Born in 2016 in the heart of central New Jersey, Jake Foy, Joe “Dim” Wolstenholme, and Jaime Parker defy convention by swapping instruments—bass, drums, guitar, and keyboards—with an effortless fluidity. Fueled by their collective curiosity, Alpha Rabbit blurs genre lines to create a soundscape that’s equal parts vibrant, introspective, and wildly fun. Each member’s unique style weaves into the mix, forming a musical tapestry that’s as unpredictable as it is captivating.
"Temperatures" has been in the works since the band's inception in 2016. Can you walk us through the journey of how this song evolved from fragments to a fully realized track? What challenges or breakthroughs defined the process?"
Jake: Temperatures is almost ten years in the making. Jaime had a demo of the song before the band was formed. Although it is one of our first songs, the band had difficulty getting it to gel after attempting several iterations.
Jaime: When the band started, I had the first few lines and corresponding melody written. At the time, I was hungry to find bandmates who were eager to play, so I recorded a demo of the song in my basement using GarageBand and posted it on Bandcamp. I wanted an example to show other musicians the kind of stuff I was writing. The version I recorded was very dreamy and spacey. Some of the lyrics I used were pretty silly. There were nerdy lines containing references to Star Trek and Star Wars. I knew the song wasn’t finished, but I was hopeful that posting that fragment would help me find the right bandmates. A few weeks later, Jake, Dim, and I met up to play music together, and we’ve been playing together since.
Dim: We would pull Temperatures out every couple of years, until finally we decided to do a refinish of the whole thing. Jake suggested we do a Phil Spector sort of girl group arrangement, and I had a guitar lick that paired perfectly with it. The song took off from there and never came back.
The music video for the song explores an interstellar love story. How did Tony and Sara from DIWhy? bring this vision to life, and what was the experience of filming the video like for the band?"
Jaime: First off, Tony and Sara and the DIWhy? crew built a spaceship. Holy crap. They get a standing ovation for that. While the exterior of the craft is their CGI expertise, the interior is completely made of found objects that they painted and arranged to look like something from a major motion picture. Really, being in the craft they built was magical. It was very hot when we filmed it, so we had to keep taking breaks and wiping away sweat. But the result was totally worth all the hard work.
Jake: We have collaborated with DIWHY? on so many projects. They have done our music videos, album covers, and even a bunch of our show flyers. When we told Tony and Sara that we wanted to release Temperatures as our second single, they came back with this fantastic space idea. At first, they didn’t even have a role for me! So I politely suggested that they write me in as Jaime’s “hologram music dude” while she is on her space journey. DIWHY? turned that concept into a comical reality!
Dim: We had absolutely no idea what our real parts were when we arrived to shoot. We only had a vague notion of the overall story, but the whimsical chaos of the production really comes across with authenticity, which is important to the band. We are always shocked to see the final product after living through the shoot!
Your music has been described as a mix of genres, and "Temperatures" combines the influence of The Ronettes with the energy of a Springsteen anthem. How do you balance these diverse styles to create a cohesive sound, and how did this approach shape the song?"
Jaime: For Temperatures to really come to life, we needed to learn each other’s styles and how to fully trust each other musically. The version we recorded on Let it Grow still has a bit of the spacey quality that I lean toward, but it also incorporates Jake’s ability to channel the “wall of sound” influences. Dim helped fine-tune and add the right lyrics and inspiring hooks, and he arranged the piece so it felt complete.”
Jake: The song simply worked well when we dug into the sounds we all grew up with. Dim nails a Clarence Clemmons-esq solo on guitar, the harmonies swell, and the arrangement was so fun for us to write and record. We took lots of liberties in the production.
Dim: The band has so many diverse influences. Our musical influences are a huge part of our discourse after all these years. We all still introduce and expose each other to new music and styles. When we align on a theme or direction, we come together effortlessly in the studio. Our collaborative attitude is one of the band’s strengths.
The band has a unique dynamic, with members swapping instruments and blending different styles. How has this versatility influenced your sound and songwriting process, particularly on your new album, Let It Grow?"
Dim: The band discussed really trying to stretch ourselves and branch out on this album. We wanted to make a record that we ourselves would love to hear.
Jaime: On Let it Grow, we let ourselves off the leash. In previous albums, we tried to create the sound you would get if you came to see us play live. For Let it Grow, we just said “full speed ahead." If we wanted to add an instrument or layers that we were unable to replicate live, we went ahead and recorded it anyway. In the live version of this song, Jake plays drums and sleigh bells while playing keyboard (which is still a lot), I play bass, and Dim plays guitar. In the studio version, Jake plays drums, piano, keyboard, and hand percussion; I play bass, hand percussion, and accordion; and Dim plays multiple tracks of guitar.
Jake: Once we got past even caring whether we could reproduce it all live with just the three of us, we were able to bring the songs on Let It Grow to a great place. It is a bigger production than our prior records, but we still pulled it off ourselves. The band is fortunate that we can play so many instruments! This recording, in turn, pushed us to include more in our live performances. We now are incorporating songs where Jaime or I play keyboards and drums at the same time. Maybe Dim will be next?
Jaime: We also owe so much to Sean Glonek at SRG Studios. This is our second record with Sean. Not only is he our producer, but the band swears he manifested parts that we didn’t even play! He is, without doubt, the fourth member of Alpha Rabbit.
This song tackles the complex theme of wanting closeness while pushing others away. Why was this an important message for you to convey, and how do you hope listeners connect with it emotionally?"
Jaime: Humans are confusing. We do things that don’t make sense. We get in our own way. All the time. We are an imperfect species. But if we embrace our own imperfections, maybe it can be easier to forgive the imperfections of others. That is a necessary step to harmonious living. And who doesn’t want that?”
Dim: The new album is a love story. And this song is the scene where the lovers have to let go. The band has all been through relationships, platonic and otherwise, that ended up toxic. Or strained, or for whatever reason, you have to say goodbye. It is not always clear if separation is the right answer, and that is okay. This track documents the struggle, for better or worse.
What's next for you in 2025?
Jaime: In 2025, we plan to record another album." It will contain songs about the human condition that we are currently working on.
Jake: I am ready for us to record a new album! Write more songs. Maybe learn the French horn.
Dim: I am excited about our new material. We are just starting to get it out at our live shows. That is always a good step in our refining process. Cheers!
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