Rock trio UNDER CLOUDS AND SURVEILLANCE have gone on to release some singles, a couple of albums, with another album on the way, the band took the time to talk with us about these releases, the future plans, and how they got involved with creating the band in the first place!
1. Where did you get the idea for the band name, you planned it or did it come out just like that?
Well, there’s a certain vibe us 3 thrive on and it’s just that mysterious feeling that this existence isn’t always what it appears to be. There seems to be powers at play that are outside the realm of what we consider natural and based in reality and yeah, there’s just a feeling of being watched by them as well as the powers that govern our societies down here in our everyday rat race. We’re not paranoid we promise haha. Rj came up with the name that fit those perspectives while he was just driving down a country road one day looking at the sky.
2. Why did you want to play this genre?
We’ve always been avid fans of rock and roll and any sub genre of rock. Especially alternative. In the beginning it was strings only. We played acoustic guitars and it was very convenient when throwing out ideas for songs. We could write a song inside on the floor of the kitchen or outside at midnight by the fire. Once the songs started coming together more fluidly and we were building more of a catalogue of songs it just naturally felt right to crank up the distortion on the guitar, hit hard on the drums and have the bass guitar banging.
3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?
Yes. Two of us are brothers by blood. But John has always been our best friend. We grew up together. We went to school with each other, played little league baseball and football together and rode motocross together. We spent a lot of time playing video games and listening to our favorite bands over the years. 3 brothers connected by soul.
4. Where is the band based out of and what is your music scene like there? Are there any local bands you could recommend?
We are based out of Western Kentucky. Cadiz, Ky to be exact. But now one of our members currently resides in Tennessee. The music scene we have been a part of for over a decade is the Clarksville, TN music scene. In recent years we haven’t been involved as much because we’ve been working on new material and not playing out as often, but this was truly a stomping ground for us in the past. The scene is still very much alive although a lot of the bands we had the privilege of playing with or we used to catch at a gig have come and gone over the years.
There are multiple venues and events going on throughout the year in Clarksville with the highlight being Possumstock down in Adams, Tn on the bank of the Red River. This years date is August 20th-23rd. This festival brings all the bands in the scene together for a spectacular weekend that can’t be described in words. It is legendary. Full of so many different genres and personalities. There is something there for everyone to enjoy and vibe with. We have made so many amazing memories and connected with so many people through our experiences in this scene. It truly helped shape us and build our chops for our live shows. We are super thankful for every show and every venue/event we’ve played here. Here are some awesome local bands: GRYME Paronism Cohen Noise Cody Parson & the Heavy Change ReallyBadPeople EvinceTN Khamsin Fuzzripper Wayward Grey Maewyn
5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?
Our journey through life inspires us. The past, the present and the infinite possibilities of the future. The good and bad times we’ve been through and the dreams we have for ourselves one day. The mysteries of this world and the little everyday questions that you ask yourself really get the juices flowing. Knowing you won’t get all of the answers when you ask but you still feel it in your soul that the truths are out there. That helps with our discovery of ideas because we can incorporate our own truths and views. We can build a new world with each song. Or we can build off of the energy of a certain song then another song can become like a different chapter of that same initial story. We’re existing here in this world but can never truly pinpoint what’s behind the curtain even though at times we feel like we are on to something and so very close to the ultimate reveal. It gets us going and we just pull our ideas from the source and let em rip.
6. What are your songs about? (What specific themes do they cover?)
To us they may have a specific meaning, or the idea came from a certain experience or memory we lived through. But overall, they aren’t concrete and don’t have to mean one thing. You might get something totally different from the lyrics and vibe than we do. And that’s the incredible thing about songs. Whether it’s straightforward or abstract. The meaning is there but it could be different for everyone. We like to promote thinking outside of the box and thinking for yourself.
7. Do you write your own songs? (Discuss the songwriting process in detail.)
Yes, all of our songs are original. There is no specific process we follow exactly. Most of our ideas start as snippets and we build them from there. Honestly most of our song ideas “come out of thin air”. It’s like they already exist and we just pull them from somewhere. We do a lot of improvising on the spot and in the moment and when these ideas come together naturally, they stick. For example, one of our upcoming songs on our album called Youth was a complete freestyle. We just happened to be recording on an iPhone when we jammed it and boom, a new song was created. We didn’t alter anything other than the vocals. That song will be released later this year. I’d say 90% of our song structures/lyrics come from freestyled parts that we build from and when we jam together, we use the trial-and-error method to perfect everything.
8. What have you released so far and what can someone expect from your works?
Since 2015, we have released two full length albums and 5 new singles off of our upcoming album. Our first self-titled album (2015) is not on any streaming services or YouTube because we plan on revamping the entire album. We have grown a lot over the years skill wise and creative wise, and we wish to do the songs even more justice by having more of a professional product. We believe in those songs, and they must have their day how we envision them. In 2019 we released Artificial Air. The album had 11 songs, and we wanted to push them pretty heavily and get them out to the world, but covid hit not long after our tour for Artificial Air and the release of the “Blue House” music video, which was the first song on the album. But recently we have released 5 new singles of our upcoming album that will be out later this year. As of now we have 6 music videos we have done since 2019, and we plan on releasing a bunch more visual content. You can always expect us to have a different flavor for every release. We try to keep every song as fresh as we can. Albums: Self-titled LP (2015) Physical copies only Artificial Air (2019) Streaming on all platforms Singles/Music Videos: Blue House (2019) Slippin’ on 7, Not For Sale In California (2025) Halo Stain, Don’t Care, Mr. I’m Dead (2026)
9. Do you have any new music in the works?
Yes. The 5 recent singles we have released are going to be on our 3rd full length album, currently untitled. We still have sound 6 more songs from that album to release. Recording is done, we are just in the postproduction stage and polishing the remainder of the songs while we are scheming behind the scenes. On top of that we have about 30 more song ideas we are piecing together for the future.
10. How about playing shows and touring, have anything planned out?
Right now, the only show we have planned out is at the Possumstock Festival 2026 in Adams, TN. We take the stage Friday, August 21st at 9 PM. We are going to be booking more shows and mini tours once a few more songs are released.
11. What plans do you have for the rest of this year?
We plan on finishing this album and releasing more music videos/singles to get ready for that release. We also plan on getting back to booking shows locally, regionally, and nationally as well. We have some ideas for other projects such as a live acoustic recording session of about 10-12 songs, showcasing some old and newer tunes and giving people a different side to our cloudy vibe. Will be similar to MTV unplugged sessions where we will be recording video footage as well.
12. Where can we find you online, listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff?
You can find us on our website: www.undercloudsandsurveillance.com Merch will be available on the website coming soon. We are streaming now on all platforms.
Social media:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@undercloudsandsurveillance
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Undercloudsandsurveillance
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/undercloudsandsurveillance/
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