Redefining “Nerd Connections”
The band opens up about their music’s messages and means of making sense of complicated, yet often unifying, situations.
For those who have not heard your music before, how would you describe it to them? How would you finish the sentence “Nerd Connection is ___” or “Nerd Connection’s music is ___”?
“Nerd Connection’s music is distinctive.” We started off melting elements of popular music into British rock’s unique sound, but as we carried on with our careers, we started making our own distinctive sound.
Can you explain what you mean by your slogan, “Messy world, warm music”? Has that been your slogan from the very beginning?
We sing about the pessimistic and somewhat dark and yet still beautiful things of the world. It has been our slogan from the very beginning. But we cannot say that this slogan fully describes us; there’s more to us than what the slogan implies.
What is your personal definition of “nerd”? What does being a “nerd” mean to you?
We perceive the beautiful [word] “nerd” to very much [apply to] us. It is very sad that the term refers to a person who lacks social skills but is very bright only in a particular subject. We tried to redefine the word as “people who are deeply immersed in their own worlds, trying their best to achieve their best interests.” So our band name means “people who are deeply immersed in their own worlds connecting and becoming one through music.”
Do you remember your first impressions of each other? How have your group dynamics changed since the band’s early days?
Ah, those were the good old days! We were all immature yet passionate, reckless and brave. We [have] definitely improved not only as people but musically. We [have] widened our musical perspectives [and have started to] express what we feel more genuinely through music.
What specific strengths does each member contribute to the band?
Yeon Tae gives the band a wider view when it comes to rhythms. [He] always debates with Jae Hyun [about how] to make the solid foundation of the band’s sound. Young Ju sings beautifully with his own unique vocal skills [and is an] excellent lyricist. He [adds to] the “warm music” part of [our] slogan. Jae Hyun [outlines] most of the songs [and is an] excellent lyricist too. Seung Won is a master when it comes to guitar tones and skills, [and] he suggests the best arrangement directions when making new songs.
Please describe your newest single, “Losing Myself.”
“Losing Myself” is the first pre-release song off of our second full-length album. The song depicts a situation where everything goes wrong and the person wonders, “Who will come and save us in these troubled times?” Through the arrangement, we tried to make the situation [sound] as light as possible, because we didn’t want our song to be depressing. It was so much fun doing it that way.
Can you explain the meaning behind the cover artwork of both Hard To Explain and “Losing Myself”?
We wanted to collaborate with other artists. For Hard To Explain, we collaborated with WNK. For “Losing Myself,” we collaborated with the sculptor goyoson. We didn’t want to limit their creativity by explaining every single detail of our songs, so we just told them the rough details, and they went full-on with their own creativity [to design] the covers.
Hard To Explain has some really interesting storytelling through its lyrics! What was on your mind when you were making those songs?
We wanted to convey very honest human emotions when it comes to anger, frustration, stress, happiness, hope… because who is not exposed to those emotions? The album is about people in situations that are real but really hard to explain. People are standing here on this planet with their own situations, sometimes side by side, sometimes opposites, and yet at a certain time, [people feel] connected to each other. Every minute, or even [every] second, countless events are spontaneously created, and we are all stuck in these events. Our emotions get mixed up, and the album focuses on the emotions in those situations.
What can fans expect from your Taipei show this August?
We can proudly say that we are good live. Furthermore, a lot of our listeners say that the emotions [in our songs] are felt [more when the songs are performed] live, so the fans can expect a good live show!
Besides the Taipei show, what else can fans look forward to throughout the rest of 2024?
Our second full-length album will be released very soon. We will have a [corresponding] tour in South Korea, Taipei, and Japan. Fans can look forward to a lot of festival [appearances] as well. We will also have a lot of visuals, so stay tuned!
Lastly, is there anything else you want to say about yourselves or your music?
We always want to connect with our listeners, not just on a musical level but an emotional level. Most importantly, we want our listeners to enjoy every bit of our music. Rock will never die.
Check out Nerd Connection’s latest single here, and learn more about the band here!
Answers have been lightly edited and condensed for clarity. Photos courtesy of Nerd Connection.