Simon Glickman

THE EX TEENS.

The music in this profile is by my band, The Ex Teens. We're a power pop/new wave/garage/glam band from L.A. Our EP, Get on an Ice Floe, is available via all DSPs. Here's the spiel: I was feeling old before I started my band. To be fair, I WAS old. But I’m younger than that now, and I ascribe that to the restorative power of plugging in and wailing. I was at loose ends, stressed about my mortgage, choked with angst as I hustled ineptly for freelance work and imagined I was meant for better things. It was the holidays, the perfect time of year to plunge into an abyss of one’s own making. Then at a holiday party, I met Josh Gordon. We had chatted for less than an hour when he said, in his guileless way, “Hey, do you want to start a band?” My answer, without much thought, was yes. And so The Ex Teens was born. Being in the band manifestly did not make my problems disappear. My mortgage still loomed. My revenue faltered. My own mortality was ever more acutely in the foreground. But at least now it occurred to me to write songs about it. One of the first such songs is, at long last, being released as a single. I wrote “Good News (for Shut-Ins)” to cheer myself up. It begins: Middle-aged middle manager Gets the middle finger every day Self-hating, self-medicating Tried meditating, tried to pray A tart self-diagnosis, to be sure. But in songs you can do anything. And so: Turn your haggard face to the sun Your golden hour has just begun There’s good news, good news, good news if you’re feeling bad. Josh co-wrote the music with me, and we rocked it. The Ex Teens wouldn’t exist without him, so I’m forever in his debt. He’s since moved on and is killing it with the Living Dolls; we are both delighted to be in the Big Stir orbit. For a variety of reasons, after we recorded “Good News” (co-produced/engineered by our pal Steve Kravac), it didn’t make it onto our EP. Now, at last, it’s out—as a Big Stir digital single. We’re very happy to share it with the world at last. So what is the good news, if you’re feeling bad? That you can turn your suffering into big, loud songs. It’s the cure for what ails ya.

Profile

Instruments

Genres

Influences

Equipment

What is music to you? What does it give you?

1. If you're in a band, keep it up. 2. If you're thinking of starting a band, go for it. 3. If you used to play music but stopped because you "didn't have time," FIND THE TIME. You'll be so glad you did.

What is your music dream?

This, only more of it.

If you could change the world - what would you start with?

Listening.

Which is the most memorable song from your childhood?

"Bold as Love" by Jimi Hendrix.

Who are your favorite musical artists or bands?

The Beatles, David Bowie, Elvis Costello, Roxy Music, Jimi Hendrix, Joni Mitchell, Stevie Wonder, The Stones, Van Morrison, Graham Parker, Little Feat, Be Bop Deluxe, Pretenders, Blondie, Moby Grape, Magazine, The Buzzcocks, The Soft Boys, Echo & the Bunnymen, Yes, Cream, John Coltrane, Alice Coltrane, Charles Mingus..

What inspires you to make music?

Being awake.

What is the message you want to send with your music?

Play.

How do you feel when you perform in front of an audience?

Like a rocket.

How do you see the musicians’ reality nowadays? What could be improved?

Better money for streaming. Better marketing to people who don't stream.

What do you think of Drooble?

I'm still deciding, but I like meeting lots of other users here.

What frustrates you most as a musician?

Robots.

Do you support your local scene as a fan? How?

Yes, I love going to see other bands, especially the ones associated with my pals at Big Stir.

What qualities should a musician nowadays have in order to get their music heard by a larger audience?

Imagination and tenacity.

Share some awesome artists that we’ve never heard of.

Liily. The Dirty Nil. Grace Mesa. Shovels & Rope. Doctors & Engineers. Maple Mars.