The Funeral Portrait’s Lee Jennings Celebrates New Record

“It’s more of a feeling than it is a place.”

The Funeral Portrait’s Lee Jennings joined Loudwire Nights on Thursday to discuss the band’s upcoming album, Greetings From Suffocate City, and unpacked what Suffocate City is exactly.

“It’s kind of like a heaven or nirvana or, like, even almost a purgatory for people who don’t ‘fit in’ or feel like they belong on this earth,” Jennings explained to host Chuck Armstrong about the concept, which just so happens to also be a song on the album.

“They have a place where everyone can go and get along and just be them — and that’s such an important thing for us.”

Jennings admitted this idea of Suffocate City being a safe haven of sorts was something that was quite personal for him.

“I didn’t have that spot,” he said as he reflected on his experience growing up. “I didn’t have those people.”

He eventually found his own Suffocate City thanks to connecting with fans at local shows and finding a small concert venue in his hometown.

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“I had friends, but then I would go to school and get made fun of because I’m like six-foot-four and I like to sing and dance and act,” Jennings said.

“Even though I’m like a big dude, I was a theater dork, and so it was one of those things when we were working on the record — all of the songs are about the thing of fitting in or being you for once.”

What Else Did the Funeral Portrait’s Lee Jennings Discuss on Loudwire Nights?

• What it was like writing “Suffocate City” with his bandmates via Zoom
• How he connected with Spencer Charnas of Ice Nine Kills and eventually got him to sing on “Suffocate City”
• Why he enjoys looking back as much as he enjoys focusing on the future of the Funeral Portrait

Listen to the Full Interview in the Podcast Player Below

Lee Jennings joined Loudwire Nights on Thursday, Aug. 8; the show replays online here, and you can tune in live every weeknight at 7PM ET or on the Loudwire app; you can also see if the show is available on your local radio station and listen to interviews on-demand.