NOT A TOY IS NOT PLAYING IT SAFE
By: Ben Michaud
With the recent release of their self-titled EP, an upcoming streetwear clothing collection, and an album drop on the horizon, the Colorado-based pop-punk band, NOT A TOY is entering the music scene as a force to be reckoned with.
The Fearless Records group comprised of Lead Vocalist Branson Hoog, Guitarist Jeremy Marmor, Drummer Benji Spoliansky and Violinist and Key Player TJ Wessel, just released their self-titled EP—a collection of unique “genre-less” songs that will keep you hooked from beginning to end. From the dangerous spit-fire tune “J-Cash” to the vibey “Quit Quitting,” NOT A TOY is not afraid to make a bold statement with their fresh set of songs.
During a Narrow Magazine-invited Zoom press conference with Hoog and Spoliansky, the bandmates broke down their music development process, noting that it is just one of many art forms the group hopes to share with the world.
“We wanted NOT A TOY to feel like almost more of a movement than more of a band,” Hoog said, explaining that its members prefer to consider themselves more as a “collective of four creatives” than a band, and emphasizing the point that they cannot be placed in any one category.
“The biggest influences have actually been the artists that have been the most creative and have tried pushing music as an art form itself,” said Hoog, mentioning the likes of Kanye West as a key source of inspiration due to his “outside of the box, no rules mentality.”
NOT A TOY hopes to capture this concept of expression in all of their art and it can easily be heard in their first single, “J-Cash,” which leaves listeners with a bold first impression of the group. When asked about the nature of the song and the decision to choose it as their first single, Spoliansky explained it was a great representation of their creative process.
“We just started blasting ideas off into space,” Spolianksy said, adding they incorporated crazy effects into the project, such as the whip sound which they felt really brought the piece together. “[The song] just felt like the perfect way to introduce us,” said Hoog.
The drummer and vocalist emphasized the importance of their studio as being the optimal space for creating their various art forms and offered a glimpse into their world by choosing the studio as their background for the Zoom press conference.
“It’s where we tattoo, paint, make all our music, design all the streetwear… we do everything out of this spot,” said Hoog.
What NOT A TOY has been able to accomplish during this year is truly impressive. While 2020 has been a wild ride for everyone, it’s been especially crazy for the group. Acknowledging the difficulty of stepping into the music scene for the first time during the pandemic, NOT A TOY put a lot of hard work into grabbing listener’s attention.
“We're a group of artists, and if someone wants to follow the type of art we make, they are going to get all of it, not just the music,” Hoog said.
The group is excited to share their newest work with the world, explaining they put their all into making it a true representation of themselves.
“It was the first time we said fuck it there are no rules,” Hoog said, adding, “we can make whatever we want to make.”
Tap in to your inner pop-punk side and stream NOT A TOY’s newest EP, available on all music platforms.
Follow: @NOTATOY