While many of us took time off from work and school during the holidays, Florida band, Morning Fatty, has been recording music for a new album. The reggae-funk band first played in Statesboro at Dingus Magee’s back in August. Since then, the band also played at Gnat’s Landing for its Halloween festivities.

Morning Fatty’s current members are vocalist Andrew White, drummer Tim Mulberry, bassist John Pop and guitarist Miller Joyner.

They reflected on their experience recording music for their new release and the people who have impacted them in the studio and onstage.

Q: Your band was recently in the studio. How was that process?

Pop: “We were out at Sonic Ranch Studios in El Paso, Texas…We did all the instrumentation [for the album] there…It’s the world’s largest residential recording studio. It sits on 3,600 acres…six different control rooms, five different villas for people to sleep. They have millions and millions of dollars worth of equipment there, a lot of vintage, real cool stuff that the pros use. It was kind of our [Morning Fatty’s] dream to get out to a studio like that.”

“We’re doing the vocals down in Miami at James Wizner’s studio and Jimmy Douglas’ studio [their producers’ studio].”

Q: What is the status of the album?

Pop: “We’re looking at an April release, called “Death to the Ego”…This album has a team of four producers who combined, have eight grammys between all of them…[Wizner] worked with Slightly Stoopid. Angela [Hunte] wrote the song. She was a songwriter for that Jay Z and Alicia Keys song “Empire State of Mind”.”

“She’s our vocal producer…we also have DJ Buddha. He’s the DJ for Pitbull, the rapper. Then, we have Jimmy Douglas…he’s done it all…Justin Timberlake, Jay Z, Flo Rida, Foreigner.”

Q:What themes or topics is the band exploring with the new album?

White: “Lyrically, we’re going into the realm of relationships and heartbreak with many of the songs. We really focused on conveying profound messages to our audience.”

Joyner: “We set out on a path to break down the ego directly, expose it for what is is and shed light within its darkest areas.”

Q: I saw that you lost a long time friend in 2016, Ed Waldick, who did the light show for Morning Fatty. Would you mind telling me how Waldick was an influence on the band?

Pop: “Our video on Youtube, the Gucci Man-Lemonade remix that we do, that’s his light show that he did. He’s been doing lasers and lights for 40 years. He was all into the Pink Floyd light shows, old school, stuff like that. As we got to know him over the past couple of years, he would always run our lights and he would pretty much do it for free.”

“We, right off the bat, were like, ‘Damn, this guy isn’t even asking for money. He just wants to have a good show. He just wants people to be entertained.’”

Mulberry: “We had a very basic light set up that we felt was sufficient. But after truly seeing the excellence that Ed created whenever he did his light shows with, we just had to add that element. Ed humbly took four young guys and showed us the ropes…we will never forget.”

Q: What did you do when you were not recording music for the album?

Pop: “We are pretty busy as far as some of us have families…we’ve just moved houses, so we’ve been putting time and energy into setting up our own little home studio over back in Gainesville. When we have time off, we try to spend it with our families, because we are away so much. It’s nice to actually be able to sit down and relax with them.”

Morning Fatty will be returning to Statesboro to play South City Tavern this Friday, Jan. 13, as part of a “Welcome Back Bash” hosted by Airbound Entertainment. Southern rock band The Vegabonds will kick off the night with their set at 9:30 p.m., while Morning Fatty will take the stage at 11:15 p.m. There is a $5 cover charge for the event.