Purplespace
... is a splendid IndiePop/Shoegaze band from the radiant Sunshine State. They have electrified the audience at various snug venues in the Jacsonville area such as: JackRabbits, FatCat, FreeBirds, The Imperial and more. In recent years, Purplespace has transformed into a very prolific Lab Band. Their remarkable catalog flaunts 12 albums (191 songs). Last week we discovered one of their old songs, Songwriters John Hashtak and Tara Golden had a vision of composing a song about true friendship… Like, when everyone else forsakes you… It’s about being faithful and supportive no matter how gloomy and tempestuous life can get. That song turned out to be, “Umbrella” from the 2017 album titled, Starring Me.
Purplespace means finest Shoegaze with an Indie Dream Pop twist, who are the artists/musicians who make up Purplespace?
The core of Purplespace is:
- Reed Clendenen – Bass
- Tara Golden – Vocals
- Jim Singleton – Drums, Keyboard
- John Hashtak – Guitar, Keyboard, Vocals
- Emma Hashtak – Vocals
Emma (my daughter) was added a few years ago. She is 21 years old, and she has breathed new life into the band. Todd Weise and Hal Warth (good friends of the band) also sprinkle in some unique guitar parts on a few tracks. There have been many other artists that have contributed to Purplespace throughout the years.
How did you get into music?
I (John Hashtak) got into music in high school. Most kids just wanted to party and do drugs... I chose to skateboard. I was really good... but at 17 years old, I broke my shoulder and had a 2-year recovery. Without skateboarding, I felt empty. I needed to redefine my identity and myself. In Skateboarding, you can add style by the clothes you wear and the tricks you can do. Everyone loves to see that big air or crazy rail slide… I guess I loved the attention of being able to impress people without saying a word. Just skate.
I always gravitated towards the music we listened to while Skateboarding. That was a lot of Metallica, Agent Orange, The Cult, New Order, and The Cure, but it wasn’t until I heard Loveless by MBV that I knew I wanted to create music. It wasn’t playing live shows that inspired me; it was trying to create something NEW, like My Bloody Valentine did. I bought a cheap guitar and amp at a garage sale for $30 and went from there. I taught myself how to play every instrument I could get my hands on. I became obsessed with the recording process. I would just add layers of guitars on an old 4 track tape recorder. After 3-4 years of recording songs in my bedroom by myself… my girlfriend introduced me to Jim.
He hated me at first. He thought I was a weird druggy (but I wasn’t). Anyway, Jim, Reed, Todd and Tara went to high school together and managed to play a Pixies cover song for the talent show. They already knew how to play their instruments really well, but they did not have much of the creative side needed to write their own songs. That’s where I was able to step in and fill that void. I had recorded 30 something songs by myself. Now, I had real musicians to help make my songs better. What I lacked in skill, I made up for with lyrics and drive. It was a match made in Heaven. Just like with skateboarding, I felt important again, and we haven’t stopped since.
“Umbrella” from your album, Starring Me (2017) sounds amazing and still fresh, do you remember what inspired you to create it?
At that time, we were playing a lot of live shows under the name, Beyond the Pale.... Jim had to take a break from the band for a while because of family issues. There was also some band drama that I can’t speak of. Months went by without any contact with each other. That of course made me terribly sad…. So, I went back to recording by myself. I guess some band turmoil and not wanting to let go helped fuel that song. Tara came back and nailed the vocals on, Umbrella and soon everyone was back in.
You are a band of six, what does your creative process look like?
Everyone in the band has a full time job.... even my daughter Emma. Jim and I are the nucleus. I guess you could say we have more passion or drive or maybe we’re just crazy. We’re always trying to write that perfect song. Always trying some different instrument or sound. Ideas are just infinite. We usually will have a whole song recorded as a “rough draft”.
Then, we call in the specialists (Reed, Tara, Emma, Todd) to record their part, and make it whole. While we used to record everything in my bedroom, which doubled as little home studio with an actual mixing board, racks of effects, compressors and everything. Now, it’s just easier to do a lot of editing and recording on the computer. A lot of times we just email mp3s to each other in the middle of the night. We’re always recording song ideas and bouncing them off each other in our downtime.
What do you think are the most significant differences between The Pale Electraglow, and your latest album Farewell, My Love?
oh… Those 2 albums are light years apart.
We used to rehearse for months at a time and then do lots of live shows at local bars under the band name, Electraglow and then later as, Beyond the Pale. so.... that album release was really paying homage to our early days. Very raw, it’s not perfect, but that’s ok. We are proud of our humble beginnings and the journey along the way. Farewell is more of a studio, editing “lab band” kind of thing. We rarely play live shows these days because of the amount of time and energy it takes to rehearse. So we focus on refining our craft at home.
You have recorded nearly 200 songs; what five songs would you recommend to our readers to get a good overview of you?
- I Miss You
- Island Hearts
- Carry Me Away
- Angel Trumpets
- Crazy Feelings (Let’s Fall In Love)
- One Thousand Miles
- Brokenhearted & Free
Sorry… it’s hard to pick only 5. lol
What are some of the challenges that you face as a band in the current music industry and what are the differences from 2003?
From 2007 - 2012, we made a lot more money with iTunes sales. Back then, people owned a CD or even a download that they purchased. Nowadays, most people just stream music. Streaming gives the artist almost nothing. 1,000 streams equals about $0.04. 1 download gives us $0.79.
Crazy big difference!
How do you balance the time-consuming aspect of being an indie artist with the other aspects of your life?
It’s definitely a challenge. That’s why Reed and Tara have backed off a little in recent years leaving the songwriting process to Jim and me. They just don’t have the time. Being married, having kids, and a full time job… There’s definitely a delicate balance you have to have with your family so that everyone is happy.
What can we expect from Purplespace next?
We are current working on another album. This next one seems to be more upbeat with quicker tempos, but I’m sure a few slow jams will find there way on the record. They always do. We’re hoping it will be finished in January 2025.
