Milwaukee alt/pop/rock band Gold Steps can’t stop, won’t stop. In the last few years the group has released a record on Revival Recordings, toured the U.S., played a metric ton of local shows (including a sweet Summerfest gig and the Milwaukee Record stage at Bay View Bash), racked up one million streams on Spotify, released an ear-worm single called “Undercover,” and released a pitch-perfect pop-punk cover of Taylor Swift’s “Blank Space.” Phew.
Oh, and singer Liz Mauritz is featured on a new single/video from Fayetteville, North Carolina band MKNLY! (Pro tip: It’s pronounced “McKinley.”) The song is called “The Terminal.” Here it is!
“MKNLY approached me on Instagram last fall to feature on the track, and it turned into a full collaboration,” Mauritz says. “Since then we’ve developed a cross-country friendship, filmed a music video that splices together footage shot in both North Carolina and Milwaukee, and we invited MKNLY up to play two single release shows in Milwaukee and Chicago.”
(Fun fact: The be more specific, the Milwaukee portion of the video was shot at the MKE Layton Avenue Observation Area. Stop by yourself and have a bite in sight of flight!)
About those release shows: The Milwaukee gig is set for Friday, January 26 at X-Ray Arcade, and the Chicago gig is set for Saturday, January 27 at Bottom Lounge. Be there.
As for the going-our-separate-ways sentiments behind the song, Mauritz explains:
“‘The Terminal’ is about the end stages of a deep relationship, one that’s been in turmoil for a while. It isn’t ending because of some big transgression or blowout, but has slowly fallen apart over time, as the couple has realized that neither is happy in the relationship. It’s incredibly personal to me, as I’ve been in that situation before. Two people can love each other deeply, but each person’s needs and goals don’t match up; careers, creative passions, timing or other factors get in the way. And as those incompatibilities build up, you fall out of love, or get to the point where you can’t do it anymore even if you still have love for each other. It’s okay to know when the relationship won’t work, mourn the loss, and give each other the space to move on. It’s painful, it’s hard, but it’s the best decision sometimes. Sometimes the greatest loves don’t last. Sometimes you have to let the one you love go, so they can find the partner they deserve.”
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