An artist’s intentions are the truest reflection of who they are. But it’s not as simple as the intention to create. It’s the reason why that artist creates and what they hope will come of it that’s important to understand.
For Joseph Rich, the mind behind the Thought Process project, his creation is inspired by several factors. He intends to create art that can impact others as much as the art he discovered impacted him. Aside from that, Rich has ambitions of breaking down walls in taste and sound, creating cooler, safer, more community-oriented events for his fans and friends, changing the way women are treated in the scene, and constantly challenging himself along the way.
Read our full interview below to hear more about his biggest headliner to date and all the ways that Thought Process is planning on influencing the music scene as we know it.
Maximilian Vanegas: Joe, so great to finally sit down and chat. Lot’s to discuss, but let’s start with your show in Seattle just a few weeks ago with Jade Cicada. It looked sick.
Joseph Rich (Thought Process): Honestly, the Pacific Northwest gets down so hard. They’re such an energetic and dancey crowd. Every time we go out there, we’re always blown away. The crowd engagement in Seattle and Portland is always top-tier. I got to meet and play with Mr. Carmack, who is a long-time idol and legend so that was cool.
MV: You clearly have a really busy tour schedule. How do you keep up with your production routine?
JR: Whenever I go a couple of days without getting in the studio, I start to get that itch. But I think I’ve got a good flow of taking the time to recoup and get refreshed so that when I am in the studio, I’m productive and making the music I want to make. So I think I’m finding the balance pretty well, which feels good.
MV: How does Thought Process like to recoup and refresh? A little bit of bingo it sounds like?
JR: Bingo, for sure. Lots of lounging with the homies. Playing Rocket League at home and just kicking it. I’ve also been cooking a lot more and finding those nice and peaceful activities. I’m a homebody for sure. We have a great house dynamic with roommates and Catherine. So I just kind of lay low.
MV: Is there any kind of music that people might be surprised you listen to?
JR: Definitely. If you were to check my Spotify, it’s probably all piano and ambient music. I think that takes a lot of people by surprise because Thought Process music is usually funky, party-oriented, hyphy dance music stuff. But in my free time, I’m listening to a lot of low-key, minimal, ambient music like Ocoeur, piano music, trip-hop, and stuff like that. The minimal, stripped-back, easygoing, jazzy stuff is what you’ll find me listening to.
MV: I can definitely hear some of those influences in your sound. Do you typically find inspiration for electronic music in other genres?
JR: Absolutely. I think it’s really important to diversify the auditory signals we’re taking in. I take so much inspiration from the cinematic themes of ambient and piano music, and it helps me develop my own song composition. I take all these little notes in my head on how I can use orchestrated and drawn-out genres of music to build energy, tension, and release in any way I can.
MV: Aside from music inspiration, what were some of the main ingredients for the Root System EP?
JR: I went back to my sample-based roots for that EP. What people don’t know is that Root System is a precursor to my first full-length album that we’ll be debuting at the Ogden on March 21st. It will essentially be the album release party. But the Root System EP has a lot more dance floor vibes and the stuff I play live. Meanwhile, with the album I’m releasing, I put more of my heart into it. It’s a little more soul-bearing. It’s not as much on the hyphy dance party themes. You’re definitely going to see some bangers and some stuff you recognize, but it’s a lot more introspective. I think the EP alongside the album, in my opinion, features the highest-quality music I’ve made to date. So I think it’s a really good introduction to what you can expect on the album.
MV: The album release party at The Ogden sounds epic. Why is that going to be different than other shows you’ve done?
JR: It is the biggest endeavor we’ve taken on as a team and my biggest headline to date. I love the Ogden Theatre. I think it’s beautiful. It’s the most in-depth production we’ve worked on, and the team has really gone all in on the stage build. We’re also dropping the album on vinyl, which will be the first time to acquire any of my music on a physical imprint, which has been a lifelong goal of mine. So it’s all these little things adding up for the next chapter of the Thought Process story.
MV: Why is it important to challenge yourself in everything you do?
JR: I’m my biggest competitor. I think that’s pretty apparent with the way my friends and I operate in the scene. There’s room for everyone, and the ecosystem has space for all of us to live within it. But I think the biggest challenge is one-upping myself and providing a safer, cooler, and more inspirational environment for my fans and friends. I’m only looking to be better than the previous version of myself. I’m trying not to take any of these experiences for granted and I want to treat every one of them with as much energy as I’m able to provide.
JR: I’m also really excited about the merch program we’re doing for the show. Instead of doing our own designs, we’re working with local designers to get a bunch of one-of-one upcycled versions of Thought Process merch. We’re giving them old shirts that we haven’t sold to chop up into new articles of clothing. I’m trying to get everybody involved and put on a good show to make it special for the people.
MV: I’m starting to see parallels between the merch and the music production. Chopping up old stuff and making it new again.
JR: Sample, sample, sample.
MV: You’re sampling everything.
JR: The more, the merrier
MV: Including Pretty Lights’ TVs?
JR: Yep, absolutely. The OG Telluride TVs.
MV: Tell me about how you came into the possession of those and what you plan to do with them.
JR: We got really lucky. They changed hands a little bit after the Telluride shows and I just happened to be scrolling on Facebook marketplace when the previous owner posted them up. Originally, I wasn’t planning to use them for stage design stuff. It was just a cool part of history. Pretty Lights is massively inspirational to me, so it was just a really cool opportunity that I didn’t want to pass up.
JR: After I got them, I passed ’em off to Andre (OZWVLD) and Griff (SpectrumOne) and was like, “Yo, let’s make something cool here.” Those two dudes are wizards, and they’re my go-to duo when it comes to visuals. They built a whole program and taught the TVs how to talk to each other and do things that the Pretty Lights team wasn’t even doing. They really made it their own, and now it’s massively ingrained in our stage design.
Meet The Thought Process Team
MV: Besides the visual crew, who are the behind-the-scenes players that helped bring this project to life?
JR: I am surrounded by the best people in the world. I’m so lucky. First and foremost, anyone who follows me at this point should be well aware of Catherine. She’s my partner, who has grown into this massively important and integral part of the project. She’s taken on so much behind the scenes, from merch director to tour managing to helping me run day-to-day operations. This Ogden show wouldn’t exist in the way it does without her involvement. So, so lucky to have her.
JR: Also, my manager Hasan, who I’ve been working with for five to six years, has helped build this from the ground up. And Natty B with AEG, who’s marketing the show and helping us get it off the ground. She’s also a longtime friend, so it’s really cool to have people so close to me coming together to work on this thing.
Thought Process & Parkbreezy @ Red Rocks
JR: Then we’ve got Griff (SpectrumOne), Andre (OZWVLD), Psybernautics, and Quantum FX on the visual/lighting/stage design team. They’re building out what’s going to be the coolest Thought Process production to date. The team is stacked, and I’m super honored to have these people all backing me and pushing this thing to the next level.
MV: It’s awesome that a lot of your core team has been with you from the jump. It must be great to be able to share this moment together.
JR: It’s beautiful, man. I’m really lucky.
MV: After the Ogden show, the next milestone will probably be the debut of the Thought Process live band at Resonate, right?
JR: Absolutely. I cannot wait.
Introducing The Thought Process Live Band
MV: Can you tell me about how the Thought Process Live Band came together?
JR: We’ll start first and foremost with my man Felix (Foxtail) on the turntables. We met through mutual friends and connected immediately. It was one of those friendships where I felt like I’d known him my whole life. I invited him to scratch over a set when I played in Utah and the rest was history. He compliments my art in such a unique way and we’ve become very close, very quickly.
Felix (Foxtail) via the Thought Process Live Band
JR: Felix is actually how I met Quinn Allman, the guitar player for the band, which is a crazy, surreal, awesome opportunity to be working with him. For people who don’t know, Quinn Allman is one of the founding members of The Used (rock band) and an award-winning producer. This dude is one of the best guitar players I’ve ever seen, and he happens to work with Felix at a ski resort in Utah. He’s also just as kind of a soul as Felix is. Felix showed him my music and it turns out he’s stoked on electronic music and the Thought Process project in general. I recently flew to Salt Lake to link with them and test the vibes. We ended up jamming and it was phenomenal, so I’m really honored and excited to work with someone on that caliber. I think it’s going to help me push our musicianship to a higher level.
Quinn Allman, TP Live Band
JR: Then moving on, Eli, AKA Brotha Nature, is a close friend, a super good dude, and a frequent collaborator. He’s a rapper and plays horn instruments, live loops, beatboxes, and even MCs sets. He brings such a unique, special, positive energy on top of his ability to captivate a crowd. So when the conversation got started regarding the Live Band, it was a no-brainer to get him involved.
JR: Then last but not least, we got my man Woody (Duffrey) on the drums. Not a lot of people know that he’s even a drummer, but he studied percussion in college, and he’s nice with it. It was perfect timing because he recently started getting back into drums at the same time that I was starting to contemplate live band opportunities. One thing led to the other and I was like, “Yo man, come shred if you’re down. The door’s open.” He was stoked about it.
JR: What’s cool is that it’s a few different people who all sit in their own pockets of music. It’s like we’re breaking down these walls between genres and mixing all these different personality types to create what I hope will be a new and fresh live music experience.
MV: Who are some live bands that have inspired you?
JR: Explosions in the Sky has been a massive inspiration for me since high school. Animal Collective is also a band outside the electronic sphere that has had a massive impact and influence on me. As for electronic music, the Pretty Lights project is a huge inspiration. The way Derek’s woven in and out of different versions has really inspired me. Also, the Bonobo Live Band is probably one of the three most influential music artists to my core. To see what [Bonobo] was able to do and accomplish and the way that he operated his live band was super inspiring. Lastly, the Opiuo Live band was a pivotal one to see live. I was lucky enough to get close to Oscar (Opiuo) and become friends with him on the road. He’s been a huge help in getting this vision together and learning the ropes of it. So massive shout out to Opiuo.
MV: Why is Resonate/Suwannee such a perfect destination to debut the live band, and how did that opportunity come about?
JR: I cannot believe we are doing it there. Suwanee is one of the most special music venues I’ve ever had the privilege of going to and performing at. If you haven’t been there, you need to go. And for those of you who have been there, you know exactly what I’m talking about. It’s just pure magic.
JR: As for how I got the opportunity, we roll hard with this crew, Alchemy Productions out of St. Pete. They’re some of the most real heads I know and have booked me for a long time. Noah Schriebman is someone who works with them and hooked it up for us. He’s been a long-time fan and friend who saw me working on this from afar and was also really stoked about it. When he got the opportunity to work with Resonate, he hit us up and it was just the right time, right place in the best way possible. Having the right friends who believe in us and the right collaborators made it all come together. I’m so blessed.
Thought Process Favorite Moments from 2024
MV: So we’re talking a lot about the future, but it’s impossible to ignore the year that you just had. Could you talk about some of your favorite moments from 2024?
JR: Absolutely. The Red Rock’s back-to-back with Parkbreezy for Daily Bread was such a special time with my absolute boy. We wrote so much new music for it and the Daily Bread crowds are always so kind and receptive.
JR: The Opiuo tour was also really great. It was the first tour I ever went on and I will never forget that. It’s impacted me in so many ways and I’ve learned so much about road life and how to do it properly. Doing it alongside someone of [Opiuo’s] caliber and the friendship that grew out of it will forever be meaningful to me. The Submersion set was a huge highlight as well. I would say that it was a proof of concept that the music I’m writing can be taken into new spaces.
Starting On The East Coast and Working With Creative Promoters
MV: How important is it to have promoters like Ryan and Jesse from Submersion or Noah from Resonate who empower you to take your creativity in the direction you want to?
JR: Thank you for asking that question – it’s so important. I want to massively highlight and give the world’s biggest thank you to promoters like that. It’s not always easy to get a say in how lineups are curated. It varies a lot by where you’re at and how much people trust you. But when you have people that are in the right places and believe in you and take that chance on you, they tend to work out. I wouldn’t be doing half of the cool things I’m doing without the right promoters and the right team supporting me. We would be nowhere without them.
MV: So about 150 miles south of Submersion is Annapolis, Maryland, which you grew up near if I’m not mistaken?
JR: Yep, right across the Chesapeake Bay from Annapolis in Kent Island.
MV: Can you tell me about what your life was like growing up in Maryland and how it eventually led you to music?
JR: A lot of people don’t know this about me, but prior to music, I was planning to go into politics. In high school, I was the SGA president and was driven by the idea that you could enact positive change in your communities through the government. That’s what I was taught and grew up believing. I spent a month of my senior year of high school working in Annapolis for the Maryland State government, and it was that experience that turned me off to the whole thing.
JR: I was 17 or 18 years old in my senior year of high school and just started getting my feet wet in the music scene. I had just discovered Pretty Lights and was falling in love with the DC/Baltimore/DMV scene. I was going to U Street Music Hall and loved being a part of a community of people who were inspiring one another. I was watching the underground scene blossom at the same time that I was working for the state capital, and it just wasn’t the same energy. I decided that if I wanted to create change or inspire positivity, I needed to pursue art. So I put all my eggs in the art basket, moved out to Colorado, and the rest is history.
MV: What do you think about the current music scene that’s developing in Annapolis?
JR: I think that as long as people treat it with the respect it deserves, there’s tons of opportunity for it to be successful. I think if you approach the Annapolis scene the same way you approach the DC scene, you’re going to set yourself up for failure. But there’s a lot of potential for it to be successful. Fans can travel up and down the East Coast for shows, which is something the scene is really blessed with. You have New York, Philly, DC, and Baltimore all within four or five hours at most. So you can get any major touring act that you want through one of those outlets, if not multiple. So I’m really excited to hear that Annapolis is crushing it in that way and trying to cultivate a scene. I think of my 17-year-old self and how inspired and influenced I was by the Maryland music scene. Creating more opportunities for young kids to get inspired by art is the right move.
Impacting The World With The Thought Process Project
MV: It seems like you originally got into politics to impact the world. Would you say that’s still the case with your music endeavors?
JR: That’s a phenomenal question. I think, at the root of it, it hasn’t shifted too much. What gets me out of bed is the hope that my art can impact someone in the way that the art I discovered impacted me. There have also been chances to create positive change with the platform like we did with New Era Colorado – shout out Emily – who was petitioning for more easily accessible and affordable healthcare for women at our show at Cervantes. They ended up getting the most signatures they ever acquired at a single event, so it’s little things like that where we can make a positive impact on the people around us and those in need. That’s the goal. On top of that we get to have fun, make art, hang out with our friends, and go to parties all along the way.
MV: You mentioned at one point that in addition to positive change, some of your intentions included breaking down the “walls in taste and sound.” What are the specific walls you’re describing, and how do you plan on breaking them down?
JR: I don’t even know if I could specifically define them, and I also don’t know if I have a very well thought-out strategy. I’m just flying by the seat of my pants making shit that sounds cool to me. Sampling old records, taking anything from any sound source, mashing it all together, and hoping it works out. We’ve gotten really lucky so far. It’s like what we spoke about earlier regarding how I pull the music I listen to into the Thought Process project. I think as humans we are constantly taking in data, information, and senses from all over and in some format trying to push that back out. So I think there’s something to be learned from every style of music, every genre, and every subgenre. There are no rules to create something new or fresh. So that’s kind of where my head’s at when it comes to creation and breaking down walls.
MV: I think the live band is a perfect example of that. When you’re going in a direction that’s pretty different from what you’re known for, how do you get the confidence to explore while also keeping your fans happy?
JR: That’s such a tough one to navigate. Confidence is so finicky and feels like it comes and goes as it pleases. I think the most important things for me are the friends and people I’m supported by. The group I have around me is good at keeping me grounded while also letting me live with my head in the clouds. I have a supportive partner, a supportive team, and bandmates who are all helping put the puzzle pieces together. I really do see this as an ecosystem culture and the only way it works best is to treat it as an ecosystem, and that means every single thing matters and is as important as the next.
JR: I’m trying to bring the same amount of care to the fans, my friends, the event organizers, the promoters, the media, the venue owners. Every aspect of it is important, and if you remove one part, the whole thing crumbles. So you have to water all of it and treat all of it with care and love. It’s the support of the community that’s helped me get to where I am and to feel confident in these decisions I’m making. So, I’m super lucky in that regard.
MV: It seems like you’ve got a lot of great things going on around you. Is there anything on the other end of the spectrum that might frustrate you or that you’d like to see change?
JR: I’ll be pretty blunt about this one, for sure. One of the main things is watching the way men talk to me and how they talk to Catherine. Especially now with the role that Catherine’s playing as my official tour manager. Something I witness all the time that I’m very, very irritated by is the way that respect levels aren’t always there for women in the industry. So that’s something I challenge everyone in the music industry to check themselves on and think about regarding how you are interacting with women around you in the scene who are probably hustling harder than you, smarter than you, or way more badass than you. I can say Catherine is all of those things for me, and I sadly do see situations where people don’t approach her with the same level of respect that they do with me. So that’s one thing that frustrates me a lot.
JR: The politics can get irritating, too. We’re all just out here trying to make cool art, and it’s really hard to navigate sometimes, but those are all a little more nuanced.
MV: I can see that being frustrating. So, Joe, we’ve reached pretty much the end of the interview. Is there anything else you’d like to share or any messages for your fans?
JR: First and foremost, thank you to everyone for listening, believing in the music, and helping get this thing to where it is. This interview is the album announcement and I’d like to also share that the first Thought Process debut album will be available on vinyl at the Ogden Theatre on 3/21. It won’t be put on streaming until a couple of weeks after, but we’re going to release it there and I hope you all like it and are stoked for it. I’m excited to share it with you. It’s the most personal thing I’ve ever made.
Grab tickets to Thought Process’ debut album release party at the Ogden Theatre here, and keep up with everything he’s got going on in the links below.
An artist’s intentions are the truest reflection of who they are. But it’s not as simple as the intention to create. It’s the reason why that artist creates and what they hope will come of it that’s important to understand.
For Joseph Rich, the mind behind the Thought Process project, his creation is inspired by several factors. He intends to create art that can impact others as much as the art he discovered impacted him. Aside from that, Rich has ambitions of breaking down walls in taste and sound, creating cooler, safer, more community-oriented events for his fans and friends, changing the way women are treated in the scene, and constantly challenging himself along the way.
Read our full interview below to hear more about his biggest headliner to date and all the ways that Thought Process is planning on influencing the music scene as we know it.
Grab your tickets to the Ogden Theatre show HERE!
Maximilian Vanegas: Joe, so great to finally sit down and chat. Lot’s to discuss, but let’s start with your show in Seattle just a few weeks ago with Jade Cicada. It looked sick.
Joseph Rich (Thought Process): Honestly, the Pacific Northwest gets down so hard. They’re such an energetic and dancey crowd. Every time we go out there, we’re always blown away. The crowd engagement in Seattle and Portland is always top-tier. I got to meet and play with Mr. Carmack, who is a long-time idol and legend so that was cool.
MV: You clearly have a really busy tour schedule. How do you keep up with your production routine?
JR: Whenever I go a couple of days without getting in the studio, I start to get that itch. But I think I’ve got a good flow of taking the time to recoup and get refreshed so that when I am in the studio, I’m productive and making the music I want to make. So I think I’m finding the balance pretty well, which feels good.
MV: How does Thought Process like to recoup and refresh? A little bit of bingo it sounds like?
JR: Bingo, for sure. Lots of lounging with the homies. Playing Rocket League at home and just kicking it. I’ve also been cooking a lot more and finding those nice and peaceful activities. I’m a homebody for sure. We have a great house dynamic with roommates and Catherine. So I just kind of lay low.
MV: Is there any kind of music that people might be surprised you listen to?
JR: Definitely. If you were to check my Spotify, it’s probably all piano and ambient music. I think that takes a lot of people by surprise because Thought Process music is usually funky, party-oriented, hyphy dance music stuff. But in my free time, I’m listening to a lot of low-key, minimal, ambient music like Ocoeur, piano music, trip-hop, and stuff like that. The minimal, stripped-back, easygoing, jazzy stuff is what you’ll find me listening to.
MV: I can definitely hear some of those influences in your sound. Do you typically find inspiration for electronic music in other genres?
JR: Absolutely. I think it’s really important to diversify the auditory signals we’re taking in. I take so much inspiration from the cinematic themes of ambient and piano music, and it helps me develop my own song composition. I take all these little notes in my head on how I can use orchestrated and drawn-out genres of music to build energy, tension, and release in any way I can.
MV: Aside from music inspiration, what were some of the main ingredients for the Root System EP?
JR: I went back to my sample-based roots for that EP. What people don’t know is that Root System is a precursor to my first full-length album that we’ll be debuting at the Ogden on March 21st. It will essentially be the album release party. But the Root System EP has a lot more dance floor vibes and the stuff I play live. Meanwhile, with the album I’m releasing, I put more of my heart into it. It’s a little more soul-bearing. It’s not as much on the hyphy dance party themes. You’re definitely going to see some bangers and some stuff you recognize, but it’s a lot more introspective. I think the EP alongside the album, in my opinion, features the highest-quality music I’ve made to date. So I think it’s a really good introduction to what you can expect on the album.
MV: The album release party at The Ogden sounds epic. Why is that going to be different than other shows you’ve done?
JR: It is the biggest endeavor we’ve taken on as a team and my biggest headline to date. I love the Ogden Theatre. I think it’s beautiful. It’s the most in-depth production we’ve worked on, and the team has really gone all in on the stage build. We’re also dropping the album on vinyl, which will be the first time to acquire any of my music on a physical imprint, which has been a lifelong goal of mine. So it’s all these little things adding up for the next chapter of the Thought Process story.
MV: Why is it important to challenge yourself in everything you do?
JR: I’m my biggest competitor. I think that’s pretty apparent with the way my friends and I operate in the scene. There’s room for everyone, and the ecosystem has space for all of us to live within it. But I think the biggest challenge is one-upping myself and providing a safer, cooler, and more inspirational environment for my fans and friends. I’m only looking to be better than the previous version of myself. I’m trying not to take any of these experiences for granted and I want to treat every one of them with as much energy as I’m able to provide.
JR: I’m also really excited about the merch program we’re doing for the show. Instead of doing our own designs, we’re working with local designers to get a bunch of one-of-one upcycled versions of Thought Process merch. We’re giving them old shirts that we haven’t sold to chop up into new articles of clothing. I’m trying to get everybody involved and put on a good show to make it special for the people.
MV: I’m starting to see parallels between the merch and the music production. Chopping up old stuff and making it new again.
JR: Sample, sample, sample.
MV: You’re sampling everything.
JR: The more, the merrier
MV: Including Pretty Lights’ TVs?
JR: Yep, absolutely. The OG Telluride TVs.
MV: Tell me about how you came into the possession of those and what you plan to do with them.
JR: We got really lucky. They changed hands a little bit after the Telluride shows and I just happened to be scrolling on Facebook marketplace when the previous owner posted them up. Originally, I wasn’t planning to use them for stage design stuff. It was just a cool part of history. Pretty Lights is massively inspirational to me, so it was just a really cool opportunity that I didn’t want to pass up.
JR: After I got them, I passed ’em off to Andre (OZWVLD) and Griff (SpectrumOne) and was like, “Yo, let’s make something cool here.” Those two dudes are wizards, and they’re my go-to duo when it comes to visuals. They built a whole program and taught the TVs how to talk to each other and do things that the Pretty Lights team wasn’t even doing. They really made it their own, and now it’s massively ingrained in our stage design.
Meet The Thought Process Team
MV: Besides the visual crew, who are the behind-the-scenes players that helped bring this project to life?
JR: I am surrounded by the best people in the world. I’m so lucky. First and foremost, anyone who follows me at this point should be well aware of Catherine. She’s my partner, who has grown into this massively important and integral part of the project. She’s taken on so much behind the scenes, from merch director to tour managing to helping me run day-to-day operations. This Ogden show wouldn’t exist in the way it does without her involvement. So, so lucky to have her.
JR: Also, my manager Hasan, who I’ve been working with for five to six years, has helped build this from the ground up. And Natty B with AEG, who’s marketing the show and helping us get it off the ground. She’s also a longtime friend, so it’s really cool to have people so close to me coming together to work on this thing.
JR: Then we’ve got Griff (SpectrumOne), Andre (OZWVLD), Psybernautics, and Quantum FX on the visual/lighting/stage design team. They’re building out what’s going to be the coolest Thought Process production to date. The team is stacked, and I’m super honored to have these people all backing me and pushing this thing to the next level.
MV: It’s awesome that a lot of your core team has been with you from the jump. It must be great to be able to share this moment together.
JR: It’s beautiful, man. I’m really lucky.
MV: After the Ogden show, the next milestone will probably be the debut of the Thought Process live band at Resonate, right?
JR: Absolutely. I cannot wait.
Introducing The Thought Process Live Band
MV: Can you tell me about how the Thought Process Live Band came together?
JR: We’ll start first and foremost with my man Felix (Foxtail) on the turntables. We met through mutual friends and connected immediately. It was one of those friendships where I felt like I’d known him my whole life. I invited him to scratch over a set when I played in Utah and the rest was history. He compliments my art in such a unique way and we’ve become very close, very quickly.
JR: Felix is actually how I met Quinn Allman, the guitar player for the band, which is a crazy, surreal, awesome opportunity to be working with him. For people who don’t know, Quinn Allman is one of the founding members of The Used (rock band) and an award-winning producer. This dude is one of the best guitar players I’ve ever seen, and he happens to work with Felix at a ski resort in Utah. He’s also just as kind of a soul as Felix is. Felix showed him my music and it turns out he’s stoked on electronic music and the Thought Process project in general. I recently flew to Salt Lake to link with them and test the vibes. We ended up jamming and it was phenomenal, so I’m really honored and excited to work with someone on that caliber. I think it’s going to help me push our musicianship to a higher level.
JR: Then moving on, Eli, AKA Brotha Nature, is a close friend, a super good dude, and a frequent collaborator. He’s a rapper and plays horn instruments, live loops, beatboxes, and even MCs sets. He brings such a unique, special, positive energy on top of his ability to captivate a crowd. So when the conversation got started regarding the Live Band, it was a no-brainer to get him involved.
JR: Then last but not least, we got my man Woody (Duffrey) on the drums. Not a lot of people know that he’s even a drummer, but he studied percussion in college, and he’s nice with it. It was perfect timing because he recently started getting back into drums at the same time that I was starting to contemplate live band opportunities. One thing led to the other and I was like, “Yo man, come shred if you’re down. The door’s open.” He was stoked about it.
JR: What’s cool is that it’s a few different people who all sit in their own pockets of music. It’s like we’re breaking down these walls between genres and mixing all these different personality types to create what I hope will be a new and fresh live music experience.
MV: Who are some live bands that have inspired you?
JR: Explosions in the Sky has been a massive inspiration for me since high school. Animal Collective is also a band outside the electronic sphere that has had a massive impact and influence on me. As for electronic music, the Pretty Lights project is a huge inspiration. The way Derek’s woven in and out of different versions has really inspired me. Also, the Bonobo Live Band is probably one of the three most influential music artists to my core. To see what [Bonobo] was able to do and accomplish and the way that he operated his live band was super inspiring. Lastly, the Opiuo Live band was a pivotal one to see live. I was lucky enough to get close to Oscar (Opiuo) and become friends with him on the road. He’s been a huge help in getting this vision together and learning the ropes of it. So massive shout out to Opiuo.
MV: Why is Resonate/Suwannee such a perfect destination to debut the live band, and how did that opportunity come about?
JR: I cannot believe we are doing it there. Suwanee is one of the most special music venues I’ve ever had the privilege of going to and performing at. If you haven’t been there, you need to go. And for those of you who have been there, you know exactly what I’m talking about. It’s just pure magic.
JR: As for how I got the opportunity, we roll hard with this crew, Alchemy Productions out of St. Pete. They’re some of the most real heads I know and have booked me for a long time. Noah Schriebman is someone who works with them and hooked it up for us. He’s been a long-time fan and friend who saw me working on this from afar and was also really stoked about it. When he got the opportunity to work with Resonate, he hit us up and it was just the right time, right place in the best way possible. Having the right friends who believe in us and the right collaborators made it all come together. I’m so blessed.
Thought Process Favorite Moments from 2024
MV: So we’re talking a lot about the future, but it’s impossible to ignore the year that you just had. Could you talk about some of your favorite moments from 2024?
JR: Absolutely. The Red Rock’s back-to-back with Parkbreezy for Daily Bread was such a special time with my absolute boy. We wrote so much new music for it and the Daily Bread crowds are always so kind and receptive.
JR: The Opiuo tour was also really great. It was the first tour I ever went on and I will never forget that. It’s impacted me in so many ways and I’ve learned so much about road life and how to do it properly. Doing it alongside someone of [Opiuo’s] caliber and the friendship that grew out of it will forever be meaningful to me. The Submersion set was a huge highlight as well. I would say that it was a proof of concept that the music I’m writing can be taken into new spaces.
Starting On The East Coast and Working With Creative Promoters
MV: How important is it to have promoters like Ryan and Jesse from Submersion or Noah from Resonate who empower you to take your creativity in the direction you want to?
JR: Thank you for asking that question – it’s so important. I want to massively highlight and give the world’s biggest thank you to promoters like that. It’s not always easy to get a say in how lineups are curated. It varies a lot by where you’re at and how much people trust you. But when you have people that are in the right places and believe in you and take that chance on you, they tend to work out. I wouldn’t be doing half of the cool things I’m doing without the right promoters and the right team supporting me. We would be nowhere without them.
MV: So about 150 miles south of Submersion is Annapolis, Maryland, which you grew up near if I’m not mistaken?
JR: Yep, right across the Chesapeake Bay from Annapolis in Kent Island.
MV: Can you tell me about what your life was like growing up in Maryland and how it eventually led you to music?
JR: A lot of people don’t know this about me, but prior to music, I was planning to go into politics. In high school, I was the SGA president and was driven by the idea that you could enact positive change in your communities through the government. That’s what I was taught and grew up believing. I spent a month of my senior year of high school working in Annapolis for the Maryland State government, and it was that experience that turned me off to the whole thing.
JR: I was 17 or 18 years old in my senior year of high school and just started getting my feet wet in the music scene. I had just discovered Pretty Lights and was falling in love with the DC/Baltimore/DMV scene. I was going to U Street Music Hall and loved being a part of a community of people who were inspiring one another. I was watching the underground scene blossom at the same time that I was working for the state capital, and it just wasn’t the same energy. I decided that if I wanted to create change or inspire positivity, I needed to pursue art. So I put all my eggs in the art basket, moved out to Colorado, and the rest is history.
MV: What do you think about the current music scene that’s developing in Annapolis?
JR: I think that as long as people treat it with the respect it deserves, there’s tons of opportunity for it to be successful. I think if you approach the Annapolis scene the same way you approach the DC scene, you’re going to set yourself up for failure. But there’s a lot of potential for it to be successful. Fans can travel up and down the East Coast for shows, which is something the scene is really blessed with. You have New York, Philly, DC, and Baltimore all within four or five hours at most. So you can get any major touring act that you want through one of those outlets, if not multiple. So I’m really excited to hear that Annapolis is crushing it in that way and trying to cultivate a scene. I think of my 17-year-old self and how inspired and influenced I was by the Maryland music scene. Creating more opportunities for young kids to get inspired by art is the right move.
Impacting The World With The Thought Process Project
MV: It seems like you originally got into politics to impact the world. Would you say that’s still the case with your music endeavors?
JR: That’s a phenomenal question. I think, at the root of it, it hasn’t shifted too much. What gets me out of bed is the hope that my art can impact someone in the way that the art I discovered impacted me. There have also been chances to create positive change with the platform like we did with New Era Colorado – shout out Emily – who was petitioning for more easily accessible and affordable healthcare for women at our show at Cervantes. They ended up getting the most signatures they ever acquired at a single event, so it’s little things like that where we can make a positive impact on the people around us and those in need. That’s the goal. On top of that we get to have fun, make art, hang out with our friends, and go to parties all along the way.
MV: You mentioned at one point that in addition to positive change, some of your intentions included breaking down the “walls in taste and sound.” What are the specific walls you’re describing, and how do you plan on breaking them down?
JR: I don’t even know if I could specifically define them, and I also don’t know if I have a very well thought-out strategy. I’m just flying by the seat of my pants making shit that sounds cool to me. Sampling old records, taking anything from any sound source, mashing it all together, and hoping it works out. We’ve gotten really lucky so far. It’s like what we spoke about earlier regarding how I pull the music I listen to into the Thought Process project. I think as humans we are constantly taking in data, information, and senses from all over and in some format trying to push that back out. So I think there’s something to be learned from every style of music, every genre, and every subgenre. There are no rules to create something new or fresh. So that’s kind of where my head’s at when it comes to creation and breaking down walls.
MV: I think the live band is a perfect example of that. When you’re going in a direction that’s pretty different from what you’re known for, how do you get the confidence to explore while also keeping your fans happy?
JR: That’s such a tough one to navigate. Confidence is so finicky and feels like it comes and goes as it pleases. I think the most important things for me are the friends and people I’m supported by. The group I have around me is good at keeping me grounded while also letting me live with my head in the clouds. I have a supportive partner, a supportive team, and bandmates who are all helping put the puzzle pieces together. I really do see this as an ecosystem culture and the only way it works best is to treat it as an ecosystem, and that means every single thing matters and is as important as the next.
JR: I’m trying to bring the same amount of care to the fans, my friends, the event organizers, the promoters, the media, the venue owners. Every aspect of it is important, and if you remove one part, the whole thing crumbles. So you have to water all of it and treat all of it with care and love. It’s the support of the community that’s helped me get to where I am and to feel confident in these decisions I’m making. So, I’m super lucky in that regard.
MV: It seems like you’ve got a lot of great things going on around you. Is there anything on the other end of the spectrum that might frustrate you or that you’d like to see change?
JR: I’ll be pretty blunt about this one, for sure. One of the main things is watching the way men talk to me and how they talk to Catherine. Especially now with the role that Catherine’s playing as my official tour manager. Something I witness all the time that I’m very, very irritated by is the way that respect levels aren’t always there for women in the industry. So that’s something I challenge everyone in the music industry to check themselves on and think about regarding how you are interacting with women around you in the scene who are probably hustling harder than you, smarter than you, or way more badass than you. I can say Catherine is all of those things for me, and I sadly do see situations where people don’t approach her with the same level of respect that they do with me. So that’s one thing that frustrates me a lot.
JR: The politics can get irritating, too. We’re all just out here trying to make cool art, and it’s really hard to navigate sometimes, but those are all a little more nuanced.
MV: I can see that being frustrating. So, Joe, we’ve reached pretty much the end of the interview. Is there anything else you’d like to share or any messages for your fans?
JR: First and foremost, thank you to everyone for listening, believing in the music, and helping get this thing to where it is. This interview is the album announcement and I’d like to also share that the first Thought Process debut album will be available on vinyl at the Ogden Theatre on 3/21. It won’t be put on streaming until a couple of weeks after, but we’re going to release it there and I hope you all like it and are stoked for it. I’m excited to share it with you. It’s the most personal thing I’ve ever made.
Grab tickets to Thought Process’ debut album release party at the Ogden Theatre here, and keep up with everything he’s got going on in the links below.
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