Today we’d like to introduce you to Morgan McRae.
Hi Morgan, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
It’s been about ten years since HEADPHONE first came together. It started with a bunch of us just wanting to make music that felt good, loud, emotional, and real. Over time, the project grew, the songs evolved, and we found our sound. We’ve been lucky to see our audience grow with us. Lately, the energy at shows has been wild, people singing along, coming back again and again. That kind of connection is everything. It’s the reason we keep pushing.
Since 2020, we’ve really dialed in our writing process. What used to take forever now flows way faster, without losing the spark. That’s opened the door to releasing music more consistently and keeping momentum going without burning out.
A big moment for us was working with Grammy winning producer Dave Schiffman on our latest album, *A Spark Blown Out A Window.* He’s worked with some heavy hitters, and he pushed us to expand sonically while still sounding like ourselves. That record represents a real step forward for us and it’s streaming everywhere now.
We’re not slowing down. The new songs are hitting harder, and we’ve got a lot more coming. It feels like we’re just getting started.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Has it been a smooth road? Not even close. But we never expected it to be.
We started HEADPHONE because we needed to. It was not about chasing success or building a brand. It was about making music that felt honest. Over time, our sound started to take shape, and it became clear that the differences between us, musically and personally, were the core of what made it work. Everyone brings a different perspective, and somehow it all clicks when we give it the time to grow. The best stuff comes fast, almost like it writes itself. But getting to that point takes a lot of patience and trust.
There has never been a question about whether to keep going. This band is woven into our lives. Where we live, how we work, how we spend our time, it all orbits around this. We are not doing it halfway.
Playing shows has always been the reward. Getting paid is nice, but it has never been the goal. What sticks with us is the feeling of a room locked in with what we are doing. That kind of energy is hard to explain, but if you have felt it, you know. We have played packed clubs and strange DIY spots. One of the best shows we ever played was in what looked like a tire shop in San Antonio. Well, it WAS a tire shop. We thought no one would show. It turned into a packed house and one of the most memorable nights of that run.
We played as a trio for a long time, and that gave us a strong foundation. Bringing in Nick Costa on guitar this past year changed everything. He brought something new that fit perfectly. The chemistry was immediate, and it felt like he had always been with us.
The hardest part now is just getting the music heard. You can put everything into a track (writing, recording, mixing), and it can still disappear if no one knows it is out there. So we have had to learn how to be visible, how to show people what we are doing without it feeling fake. It is not second nature to us, but we are figuring it out.
The music world is wide open now. That used to sound like a good thing, and in some ways it is. But it also means there is more noise than ever, and people are overwhelmed. Making something good is only half the battle. The rest is finding a way to guide people toward it.
But we are still here. And we are still pushing.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
HEADPHONE is a synth forward indie rock band that pushes at the edges of what rock music can be. After shows, people often tell us who we reminded them of, and it is always different. Sometimes it is Radiohead. Sometimes it is Tame Impala. Sometimes it is someone we have never even listened to. And they are all right. The influences are all over the place, and they slip into the songs whether we mean to or not.
What we aim for is music that feels cinematic but still grounded. There is a lot of space and texture in the sound, but it is always held together by the rhythm section. Darren Goldberg on bass and Phil Cullin on drums keep everything locked in so the guitars and synth can stretch out without losing the pulse. It keeps the songs alive. Lyrically, we lean into emotion and clarity. We want to say something that sticks. Based on the people we see coming back to shows again and again, something must be landing.
We are most proud of our latest record, *A Spark Blown Out A Window*. We made it with Grammy winning producer Dave Schiffman, and it is the closest we have come to capturing what we hear in our heads. He pushed us in the right ways, and the result is something we are proud to stand behind. It is streaming everywhere, and we sell it on vinyl at our shows.
When we write, we are not chasing trends. We are not trying to trick an algorithm. That might be a slower way to build an audience, but we are not interested in shortcuts. If we are not making something we love, then what is the point? Our hope is that the people who hear it feel that honesty and want to come along with us. That has been happening slowly and steadily, and we are grateful for every single person who shows up.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
San Diego is a special place to make music. We are not leaving. There is something about the mix of neighborhoods, the ocean, the desert close by. The whole vibe of the city gets into what we write. When you tour around the country, you hear people complain about where they live all the time. But not here. No one in San Diego stands around trashing the city. It feels like everyone knows they landed somewhere good, like they know a secret.
The music scene here is supportive. There is real talent, and people actually come out to shows. It still feels like a community. That is not easy to find.
If there is one challenge, it is that the genres that bring in the biggest crowds in town usually sit outside what we do. But that is not a complaint. There is still a real audience here for indie music, and we have played with plenty of bands that line up well with what we do. You can feel that it is growing. The demand is there. It just takes work. So we keep booking, keep building, and keep trying to make every show something people remember.
This city gives back what you put into it. And we are all in.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/headphoneband
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/headphonegram/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/headphonesound
- Twitter: https://x.com/headphonexxx
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@headphoneband
Image Credits
Nate Valenzuela
IG: n8valenz_photos
