After playing at The Hound this past Saturday, March 23, with teacup and the Monster, Kyle Humphrey and Matt Pike of local band Lonely Wolves have set their sights on recording and releasing their first EP.
When Humphrey and Pike sat down and played together for the first time, both knew instantly they were going to form a band together. Add Humphrey's dog into the mix, whom he said looks like a lonely wolf, and they had a name for their band.
Both being huge Led Zeppelin fans, their sound ranges from rock 'n' roll to blues, and even to southern. Pike describes Lonely Wolves as "Basic, to the point, two guys playing music." And with the help of WegL broadcaster Scott Waters, they're doing just that by making music for the upcoming EP.
"We did something for WegL and Scott recorded it," Humphrey said. "I just felt comfortable with him--I was like, 'This guy knows what he's doing.' He was really encouraging and wasn't intimidating at all, so we went right back to him."
Both are excited about where they're going to be recording the new music.
"We're actually going to be able to use a building that Richard Patton is letting us use. It's just a bare wall building that has a lot of history in it and a lot of great sound," Pike said.
After previously recording a video in that same building, Pike and Humphrey knew it was where they wanted to record the EP.
"I never thought I'd be able to do that," Humphrey said. "I always just thought it would be in a studio, but it's in this awesome building."
Because Lonely Wolves has been playing so much lately, the band mates are excited to relax for a while and hone in on recording their EP. That's not to say, however, they don't love performing live, even if they sometimes get nervous.
"I remember the first time we played, my knees locked and you could just see my legs shaking," Humphrey said. "But I think each time you play you get more comfortable with it--it's like I know what I'm doing with my fingers and my hands, and you just get so involved with the sound rather than what people perceive you as."
Pike agreed, adding it was all about the comfort level.
"It's a lot easier in this band than it has been in any other. It's been a great ride for sure," Pike said.
As for future hopes, both agreed as long as they get to keep playing and making music, they'll be happy.
"Just getting our music out there and hoping people enjoy it," Pike said.
Humphrey added that because the band is still in its beginning stage, he would like to see more opportunities for them to play later on. He said that musicians always want their music to be appreciated.
The Auburn/Opelika area is becoming more of a music hub with a growing number of people appreciating music. Both Humphrey and Pike are adding to the evolving scene, along with Richard Patton.
Humphrey said Patton is opening a studio in Opelika called Cotton Seed Studios. He added that the studio is in an ideal spot and that Patton hopes to turn Opelika into an Athens, GA. type place where bands would be drawn. Eventually, Humphrey said Patton would like to have the studio be a place where a band can stop in and record a song while touring from one place to another.
Pike added that Patton is going to turn Opelika into something really special.
"It's just something that this area has needed for a long time to push local artists and let that marinate so other people can hear it," Pike said.
"We're trying to push in with that so that in 10 years we can be like, 'oh yeah Opelika is a big music scene and we started there,'" Humphrey said.
For more information on Lonely Wolves, check out the website at facebook.com/LnLYWLVS. The expected release of the EP is by Sunday, May 5.
"We could do a nice little Cinco de Mayo release party," Pike said.
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