On the Freeway Towards Whale House

Every wanderlust heart dreams of hitting the open road with no actual destination in mind. Whale House, an Alternative Rock band from Eau Claire, Wisconsin, knew the feeling of wanting freedom and the wild abandon of youth. Thus, came their latest single ‘Freeway’.

Caleb and Clayton, who switch between playing the guitar, bass, and vocals, worked hand in hand to create the song. “I wrote a guitar riff and showed it to Clayton.” Caleb wrote in an email interview with BANDWIDTHCULTURE. “He took that riff and wrote ‘Freeway’.”

The band began in 2005 when Caleb and Clayton met during a class at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, from there the two became really good friends. “We were introduced to each other musically [because] the house I was living in at the time had a huge basement full of instruments.” Caleb explained. “We would have massive parties there and just play music for hours.” After playing covers, atavistic chants, and just jams, they formed the band. Having played with about 3 or 4 drummers, they finally found the missing piece to the puzzle once they met drummer Chris.

Whale House has a unique sound which they describe as a “tweaked out version” of Alt. Rock. “We enjoyed hanging out and the process of creating music together.” Caleb mentioned. As they let the songs do what they do, their overall sound progressed and evolved slowly over time.

The most interesting aspect about the band is their name. “‘Whale House’ is what some Native American Tribes of the Northwest Pacific call the Ocean,” revealed Caleb. “I read about it in a book and mentioned it to Clayton; he thought it would make a good name, so we ran with it.”

As Whale House continue on the road to making music, they plan on releasing a full length album. “So far we’ve released three five-song EP’s and four singles. We’ve never written a full-length album.” However, every recording process has its up’s-and-down’s and they have really worked into finding a groove while in the studio. “In the past we’ve tried to do too much in too little time. In the end, the product suffers.” stated Caleb. “We allowed ourselves some breathing room this last recording session and are really happy with the results.”

For fans (including myself), having them launch a nationwide tour is hopefully something to look forward to. Whether it be just a few local bands or a tour with musical influences such as St. Vincent and Queens of the Stone Age, Whale House is definitely on their way to becoming a great musical experience.