The inspiration for “1997” came to Justin Webb during an unremarkable family moment. “I was walking outside with my kids, and as we approached the car, one of them asked for my phone,” says the Nashville-based roots rocker. “I responded, as I often do, ‘Let’s just talk in the car.’”
Unremarkable or no, it was enough to prompt some reflection. “For me, 1997 has always held a strong sense of nostalgia,” he says. “I had a close-knit group of friends, and we spent countless hours together just enjoying life. There were no screens to distract us, no pressure to capture every moment through photos or videos, no need for validation through likes or comments. We were fully present.”
Recorded in a single day at the Blue Room Studios in Nashville, “1997” was produced by Jared Reynolds (Ben Folds, Hayes Carll) and is out via Austin indie imprint Chicken Ranch.
“When it comes to making music, I’ve never wanted to feel like a salesman,” says Webb. “There’s a lot of today’s music culture that seems to revolve around social-media presence and creating content. Or the pressure to maintain an image rather than simply being yourself and loving who you are. That’s pretty much where the song takes you as it unfolds.”
We’re proud to premiere Justin Webb & The Noise’s “1997.”
—Hobart Rowland
