The term “supergroup” carries a lot of weight. It’s something which calls to mind the likes of superstar artists putting their prowess together in a synergistic way to reach beyond their current fanbases. You’ve got artists like Cream, The Raconteurs, The Highwaymen, DC Talk, or the more recent World Gone Cold. Most of these groups feature well-established artists.
But what about a smaller, more independent scale? What about a handful of pensive singer-songwriters joining forces exploring the potential of remote collaboration? Enter Telephone Friends, a project made real during the COVID lockdowns and which saw its self-titled album go public in 2023. A lot of time has passed, with each of the group’s members returning to life and other creative means. But when you’ve got a project including the likes of John Van Deusen, a name which has rapidly grown in popularity in indie circles, alongside acclaimed songwriter Tyson Motsenbocker, you know you’re in for a treat.
I had a chance to chat with Van Deusen and Motsenbocker about their friendship, musical collaboration, and future plans for Telephone Friends.
IVM: Thanks so much for taking some time to meet with me.
JVD: Thank you for having us. This is really cool.
TM: Yeah, we appreciate you supporting independent music.
IVM: Definitely. Always glad to help you guys out however I can. Anyway, can you explain a little about Telephone Friends? Like, is it fair to say you guys are a Christian boy band?
TM: (laughs) I don’t know about that. We’re more like boys in a band.
JVD: Yeah, can a band really be made of boys? These are the things that keep me up at night. That’s part of what inspired my latest album.
IVM: You mean As Long As I Am In The Tent Of This Body? Did I get it right?
JVD: Close enough. (laughs) It’s kind of a tongue-twister, huh?
IVM: The title is almost as long as the album itself, huh?
TM: You got that right.
IVM: Let’s take a step back. How did Telephone Friends come about?
TM: John and I had known each other for a while. We had some mutual friends we did Zoom calls with, Matthew Wright, Patrick Dodd, Aaron Redfield. That was during the lockdowns, we’d just hang out and bounce song ideas.
JVD: I think things really started moving after I moved to Washington.
TM: Yeah, we got together, booked some studio time. Our producer was Andy Park, he’s got a cool space in Seattle. Great guy. We just set up a tape recorder and got to work.
IVM: I don’t know if I recognize him.
TM: He’s worked with Denison Witmer, Joseph…
IVM: You mean that band that’s all girls, that Joseph?
JVD: Talking about not being a boy band. (laughs)
TM: Pedro the Lion, Death Cab, and our course, John has worked with him before.
JVD: Yeah, it just seemed like a good fit. Take out the guess work.
IVM: Those are some big names.
JVD: Yeah, producers really are the unsung heroes a lot of the time.
TM: Totally.
IVM: So, how did this compare to your solo projects? It seems a bit more carefree, but it’s got some depth to it still.
JVD: Yeah, we had all this creative energy and a lot of boredom. When playing shows is a big part of life and you lose access to that, it’s kind of like getting your arm cut off. So we tried to treat it like we were the audience for each other if that makes any sense. Let’s be honest, even a crowd of four is still bigger than some shows I’ve played in my career. (laughs)
TM: Right, I think we were just bouncing ideas off each other. A lot more collaborative, obviously. Hey, everything kind of sucks on one hand, but how do we lean into what we have? And that ended up being our families and friends. Hopefully this record echoes that love for each other. We didn’t have an agenda. We weren’t even trying to make it Christian, really.
JVD: Yeah, there’s a song about drugs.
IVM: Are there any DARE moms listening?
JVD: I mean, do you think that was too edgy? It feels weird when people know me for my other stuff.
IVM: I don’t really mind it, I mean it’s not all that serious in my mind. You even say “stonks” on “BMW Dad”. There are serious moments, but it’s just lowkey.
TM: Yeah, the goal was to not overthink it.
IVM: Yeah, “CDC Girlfriend” is pretty hilarious. I like the mix of those moments with the serious undertones of other tracks. “Brave Enough” definitely hits close.
JVD: Yeah, we had a lot of fun with “CDC Girlfriend”. Trying to make commentary on modern relationships and communication, but trying not to get people up in arms.
IVM: It really does sound like a bunch of friends having fun.
TM: I’m glad it came across that way. It really was just that.
IVM: Okay, so solo stuff. You both have been pretty busy. John, do you want to go first and talk about the new album?
JVD: Well, you left out the part about it being “Part 1” earlier. (laughs) But yeah, I put that out last fall. And I guess it really is Christian music, more than Telephone Friends. Whatever that means.
IVM: Yeah, I think you lead music at your church?
JVD: Right. I think this album just flowed from that. It feels kind of like a magnum opus project, I know that sounds weird or like I think I’m a genius. But wanting to leave this big work behind. But it was honestly a struggle for a while.
IVM: The album is like an hour long?
JVD: Yeah, pretty close.
IVM: I know that vinyl is not cheap.
JVD: (laughs) No, it’s not.
IVM: What about doing a box set for when the second part drops?
JVD: Definitely talking about it. A lot of folks asked for it for (I Am) Origami, but it just never worked out. I’d love to give this the physical packaging I think it deserves.
IVM: Sure, I think a lot of artists don’t really consider the physical aspect to their music anymore.
TM: Yeah, I grew up reading the lyrics books along with the albums.
JVD: Me too.
IVM: Okay, what about you, Tyson? I know one of my friends, Ben Kunz, he goes by Benjamin Daniel, he’s really loved your stuff. What are you up to?
TM: Oh, glad to hear that! I have been working on some music as well. Nothing as crazy as John, though.
IVM: I guess it’s good not everyone only listens to concept albums.
TM: I still try to be cohesive, but yeah, not quite so ambitious in some ways. Well, for starters, I’m putting out a new song at the end of March as part of a cool collaboration with Plain Mister Smith. Interesting folk project. I guess that’s not really “solo”, is it?
(The track was unreleased at the time of the interview, but you can listen below)
IVM: I think that’s one of the few things we have left in the modern music industry. Collaborations.
TM: Yeah, we tried the competitive thing and it gave us streaming services and now we’re all broke.
IVM: That’s kind of part of “I Don’t Want To Be On The Internet Anymore”, right?
TM: Exactly. This guise of being connected, but it’s all cheap. The listener count doesn’t change my day. I still have to get up and live life. But it’s pulling the band together, working John or getting in the studio and letting other people get their fingerprints on the songs. And then there’s the shows and fans. It’s always crazy when people drive hours to see small artists, doesn’t matter if it’s me or someone else.
IVM: Yeah, I’ve heard people talk about that Audiofeed.
TM: Well, regular shows, too. People are kind of crazy. But in a good way.
IVM: What’s your favorite fan interaction?
TM: Some folks printed their own bootleg merch. Motsenbocker Family Band. You can’t make this up.
IVM: So what you’re saying is we need “Telephone Friends Is NOT A Boy Band” merch.
TM: (laughs) But we’re not. I already told you that.
IVM: Boys in a band or whatever? Sure. Anyway, back to collaboration. I’m just going to be direct here, are you planning on more Telephone Friends stuff in the future. It sounds like you’re both pretty busy. What about the other guys?
JVD: Yeah, I guess we envisioned it as a one-off. A nice diversion. So I don’t want to say it’s out of the question, but I’m really focusing on this album, my family, just trying to survive being a human, you know? It’s actually been a bit since we all got together.
TM: Funny you ask this. I’d personally love to get us all together again, but it’s just a logistical nightmare. We live in different cities, have different lives. On the other side [of COVID], I know my life has gotten even busier. Everything’s expensive, it’s just a race to keep up and each year feels a lot longer than it is. A lot of that is good stuff, but it’s a lot of tough stuff too. So, I guess it’s waiting until things slow down. If they ever do.
JVD: Yeah, we’re all doing music to different degrees. For me, it’s an every day thing basically. But that’s not the case for all the others. Washington, LA, they’re not cheap places to live. I think getting a weekend free and just committing to getting together, seeing what we can come up with. Maybe it could work. But that’s probably a year or two out. I feel bad saying that.
IVM: Yeah, it’s hard to coordinate schedules?
TM: We’re the best of friends. Somehow, that means we talk two or three times a year. (laughs)
IVM: So you’re not just NOT a boy band. You’re not even really boys in a band?
JVD: Yeah, maybe we’re not. Maybe we’re just boys. What even is a band anyway?
You can check out John Van Deusen and Tyson Motsenbocker on their personal websites, social media, and streaming services. The Telephone Friends self-titled album is available for purchase on Bandcamp.
