John Menich discusses his new single “Goodbye, So Long,” diving into its brooding atmosphere, genre-blending sound, and deeply personal creative process shaped by isolation, experimentation, and a raw, independent artistic vision.
1.
“Goodbye, So Long” has a deeply brooding and immersive atmosphere—what was the
initial spark or emotion that led you to create this track?
With this song, as with all of my songs, it starts with me playing guitar,
experimenting with unusual tunings, riffs, and chord voicings. I try to find
something that I think is musically interesting and then build upon it.
2. You blend elements of doom, grunge, and psychedelia in your sound—how do
you approach merging these styles into something cohesive and uniquely yours?
I have a lot of musical interests beyond rock and metal and try to bring
elements of them into my music. Many of my favorite bands did this; Led
Zeppelin, Soundgarden, etc. And I think it makes the music more interesting.
3. Artists like Black Sabbath, Soundgarden, Pink Floyd, and Corrosion of
Conformity are cited as influences—what specific elements from these bands
resonate most with your creative process?
When I listen to music, I like hearing something that’s unexpected or unusual
in either the song or the way it’s arranged or recorded. Each of these bands,
in my opinion, do that, or have done that, pretty consistently.
4. As a one-man project, you handle everything from writing to
mastering—what are the biggest challenges and rewards of working so
independently?
Second-guessing yourself is always a danger. Listening to a song dozens, or
even hundreds of times, during the recording process can impact your
objectivity. Sometimes I find I ask myself, “did I actually hear that
correctly?” Every now and then I have to take a couple of days away just to
clear my head and try and come back to it with “fresh ears”.
5. The guitar tones on this single feel especially heavy and textured—how
did you craft that sound, and what role does tuning play in your songwriting?
I tend to enjoy tunings that have two or more strings tuned to the same note,
similar to how a lute or an oud has courses of strings tuned identically. It
adds a shimmering effect to the chords and can be heard on the chorus of
Goodbye, So Long. I also multitrack the guitars, sometimes using different
guitars, to try and get them to sound as big and broad as they can be.
Equipment-wise, I used a Gibson Les Paul and an SG with P-90s, and an old
Marshall amp I’ve had since I was a kid.
6. Lyrically, the song touches on isolation, rejection, and abandonment—how
personal are these themes to you, and how do you translate them into your
music?
Lyrically, I draw from my own experiences. Things that happened in the past or
what I am currently experiencing. I find the process to be cathartic and hope
that maybe others who have experienced these feelings and emotions can relate?
7. There’s a hypnotic, almost swinging groove throughout the track—how
important is rhythm in shaping the emotional impact of your songs?
I began playing drums when I was 6 or 7 years old and began listening to jazz
drummers, specifically Buddy Rich, who had the ability to make a song swing
like crazy. Then listening to Bill Ward from Sabbath and Bonham from Zeppelin,
I realized you could swing really heavy music, too. It’s a lot of fun and I
think that draws people in, whether they know it or not.
8. Your music feels both vintage and modern at the same time—how do you
strike that balance between classic influences and a contemporary edge?
Well, I’m old school. I play all of the instruments I record and most of those
instruments are old or vintage, that I’ve collected over the years. I don’t use
synthesizers or AI in my writing or recording. I record digitally, which is
really the only modern technology I use, but I approach it like I’m recording
to tape.
9. As someone who mixes and masters your own material, how do you know when
a track is truly finished?
When it sounds great in my car! [laughing]. I obsess over the mixing and
mastering process. I mix and master each song dozens of times before I think
it’s finished, though this song went quick and really became the high bar for
all the other tracks on the album, which comes out on May 4th.
10. Do you find that working alone gives you more creative freedom, or do
you ever miss the collaboration of a full band setup?
Bands are like marriages. Finding the right people who challenge or compliment
you, that you get along with and have a common vision, is almost an
impossibility. I tend to work very quickly and, while I do miss the
collaboration, I enjoy the freedom I’m afforded. And, if something winds up
sounding like garbage, it’s no one’s fault but mine. From an artistic
perspective, I feel it’s very pure in it’s vision and execution.
11. “Goodbye, So Long” feels very atmospheric—do you envision visuals or
narratives when composing your music?
Absolutely! In both the writing and the recording. I have this thing called
synesthesia, where I see colors in my mind when I listen to or play music. I
try to write and record songs that have complimentary colors. It’s weird. I
think some of that may translate into the songs as having a vibe or an
atmosphere about them?
12. With this single now out, what’s next for you—can fans expect more
releases in a similar direction or new sonic explorations?
My latest album is called “III”, since it’s my third album where I am
performing everything myself. It comes out on May 4th. I’m currently playing
around with recording a cover song or two, but I’ve already started
pre-production for the next album.
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