Horace Greene. Photo by Bobbie Knopp.

A Q&A With Horace Greene 

Though commonly referred to as a Midwest indie rock band, Horace Greene defines itself as a completely new genre of music: “powerlounge.” A mix of several music styles, the band from Oshkosh coined this term and is pioneering the genre.

Ahead of their Door County performance on May 30, Sam Swetlik and Tony Oakley of Horace Greene talked about their passion for writing and performing this unique music.

KN: When did you come together to form your band? 

HG: Tony and I met in early high school through a mutual friend and started hanging out (Probably in 2011). We have played in a few different bands and then formed Horace Greene in 2015.

KN: What sparked the idea to call your band Horace Greene?

HG: We were workshopping an old man’s name. We had tossed around a few, and then Horace Greene came to us.

KN: I saw on Instagram that you define your band as “Powerlounge.” How would you describe what this sounds like? 

HG: To our knowledge, we are the first “Powerlounge” band. It’s a marriage between power pop, indie rock, and lounge music.

KN: What is one starter song that you recommend to someone new to your music? 

HG: Nighttime Boi is a good place to start!

KN: What is your first music memory? 

HG: A musical memory we both share is our love of Guitar Hero and how it inspired both of us to start playing music.

KN: What is the first album you owned? 

HG: Strangely enough, both of our first albums were “Who Let The Dogs Out” by Baha Men. It was meant to be. 

KN: Is there a song you’ve listened to more than any other?

HG: We are both huge fans of Daft Punk and their Album Random Access Memories.

KN: What band or musician do you listen to when you need to get out of a funk?

HG: Anderson .Paak

KN: Do you like playing covers?

HG: We normally do not play covers, but for Mile of Music last year, we had to perform a few for their “Final Jam” on the big ballroom stage, and we played “Take It Easy” by the Eagles & “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” by Tears for Fears. 

KN: What’s the smallest audience you’ve ever played for at a paying gig?

HG: Probably 3 or 4 people. Sometimes that’s just the hand you’re dealt.

KN: Which local venue has the best acoustics or best scene?

HG: We used to love playing at Door County Brewing Co. and would love to play there again sometime soon!

KN: Which musician playing in Door County regularly is your favorite to see perform?

HG: We are fans of Hunter Gatherer!

KN: What’s the best musical lesson you were ever taught?

HG: Being able to roll through the mistakes and keep going; most times, people won’t even notice.

Don’t miss hearing Horace Greene’s exceptional sound at Sway Brewing + Blending in Baileys Harbor on Saturday, May 30, or check out their album release show June 6 at Gibson Music Hall in Appleton.