© Alejandra Cardenas
Pleasure Pill is a San Diego–based indie rock band blending sharp songwriting with a confident, high-energy sound. Their new EP Alive draws from Britpop and alt-rock, exploring themes of self-reflection and the pursuit of feeling truly alive. We caught up with Jonah Paz (vocals, bass, electric guitar) to talk about building on their sound, the importance of community, and their vision of rock ’n’ roll today.
The B-Side Hour : Your new EP Alive came out on April 24th. What were you most intent on capturing through this project?
Jonah Paz : With this EP we were really trying to build off the sound of our first album from last year, while also trying to introduce new aspects of our sound that we have discovered for ourselves in the last year.
The B-Side Hour : The EP explores themes like relationships, self-reflection, and the pursuit of feeling truly alive. How do the central themes of your work tend to emerge in your songwriting?
Jonah Paz : I try to explore themes that I feel like any person can connect to. I’m not interested in writing for myself, I view songwriting as making something that could have the potential to bring the whole world together, which won’t happen if I sing about something that only relates to me.
The B-Side Hour : There’s a strong sense of identity running through your music. How does that identity take shape within the band dynamic?
Jonah Paz : We know who we are as a band and we know who we aren’t. The music comes before anything else, that’s what informs our identity.
"Rock 'n' roll is about doing what you want, while also taking care of business"
The B-Side Hour : In what ways does Alive extend or depart from your debut album Hang A Star?
Jonah Paz : Hang A Star was rock 'n' roll through and through, loud guitars and big choruses. We see that album as a foundational piece for our band, a sound we can and will always build from. Great songwriting and big noise will be a part of everything we do, what changes is how we dress it up.
The B-Side Hour : Britpop and alt-rock carry a rich, recognisable legacy. How do you draw from those influences while shaping something distinctly your own?
Jonah Paz : We value the traditions of rock 'n' roll and we don’t believe that rock 'n' roll done right is ever uniquely yours. Rock 'n' roll music should come from the people who came before you, like any genre does. What makes any band unique is the spirit within the music, especially in rock 'n' roll.
The B-Side Hour : Your live shows are a key part of your creative universe. What kind of experience and atmosphere are you aiming to create in the room?
Jonah Paz : The point of our music is to bring people together. We want people to come to our shows and feel their brothers and sisters singing along to the same songs that they love. Music creates community and our only hope for this band is to continue to grow that community and let our fans shine through us and our music.
"This band will always be a tool for us to support the things we believe in"
The B-Side Hour : You’ve chosen to remain an independent band. What does that allow you to preserve or explore?
Jonah Paz : Being independent gives us freedom to do whatever we want, which is the whole point of being in a band and being an artist. I hope for the day when we aren’t entirely independent as the industry can provide more relief and security, but I hope to never give up that spirit we all share.
The B-Side Hour : “They look DANGEROUS”. How did that comment from Liam Gallagher resonate with you, and which other artists have influenced your creative universe?
Jonah Paz : It was definitely a great feeling hearing that from him. We come from the same school of music as someone like him did, so it just felt validating and reassuring over everything. As for other artists that inspire us, the list has anyone from Bob Marley to John Lennon on it. I think the through line of all the people that inspire us are artists that want to bring the entire world together through music.
The B-Side Hour : You donated 100% of the proceeds from a merch T-shirt to Freedom for Immigrants. How does your independence shape the way you use your platform to support such important causes?
Jonah Paz : Whether we were independent or not, this band will always be a tool for us to support the things we believe in. We’re a band of street fighting men.
"Great songwriting and big noise will be a part of everything we do"
The B-Side Hour : There’s a clear rock ‘n’ roll spirit in your sound, visuals, and attitude. How would you define the rock ‘n’ roll energy today?
Jonah Paz : Rock 'n' roll is about doing what you want, while also taking care of business. The latter part of that philosophy is the tricky bit, people get caught up in the optics of rock 'n' roll thinking they’re Keith Richards or something, but end up just being junkies with scarves on their heads.