Papas Hit the Road and Fall in Love
If you do not already associate the phrase “absolute legends” with Papas, you damn well should. With the vibe of four siblings who grew up dropping worms down each other’s shirts, it is hard to believe that Michael Shumann, Ali O’Malley, Jeremy Tomlinson, and Johnny Meehan ever played music with anyone but each other. The influences each member brings from their respective childhood music scenes have culminated in a strange brew that is uniquely Papas; part punk, part alternative, with a heavy seasoning of psychedelic and soul. The band’s latest EP, Rainbow & Potatoes, showcases their penchant for short, biting lyrics backed by ragged yet boisterous guitar riffs. Catching the attention of Built to Spill’s Doug Martsch, the band opened for the alt-rock mainstay on his most recent tour. But Papas would rather talk about other bands they consider more worthy of legendary status. Supporting the Treasure Valley’s local music scene and its artists is inherently more important to the group than self-promotion, which adds to the long list of attributes that makes Papas so endearing. After their Flipside Festival show this past September, we sat down with the Boise-based foursome to discuss the band’s origins, Idaho’s music scene, and touring with Built to Spill.
Jeremy Tomlinson, Ali O’Malley, Johnny Meehan. Photo by April Massey
Michael Shumann: We might take this interview in random directions.
Jeremy Tomlinson: It has not even started yet.
Ali O’Malley: She has only asked us our names.
MS: But we are on tape. No one said anything about this being on record.
AO: This is why our last interview was never published.
JT: She knows almost half as much about you guys as I know.
AO: We should just change our names to Digressions.
JT: You know more about us than anybody else now.
AO: At our Treefort performance, this guy asked my partner, “Oh my God, are the Papas playing?” My partner said, “Yeah, you should check it out.” But the guy responded, “Oh no, I love them as people; I hate the music.”
MS: Who said that?
AO: I was like, “Cool, at least he likes us.”
MS: We would rather be good people instead of good musicians.
AO: Hopefully, we are finding a balance of both.
AM: How did you start making music together?
AO: Craigslist.
MS: I think we are the last Craigslist band to ever exist.
Michael Shumann. Photo by April Massey
AO: Jeremy and I moved to Boise around the same time, about a month after Mike moved here. During Covid, we were plateauing. We had all played with Johnny on the side; he joined the band in December last year.
Johnny Meehan: The short answer is Craigslist.
MS: I did not want to be in a loud rock band, but I liked Jeremy and Ali. I thought they were cool and interesting, and I wanted to hang out with them, so I kept playing. Then one day, I woke up, like, “wait, we are pretty good.”
JM: What would be the Family Feud version of that question?
AM: Top five answers on the board. We asked 100 people, “How are rock n’ roll bands formed?”
JM: Trauma!
JT: Top eight things people find on Craigslist.
JM: Do you think if I blow the smoke into this balloon, I can smoke inside?
JT: No.
AO: We only have four more questions, guys.
AM: You describe yourself as “trashy budget-conscious garage rockers.” How does that label inform your sound and the way you make music?
MS: That is a good question. We are both tight and loose at the same time. I know that is an oxymoron, but it is true.
Ali O’Malley. Photo by April Massey
AO: I came from an indie background. Mike came from a punk background. After a year of playing together, it all just became Papas music.
JT: When someone brings a new song in, we trust that everyone will do what they do with it. We do not have to think about it.
AO: People keep comparing us to Pavement.
MS: They are one of my favorite bands, but I have not heard that.
AO: We are like a party band that does not party very hard. We are very energy-based.
MS: We are definitely energy-based. We are not lighting the world on fire with our technical skills.
AO: We do not pretend to be anything other than what we are.
JM: I do not want to talk about the band too much. That seems conceited.
AO: This is an interview of the band.
AM: What would you like to talk about?
JT: There is lots of cool stuff happening. I like that so many bands in town support each other. Even if they do not like each other’s music, they find a way to support. It is a community, not a competition. Maybe it is a post-Covid high, but everyone understands we are better together.
MS: Developing a music community in Boise is good for a band, but if there is a bigger community supporting local music, it is good for every band.
AO: We all came from different DIY punk scenes in our childhood. Being older in this scene has been nice. It is really cool to be able to help out these younger bands. I would be stoked if I could be a stepping stone for them. It is all about community.
AM: Speaking of community. You have been hosting a series of shows at your venue, CRLB. How did that come about?
Johnny Meehan. Photo by April Massey
JT: The Bomb Shelter, a rehearsal space in town, closed for 18 months for mandated renovations. We did not know if we would have a practice space again. I was complaining about it, and my wife said, “You are an adult, do something.” So Mike, a few other guys in town, and I rented a small warehouse and stuck a bunch of bands in there to practice. We do some private parties, but not a lot. It is kind of on the down low.
AO: We are all in our 40s with kids and careers. These younger bands call us Papas. Nothing to do with potatoes; all of us have heavy dad vibes. I work the door at the venue. I always tell people to create a safe environment. We set the tone. Boise has a great music community; it is amazing for us to harbor part of it. I want to make sure these kids have a safer rock n’ roll experience than I had.
MS: I want them to have a rich experience as I had. In my twenties, I played in a punk band with a couple of older guys. I had no idea what I was doing, but it was great.
JT: I was part of a really vibrant punk rock, house show scene in the twin cities. It was magical to be a part of. So many great bands came out of it.
MS: This is the best scene I have ever been a part of. Richmond, Baltimore, and DC had some good elements, but this scene blows them all away.
AO: Salt Lake in the ‘90s was insane. Growing up in that scene was amazing. That is what Boise reminds me of now. But you know what Salt Lake did not have back then? Four Papas taking care of sh—.
AM: You toured with Built to Spill this past year. How did that come about? How was that experience for you?
Jeremy Tomlinson. Photo by April Massey
AO: Oh my gosh. I will try to set the tone on this one because we could really digress.
JT: A special mind control potion.
AO: We were playing our friend's farewell show, and Doug walked in. He introduced himself to us and asked us when our Treefort show was. I thought he was just being nice. He was the first person there. He was front and center for our whole set. While we were unloading, he asked us to go on tour. I did not see it coming. It was one of the best moments of my life. I could not wait to tell these guys, “Holy fu— Doug just asked us to go on tour with Built to Spill.” It could not have gone better for us. Even the bad moments were positive. Not only were we touring with Built to Spill but also Prism B!tch. I learned more in a week playing with them than in the twenty years I had been making music. We became better musicians and better friends. It was an insanely good experience.
MS: He asked us to tour with him and immediately started texting us the dates he wanted us to play. It was like, “Wow, he really wants us.”
AO: Doug’s concept of what rock n’ roll should be is aligned with ours. I did not anticipate that. Not only do I love your music, but you are so great.
JT: The best thing about Papas is that it is not about playing live; we just like getting together and playing music. We have had some rough gigs, and we have had some great ones. We keep it real and do what we do no matter the situation.
AO: Last night of the tour, I told them not to put any stage lights on us so we could turn our lamps on. We ended that experience by just doing Papas. I remember thinking, “If we never play to more than 100 people again, I am happy.” I am in the band that I want to be in. These people make me a better person. They make me a better artist. I am more in love with Papas than I have ever been.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
