10 Questions with | This Coast Bias

This Coast Bias is the indie/bedroom pop project of Clay Milford; a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. In 2021, he garnered his first two sync placements on FreeForm’s Good Trouble and The CW’s 4400, a feature on Spotify’s Fresh Finds: Indie playlist, as well as two appearances in LiveNation’s “Ones to Watch” playlist. Making waves on TikTok this year TCB has had multiple TikToks hit the millions and shows his talents in the realm of comedy. This Coast Bias speaks with Indie Boulevard about about his passion for music, endless desire to create, and his brand new single ‘Alright.‘

IB: Hi Clay! First of all, this is such an amazing song. Congratulations on your well-deserved success!. Also, I love your artist project name and it really fits the mood of your music. How did you come up with the title ‘This Coast Bias‘?

TCB: THANK YOU! The moniker This Coast Bias was born out of the difficulty of coming up with band names. I knew I wanted to have a name that no one else had, and one that was easy to pronounce and spell. I live in Oklahoma, and we have a joke in the OKC sports world about writers or commentators exhibiting a “West Coast Bias” or “East Coast Bias,” meaning they only give love to the big city teams from New York or LA for example. I thought ‘This Coast Bias‘ would be funny, both because I do not live on a coast, and because I love my home state.

IB: Your new single ‘alright‘ came out a few days ago. It’s a very sunny song, but there’s also a certain melancholy in it. Can you explain the song’s inspiration in more detail?

TCB: There is definitely some melancholy in there. I got married in 2019, and since the day we got married, we have experienced not only the difficulties of marriage that everyone goes through, but also the difficulties of the world these last few years. I think ‘alright‘ was my attempt to reassure my wife that regardless of what is happening “out there,” we can have a good time and enjoy life “in here.” There is a lot of outside noise in life, and sometimes you just gotta say whatever, throw your hands up, and try to enjoy the time you have on earth even if sometimes life just sucks.

IB: How was the recording of ‘alright‘? Was there anything unusual about it? I know that some songs are easy to record, while others can be a real headache.

TCB: This song came together very quickly actually. The current verse melodies were actually the chorus, and the current chorus melody was just present in that lead synth line you hear. Once I came up with that arrangement, the words poured out, which is when I knew I was going to like this one. The quickest writes are always the best. As for the actual recording, I recorded everything just sitting in my chair in front of my computer.

IB: Well, the new single is already out, but when, when is the full album coming out?

TCB: I actually don’t have any current plans for a full length album per se, unless I were to be convinced, but I am looking into maybe two separate EPs! I have actually really enjoyed the flow of writing singles!

IB: Many artists these days just ignore albums and only release singles and EPs. Do you think that the albums is no longer needed, that it is a relic of the past?

TCB: I still love albums. I think they will always be around. The great thing about music and life is it is cyclical. I think everything comes and goes and comes around again. The 50s and 60s were big singles decades, and then the 70s were very album-focused. I am sure it will come back! I think most of the time, the artists respond to how they behave as listeners, as well as what they are seeing ‘bigger‘ artists do.

IB: You are known to tackle different genres, from nu-R&B to alt-rock. How do you manage to combine these genres?

TCB: I love listening to everything. I was raised that way, so it is very fun to me. I might have a week where I listen to EDM, but then I am all about outlaw country the next week. It all depends on the weather, the seasons, etc. I once heard someone say great writers are great readers, and I think that applies to music. I listen to a wide range of genres, so I am inspired by them all, which comes out in my writing I suppose!

IB: Are there any live performances planned in the near future? If so, where and when can you be caught?

TCB: I don’t currently have anything set in stone, but for the most part I have been playing locally here in OKC and focusing on writing and releasing new songs, but I am always down to travel!

IB: Which album or artist has influenced you the most as a musician?

TCB: It is very hard to pick just one, but I will go with the songwriter Max Martin. He is just a wizard.

IB: You have such an extensive singles discography. How do you keep yourself fresh and keep making new music?

TCB: Like I said, I listen to a lot of music, which makes me jealous of other songs and makes me want to write good ones. (haha) I also just sit down and write a lot, practice a lot of guitar and drums (which makes different ideas come out in different ways), and honestly, if I ever feel stuck, I just walk away. I think that’s the best thing to do sometimes. Music isn’t a chore. Music is a passion. I never want to force a song.

IB: And the last question. Music – is business or is it still art?

TCB: It is a business driven by art, and art driven by business. I think it is up to the people responsible for the music to decide which is more important. Great songs will always shine, and the human element will always be what attracts lifelong listeners.