Mind Equals Blown

Interview: Make Do And Mend

MEB Staffer Austin Gordon recently caught up with the guys of Make Do And Mend via email. Check out what they had to say about their latest EP Part And Parcel, as well as the resurgence of pop-punk, their new record with Rise, and more.

MEB: First off, how excited were ya’ll for your dates with Thursday? It must have been amazing playing with such legends.

Those shows were amazing. Thursday is an amazing group of guys and a true inspiration to us and countless other bands.

Let’s talk about Part and Parcel. What went into the process for selecting the songs from End Measured Mile to go on to this EP?

There were a few songs that were no-brainers, but a few that we decided to take chances on that we ended up being surprised by.

What do you guys hope to accomplish with the backing of a fairly major label like Rise Records?

Not sure if you’re using the term “major” as a characterization of the size or success of the label, but Rise is a completely independent label with three employees. With Rise we hope to do what all bands hope to do: bring our music and message to as many people who care to listen.

What kind of lyrical content can we expect to see on the new record? Are there any topics you guys haven’t covered yet that you want to cover?

This one’s going to be sadder than the last one, but perhaps not in as straightforward a fashion as some people might be accustomed to. I want to tackle all of the things that make me feel awful on a daily basis as well as all the things that make me happy. That’s going to take a few more records.

Now that we know you guys are soon to be in the process of creating the new record, what kind of elements might we expect to be on it? Heavier riffs? Slower songs? Or is it too soon to tell?

It’s going to be a rounder record for sure. There’s going to be some stuff that people might not be expecting, but hopefully they’re open to it.

Are there any songs you guys are most proud of? Like one of those kind of songs that ten years ago you never could have imagined being involved in creating?

This record has a few of those, which is pretty strange for us.

What are your opinions about the resurgence of pop-punk? Is it more of a movement or a lifestyle?

It is neither. It is a trend. And when the kids whom it’s made for outgrow it, it will go away. Just like all trends.

Do you think there is hope for the music industry we all live inside of? Do you think that the push of “real” music that we’ve been seeing over the past few years will eventually weed out the fake and generic music we see so much of today?

The Internet has permanently altered the musical landscape that we live in. I don’t think real/unreal music has as much to do with it as we may think. The music business/industry/whatever is in need of a paradigm shift. If honest music can help bring that about, then that rules.

What were the first bands to get you guys into this music and make you want to be playing in the kind of band you’re in now?

For me it was bands like AFI and The Movielife - bands that brought raw emotion and honesty to their music unlike anything I’ve ever heard before.

Recognizing that bands like you and many others are doing something real and different in the music industry, when did it become surreal that the impact is finally being made; that people are finally seeing the passion and devotion found in your music, as something we can all relate to?

It’s hard to have a birds eye view to that sort of thing, but whether people are finding truth in our music or not, I hope that they can find it somewhere. I hope they seek it out.

Lastly, with the mindset that there are beacons of light floating around in the vast sea of genericore, what should the next step be for all of the bands and musicians that are wanting to do something different? Any words of advice?

In my humble opinion, no matter what a band sounds like, if they are working to be true to no one but themselves they will inherently create something completely original. If every band did things with that in mind, I think we’d be in a much better spot.