RockUrLife had an exclusive backstage pass to meet Simple Creatures, the exciting alternative rock duo composed of Mark Hoppus of blink-182 fame and Alex Gaskarth from All Time Low. Following their debut European performance in London, we sat down with Mark and Alex in their hotel to delve into the origins and creative spirit of this unexpected musical venture. Let’s get into the conversation!
The Genesis of Simple Creatures: An Alternative Rock Brainchild
RockUrLife: What sparked the creation of Simple Creatures, and when did this alternative rock project take shape?
Mark Hoppus: After blink-182 wrapped up the touring cycle for our “California” album, I felt this strong urge to get back into the studio. My initial idea was to collaborate with a diverse group of friends from various bands and people I’ve connected with over the years. Alex was the first person I reached out to. We hit the studio, wrote a track, and then another, and then another. The songs were genuinely exciting, and I remember texting Alex, saying, “This is exactly the kind of music I’m craving to write right now.” It dawned on me that this could evolve into a standalone project, and from there, it organically grew into Simple Creatures. It was all about embracing this alternative rock sound we were discovering together.
RockUrLife: “Simple Creatures” is a captivating name. How did you land on it for this alternative rock band?
Alex Gaskarth: The name selection process was quite a journey! We went through an extensive list, only to find many were already taken. “Fun Police” was an early contender, followed by “Modern Medicine,” but both were unavailable. We even started brainstorming ridiculous names, thinking “Hot Cousins” was so absurd it couldn’t possibly be a thing. Turns out, it was! Eventually, we discovered “Simple Creatures” was free, and it resonated instantly. The beauty of it is how well it captures the lyrical themes we explore – those raw, fundamental aspects of human nature. It ended up being the perfect fit for our alternative rock identity, a lucky strike indeed.
RockUrLife: Alex, knowing you grew up listening to blink-182, what’s it like creating alternative rock music alongside Mark?
Alex: It’s surreal and incredibly rewarding. Working with Mark is a genuine pleasure, and we’ve discovered a fantastic creative chemistry in the studio. That kind of connection is rare and special. But beyond that, it holds deeper meaning for me because Mark and blink-182 were instrumental in inspiring me to start a band and pursue touring – all those aspirations. So, this collaboration is incredibly significant on a personal level within the alternative rock sphere.
RockUrLife: Mark, you’ve mentioned this project was a lifeline during a dark period. How did Simple Creatures become a source of healing?
Mark: My happy place is undoubtedly the studio. Writing, playing, and creating music – that’s when I truly thrive. When I have too much downtime, my mind can become my own worst enemy. Stepping into the studio with Alex and focusing on Simple Creatures was my way of navigating through a post-album slump after “California.” It might sound ungrateful, especially considering “California”‘s success – Grammy nominations, massive tours, and overwhelming fan reception; it felt like a blink-182 renaissance. But when the tour ended, I felt this unexpected emptiness. Diving into the studio became my therapy. Writing fun, unburdened songs with no expectations, no pressure – nobody even knew about Simple Creatures until we announced it on social media. It was purely driven by the joy of creating alternative rock music, and I hope that pure enjoyment shines through in the songs. It genuinely helped me climb out of that low period.
RockUrLife: After headlining massive arenas, how does it feel to perform in intimate venues with Simple Creatures?
Mark: It’s a blast. Pure fun.
Alex: Absolutely! It’s been quite a while since either of us has played venues this intimate, and it feels incredibly right for this project. Simple Creatures is still new; people are still discovering our music and understanding what we’re about, what we’re aiming to achieve with this alternative rock sound. Introducing it in smaller rooms allows for a more direct connection with the audience. People can get close, dance, and there’s no pressure to deliver a huge arena spectacle. It allows the project to organically find its footing and grow without forcing anything.
RockUrLife: What were the reactions from your friends when you first shared Simple Creatures tracks with them?
Mark: The response has been overwhelmingly supportive. Everyone has said…
Alex: All my friends were like: “Don’t.” (laughs)
Mark: (laughs) Well, thankfully, the people I played it for had the reaction I was hoping for. They said, “This is really cool. It sounds like it could be from either of your bands, but it also makes perfect sense as something new.” That was exactly what we were aiming for – something familiar yet fresh. We wanted listeners to think, “Yeah, this is cool, it’s a different facet of them I hadn’t anticipated, but it feels right.” Crucially, we never wanted anyone to mistake these songs for rejected blink-182 or All Time Low tracks. As a music fan myself, if an artist’s side project sounds identical to their main band, I’d question the point. “Why not just do this with your main band?” We wanted Simple Creatures to be experienced with fresh ears, judged on its own merits as an alternative rock entity.
RockUrLife: Was the recording process for the “Strange Love” EP different from your experiences with All Time Low or blink-182 albums? If so, how?
Alex: Definitely. The process was very vibe-driven. Our producer, Zakk Cervini, was instrumental in helping us shape the sound and craft what would become the EP. The biggest departure was our usual approach. We both come from live bands, bands built around drummers, which heavily influences songwriting. For this EP, we essentially worked backward. We started by finding catchy hooks and happy accidents that sounded intriguing. We built songs from there, utilizing drum loops, samples, and keyboards – essentially reversing our typical songwriting methodology for our alternative rock expression.
RockUrLife: Which song on the EP are you most proud of, and why does it stand out to you?
Mark: I think “Lucy” is particularly special.
Alex: Yeah, “Lucy”!
Mark: “Lucy” feels like a song we never anticipated writing. It came together completely organically, almost by accident. It perfectly embodies the excitement of this project – walking into the studio with no preconceived notions, stumbling upon a spark of an idea, and then developing it into a full-fledged song. It’s the essence of what’s so thrilling about Simple Creatures and our alternative rock exploration.
RockUrLife: “Lucy” is actually our favorite track on the EP!
Mark: Oh, cool! That song was a total surprise. And what’s so exciting about making music now is that the traditional constraints of writing, recording, and releasing music are gone. You can create music practically anywhere with just a laptop. Simple Creatures started on a laptop. We were experimenting with plugins, effects pedals, keyboards, drum loops – even downloading drum samples from the internet and blending them with samples we had stored on hard drives. It was all about plugging into the computer, finding a cool effect, and building outward from there. It’s truly an exhilarating era for music creation, especially for alternative rock and genres that embrace innovation.
RockUrLife: It really opens up a huge space for creativity.
Mark: Absolutely, total creative freedom!
Alex: It’s all so immediate and instantaneous, which is incredible to me. The recurring theme with this project is the abundance of “happy accidents” in the music. So many moments where one of us would discover a sound or hit a key with a delay effect, and we’d instantly be like, “That’s amazing, record that!” It’s about capturing those spontaneous bursts of inspiration that define our alternative rock approach.
RockUrLife: If you had to describe EP 1 in a single word, what would it be and why?
Alex: One word is tough…
RockUrLife: “Trash pop” doesn’t quite work, does it!
Alex: “Trash pop” in one word! (laughs)
Mark: (laughs) I’d say “trashy.” I love the sonic texture of the EP – the distorted synthesizers, the heavy drum samples, and all the vocal effects Zakk layered on. It wasn’t just about capturing great vocal performances; it was about taking the lead vocal and running it through all these diverse effects. Yeah… “Trashy” encapsulates it!
Alex: I agree completely!
RockUrLife: What about EP 2, “Everything Opposite” – is it “trashier”? (laughs)
Mark: Yes!
Alex: “Trashier”? (laughs) I think what’s really interesting about the two EPs is that we didn’t intentionally plan them as two separate entities. We were simply writing music. We probably had enough material for a full album, but we weren’t sure if that was the best way to introduce Simple Creatures. We didn’t want to overwhelm people with fourteen songs right off the bat and say, “Love this!” We envisioned this as an introductory phase, allowing people to gradually discover what we’re doing. EP 1 emerged from that – it was the initial set of songs that we felt best represented the project and communicated its essence. EP 2, I think, feels like a natural progression. It ventures into even weirder sonic territories and further develops the dynamic of what Simple Creatures can be, yet it all still feels cohesive and part of the same alternative rock universe.
RockUrLife: Do you have plans to release a full Simple Creatures album?
Alex & Mark: Yes!
Alex: Yeah, definitely at some point.
Mark: The immediate plan is to release “Everything Opposite,” but we’re going to head back into the studio when we get home and write more songs. Depending on how that goes and the reception of this EP, we might do a full-length album, or another EP, or perhaps an EP followed by a full-length. We’re keeping our options open and letting the creative process guide us within this alternative rock landscape.
RockUrLife: Are there tour plans in the works for Simple Creatures?
Alex: Yes, absolutely!
Mark: Yeah! The whole concept behind Simple Creatures is to be mobile and agile. Everything we need can be flown commercially, just checked luggage.
Alex: It’s all in your back pocket! (laughs)
Mark: (laughs) So, we could play Paris one day, then New York the next, and then Sao Paulo. It’s designed for travel, to go places and connect with fans around the world with our alternative rock sound.
RockUrLife: Your French fans will be thrilled to hear that!
Alex: Yeah, can’t wait to play for them!
RockUrLife: What are your hopes or wishes for the future of Simple Creatures?
Mark: I want to play a lot of shows!
Alex: Grammys and millions of dollars! (laughs) No, seriously, it’s really just that. This project was born out of a desire to do something different, and we want to keep that spirit alive. Keep it fun, keep it creative, keep it weird, and continue to surprise people. The biggest reward so far has been hearing from people who are genuinely excited and saying, “This is the happiest kind of surprise, something I didn’t know I wanted and needed.” That’s what fuels our passion for Simple Creatures and its alternative rock journey.
RockUrLife: Last but not least, we are “RockUrLife,” so what rocks your life?
Alex: Reruns of House rock my life.
Mark: (laughs) Really?
Alex: No. (laughs) Music, touring, traveling, seeing the world, getting to do this ridiculous thing that I somehow trick people into letting me do for a living. And being 30 and having traveled the world – it’s truly cool. That rocks my life.
Mark: Technology. Especially in music. It rocks my life. As I said earlier, it’s such an exciting time to be involved in music. There are so many diverse ways to create music now. Genre boundaries are blurred, almost nonexistent. You have kids like my son who listens to Post Malone, Cardi B, blink-182, and All Time Low, completely unaware that these are supposed to be different genres. It’s so different from when I was growing up. There’s a wealth of great ideas floating around. I think we are hopefully moving towards a better, more creatively open world.
Website: simplecreaturesmusic.com
