The Internet is one of the most acclaimed bands in the modern realm of R&B.

The band has reunited after devoting time to work on solo projects, and their 2018 album Hive Mind has proved once again that their dynamic is one-of-a-kind. 

This Halloween, The Internet passed through San Luis Obispo during their tour, and KCPR members Marissa McCullough and Everett Fitzpatrick caught them in the lobby of the Fremont Theater to talk about the power of teamwork.

Marissa McCullough: Thank you for taking the time to talk to us.

All members: Of course!

MM: This is the first leg of the tour? Are you guys excited?

Syd: Yeah.

MM: Are you guys excited for Europe?

Syd: Yeah. Well, I don’t know, I haven’t even gotten there yet. I haven’t wrapped my head around it yet.

Matt Martians: Yeah, I think when the new year starts, we’ll start thinking about Europe.

MM: Now that you all have  successful solo projects out, why do you guys still collaborate?

Syd: It’s fun. We love each other. We’re friends. What we have is really special. The sound that we have together is really special and it can’t be recreated by anyone else, or by any of us individually.

Speaking personally, after putting out my solo album, I missed it. I missed the sound and wanted to do it again.

MM: What would you say is the dynamic when you all get together? Does it start with music or somewhere else?

Matt: We’re chillin.

Syd: We’ll be making fun of each other.

Matt: We’ll be hanging out. Music is just a part of our friendship. It’s not the main thing. Everything just starts with hanging out and then somebody will come up with something and if we like it then we’ll just go from there.

Syd: We went bowling last night.

All members: That was fun! 

MM: Did you guys just come up from LA today?

Syd: Yeah this morning.

MM: Well, welcome. What opportunities has working as a group brought forward for you guys? Anything that you guys wouldn’t have been able to do otherwise?

Syd & Matt: (simultaneously) Solo albums.

Matt: Yeah, being able to have our own individual brands.

We all have our own little worlds and that’s the luxury, people love us separate and they love us together. It’s cool.

MM: We were wondering if you all dress yourselves when you go on stage? Do you have any specific inspiration when you do dress yourselves?

Matt: I have a stylist on the road. (Syd laughs) She actually picks my clothes up every single day. She just goes and buys almost $10,000 worth of clothes for me.

(All members laugh)

Syd: We all just wear our own clothes. I don’t know, stylists are good for certain things. Personally, I like to wear what I would normally wear when I go on stage just because it makes me feel comfortable and I can dance in it.

I just gotta wear some tennis shoes and some cool pants and I’m good. But stylists are cool, man. I want to start working with one just for fun, just for random shoots and stuff. I don’t always have time to go shopping so it’d be nice to have someone go shopping for me.

MM: You always look comfy on stage. It seems like you’re big on the hoodies.

Syd: I am. It makes me mentally more comfortable too.

MM: That makes sense. I know you directed the music video for “Come Over.” What prompted you to use your personal relationships as the storyline?

Syd: With the girls or with each other?

MM: Either one, friendships or romantic relationships.

Syd: I just think the way we interact as a group doesn’t get shown enough. I feel like people would probably want to be our friends if they knew how fun it was to sit in a room with us. Not even fun! We’re just goofy.

Matt: We’re very easygoing. We have nice energy.

MM: That’s why we wanted to focus this interview on collaboration because it just seems like you guys are good friends.

Syd: Yeah, I wanted to show that. Especially nowadays.

Everyone is trying to figure out a promo plan or a marketing plot, but the best thing to do is just be yourself and put the coolness in the forefront.

MM: So, what’s next for each of you guys?

All members: Touring.

Matt: After touring we’ll probably start focusing on our next solo albums. We all have ideas about our next solo shit.

MM: Well, thank you for taking the time to chat and good luck on your first show of the tour!

Syd: Yeah, thank you!

Marissa McCullough is a Communications senior, taking the airwaves as MC Killa every Monday from 2-4 p.m. She conducted the interview. Everett Fitzpatrick is a Photography senior, spinning disks as Lanky Limbs on Saturday mornings from 8-10 a.m. He took the photos.