Stars Go Dim’s Michael Wittig Talks New LP, Charity Work [Interview]
Story by Anne Erickson
Story by Anne Erickson
Stars Go Dim team up with Convoy of Hope for charity cause
Tulsa, Okla., pop rockers Stars Go Dim drop their sophomore EP, Between Here and Now, today (Oct. 4), and the collection promises warm melodies and passionate melodic rock. Several band members hail from hard rock band Pillar, but with Stars Go Dim, they’re taking things in a fresh, poppy direction.
“We knew we wanted to do pop, and we didn’t want to keep doing what we were already doing,” bass slinger Michael Wittig said. “We wanted to do something different, and the sound evolved as we started writing more and more songs.”
Read below for Wittig’s chat with Audio Ink Radio about Between Here and Now, the band’s commitment to charity work and why playing with Daughtry is one of the group’s best memories. For more information on the just-released album, visit Stars Go Dim’s official website.
Stars Go Dim have a new EP out, Between Here and Now. What was the writing process like for the album?
It was a lot different from the first album. When started as side project, and it was just some friends and musicians coming together to write some songs and see what happened. We recorded the first record over 10 months in six different studios, because we all had other projects. For our second record, we wanted to do it more as a band, so we did it in a more traditional way. We got together, wrote songs and went into the studio for a couple of weeks and knocked it all out together as a band. It was fun that way.
Initially, what was the musical vision of Stars Go Dim?
A lot of us played in hard rock bands for many years, so this is completely the opposite end of spectrum. We did a 180. Honestly, we didn’t know what Stars Go Dim was going to sound like before the first record was done, and even then, it wasn’t as focused as we are now. After touring for two years, we have more of an identity. I’d say pop and rock with a little bit of soul, because [singer] Chris [Cleveland] has a really soulful voice.
Will you put us inside the first single, “Hesitate?”
That song is one of the more rocking songs that we have. We have a lot of laid-back, vibe-y stuff, but this was more of a rocker for us. It’s a fun summertime song, and it’s pretty simple in its subject. It’s about jumping into a relationship and not waiting. It’s like, “Let’s jump in and not hesitate.” It’s getting more radio play than any of the songs we’ve released.
One of the things I really like about your band is that you’re very involved in charity work. What’s your relationship with Convoy of Hope?
Since we started, we’ve always had a real passion for using our platform for helping other people. We did some stuff with the Children’s Miracle Networks, Invisible Children and Children’s Hospital, and children are close to our hearts. Once the tornado in Joplin, Mont., hit, we knew we wanted to help, but it took a while to find the right the fit. We have wanted to raise $100,000, not just a few thousand bucks. So, we played Restore Fest in July and had some great acts on the bill. Convoy of Hope was one of the key partners. As we started learning more about each other, we found out we have a lot of the same vision. We really responded well to each other, and that led to a partnership. Our next music video for, “Between Here and Now,” our title track, has video from when we went with the Convoy up to Haiti in August. We’re launching the song and video with the Convoy in October, and it has some powerful and amazing images of Haiti and the relief efforts.
How does your faith factor into your music?
We’re all Christians in the group, and a lot of our past bands were Christian bands. To me, a Christian band now days is really hard to define. Personally, I would define a Christian band as a worship band, and our music is really for everybody. We have relationship-based songs, life-based songs and we try to have positive messages in what we’re doing. When you’re a Christian, your faith bleeds into all parts of your life and comes into our music.
You’re toured with Switchfoot, Daughtry and more. What was your favorite gig?
Man, there have been a few that have been really cool. One of my favorites was playing with Daughtry. It was awesome. We have a relationship with him, and we called him up and just said, “Hey, man, we heard you’re playing here,” and he personally got us on the bill. It was cool because it wasn’t just business– we got to talk to him and hang with him.
Watch Stars Go Dim’s Video for, ‘Hesitate’:
- The Best Songs of the ’70s - November 21, 2024
- John Bonham’s Son, Jason, Breaks Silence on Split With Sammy Hagar - November 20, 2024
- The Best Christmas Music You’ve Never Heard - November 19, 2024
