YourInnerTourist

We love love. UO Love stories share glimpses of modern love in every sense of the word, from all over the world. Read all the stories here. Twin brothers Wyatt and Fletcher Shears don’t just speak their own language, they created their own world: through their conceptual punk band The Garden (@__thegarden__), learn how the Orange County-based brothers collaborate on a different level. Photos by Mayan Toledano How does a deep familiarity with the other influence your partnership/collaboration? WS: It helps us to know what we want and what we don't want aesthetically and musically. FS: I think a lot of things in life are much easier due to the fact that we've been creating and living by one another for so long. Can you share an example of when this has been true? WS: It's as simple as 'sharing'— you share your space during a live performance and on tracks. We leave room for each other and usually always consider the other when going about something. FS: Just simply playing live. We don't get on stage and go into our own worlds, we just sort of unconsciously link up because this is a normal thing for us and it has been for years. Can you share more about how you started creating music together? WS: I had the urge to see if I could actually do it at a young age. I've never been a great student at anything, so self confidence and self teaching is sort of the way I went. We started playing together because we didn't know anyone else who played at the time. FS: Yeah, around the time we started The Garden, everything was just falling into its own place. So, naturally it gave us room to do this, and an opportunity. We had been playing to together for years before that, but never just us two. What’s different about the work you can create together vs with others? WS: To be honest it's about contribution and ideas. It's always different. If Fletcher and I are working very well together on a song, then I feel like we can come out with something bitchin'. But it's not always that way right off the bat. We have to work at it a bit. The same goes for others. I've made songs that I completely love with others close to me. It depends on the chemistry of the moment. Can you walk us through what it’s like writing a song together? Or perhaps a time when something has just “clicked” when you were working together? WS: Fletcher and I used to just get in the garage and create drum and bass songs within a relatively short period and call it that. It can work still from time to time but we both have been preferring to work on our own for a while now. We basically work on our own (keeping the other in mind) and take more time on a track. Then we essentially bring it to each other and see what else we can do with it. Then we'll either record it again together or just add things into it. FS: Writing a song together is never just one thing, it's always different. We could start somewhere and end up somewhere totally different. But we know what we want, so we don't spend to much time overthinking the process. I think we click a lot, almost every time. If we're not clicking, that's becomes a problem. What is your favorite quality about the other? WS: Fletcher's 'piss off-ness”— if you can't think of a comeback to say to someone, he might say something quickly. FS: Haha, I can't believe that's his favorite. I'd have to say, his drive to keep moving forward, growing, and progressing not only as an artist but, as a person too. I think that's a constant goal of ours. Describe a time they inspired you. WS: When he makes a good song it's fun to try and bounce back with something good musically. FS: I agree with that. When we're both creating, we're both focused...and that's extremely motivating and can be heavily inspiring. What are their biggest strengths? WS: Solidarity. Reliability. FS: Good at listening, constantly flowing ideas, and a willingness to learn. What do you value most about your relationship? WS: I value the fact that we have very similar interests. FS: When it all boils down, we always have each other to go back to. What’s a dream collaboration to work on together? WS: To be able to score movies or TV or really anything for that matter. FS: I think it could be really cool to do a full-on music video in another country Great relationships bring out the best in the other person; can you talk about the ways this may be true for you? WS: Relationships help you reflect and evolve. The ones around me have helped my self-development and it is definitely reciprocal. FS: Being around someone with mutual respect, understanding, and love can change a person, or pull someone out of whatever rut they're stuck in. And if not fully, it will help in some way. Read all the UO Love Stories Shop UO Love Stories

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