SafetySuit has continued to surprise us. That’s saying something because we always expected massive things from them when they first started. Since then they’ve worked so hard and done so much that it’s hard not to be impressed. Over the past few years they’ve been an independent band and since the release of their self-titled album in 2016 – they’re running better than they ever have. We talked with Douglas Brown from the band to discuss their latest single, “Perfect Color” and to catch up on all things SafetySuit. “We loved that song we just couldn’t figure it out on time to put it on the record,” explained Brown. “We just never stopped working on it. We finished it when we were on tour in January and put the finishing touches on it when we got home. The people at iTunes and our radio team always loved the song but it wasn’t going to be finished before the album release. So, we thought we’d release it after the album. Our plan has always been to start a steady stream of content that isn’t as album-based going forward.” “We’ll still do albums because we like telling an entire story, but there’s a way that you can deliver music now that you don’t have to wait for an album. For your core fans, albums are great because they can really dig in. For people that are coming on late, you can have a lot of great songs get lost in the full album because they’re really only paying attention to the latest release. We’re experimenting with different ways of getting music out there and it’s a very liberating, sometimes terrifying, process but it’s fun.” The way they’ve been doing things is obviously working. There are more people behind the band than there’s ever been. That applies to touring and the people coming out to see SafetySuit too. “The last tour we did was the biggest tour we’ve ever had,” answered Brown when asked how touring has been going for the band. “We’re always surprised, especially with the time off we took, that people continue to come. We’re fortunate to have a strong base and I think as long as we keep releasing music and sending stuff out there for people to enjoy… The more we play out, the more people are going to show up. We have some lofty expectations for our next tour. We haven’t decided if that’s going to be in the Fall or the Spring but we’re getting ready to take it to the next level.” With things going as well as they are for the band you’d think things are easy. They aren’t. Brown and his bandmates are just getting a great return on how much work they’re putting in. We talked with Brown about what they’ve been able to accomplish since going independent. He was humble with his reply. “We just feel fortunate – that’s the fastest way of saying it. We’ve had good partners with iTunes and Spotify and publications and then a wonderful team at Sony-ATV on the publishing side; it’s been a really nice few years.” As for what Brown has been up to right now, he said the latest thing they’ve been doing is working in the studio on a new release. “We’ve been working on a new EP. The songs are nasty (that’s good, if you’re not picking up on it – definitely good). I haven’t been excited as much as I am about this song I’m working on right now in a long time. It’s one that I started about a year ago. I started working on it again recently in a different way and it’s caught my ear. I’ve been really digging into it. It’s a song that’s true to me so it resonates with me. That’s the foundation of a good song – one that holds a bit of you in it.” When we get an update on that EP we’ll be sure to pass it along. In the meantime, check out SafetySuit’s latest single “Perfect Color.” – aa