The Lonely Suns is the long-standing musical project of Dan Harris. Based out in the desert of San Jacinto in Southern California but originally hailing from Long Beach, CA, The Lonely Suns specialise in retro-leaning garage rock but have been known to put a punk, alternative, indie, bluesy or even folky spin on things from time to time.
Their debut album, 99-25, has been in gestation for decades and is finally out this Friday, the 4th of July, via Black Rainbow Collective. We caught up with Dan to talk us through it.
Kinda Grizzly: So Dan, 99-25. Were these songs all written within that time period? From 1999 to 2025?
The Lonely Suns: I’m glad you asked me that because the answer is no way, hahaha! I’ve kept a lot of my early works off the internet for good reason! No, these songs were mostly written from about 2010 onwards, but 1999-2025 covers the period of time that I’ve been making music.
KG: OK, but still, 26 years?! Why did this album take so long?! LOL.
TLS: I guess I just spent a long time either being excited about making music, to then wanting to make a career out of it, and then on to the final phase, which is being sad that I didn’t do more and sooner.
KG: Well, we think it was certainly worth the time, the effort and the journey. The record is an absolute ripper. Why do you think it has finally happened now?
TLS: About 5 years ago, I decided that drinking had taken over my life, and I was near death because of it. I managed to get myself sober, and as I began to rebuild, I found that I had regained some of the love I had lost for music, both in writing and in the technical aspects of it. I started repairing guitars for people in need and giving them away, which led me eventually to wanting to record music again, and mostly, for the first time. I had rekindled that passion inside of me that I had when I was 17 or 18, so it all felt very good and real to me. Fast forward to my demos of over 200 songs, and here we are!
KG: And now that you’re there and it’s all committed to tape and it’s in the can, what would you say are your favourite moments from it?
TLS: It’s hard not to mention every song because almost every song was a labor of love in the end. Probably the things I’m most proud of at this point are the transitions from song to song and the finale of the album “If But When”.
KG: Yeah, that’s fair; there certainly are a lot of highlights, and the way the album flows is spectacular. You can tell that an immense amount of thought has gone into it. We fell in love with Glass Jaw the instant we first heard it; that was the tune that ensnared us.
TLS: Well, although I love Glass Jaw and Wreckless very much, as well as my other single, Impulsive Breathing, a lot of those were a rush to get something online. I don’t know; I just had a feeling I needed to be trying harder to get my music out. I wanted to re-record them to do justice to them, to give them the attention and respect that they really deserved and lacked the first time around.
KG: The new versions are very interesting. The album version of Glass Jaw is just as good as the old one, and we would not have believed that was possible. And Reckless is such a different vibe from Wreckless despite being the same song!
TLS: I just hope that people will enjoy the album version as much as the original because, as far as the effort, the newer tracks have a lot more invested in them. I’m just glad they hold a candle!
KG: We know this is tough, but if you had to narrow it down and summarise, what would you say has been your biggest influence in crafting these songs? Let’s say the top 3 influences. Musically… We can move on to other factors afterwards…
TLS: Top 3 is always hard, but if I’m going to point to 3 artists, it would probably be Pedro The Lion; I love their new record Modesto as much as I ever loved any album they made. Then I would say Jack White, based on his career and all the ways he has been able to move freely within music. Just based on his abilities and what he’s achieved as a pioneering DIY musician. And then, lastly, I would probably say James Murphy from LCD Soundsystem. Based on some of the same criteria. He’s just a major hero of mine in terms of his approach and execution to making music.
KG: Three great picks. Two of those resonate particularly hard with us. Jack White is a massive hero of ours. I feel like there’s nothing that Third Man Records can’t do. He’s like the Willy Wonka of rock’ n roll.
TLS: I really enjoyed watching Jack become the artist he is today, just from afar. I was a fan of The White Stripes in general, particularly the early albums because Jack was very into keeping the Detroit garage scene alive with bands like The Gories, etc. I remember I saw a documentary about the new garage movement way back when that had some of my favourite artists still today on it – acts like Ty Segall, Thee Oh Sees, and a lot of bands from Goner Records. I admire those bands and that label so much, and it was a great metric for what was happening. It’s by Noisey, the documentary. It’s fantastic and all available online for anyone who wants to know more about modern garage rock.
KG: I must say I’m surprised that your 3 picks, given the sound of a lot of your stuff, are all so modern! How about a Top 3 from yesteryear, too? Lucky you, 3 becomes 6! Double or nothing!
TLS: For some older stuff, I have a huge plethora of styles I admire and look up to, so I’ll just give you my rock heroes: Iggy, Lennon, and Bowie. Those are my big three on most days that end with Y.
KG: OK, fair. Also, super solid choices. All legends. And what other things would you say have shaped these songs outside of musical influences?
TLS: Well, I have always been inspired by an amazing score or a soundtrack. I especially love ones that have introduced me to bands or songs I didn’t know before. Guy Ritchie has been a big influence, as have Wes Anderson and obviously Scorsese. These directors really capture the mood with a song, and all three aren’t afraid to dust off something that they feel needs revisiting or something that they feel deserves more respect, and I love that. I like to do the same with my style because I feel like the classics only lose their appeal for a little while, and then they come back around, back in fashion or vogue or whatever. Good style is eternal, you know? I’m also inspired a lot by the political climate right now. I see things every day that concern me, and that makes me want to stand up and fight. I’m sure a lot of Americans and people in general feel this way these days.
KG: Yeah, the world we live in is certainly a tricky one. A lot of moving parts, some more shitty than others. It sounds like a record steeped in many different emotions, thoughts, and feelings.
TLS: Yeah, I definitely feel like I put the kitchen sink into this record. I have a lot of sounds from my life that I’ve incorporated into it.
KG: What made you cover The Box Tops song on there?
TLS: Well, the year that song – The Letter – came out, my Mom was about a year away from having my older brother, and my dad was still in Vietnam. He was probably in the army hospital ward recovering from double malaria, or the M16 bullets that went through his thigh, or the mortars he was bombed with afterwards. My Mom and Dad weren’t together at this point, but he always told me this song was like a rallying cry for guys to get better and get home.
KG: Wow. That’s a lot. I’m glad I asked! And then you’ve got Sixteen Tons as the B-side to the Watch The City Burn single… What was the reason behind choosing that one?
TLS: I just really feel like these songs, regardless of the era, still have a lot to teach us. Sixteen Tons, for example, was written in 1946, post-World War 2 America. They would generally have felt like things were going well or looking up. But then you have this song from the perspective of a man who works himself to death just so the company that employs him can keep chugging along and profiteering. Again, it’s a kind of metaphor and a parable for what is happening today.
KG: Good reasoning. You certainly put your own distinct touch on both of those songs. Any other cover versions we can look forward to in the future?
TLS: Yes, there should be another one at some point. Gonna have a different feel. Might do something a bit more trendy and modern because I love to have fun with our cover songs as well. It’s gonna be a fun one, I’ll just say that.
KG: Sounds intriguing! Is it gonna be Ice Spice or something?! Don’t answer that, LOL. Going back to the album, what made you release two versions of it? The standard version and the Helios/Apollo version? Not that we’re complaining – it’s an awesome idea – but where did it come from?
TLS: I always imagined this record in two parts, maybe not stylistically, but definitely to be taken in sections. So when I was designing the a-side and b-side of the album, I wanted them to flow like a movement. It made the most sense to me to split the movements up and to name them after the two most prominent Gods of the sun, for Greeks and Romans. Each represents a different version of the same idea. And I feel like that’s what my music can do, hopefully. To tickle a nerve with something that was made with love and thought and was respectful to its predecessors.
KG: I see. And for the gear nerds out there – like us – can you talk us through some of the equipment and processes that you used for the recording?
TLS: I’ve collected a handful of good guitars and a few bad ones, and I like to make use of them where I can. This record mostly has my Mexican Fender Strat and my EMG Telecaster style model, made by Eart from China. I also play some acoustic on my Takamine G series, and I run all my effects through my fantastic FX100 pedal by Flamma. I also play my ’90s Squier Tele quite a bit on there as well.
KG: How about the artwork – where did the idea for that come from?
TLS: I have always been into planetary systems and celestial bodies, and this is just yet another way for me to put my nerdiness on full display for the world.
KG: Ha! Love it. Relatable. Going back to albums as a whole, there have definitely been some classic albums over the years that just work best when consumed as a whole thing, front to back. We’re very much album people here at Kinda Grizzly. Records like Dark Side Of The Moon, 808s & Heartbreak, Original Pirate Material, Good News For People Who Love Bad News, and basically all of Kendrick Lamar’s discography immediately spring to mind when thinking about whole works of art…
TLS: You mention Kendrick. So much about what he does makes me so happy for California and for music in general. I absolutely loved GNX when it came out, and I was following along with the whole rollout. I’m a huge fan of his anyway and have been for many years, but my sister has lived in Compton for most of my life. My family was all brought up in Compton, and I was raised in Long Beach, so it all feels very much like home to me. Inspiring on a lot of levels. Any artist should look at his work and feel like they need to work harder and do better.
KG: Yeah, he’s basically a living legend. He transcends the hip-hop genre, really. And yeah, his discography is ridiculously accomplished.
TLS: Absolutely. Going back to your original question, I would love to point to some other records, but you listed some great examples… Other ones that I immediately thought of, Tool springs to mind, for their prog epics, which I’ve always enjoyed. Some of the King Gizzard stuff is really great for long listens. I’m a sucker for a musical, and I adore West Side Story, Rocky Horror Picture Show and Hedwig And The Angry Inch for many reasons. Like I said before, I am very much into scores and soundtrack arranging, so I’m inspired a lot by Johnny Greenwood’s work on soundtracks, and Mark Mothersbaugh. These aren’t albums per se, but they are just as important for me and rank very high.
KG: And now your album ranks alongside them – what a time to be alive! Let’s not get started on musicals, though, coz we could be here all day, LOL. So, we couldn’t help but notice that the album definitely has a consistent sonic identity – the whole thing feels very much like The Lonely Suns – but there are also a couple of curveball moments in the form of the tender Be Mine Always and the quite ragged but rather charming acoustic-based You Never Know. It feels like you have many more stylistic options in you as a songwriter…
TLS: I am inspired by a lot of genres, and there are lots of artists I’d love to work with and collaborate with, but as far as my own work, I have songs that span all genres, pretty much. I’ve remixed Kendrick Lamar songs, I have straight punk and hardcore songs, and I’ve written metal riffs. I think it’s pretty safe to say that there’s a lot more variety coming from The Lonely Suns, not to mention my newest side project, Indie Anna Jones. That should have a single pretty soon, and that’s going to take things in a new direction as well.
KG: We’ll definitely keep our eyes and ears peeled for that. Are there any artists around at the moment that you think we should also be on the lookout for?
TLS: Yeah, there are some great people at The BRC to check out for sure. Ryan Gecko does this amazing improv electronic stuff – he’s worth looking at on Instagram. theCrates make rootsy rocky music and have an album coming soon. Stubai, from Australia, makes some fantastic indie rock. I also really like some of the new garage and punk scene emerging in my SoCal area as well. Lots of fun bands to watch and dance to.
KG: Yeah, the BRC is the gift that keeps on giving. Those guys are cooking with gas at the moment.
TLS: Oh, definitely. The only problem I have with The BRC right now is that I am too far away from them. I’m filled with regret that I wasn’t able to make their live show recently. It was the first one ever, and I missed it because I was on the other side of the stupid world. I’m sure there’ll be more, but I was sad to miss it. But otherwise, I spend my time listening to their podcast, The Spark, and can’t wait for what’s coming next from them… Possibly some physical releases at some point? That’s the rumour anyway!
KG: Always interesting things going on over at The BRC! You also mentioned the local SoCal scene. Who, in particular, is exciting you these days?
TLS: There are a lot of great rock and roll bands and punk bands where I live out in San Jacinto now. But as far as the greater LA area, I really love what Ron Gallo is doing. Ty Segall is always putting out great work.
KG: We really enjoyed the California-themed playlist that you compiled recently.
TLS: Yeah, I just felt like with my song Watch The City Burn and everything happening, it was a good time to try and rally some of these bands together behind something that matters. There’s always a reason to stand up and make your voice heard; sometimes, you just have to take a deep breath and decide that your voice is worth hearing. There are so many people being illegally displaced in America right now, and we are all becoming victims of the government and the games they play with each other and with foreign entities. America is supposed to always be a place of freedom and welcome first, and as that illusion starts to dissolve, you see more and more Americans deciding to stand up. It’s a difficult time, and making art is sometimes all we can do not to explode.
KG: Absolutely. We echo those sentiments entirely. Going back to live music… What about yourself? Can people expect to see The Lonely Suns performing live at any point? I get that you’re a one-man project, but you know, where there’s a will, there’s a way, right?! Hahaha. You could maybe do a Pedro the Lion?!
TLS: Absolutely, I would love to play some live shows in the near future. Nothing is booked yet, but stay tuned.
KG: Oooo, OK! Didn’t expect that? Have you performed live music much in the past?
TLS: Yeah, I’ve played a handful of shows going way back to 1999 when I played with my band in front of the high school. Most of the kids didn’t know Blink-182 from Creed, but they all seemed to enjoy our covers. After that, I mostly wrote with my best friend and co-writer, Jedd, and we did a few different projects and shows here and there, but never released any songs to the wider world. Although at some point, those songs may see the light of day. You never know!
KG: Sweet, sounds like something else to potentially look forward to! Well, thanks very much for your time, and we look forward to enjoying whatever comes next from you. We hope that the album is a success. God knows you deserve it!
TLS: Thank you for having me, and thank you for supporting indie music in all forms. It’s nice to be able to talk about rock music and even nicer to be able to talk about making music. So, thank you.
The Lonely Sun’s debut album, 99-25, is out this Friday.
Interview by Kinda Grizzly
