also a certified personal trainer and work at my university gym.
What was it that first inspired you to begin a career in music?
I’ve been lucky to start my career in San Francisco, which has to be one of the most creatively inspiring cities in the world for artists and musicians.
Having come across successful local artists to look up to, like rapper Kidd Doxx for example, has been a huge inspiration to me because it shows you “hey, maybe this is something I can do too”.
I put out my first single “Divide” in Fall 2019 with my college friend and artist DjayN, which we recorded in our old dorm room on a laptop with barely enough RAM to process the 7 or 8 instrument racks.
As a songwriter and an artist I believe I’ve grown a lot since then, which I think you can hear in each new release.
How would you describe the feel of your music?
I would call it upbeat nostalgia pop.
I’ve done a lot of experimenting on past projects with genres like rock, country, R&B, and hip-hop, but with “Last June” I think I finally hit my stride.
The way I would describe it to people is to imagine a combination between old school funk and disco rhythms with modern pop songwriting techniques.
You have recently released your Single, ‘Last June’. What was the inspiration behind the creation of this song?
The past few years have affected everyone’s lives in different ways, and as someone whose life has changed in nearly every single way imaginable since 2020, I can appreciate the impact this time has had on all of us.
The inspiration behind “Last June” is this idea of returning to a previous time in your life; I use the theme of a relationship that was cut off and wanting to get it back, but it could be anything in your life that you want to get back to.
What does ‘Last June’ mean to you?
To me, “Last June” is this idea that there’s something you left behind in the past but aren’t fully ready to let go of yet.
There’s this line in the verse that goes “people saying that I need to get a grip”, which I love because it presents this idea that even though you acknowledge the impossibility of going back to this time in your life, you still want it back.
I’ve always believed that music should be subjective and a great song should be able to mean different things to different people, so going back to “Last June” could represent something different for everyone.
What did the creative process look like for ‘Last June’?
The whole creative process for “Last June” looked a lot different from how I normally write songs.
I actually started writing in September of 2020, and it had a much more indie rock vibe.
The chorus structure was pretty much the only thing that remained intact from my original version, and the verse structure was completely different.
I always start writing by strumming around on my guitar and writing the chord progression first.
Usually I’ll come up with the melody first and then write lyrics that flow well with it.
I always liked doing it this way because if you have a catchy melody that people want to sing, the lyrics honestly write them self.
Where do you find your inspiration for your music?
All around me really.
My friends, my relationships, just day to day life really.
A lot of the themes I write about revolve around relationships and personal themes because it’s something we all experience everyday, so I feel like it’s very relevant to me.
Music gives me a creative outlet to express myself through a medium that I’m comfortable with, so it feels like the easiest way for me to talk about these themes.
How has Covid-19 impacted your release?
To be honest, I wouldn’t say it affected my release all that much.
If anything, Covid-19 has actually given me more time to work on music.
I mentioned earlier that I originally wrote the first draft of “Last June” back in September 2020, and most of the reasons why I put it on the back burner for so long revolved around responsibilities outside of music like school and work.
What would you like to see happen for you in your music from here?
“Last June” is just the beginning for me.
As artists we all have a different way of getting where we need to be, and I think this is a big step for me to get where I’d like to see myself go as an artist.
I’ve always wanted to write songs with a message that’s true to myself, so going forward I hope that I can
write music that listeners find genuinely relatable.
What is one message you would like to share with your fans?
Genuinely, thank you for listening.
I’m just a college kid doing this out of passion and the support truly means the world to me
Where can people find your music?
Everywhere you listen to music! Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, iTunes if that’s your thing, or Tidal.
The best way to keep up to date with everything music related is to give me a follow over on Instagram!
Karen Harding is a Melbourne, Australia based singer/songwriter, founder of Sounds On The Couch, and founder and operator of boutique music PR service for emerging and independent artists, Rise Indie.