Interview by Ashley Bulayo & Photography by Kyle Blatchford" /> ON THE LOOP: LIMBS - Local Wolves Interview by Ashley Bulayo & Photography by Kyle Blatchford" />
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Music

It’s hard to make music. Nothing is all glitz and glam or easy peasy. It’s even harder when the person you’re working with is on the other side of the country… True story. However, the duo Limbs (Kevin & Kim) make it happen. They recently released their brand new EP out to the world after a few years in the making. Let’s just say, the wait and the traveling was all well worth it.

How did you two find each other and figure out what kind of music you’d b making with one another?

KIM — We went to school in Boston together, but didn’t really start hanging out and working on songs until the end of both our times there, right Kev?

KEVIN — Yea, although Kim was a singer in one of my first classes, and I remember liking her voice and asking her then if she would be interested in working on some music. I didn’t actually bring any music forward until about 2 1/2 years later.

KIM — Kevin was writing a bunch of music at that time, figuring out a lot as a producer when we first started working together, and we started out working on some material that he’d already written.  It just ended up really working out with us, our chemistry as friends and songwriters, a lot of mutual respect, and I wouldn’t say the music we chose to write was a conscious choice, just kind of what was coming out of us after being in a super-concentrated jazz conservatory environment for a long time and then coming out of it with the intention of trying to explore some new territory.

When you first started this venture into the music industry, did you have a clear thought of how you wanted to portray yourself to others or a somewhat clear understanding of what it’s like working in the industry or was it a new thing to navigate around?

KEVIN — I think only until recently did I make a conscious consideration about reality of the business side of creative endeavors. Music industry was a word that kind of scared me, and still kind of does, because I think it had a connotation with being taken advantage of. I definitely have learned a lot in the past few years about how to navigate these areas, but it’s still a struggle to find the balance between creative vision and cold reality.

KIM — It’s definitely been a new area to navigate for me as well.  There’s a lot of new everything coming our way, a lot to learn, and I’m really thirsty to learn it all quickly so that we can take of ourselves well, but have to keep reminding myself it’s all good, that everyone’s learning and figuring it out as they go.  As far as the way we wanted to portray ourselves…that’s been becoming more clear as we go, too.  Coming from spending most of my time in a band with 6 people, where it’s a little easier to hide and where the image and vision are the entire group’s, from my other duo project, where the images and direction started out as basically being all me and all mine, it’s a new experience being in a duo that has always been clearly the two of us, but we’re having a good time figuring it out.

With one of you in New York and the other in Los Angeles, how do you two go about working on?

KEVIN — Up until now we’ve only worked on music when we managed to be in the same room, whether it’s me going to Kim or Kim to me. We’re working on changing that as we move forward, and/or living in the same city.

KIM — Yea, that’s my fault (laughs). It’s been difficult, and mostly because of my fear of technology…namely, how intimidated I am by software and things.  We should be able to knock things out over email, but often we rely on the few times a year that we’re able to make the trip to each other, which definitely isn’t sustainable… here’s hoping I stick to my plan this year and finally learn how to use logic and well *crosses fingers*

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Besides the fact that there’s distance between the two of you, what has been the most difficult part or maybe the easiest part with this process?

KEVIN — Kim is a great friend, so it sucks not being able hang and shoot the shit. Most of the time we have together is like super concentrated band stuff. It leaves very little time to actually enjoy one another as people, which is a drag and kinda stressful… hopefully in the future we can find a situation that takes the pressure off the “getting things done” vibe that always takes precedence when we’re together

KIM — Totally, it’s difficult to put things aside and be like “ok, it’s friend time.”  Managing and honoring the fact that we were and are first and foremost friends and humans that care about each other with the gotta-get-it-doneness of everything and the business stuff is a weird thing to balance.  But we’re both super sensitive and try our best to take care of each other during the stressful shit, and we’re doing something we love, so I’m grateful for how much easier that makes dealing with the difficult stuff.

Now that your EP is out (Congratulations by the way!) what is up next on your “to do list”? A tour? A full length album? The possibilities are really endless but what do you hope to achieve in the near future?

KEVIN — All of the above. Continue to write music and try to get our live show out in the world.

KIM — We’re working on some new music at the moment, and hope to have something new out very soon. we’re super excited by the prospect of touring, and just have logistical things to figure out before then, so we’re pretty much in that zone right now-writing and planning.

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Speaking of your EP… How long did it take for you two work on it and create the finished product?   

KEVIN — The project had its inception while we were in college, but the actual legwork of completing the final versions of the music took a few months.  There are several versions of the songs that appeared before finalizing everything but once we focused on completing everything it was a few months before everything was done.

Debuting new music to the world who hasn’t heard of you yet can make you have a wave of emotions. How did you feel putting your work out into the world and receiving really positive feedback?

KIM — There’s so much great music out everyday, so many things people could click on and listen to, and it feels really cool and special every time someone listens to us, and definitely when they take the time to share it or say nice things about it.

KEVIN — I feel the same. I’m just glad that it’s out and widely available. That’s what’s most important to me, that people have access to it and can have the option to hear it.

KIM — There’s definitely a tendency for me to hide from any and all feedback though, too, haha. Good or bad, it’s such a weird feeling, knowing that you’re exposed even a little bit.  Sharing feels good but also leaves you feeling vulnerable, like “oh no, this is out now, and can be judged.  they can see me!”

You just had your EP release party a few weeks back and looking back at it, what were your feelings just before you went on stage and after?

KIM — Oh man, I was so nervous!

KEVIN — Dang, really? I didn’t know you got nervous.

KIM —  So nervous.  the stakes felt so high, with us living far away from each other and not necessarily having a bunch of immediate chances after the release party to play again.  I was thinking “this is it for now, don’t f*ck it up.”  But immediately after we hit the first song, which was “Don’t Stay,” I was pumped.  Also, we couldn’t have asked for  a better, more supportive crowd, which is always beautiful.

KEVIN — I was mostly nervous about everything up until the show… all the gear and setup and logistical things going right. Once we were on stage and playing it was great.

KIM — Definitely… and afterward, a sigh of relief, a feeling of “I can’t wait to do this again,” and a surety that it was only the beginning, so just all around a lovely feeling. It was a great night.

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