Wear Many Hats Episode 35 — Kamtin Mohager — The Chain Gang of 1974
Hey everyone it’s Rashad and this is Wear Many Hats presented by Dahsar where we talk about your main gig then we talk about your side hustle.
Kamtin Mohager is a graphic designer and musician which he’s mostly known for as The Chain Gang of 1974.
The Chain Gang of 1974 has been a project of Kamtin’s since 1974 no 2010 and it’s been a favorite listen of mine since ‘Daydream Fever’ of the track Death Metal Punk and his next releases of ‘FELT’ ‘Honey Moon Dips’ and his latest release, ‘Besides’ EP.
I’ve been following Kamtin’s musical journey when he switched gears into shoegaze with ‘Teenage Wrist’ and now giving us ‘Heavenward’ Kamtin doesn’t stop.
Produces EDM as well with What So Not, Dillon Francis, and Flux Pavillion.
Run’s a record label called ‘Fever LTD’ where he puts out his latest releases.
And he also designs posters, merch, and album covers for my favorite shoegaze bands such as Airiel, and not so shoegaze bands like The 1975.
Yeah this isn’t an interview with The 1975 this is with the Chain Gang of 1974, please welcome Kamtin Mohager.
Kamtin congrats on putting out your new EP, Besides. I’m not going to lie I’ve been playing that non-stop in the bath haha.
All 4 tracks are soothing as hell. I mean I see all the growth of the Chain Gang formed into this EP. ‘Fall Into Me’ with the theatrical Ready Player One 36 second intro got me pumped haha.
Chorus is so good. I know it’s been awhile since you put out videos but I hope this one gets a video for sure.
Videos
The videos are so far a classic, with your video for “Heaven” on the Pollen EP with the hilarious Cameo performance of Correll B and his dance moves to the full production of the videos on the ‘FELT’ album with “Slow” with the legend Morgan Freed and his Ride or Cry Collective.
The video with Alisa from the Naked and Famous on “Forget” was so good, with the different disciplines and the dancing, the art form is simply elegant. Morgan Freed brings out why he’s a legend in creating and directing videos for music such as yours.
My favorite video is the one with the Docu-Video for “Wallflowers” very inspiring, very moving. In the beginning you wrote:
“i didn’t want to present wallflowers in the typical music video fashion. i wrote this song knowing that it was bigger than me. a story needed to be told, with the song serving solely as its soundtrack. this represents love. this represents care. this represents all of us.”
How did you think of this?
You’ve got some pop hits. Where is the pop based god based? Where are you located?
Your music has completely grown from electronic to soothing pop hits that you can definitely listen to while taking a long drive.
Your Spotify bio says ‘It’s Okay to Feel” I mean you put out a bunch of feelers and it’s good. It sounds like 80s 90s romantic soundtracks for movies like The Breakfast Club etc.
Bass Player
Did you start playing music as a bass player?
Or were your fundamentals the keys?
Honey Moon Dips
Your release of Honey Moon Dips after you dipped out of teenage Wrist, is absolute phenomenal. You mix your pop sensibilities with shoegaze, its so good.
Did you shoot your Spotify background at the poppy fields? So on brand.
YDLMA, Philosophy of Love, The Hurt is Good, Times We Had.
Fever LTD
Tell me about FEVER LTD. What made you want to start a record label?
Heavenward
I see you cooking with Heavenward, life after Teenage Wrist. “Hole” + “MJ-12” + “In a Dream” are so good. Who have you been working with on this new project?
I love that you and Marshall Gallager your former bandmate in teenage Wrist are still doing the damn thing. Good for you guys.
Stock Question
My stock question is what inspires you currently because it’s got a lot of love and shoegaze. In ‘FELT’ I felt a lot of pop punk emo band lyric references from like The Starting Line to
You took a long breather from 2014 to 2017 to drop your next record from Daydream Forever to FELT. What were you up to?
We both have similar inspirations with Smashing Pumpkins to Ride. Smahsing Pumpkins is in the studio recording a new record. Ride is still doing their thing.
Artists that you produce for
Who have you produced for any local musicians?
Graphic Design
Were you always into design? Are you a self taught designer?
So I see your trend of design and that you follow Ben Leigh who is also based in Brooklyn and works for Bravado. Do you guys work together sometimes? I saw that he did the Art Direction for your new merch and I must say, i’m getting some Robert Smith vibes.
Vintage
I see you be storying your grailed vintage collection, what are your favorite pieces that you own?
Hats Off
Hats off to you on all these things that you do, for some Wear Many Hats Dahsar solutions if you care to accept, would you ever collaborate with bigger brands?
Marc Jacobs Heaven line reminds me of some of the designs you put out, such s the ‘Pollen’ EP and the flowers. It seems like you guys are on the same wave.
Peter Saville
We just put out a collection with type gods Commercial Type in collaboration with the other god, Peter Saville, so I can’t wait to send you some items.
Ending
Plug your socials where can people find you?
If you were to get a chest tattoo quote in olde english what would it be?
Till next time this is Wear Many Hats presented by Dahsar and I’m Rashad Peace
