Mrs. Magician
After 10 years away, Mrs. Magician has returned with new music. Amid an entirely new lineup, frontman Jacob Turnbloom’s creative vision is the sonic anchor that refines this new collaborative energy into an evolution rather than a departure; they’re still the same surf-adjacent San Diego band you know and love.
The band’s new album, “Spiritual Hangover,” is out May 15. Last month, I was thrilled to speak with Turnbloom in my final weeks living in San Diego — and I can’t imagine a better way to round out my time there.
Listen to this interview anywhere podcasts are available.
The following transcript was generated using transcription software and may contain minor errors or omissions.
YY: I think the last Mrs. Magician record came out in 2016. So what have the last 10 years looked like creatively for you? And I guess the big question is why now?
JT: Well, I put out like two records in between 2016 and now under my own name. And I just kind of tried to make something happen with that. And then Covid, and then, you know, we started writing, trying to do another Mrs. Magician thing. And it was just -- I think everybody was just taking a little break. Everybody in the band has kids except for me. So everybody's a little bit more busy. And then our band kind of fractured and frazzled for a little bit there. And I kind of picked up everything and just recorded the record with kind of a new band. But the people that I'm playing with are people that have been touring with Mrs. Magician in the past, you know, for, for a long time. Like, our drummer, Drew, has done a lot of tours with us. John Reese, who plays guitar on the record, puts out our records and my buddy Ian plays on it. So it's kind of like a newer thing. And yeah, I don't know, I think I just was tired of putting out records under my own name, and that's like a side that's like a little bit more like experimental, you know, I use keyboards more. Yeah, like more noisy and slow. So like, I just wanted to make like another rock and roll record and try to go play some shows like as Mrs. Magician, because it's kind of always been like my main songwriting vessel since like 2010. And I wanted to get kind of back to it, you know? And like a lot of people ask me about it. So it's also just something that like is always on my mind, you know?
Yeah. So, pretty similar sound to the last couple albums. And then also the fact that the members who are in the band currently, I know there was a little bit of a shuffle, but they've all played with Mrs. Magician in the past?
Everybody on the record? No. But we've kind of been affiliated. Drew, the drummer on the record, he's like toured with us a bunch in the past, and his cousin Mark plays bass, and they're in, like, a really great rock and roll band, kind of like a legendary rock and roll band here in San Diego. And they've all been in a million. We've just been playing shows together for a long time. And then John, who puts out all the records, I've played on his records, it's just kind of like been like a, you know, quid pro quo type of situation where like, you play on my stuff, I'll play on yours. But we're all, you know, just homies. So like, he's never played guitar on any of the stuff. So it's, it's, it's like kind of a new band. But I mean, everything really is like, it's all the same influences, the same, you know, group of people. Like everybody plays rock and roll music in this group. Like all the, all of our bands are kind of like grown up playing similar, similar styles. Yeah. So the influences are kind of the same, like Undertones and Vaselines and the Sonics and stuff like that. But we all, you know, we went to a really cool recording studio to try to get like a big rock and roll sound like more like Tom petty, like kind of like a, you know, not so garagey and rough, like something like lush and a little bit more ambitious. So yeah, new band and Tommy, the guitar player that started the band with me, he helped write one song on this record. So it's kind of a little -- there's a little bit of the old flavor or whatever.
Sure. Yeah. So what made you want to give it more of a professional sort of edge, going to a different studio, giving it sort of a more polished sound? Would I be right to say that?
Well, I think like the last I mean, our two studio records, I think we went to really nice. We went to good recording studios here. So it's like they're recorded. Well, they're not like low fi or anything like that. I think we wanted to like we picked a specific studio for a specific drum sound and that's like we went out to achieve like a very specific thing. And we did, it was like a, it was the, we wanted to rip off the drum sound from Damn the torpedoes, the Tom petty record. And we went to Studio 606 to achieve that on that, like Big Neve console and use the same mic configurations and drum heads and kind of wanted to have like a our punk record that we wanted to make. But like with that sound like a 70s power pop, you know, hi fi, but tape sound because like, because I think the whole idea was to try to make something that was a little bit like anti AI because everything is so disgusting with AI nowadays.
Yeah.
Not like really like a, it just, you know, that was always in the back of our minds. We wanted to do something real practice, get really good and go to a nice recording studio and try to emulate these records that were classic to us.
Of course, after being to that studio recording it, deciding on the type of sound that you want. What's something that stands out to you that you've learned over the last few years of, of writing for this album and then being on the back end of the recording process, is there something that stands out that you've learned about yourself or your process, or maybe the collaborative nature of the group?
I think just from making two records on my own in between our record that we put out in 2016, Bermuda, I put out two records, just one recording here in my apartment and then one across the street at a recording studio. And it's just way harder to do stuff. I mean, it's satisfying, but it's just way harder to do stuff by yourself. And you also get like, I myself get way too wrapped up in like a million different melodies and trying to cram as many ideas as, as I can into a song. And I think this was like an exercise to try to like, do way less, even though there is a lot crammed into these songs. Like I think I just tried to like, lean more on other musicians and play up their strengths. Mark Rivera, who plays bass on this, he's just such an amazing bass player. I kind of was like, gave him the meat and potatoes of the songs and was like, just kind of have fun making this bouncy and like kind of told him a few records that we were going for. Like, we were like, oh, make it like Joe Jackson or make it like Elvis Costello kind of fun and bouncy, like power pop bass lines and just like, let him play what he wanted to play. And then our drummer, drew, is an amazing drummer. It was just like way more collaborative writing. Like I feel like the songs were basically there, but in the past we would collaborate, but I feel like I would always kind of like be a little more aggressive with my ideas. And that's not always to sometimes to my detriment, you know?
Yeah, you've been wanting to do more with this project, but it's just sort of waiting for the right time. And I know that at least as far back as 2021, you were sort of hinting at a new album for the band. And so how how old is like the oldest song on this record, or did you write all of them pretty recently?
So there's a song on there that's like a, like a slow kind of ballad song. And that was really the one song that we had.
Okay.
It was like a fragment of a song and I'm like, okay. And I, you know, I was just kind of like trying to like, inspire, you know, the musicians around me and get people talking or whatever. But we really only had like that in like one idea that Tommy had. And, and that was that song ended up on the record too. And yeah, we didn't really have a lot back then. It was just kind of like trying, I think, trying to like excite people and get stuff going. But then once things start going, then, you know, life happens and things just, yeah, you know, get in the way. So we've been wanting to do something, I think since 2020, but it's just I hate to blame Covid, but I mean, like, that's like a huge, you know, just kind of ruined a lot, you know?
Yeah, I it's an easy excuse, but it's the truth. So yeah, it just, it happened with a lot of bands.
You have like you know, I put a record out like in 2019 and went on tour and as soon as I went on tour for that record, like Covid hit and it was just back to the drawing board, you know?
Yeah. And I had, I did have some questions about your, your solo work with those two albums that you released. It was 1 in 2019 and 1 in 2021, I believe. Is that right?
2022.
Okay. My mistake. You talked about it a little bit. So aside from like playing all of the instruments yourself, or at least trying to get most of it done yourself, in what ways do you, would you say your creative process is different in your solo work versus the work that you do with Mrs. Magician?
It's not, it's not very different. I mean, like in just, this is more of like a band type thing, you know, where yeah, I have the songs and bring them to a group of people and we're like, all right, let's power through these and actually like flush everything out and, you know, throw away stuff and kind of help me guide through it. But solo stuff I just like and I drank. I mean, I just don't really drink anymore. And I feel like during Covid and writing that record, I was just like sitting and like not being very healthy and like, just like obsessing over music in my apartment. And so that writing process was not as fun. It was just like so this was, this has been a lot more fun. Like I had those two songs like early in 2020, but then like I said, like, you know, a couple years later, once I kind of got a band together, we just like, I don't know, like I, I just started writing really fast. So like the first Mrs. Magician record and like the second, like weird. We have like a second record. That's not like a studio album, but there's a lot of songs in there demos and stuff. Yeah, that was like, those were all written in a really short period of time. So I sometimes I get like creative bursts and that kind of happened with this, where it was like, as soon as we got the right people and I was happy and we're all getting along. Like the songs kind of just started coming out really easy. So I think I have to be like in a good place to like to start being more creative and getting the good stuff out.
Yeah. And you mentioned John Reese as a collaborator on this album, Local Legend, obviously, it's being released through his, his own label. You obviously have a long standing relationship with him and with Swami Records. Can you speak a little bit to how that relationship came about?
Yeah, our buddy mechanic, I don't know if you do, you know mechanic. He's a pretty famous name around here in San Diego.
I don't think so.
He's just a a champion of San Diego music. And like in 2011, he gave John one of our records and then he was like, oh, do you guys want to like, you know, I, we went and met for coffee one day and we kind of like toyed with the idea of like doing something. And then it just kind of slowly built into like us hanging out and then deciding to do a record together. And, but those two records that we did with him, like he was like heavily involved, like producing and picking the recording studios and like, really like being like, he doesn't like touch any knobs or anything. He's not like an engineer, but he's like Ben Moore, who works with him on almost every record he was with us. And they kind of like, you know, steered the ship on this new one. He it's like he's, I just wanted him to be a part of it and, and performing and he like, I like our bass player. Mark. I just kind of had him come in, listen to the songs and just like free flow on top of them, you know? Yeah, but he didn't he didn't produce this and he didn't really have like that same kind of like guiding hand as he did on those previous records. But we always, I mean, like, I live right across the street from a recording studio called Singing serpent. So like I've sang on the last like three records he's put out. So he just is like, hey, come over and work on this and I'll do the same thing. I'm like, hey, you come over and work because we record at the same spot. Like we, I did a lot of this record at 606, like in LA, but then I did the, the rest of it here. So yeah, we've been like good buddies since 2011. So it's been a fun relationship.
Yeah. Creatively living across the street from a studio, you don't really have any excuses, you know, to not come out and help with something.
Yeah. No, and I also live like across like right on this corner. There's a venue. So anytime my friends are in town playing there, I can't really say I can't go because I can like see them from the window. Yeah. Like they can look over and I'm just like standing there. So yeah, it's kind of there's not a lot of excuses.
No. Well, at least you can leave at the last possible second.
Absolutely. Yeah.
While we're on the topic of, of San Diego, you've had some play on 91 X recently. Which for people who don't know, it's a just a fantastic local radio station. That's actually how I found out that you guys were making music again. I was like, this is crazy. Yeah, it just sort of begs the question, you know, obviously you're very tied into the local scene here. You know, a lot of people you know, your stuff's being played on local radio. How much of your identity as a band or as a musician do you think is tied to, you know, where you're from?
Oh man, I just yeah, every time I think of like bands that I was just thinking about like, I'm, I'm if you ever go on tick tock, all I ever talk about is San Diego music. And I was like, thinking about San Diego bands today and I was like, oh, waves. They're like, not really like a San Diego band because they're like massive, you know, they like moved and like. But I think of us as like, we're just like, we're here. Like, you know, we're not going anywhere. This is like our hub. And I'm not, I don't mean that to say like, waves isn't a San Diego band. I mean, like, he's sure much bigger, you know, but like, I just like, this is our identity. You know, I, I love San Diego. I mean, on the record, I have like shotgun Tom Kelly, who's like famous radio DJ. I grew up with and 91XI grew up with, you know, it's like where I first heard any alternative music when I was growing up. And I think that's rad that you actually like heard about this from that because how often do people hear about new music stuff from radio? Seriously, I'm like a, I'm a big radio guy. I worked at a radio radio station for, for a while. Yeah, I just love it here. I mean, I'm just like, that's kind of my bread and butter. I bother people about San Diego music all the time.
That's so great to have been, you know, spoiled by such a good radio station growing up. I'll be moving away from here in the next few months, unfortunately, and 91 X is going to be one of the biggest things that I miss because it's like one of the only good radio stations. I feel like that's left, at least in this area.
Yeah, we used to have a really good one called 949. That was 92.1. And it was like super Alternative and like, even like the rock radio station now 105 three. That's like kind of whatever. I love all radio, so I don't want to bash any radio station, but like they used to be back in the day. Rock 102.3 I think there. And it was like the best, like heavy metal, like rock music, you know, it was like, I, because I love metal music too. So it was just like, we've had a really, really great, like local, like radio scene here. And if you look at like old Megadeth documentaries, they where like San Diego radio station shirts and hats and stuff like that.
So that's so cool.
It's definitely you know, harder now, but and we've done like 91 X fests and stuff like that. And people, I mean, people still love 91 X like a lot. So it's really, it's rad.
I love the lore -- I feel like I'm just scratching the surface here. I'm learning so much, but I gotta check out your TikTok.
Yeah, it's pretty annoying, but it's, it's informative sometimes.
Yeah. Speaking of like radio play, you've got a couple singles from the album out at this point. One of which was on 91 X. What would you say? Is there a currently unreleased song from the album that you're really excited for people to hear?
I am, yeah, there's one that we were like trying to make a video for. It's called Public Meltdown. It's just got a lot of like weird surfy riffs in it. I think like that was one thing that I thought was kind of funny over the past like ten years, I noticed like a lot of people move away from like surfing music and everybody's either I'm not bashing anybody, but like playing post punk or hardcore or whatever. Yeah. And I still listen to surf music all the time. So it's just like, I love incorporating like those riffs into what we do because we're not a surf band. Surf bands would hate if I said we were, but I love like that kind of those tones, those guitar tones, those amps, like the, you know, so I just like love inserting that all over, you know? And that's one song in particular that's always like, there's a guitar riff in there that's just like a, a little like ear worm that I'm super proud of. But I want people to hear and it's a funny song.
Yeah. I can imagine a video for a song called Public Meltdown would be pretty entertaining.
Yeah. I mean, like, it's not like when you hear the lyrics, like you understand any narrative or anything. It's just, you know, it's I think it's funny because when you, you know, the songs are never like about one specific thing, but like, oh yeah, I remember what I was writing about when I did this and it makes me laugh.
Well, it'll be interesting to see, you know, what other people get out of it. I know that's always just kind of a cool thing to discover.
Oh, yeah. Yeah, it's not yours anymore, right?
Here's just a fun piece of Mrs. Magician trivia that I wanted to ask about. I read that while your wife sings backup vocals on dead Dead Alive. Is it true that you met during a recording session where she was singing backup vocals for you on another track?
Yeah. I hired her. It sounds weird, but I had her record on one song. I was looking for a backing vocalist that was like a very specific type of singer, and I couldn't find it. And one day I just, like, you know, how you get, like, friend suggestions on Facebook?
Yeah.
She had a song on Facebook and she was a friend suggestion. It was like this beautiful, like country song, but her vocals kind of had that have you ever heard the babies or like it's a very like straight vocal and like flooded in reverb and I'm like, that's what I want. Kind of a dreamy like, and yeah. And then I had her record and then that was when we met, like when she came to the recording studio. So like the first recording we have of that song on the record is like when we first met and we were like singing together. So it's very like romantic.
That's so cool to have that as an artifact.
For sure. Yeah. I mean, like, that's what we tell everybody about it.
And your voices do sound great together. I didn't obviously I heard the song before I learned that. And so reading that, I was like, wow. Perfect.
Yeah. I mean, we sing here all the time. Like during Covid, we were just like, constantly like putting up songs and we enjoy our neighbors. So did you, are you like doing school out here or something? Or are you like.
No, I'm a I'm in the Navy. I'm a public affairs officer. And I've been here for about two years now and I've loved it, but I'm coming to the end of my tour, so yeah.
What's your favorite like pizza place here?
A few weeks ago, I tried a Bronx Pizza in Mission Hills.
That's probably my favorite place. Yeah.
Okay. Yeah, it was great. I walked in there and I was like, wait, is there just is there just the one size? And he was like, yep. And I was like, all right.
Yeah, like cash. And they're kind of rude, but it's like, yeah, I mean, like rude in the way you want a pizza place to be like a little surly. Oh, no. Pizza's great. Tnt is really good too. Have you gone downtown to try TNT pizza.
I have to try it before I leave.
They're all like musicians, too. They're all like, really good bands. Like the guys who run that place.
Okay, cool. Yeah. There used to be like I think it was called Basic Pizza. That was pretty good. But I think that's gone now.
Yeah, man, they pop up and then they leave.
They were too basic.
What's your favorite record store here? I just want to know these things. I don't know why.
No. Yeah. I've checked out a lot. But M-theory is definitely my favorite, I would say.
I worked there, like, 20 years ago.
Did you? That's cool. So you've got a show coming up May 8th right here at Soda Bar. And that's going to be following two shows in LA and Oakland. So when was the last time that you guys played regular shows? Not necessarily toured, but when you were like, you know, gigging regularly?
We did like we did like three shows with the Aquabats, like opening up for the Aquabats in like 2023.
Okay.
Right after that, we just kind of stopped. So it was Yeah, it feels like a lifetime ago, but it wasn't that long ago. And before that, I mean, since 2016, we were kind of just doing like a show year. We did like, so we basically were touring pretty heavily from like 2012 to 2016. And then kind of we had like a big festival we were supposed to do and like Spain and the UK. And then when that all came crashing down, we kind of just like stopped, you know, it put a. Yeah. Took the wind out of our sails pretty much. But this shit happens.
Well, there's still a chance. I mean, you know.
Yeah, I don't know. We just want we just want to play. So like the shows that are coming up are like our friend Alex, he's in a band called Weird Nightmare, and he was in a band called Metz that we used to do shows with back in the day, and they're great and he's great, and it's just two shows. We were supposed to do a longer tour, but like, everything's so expensive now. I don't know how bands do it. Everybody must be rich or have parents or something, because I have no idea.
That's so cool that you're friends with them. I'm going to a show on the. Oh, is it the 25th? 24th? Yeah, he's playing Soda Bar, right?
He is. We were supposed to play that, but it's like we we have a release show the following month. It just didn't work out. I wish we could play that, but.
That's too bad. Yeah, I'm really excited for that show.
Yeah, they're a great band.
Yeah. Ever since I heard. Obviously Metz is great, but ever since I heard his solo stuff, I'm like, wow, this is it's like a little more poppy. It's just it's so good.
Yeah, I mean, I just I'm a huge Mets fan. So like, I knew I was gonna like it, but I was like, oh, wow. It's kind of like fuzzy and dreamy and yeah, you know, like, it's nice to see like these other sides of these people that you, you know, I'm like, I figured it was going to be like this really heavy project, but I'm like, oh, this is really beautiful.
Yeah.
So that's cool.
Are you going to be at that show? Obviously you're gonna be playing with them, so I guess there's really no need.
I think we're honestly like Playing like a secret show that night to try to, like, get the. Because we have to play on the. We're playing on the 25th with with them in LA. So we're just going to play somewhere in San Diego that nobody knows about and try to get the kinks worked out before we like, play in front of people that actually know who we are. You know.
That's a great plan.
Yeah, we usually do that. And it's always like more fun than actually playing those shows because it's like you're playing with bands that you should not be playing with, but you have no business playing with, you know?
Yeah. And you can have like a bunch of friends come out and stuff.
Yeah. So it should be good. So I won't be at that show. I wish, I, I wish I could, but I'll see him the next night and the next night.
Yeah. But yeah, I mean, a lot of people are really excited for this comeback that you guys have already read a couple articles, reviews of the singles you put out. So I guess, what more can you say about sort of your plans for the future of Mrs. Magician, and is there anything more in store, I guess, aside from a secret show to look forward to?
I mean, I think we're just kind of dipping our toes back in to see like what the reaction is or response. Because I, you know, I had talked to a few people that were trying to get us on like these really long tours. And I was like, yeah, dude, we cannot do that right now. We gotta like, because I mean, I don't even know if anybody's going to show up to these shows. It's always like in the back of my mind. So it's like, I, I'm just interested to see how these are going to go. Hopefully I think they're going to go fine. But like, I'm always just a little hesitant to like dive in super hardcore. So I mean, I don't know, we're taking it slow. Yeah. See like how this goes. I did put a lot of effort into making two stupid videos though.
It's a good idea to be just testing the waters a little bit, trying to, you know, sort of gear up and play some shows, seeing how it feels, especially with like, you know, you've played with some of these people before, but maybe not with the same combination of people at the same time. So I think it's a good approach.
It actually, like, I think all kind of comes down to just like availability. And, you know, it's hard to plan tours because everybody's just.
Oh, yeah.
I mean, gas is crazy, but just like people are just so busy nowadays. So it's and everybody kind of wants to help with this band here in town. So it's like everybody's like, oh, I'll be in it for this tour. I'll join in for this tour. So it's like, there's a lot of support here, but it's definitely like kind of like, okay, who can do it? When can we do it? And so I think this initial thing is like just seeing the response for these initial shows and the record when it comes out. And then maybe we'll plan like a bigger, a bigger tour or go to, you know, play East coast again or something, you know.
That'd be cool.
Yeah. I mean, I do miss playing like out in, you know, because we've done so many runs up the coast. I'd like to go back to the East Coast and explore the Midwest again.
Do you have like a favorite venue that you've played? That's not in San Diego.
Oh, yeah. Lots. I think there's a spot called the Bottle Tree in Birmingham, Alabama, that was owned by the drummer of Man or Astro Man. And that place was like all the bands. When you play there, you could sleep in these trailers. They give you socks, they give you Q-tips they like. It was just a great venue. And then like when we played the guy, the drummer from Man or Astro Man was like, hey, come back to my house. And you guys could all get food and take showers and stuff. And he had this shower with like ten shower heads. And that's just like what sticks out in my mind. I feel like that's like, like that venue is so cool, but I think they shut that place down. And, and bottom of the hill in San Francisco is like my all time favorite place to play outside. We, we played there like five times and it's always great, you know?
Yeah. Do you okay, so now you know, your favorite San Diego venue to play at. And then I'm also curious, your favorite San Diego venue to see a show at if they're not the same.
Well, I have like, I'm always going to have allegiance to Soda Bar because the owner of Soda Bar played in every Mrs. Magician record. And then Tommy does sound there. So I just love everybody there. And then our drummer, drew now is like part owner of Soda bar. So we've just kind of like that place is like infused, like with Mrs. Magician, we're kind of like, you know, ensconced or whatever. But dusty, who did all the artwork for our records, all the artwork at Soda Bar is, is his. So I just feel like that's like part of us, but that's my favorite place, I think to, to see a show. And I love everybody there, but to to play, I really like playing at I like playing at the Belly Up Tavern.
It's a great spot.
I've always liked playing Soma, but I mean, I haven't been there in forever. It feels like no place is weird. I did like playing there though. Good sound.
It is a little weird. That's good to hear that the sound is good.
So much has changed. Like a lot. There's like where it is now used to be in a different location then before that it was in a different location, but it's all, it's always been like the sound has always been good there, but it's just had a weird, it's just a weird place. I do like it. I'm not talking smack, but yeah.
Weird in a good way.
Yeah.
That's so cool. And I never knew that about Soda Bar.
Yeah. Soda is like special for us. And there's a lot of Mrs. Magician posters all over. When you go there, you'll notice you'll see them and maybe it'll, it'll all the puzzle pieces will start to.
Yeah. I'll have to check it out again.
Yeah. It's great to see what they, what they turned it into, you know, because it was like a little dive and then they just really built it up. And Corey's an amazing book, a booker, you know. So it's just been rad to see it grow over the years.
And it's insane. Like the difference a good booker can make for sure.
And he's like, he's just a good they're all just good people. It's just a good spot. And they're all good dudes.
Awesome. I'm really glad to hear that.
