“Not A Toy” talks debut, self-titled album, musical journey, and why they are NOT a band
“It took us two years to bring Not A Toy to come out of the gate strong. We all put in so much work into that EP and branding in general. If someone wants to look into the band and follow the type of art that we make, then they’re gonna get all of it, they’re not just gonna get the music.”
Not A Toy is a Colorado-based music collective of four creatives consisting of Branson Hoog [lead vocals], Jeremy Marmor [guitar], Benji Spoliansky [drums], and TJ Wessel [violin], signed to Fearless Records. The quartet crafts whatever it wants and goes where the music takes them. They traffic in smooth and swaggy rock.
Get to know a little bit about Not A Toy:
“We’re a snapshot of this generation’s tattooed youth and bedroom beat makers. We’re not the first to combine different genres of music, but we’re also actually blending other art forms—from streetwear to art shows. We’re just creating, and there are no rules to creation.”
Previously called, Shatterproof. They paid someone $30 on Fiverr to come up with “ten names that were not what we were looking for!” before they finally settled on the name “Not A Toy”. More on that below.
“There are so many bands and so many songs that sound like everyone else’s that we wanted to make sure that right off the bat, Not A Toy stood out as being its own thing. We didn’t want to play it safe.”
“Not A Toy” is a debut EP by the band of the same name, released earlier in August. It contains singles like J-Cash and Quit Quitting. Check out Not A Toy here.
The EP: “Not A Toy”
“This EP is a creative summary of the human experience,” they say. “It explores the emotional journey we’ve been through over the last few years of writing it. The collective theme of the songs is self-questioning; looking inward on how far we’ve come in our self-growth.”
“Not a Toy” EP track listing:
“Demise”
“J Cash”
“Watch Me”
“Quit Quitting”
“Antidote”
“Sideways”
“Drive Slow”
“Not A Toy,” the EP, released recently during the pandemic. Does the band have any regrets? To Not A Toy, the biggest hindrance was not being able to tour which would get the EPs in people’s hands. However, they like to count their blessings, too. They state that the pandemic has helped them focus on the art itself, to really dive into the new music, sound, and dial into merchandise, streetwear, and clothing.
[Benji:] “We have relied on just trying to not necessarily go viral, but just continue to put out our message of what we think is cool.”
Let’s take a look at what Not A Toy has to say about their songs from the EP:
“J-Cash” is currently the most listened to song on the album, on Spotify. And it all started with, “Let’s just write whatever the fuck we want to write!” Apparently, the song is about Not A Toy being fame-less in the basement, striving for what every artist or band narcissistically wants – to be successful with their music. Not A Toy says, J-Cash is its own beast and there are many influences in there.
[Benji:] “The song’s a bit flashy and exaggerated!”
They had the acoustic guitar in first, and then Branson did vocals on top of that. As the first single to release, it serves to introduce the signature style that is Not A Toy; ‘acoustic guitar, kick, and snare conjure a dusty twang from the onset before the momentum swings towards electric distortion and an 808 boom.’
However, the process could be totally different for another song.
[Branson:] “[J-Cash] just felt like the perfect attitude for a band that just signed, that no one knows. It was a perfect way to introduce us.”
[TJ:] “We really tried to keep everything as minimal as possible with most of this one. It starts off with that acoustic southern grit, but then it really sits back, and this piano comes in that feels equal parts hip-hop and western saloon.”
They wanted to go with J-Cash because, “ [they] just wanted to choose the song with the biggest balls, and that was definitely J-Cash!”
On the other end of the spectrum, the follow-up single “Quit Quitting” simmers with a dreamy California vibe. Over ethereal synths and D.I.Y. beat craft, Branson probes, “Do you really want to know what the future has in store?”
“Antidote” is about, “loving someone that is bad for you, or knowing that you are bad for someone,” the band shares.
Not A Toy – how it all began, what it’s all about:
Photo Credit: @notatoy via Instagram
The members of this collective met in high school and cut their teeth in various projects together before launching Not A Toy in 2020.
According to Branson, their MO is all about, “What can we do that’s different, sonically? What can we do that hasn’t been heard before, or that is a different spin on it?” They call themselves, ‘a snapshot of this generation’s artistic expression’. Their aim is for Not A Toy to feel more like a movement than a band.
Benji Spoliansky [drums] believes Not A Toy is a self-respect message and about knowing your own worth.
On the inspiration behind the name:
[Branson:] “It [“Not A Toy”] is a warning label on the bags so kids don’t put plastic bags on their heads or something. We had to get it approved by a lawyer and a label.”
[Benji:] “And four members!” he pipes in.
[Branson:] “It took forever! We wanted it to be playful and have a little bit of a meaning, but still be taken seriously.”
They spent close to nine months deciding on a band name, even paying someone $30 on Fiverr to come up with “ten names that were not what we were looking for!”
Benji said, it took them two years of a good amount of thinking, time, and work to bring Not A Toy to ‘come out of the gate strong’.
Here’s what Branson had to say: “We all put in so much work [individually] into that EP and branding in general. Before the release, we had all of these different passions and art forms even just the fashion side of things like creating streetwear; we had the clothing company separate, the band separate, also tattoo separate… it was just a disconnected representation of us. What really made it come out so strong was that for the first time we didn’t try to keep it separate. We are a group of artists. If someone wants to look into the band and follow the type of art that we make, then they’re gonna get all of it, they’re not just gonna get the music.”
Despite the popularity, the band still prefers to keep things DIY, operating out of a shared house in Denver.
[Branson:] “I actually don’t know if we’ve ever not been DIY, that’s what we know.”
We are NOT a band: Not A Toy’s influences and creative process
Photo Credit: Ryan Frazee
“Forget what you think you know.” – Fearless Records
Not A Toy is NOT a band. That is because they ‘appreciate everyone’s artistic vision’.
[Branson:] “It’s easier for us to not just be a band. We are just passionate about too many other things. It isn’t something we are trying to do to make people know that we’re different. It’s hard to keep the other art forms out of the music.”
“There’s already a ton of bands!” Benji laughs.
So, how does a band (which is NOT a band) of four creatives write DIY music right out of their room, the same room where they do it all – tattoo, paint, make music, design streetwear, and so on? “We still don’t really know how to write music together. Every song comes together differently!” Benji exclaims.
For Not A Toy, it is never the same; they all write individually. Here’s a peek at how Branson writes his lyrics – “I like mixing words together, and the poetry side of combining different words and phrases.” However, it is entirely collaborative.
“Everyone in the band is crucial to the band’s sound,” Branson declares.
“We complement each other like Yin and yang,” says Benji. “The four of us are so passionate about writing music. We all add different ingredients.”
They stated that they have diverse influences. Having previously started out as a rock band, they cite being heavily influenced by bands like Taking Back Sunday, The Used, My Chemical Romance.
Branson proceeded to say that the biggest influences “have actually been the artists that have been the most creative and have tried pushing music as an art form themselves”. The biggest, consistent one happens to be Kanye. “As a producer, we all love his outside-the-box, ‘no rules’ mentality; that’s what Not A Toy has really tried to hone in on.”
NAT's Lead Singer, Branson: Focused, dedicated, multi-talented
Photo Credit: Unknown via Google
Branson’s favorite lyrics from the EP is in the second verse of the song, “Watch Me” which goes – “Electric soul forever glow…” And this is the reason why – “I wanted to describe the significant other in such a way that really resonates.”
Apart from being a talented singer, Branson is also a tattooist. And when he’s not making art on people’s skin, he’s making his mark on a canvas. When asked about being an artist, this is what he had to say, “Painting is kind of my sacred art form. It’s one that’s not for finance, for fame. I literally just paint because I need a way to create without it being a job.”
Given the amount of pressure and perfection involved in Not A Toy, painting might provide Branson the creative safe haven he might need without demanding too much in return.
One of Branson’s paintings
Branson has been working on this painting for three years, a testament to his hard-work, dedication, and passion. “I’ve never painted someone with wrinkles. I was painting this queen, here. It’s not someone specific, but we gave her a bunch of tattoos. She’s not done yet!”
What message does Not A Toy have for young creators, especially at this difficult time?
They offer technology as a solution for the current problem, whether it be sending files back and forth or simply jamming with your peers on Zoom.
“The best thing you can do is just really hone in on your own craft, if you can’t practice or if you can’t get together with you peers. Work as hard as you can on yourself,” is Benji’s advice.
Everyone making music right now is a snapshot of the 2020 generation of musicians. That’s so cool that you can be a part of that.” - Branson Hogg
[Branson:] “Keep finding how this generation is going to be represented by music. We’re all a part of that, no matter how big or small of a musician. Everyone making music right now is a snapshot of the 2020 generation of musicians. That’s so cool that you can be a part of that.”
What expectations does Not A Toy harbor for their music?
“We’d love for the music to resonate,” Branson leaves off. “We’re dissecting all corners of human emotion. Dive into yourself. Whatever the song provokes, walk away with that. Hopefully, you want to follow the art.”
Follow Not A Toy on Instagram and Twitter to keep up with the latest updates! Don't forget to stream Not A Toy's EP here.
