INTERVIEW / SHAYNE GRAY
PHOTO / MATT FARIES

The Inner Party is a band based out of Fayetteville. It’s the creative relationship between singer & guitarist Keith Miller and bassist Dave Morris. They’ve been together since 2007. They have a new 16 track album recorded at Fuse Recording Studio in Lincoln, Nebraska entitled “The Inner Party Makes A Mess.” Matty Sanders produced, engineered and played drums for many songs. The live band includes Jimmy Holloway on guitar and Derek Faires on drums. Their name is from George Orwell’s book 1984 where society is split into the Inner Party, the Outer Party and the proles. We caught up with Dave Morris of The Inner Party to discuss their new album.

When did The Inner Party start and who writes the songs?

Keith and I started playing together in 1999.  He was in a band called the Proles and 8 years later we started up The Inner Party. Keith and I write the songs. We do have some co-writes but most are written by just him or me.

What inspires you to create art?

Keith is a visual artist. Outside the band he writes and records songs all the time and has written about 200 songs. Jimmy gets something out of playing live he just can’t get anywhere else and I feel the same. For me a lot of it is about documentation and I don’t want to be one of those older guys who talks about music but has nothing to show for it.

What are some challenges and benefits of being a band based in Fayetteville, Arkansas?
It’s close to several other big cities and it’s a brutal musical environment that forces you to be tough. That being said, there are some great bands and people here. In particular we’ve been very proud and lucky to have the support of 3B Radio and the Fayetteville Flyer.

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This album is a professional quality record. The sound is thick, crisp and has a great tone. It’s catchy with an Anglo power-pop post-punk feel. The vocals are commanding and possessed. My favorite songs are “Blast Off,” “When the Zombies Come,” “Walt Disney” and “Minimum Wage.” You will dig The Inner Party it if you’re into artists such as Bad Religion, Bauhaus, The Pixies, The Clash, The Cure and The Ramones. The new album was released March 3, 2015 on iTunes. They’ve previously released 2 EPs, 2 Singles, and a collection of demos.

VISIT: theinnerparty.com