Mike O’Brien and Jason Haberman had their own things going on. Each in a band of their own, but a night of junior high antics led to a bond that found them later jamming together. Soon enough Ocean Potion started and with it came one of the most sentimental songs you’ll hear all summer. We talked about the nostalgic heartbreak of “In the Grass” as well as what we can expect from their LP that’ll be out later this year.
Kendra: Other than music, what was one of the main things you two bonded over when you hooked up?
Ocean Potion: A similar sense of humour. There were lots of laughs while making this music.
Kendra: How long after you two came together did the first some come to fruition?
Ocean Potion: Probably after a couple months of hanging…I think the first actual song we made is one that didn’t make it to the record. It’s called “Pencil Shavings.” Before we had any real songs we just had a bunch of free-form jams. I think the band name came from a name that I gave to one of those early jams.
Kendra: Let’s talk about “In the Grass.” Talk about hitting you in the feels. I don’t think there’s anyone who can’t relate to this; a childhood friendship being over and done. Was this inspired by one or both of your experiences?
Ocean Potion: I wrote the lyrics for it. It wasn’t based on a specific relationship but a few different ones. It’s something that I can remember happening a few times where I had a best friend that for one reason or another we parted. It’s not just about the parting but also about the relationships themselves.
Kendra: Do you think it’s hard to lose a friendship as a kid or as an adult?
Ocean Potion: I guess I would say it’s harder as an adult. When you’re a kid you feel that pain and you react to it but you’re also more malleable and able to move on more quickly. I think close friendships are harder to come by when your an adult and therefore more precious in some ways.
Kendra: You’ve got an LP coming later this year. Will that be chalked full of more nostalgic heartbreak?
Ocean Potion: There seemed to be a common thread of “friendship” running through the lyrics when I was writing these songs. One song is about our buddy Morty and his apartment where there have been many good parties. Another is about being away and returning home with a different perspective and how your friends react to you. Some nostalgic heartbreak yes, but also generally an overall good uplifting feeling.
Kendra: Other than the record, what’s on tap for the coming months?
Ocean Potion: We’re in the process of moving into a new studio to record and create in. Nothing’s nailed down quite yet, but we have plans to tour this fall.
