Making music with another person isn’t all that different from making love, according to Lisa Light, half of the Oakland-based dance-punk duo The Lovemakers.
“I think in any musical connection, it’s a love connection—no matter whether you are actually consummating that connection,” Light says, reflecting on her musical partnership with Scott Blonde—the other core member of The Lovemakers—whom she also dated for several years. “It has a love relationship arc, just like a regular relationship. There is always going to be a reason why you fell in love with someone, regardless of whatever problems you come into.”
Light and Blonde’s romantic relationship didn’t last. In 2005, after just a few years together, they broke up during the recording of their major label debut, Times of Romance. However, they managed to maintain their musical bond for another five years—touring the world and scoring a number of well-received singles, including “Prepare for the Fight” and “Love is Dead”—before dissolving the band at the end of 2009.
While the pair haven’t rekindled their romantic relationship, Light says that she and Blonde have rediscovered the spark that drew them together in the first place.
“We always loved making music together,” Light says, explaining the duo’s decision to reunite last year. “That was the thing, that carried us through all kinds of shit. I can’t speak for him, but I think I trust his artistic decision making, really highly. And I think that’s a rare find.”
Demonstrating their penchant for cheeky theatrics, The Lovemakers played their first show in four years on Valentine’s Day 2014—reuniting “after an icy four-year hiatus,” according to their Facebook.
If relations had truly become glacial between the two musicians, they certainly thawed quickly. As Light recalls, the decision to do the show came about easily. “I think it was as simple as Scott sending me a text, or giving me a ring or an email out of the blue, and he was like ‘Hey, wanna play a show?’” she says. “It wasn’t a big thing at all.”
Once they got back on stage together, it didn’t take long for the duo to begin plotting more shows and new music. “It was just so fun,” Light says with a chuckle. “I think we just remembered everything we loved about playing live. And it had been long enough that we could move forward with being cordial with each other.”
Since that reunion date in 2014, the band has only played a handful of carefully chosen shows—one of which is coming up this weekend at The Ritz. The Lovemakers will open for San Jose’s indie-dance darlings, The Trims, and will also be joined by the South Bay-bred, alt-blues trio, Fritz Montana and DJ Aaron Axelsen—who as program director for Live 105 and host of the Sunday night new and local music showcase program, Soundcheck, has played a major role in the careers of all three bands.
Light says she is excited for the show, noting that the reunited Lovemakers played with The Trims last year, at the now-shuttered Blank Club, and saying she is eager to check out The Ritz. “We really like San Jose,” Light says. “We’ve always had really awesome fans there.”
Those fans may be pleased to hear that The Lovemakers plan to debut a brand new song this Saturday. It’s called “Lost and Profound,” Light says, and it is one of many new tunes she and Blonde are working on for an upcoming compilation and eventually a proper Lovemakers release.
The song is to be featured on the forthcoming OIM: Vol. II compilation—assembled by OIM Records, the sister company to Oakland Indie Mayhem, an entertainment booking, promotions and production company, focused on elevating East Bay musicians and artists.
“Lost and Profound” will also likely make the cut of a future Lovemakers release, Light says. She isn’t sure whether the as-yet-untitled collection will be an EP or full-length, though she says the band certainly has enough material for an LP.
The Lovemakers are opening up for The Trims at The Ritz on Aug. 1 at 8pm. Fritz Montana and DJ Aaron Axelsen share the bill.
