INTERVIEW: MAYPINE — Music Musings & Such

INTERVIEW:

MAYPINE

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AS I type this…

the talented bodies of MAYPINE are traversing the U.K. and bringing their stunning brand of music to the masses. I have been afforded some time to ask the band about their forthcoming (out on 6th July) E.P., Bend/Break, and what we can expect from it.

They talk about their formation and what Brighton (where they are based) is like for music lovers and normal folk alike; what music/artists they vibe to; if there are any new acts we need to get out ears around; if they get any chance to relax away from music – they each choose a tune to end the interview with.

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Hi, guys. How are you? How has your week been?

Jase: Very well, thank you! How are you? It’s been a busy week this week. Our new single, Give, was premiered on the Radio 1 Rock Show by Daniel P. Carter! It’s been a dream for all of us for so long so, yeah, it’s been exciting!

Becky: Great, thanks! It’s been amazing to finally release a new song - feels like a long time coming!

Tommy: It's been great, thanks! Was at Teddy Rocks Festival seeing some of my favourite bands. Feeder and Ash were headlining - my two favourite bands of all time! I discovered so many cool bands, too.

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourselves, please?

Jase: We’re MAYPINE; we’re a five-piece Alt-Rock band based in Brighton. (F.F.O: Decade, Thrice and Lower Than Atlantis).

Bend/Break is your forthcoming E.P. Can you reveal the sort of themes and ideas that are explored throughout?

I had a very rough 2017: overcoming some hardships as a result of a house fire. It definitely took its toll on me, mentally. A lot of the pain and anguish and emotions that I felt at the time are explored on this E.P…

Becky: it’s been great to explore some new sounds to create different atmospheres on the E.P. I feel like these new songs have allowed us to experiment more, sonically, and to use Jase’s lyrics as inspiration.

Jase: Absolutely. We spent a long time tracking guitars for this record, messing about with effects pedals. Neil Kennedy is a wizard! I feel like the experimentation has paid off, though: these are definitely our most mature and developed songs. We’re all really proud of this record - and it’s been very therapeutic for me!

Tommy: We're not as moody in person as we are on record…

Is it true the E.P.’s title comes from American football parlance?

Jase: It is indeed! I’m a huge American Football fan (the sport, though; the band are cool, too). I even played a bit at university! Essentially, the term relates to the idea that a defence could give up a lot of yardage to the offence but, if they don’t allow the other team to score, they’ve bent but not broken.

As it relates to the record, it’s a metaphor for the strain that I was under for most of last year. Though I struggled mentally, I never gave in and I’m a much stronger person for having been through that experience.

This will be your debut E.P. – despite the fact you had an E.P. out there. Do you think your previous work is not a fair and appropriate representation of where you are and what you do?

Becky: I think it was an E.P. that did reflect us, musically, at the time, as we’ll always create music that’s authentic to us and what we believe in. However, I think, whilst touring that E.P. and growing in our musicianship and friendships with each other, we changed and developed so much as musicians and people - and I feel like Bend/Break is a reflection of that.

Tommy: I'm not shy about our previous work: it got us into shape to put out the record you'll hear in July, which we are all so very proud of.

How did MAYPINE get together? Is there a story behind the name, too?

Jase: Dan and I started writing together for another project. We knew each other from having played shows together as part of different bands. We found James and Becky on Join My Band (other sites are available…). I knew Tommy from an old band way back in the day!

Becky: My girlfriend and I came up with MAYPINE by putting random words together. We liked the idea of having an ambiguous name; one that didn’t tie us to one specific genre, to give us the room to be as creatively free as possible!

You are based in Brighton. Is it a perfect place for a band like MAYPINE? What are the best reasons to come down to Brighton?

There’s always something going in Brighton, especially when it comes to shows and music. I love how many friends we’ve made through the scene down here and how supportive everyone is - I think Brighton always has an awesome atmosphere and a buzz!

Jase: The variety of vegan food in Brighton is insane! Definitely, come to Purezza (vegan pizza) or Happy Maki (vegan sushi). The music scene, as Becky said, is great! There are so many cool venues like Concorde 2 and The Haunt, right down to the smaller venues like The Hope and Ruin, Sticky Mike’s Frog Bar; The Pipeline and Green Door Store!

There’s also a bunch of festivals like The Great Escape, The Alternative Escape and Washed Out Fest…so we’re a bit spoilt for choice here, to be sure! Shout-out to Sugar Free and Indigo Music for putting on such cool shows!

Tommy: The Brewdog bar…

Do you all share a taste in music - or is it quite diverse in the ranks?!

Jase: We’ve all got quite diverse music tastes. I watched a Trophy Eyes documentary about Chemical Miracle; how they all had diverse musical tastes that inspired the album and it definitely inspired me when writing Bend/Break. James and I are quite big Metal fans; Tommy has an eclectic taste ranging from Fightstar to Elliott Smith; Dan is a massive Blink-182 fan...

Becky: I love Pop and singer/songwriter stuff as well as some Indie-Rock which was what I’ve been listening to loads at the moment. At the time of writing the guitar parts for Bend/Break, I was listening to Julien Baker and Now Now a lot.

Where are you heading on tour? Where can we catch you?

Jase: We’re in Bristol on 12th May at Mothers Ruin and Guildford on 13th at The Star Inn with our mates, Evertim! We’ve got a bunch of shows in the pipeline, though, so watch this space…we can’t wait to get on the road and meet as many people as possible, though!

What do you hope to achieve in 2018?

Becky: We’re always striving to play to as many people as possible and share our music with as many people as possible. We always hope that people will connect with our songs and that it takes us to places we’ve never been before!

Have you each got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

Jase: Definitely, playing The Haunt recently with Silverstein. That was incredible! It was an honour to open for a band as prestigious as them (and they’re all super-nice!). I’m looking forward to making new memories with my best friends on the road!

Tommy: Definitely, the show with Silverstein! I remember listening to their song, Smile in Your Sleep, on-repeat as a kid. I also remember supporting Fickle Friends with Jason back in 2012 or 2013. They were just starting out but absolutely blew me away!

If you could support any musician alive today, and choose your own rider, what would that entail?

Jase: For me, it’d be The Wonder Years! As for a rider...we’re quite low-key: I guess, we’d just like some water - and some vegan snacks for me!

Tommy: Jimmy Eat World. I need to give Jim Adkins a hug and tell him that everything is ok. Best lyricist alive today.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Jase: Enjoy it! Make music you love with people that you love. It can be tough to be in a band at the best of times, so those two things are important!

Tommy: Fresh strings and tuner pedals. I've been through far too many guitars/basses over the years and I've finally learnt to treat them right!

Jase: Tommy always bleeds all over his bass! I’m not so sure that’s taking care of it, but hey ho!

IN THIS PHOTO: Evertim/PHOTO CREDIT: Gingerdope Photography

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Jase: Evertim! Or, if you like heavier music, Tempest! Both are local bands doing big things right now (R.I.P. Idle Shores).

Tommy: I recently discovered Lizzy Farrall. She's wonderful.

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

Jase: We all work full-time around our music so we’re always pretty busy! Spending time with family and friends is important for all of us! We’re all so passionate about music that it even seeps into our free time! We all go to gigs whenever we can!

Finally, and for being good sports; you can each choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Jase: Pyramids of Salt - The Wonder Years, please!