The best song with “saddle” in the title to ever come out of New England is (obviously) Aerosmith’s roughhousing rodeo, “Back In The Saddle.” But galloping dangerously close behind the bad boys of Boston is Megan From Work, who released their new single “Back On The Saddle” earlier this week (June 25). Roughly one month after their Boston Calling performance on the Orange Stage, the Manchester band has ponied up another soft punk earworm that reveals a sliver of frontperson Megan Simon’s backstory.
“This song was inspired by my time living in Los Angeles, where despite being very unstable and having a rocky sense of purpose and direction, I had a great group of friends to rally for,” they shared on Instagram.
It’s a group of people that would would witness the last portion of Simon’s career as a — record scratch — improv, sketch, and musical comedian. Because before they was one of New Hampshire’s most promising rock acts, they were performing for laughs, first in their hometown of Austin, Texas, and then in Los Angeles.
It’s a path that Simon would pursue from 2010 to 2018. After two and a half years in California, though, they were through with funny business.
“At the start of 2018, I had burned out on comedy and began wanting to write straight songs,” Simon tells Vanyaland. “I got connected with someone in New Hampshire (George Barber) to record and produce an album with his friend (Andrew Johnson) at a home studio in Brookline, New Hampshire. We recorded in September of 2018 for a project that went on to become my first band, Bad Sandy.”
“I visited New Hampshire the next month to go on a tour with George, and on that trip, I asked if I could move out to New Hampshire to do the band thing full time,” they add. “I was packed and moved by the beginning of December 2018, ha! But that two and a half years in California was as grueling as it was instrumental to who I am and the people I hold close today.”
Tune in below.