Snacktime is a band out of LA that released their new album Daydreams and Night Scenes this past month. This is the third release for the group following their EP The Kings Canyon in September 2013 and An Epic Drama of Adventure and Exploration album in January of 2013. Members of the band are Jonny Vincent, Darren Rieger, Will Volkmann and Jessica Lynn Verdi.
The band was kind enough to do an interviews via email with me:
Front Range Scribbles: How did the band get started?
Snacktime: Jonny used to be in a two person band with a friend. Will and Darren noticed them at a show, saw the potential, and approached Jonny about joining and creating a full-fledged band. After about a year or so, and after the release of the first full length album, Jessica was asked to join the band after the “friend” left. Everything just sort of fell into place quite naturally after that.
FRS: How did the name for the band come about?
Snacktime: We don’t have some crazy, nostalgic, inside joke story about the name… even though we might wish we did. We tossed around a lot of terrible ideas and settled on SNACKTIME after it seemed to be the least terrible name. It stuck because we felt it got across our joyful nature, not to mention it’s a universally enjoyed pastime.
FRS:This is your third album, what have you learned from your first release to your current album?
Snacktime: We’ve grown as artists together and separately, for the better. We’ve learned how to respect each others processes, with writing especially. All four of us had integral parts in creating the album, collaboratively and personally. The challenge was to incorporate the different styles and make them cohesive in order to have a relevant album we would all be proud of. We believe we succeeded, without sacrificing the differences, and we think that’s what makes this album so special.
FRS: If I were to see your show for the first time what could I expect?
Snacktime: Not your average show, believe me. Like we mentioned before, SNACKTIME embodies the joy we have for playing music and for being alive. Watching both Jonny and Jessica onstage really gets that across. At the last show, Jessica jumped off stage, ran into the audience,
and did a loop around the venue before coming back and dancing with a complete stranger. We don’t care to be pretentious or cool, our music doesn’t allow us to act that way. Our energy is super high and energetic; it makes you want to dance and sing along. By the end of the show, if you’re open to it, you’ll walk away with a sense of having been through an emotional ride with a wonderfully rewarding, cathartic ending.
FRS: What do you hope the listener takes from the “Daydreams and Night Scenes” album?
Snacktime: Sort of like we said with the last answer, we feel like this album is a soundtrack to the ups and downs of life. These songs are important to us and they all came from our true human experiences. We had such a blast writing it and putting it together, it would mean the world to us if that translates to the listener. We ultimately just hope that this album is something that people can relate to and enjoy.
FRS: What is one misconception people have about musicians especially independent artists such as yourself?
Snacktime: Man, there’s a lot to say about the struggles of being independent. But one that affects us most often is the conception that a band is not worth listening to because they don’t have fans yet. LA is an extremely competitive and tough arena to start a band in. It’s a challenge we welcome, but often we notice how a lot of people get super judgmental when it comes to local music, as if knowing more than someone else means you’re cooler, more popular or something stupid like that. (Our song “Unfollow Me” satires this culture a little bit.) The common thought is, if no one is watching a band on a given night, they must not be good. People seem to only want to pay attention if there’s a crowd already gathered (and this starts the topic of how going to a show in LA is a “to be seen” scene and not a genuine “have a good time” scene, but that’s a topic for another day). There is so much good music being put out by people who aren’t high on the social ladder, don’t have connections, or whatever, and it’s a bummer for that music to go unlistened based off that. However, we’re not discouraged. We believe that if we work hard, make music we love, and remain honest artists, good things (and fans) will come our way.
I have listened to several songs off the album, and enjoyed each one. If you know me, you know I enjoy songs that don’t rely on electronics. Give me guitars, give me drums, give me good vocals. The group delivers for me on these accounts with the songs I have heard. I hope they make it to Colorado some day, they are a group I would like to see in concert.
The group will be having an album release party April 25th in Los Angles at the Redwood Bar if you happen to be in the area. You can hear a couple of tracks off the album this Sunday on Front Range Radio which can be heard live at 9pm eastern on http://www.party934.com
Muses from the front range of the Rocky Mountains
FrontRangeScribbles 
I must admit that I never would have thought of Snacktime as a band name.
That’s why I had to ask about the name.
Snacktime is an interesting “un-choice” for a name. I enjoyed your interview of this band.
Thank you, I appreciate that.