Peaches Interviews Matty Mullins of Memphis May Fire & Anberlin - 12/18/2024

Peaches chatted with Matty Mullins of Memphis May Fire & Anberlin - they talked about the upcoming Shapeshifters tour, balancing both bands, having his own BBQ page - Meaty Mullins, and more!

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The Artist Interrogations podcast. Hey, Luke. Sounds good. Can you hear me alright? Yeah.

It sounds great. Dude, I love that setup over there. My goodness. Oh, nice. I appreciate it.

Yeah. Thank you so much for joining me today, Matty. Really appreciate it. Yeah. Yeah.

I appreciate you having me. Yeah. Of course. I just had Mark Tremonti on the show yesterday. He's also a very busy guy just like yourself, you know, balancing all of his projects.

You got Memphis May Fire and Anne Berlin. But right now, are you all, like, sort of on a on a Christmas break? Not in the slightest. I just flew back in yesterday from a show with Amberlynn in Tampa, and then tomorrow I fly out for a show in Chicago with them. So it's, it's never ending.

Wow. Wow. I could only imagine. I was thinking about it because, I mean, with Christmas right around the corner a week from today and, you know, you you making the the big rock star money. Do people somewhat expect great gifts from you during the holidays, or do they just go, like, I won't ask much of him because he probably gets it all the time.

The nieces and nephews definitely have their expectations. That's for sure. Good. I'm glad. Yeah.

Well, Memphis Mayflower is gonna be at the complex in Salt Lake City, April 30th. You'll also be at the Tree Fort Music Hall on March 20th and with Amberlynn and then The Depot in Salt Lake City on 21st. I mean, balancing these two tours, is there any difference at all with how you prep for a show? Yeah. I would say, you know, Amberlynn has, has their different, like, style of rehearsal.

Obviously, I'm going down to Tampa to rehearse with them, whereas, you know, with Memphis, I'm here in Nashville. So slight slightly different, but at the end of the day, you know, we're both prepping to put on the best show we possibly can. So Absolutely. And how do you spend your time while traveling for both those tours? Like, is there always a Nintendo Switch on hand?

I can only imagine the long hours on the road for both bands. Yeah. You know, I've never been much of a gamer. I actually wish I would have gotten into gaming when I was younger because the whole, like, Twitch thing is so crazy now. But for me, you know, touring is a lot about I'm a big foodie, so touring is a lot about finding local food.

I try to avoid touristy places, and I try to just eat where the locals eat in each city, you know? And finding that kind of spot and enjoying it, getting to learn, you know, different, you know, cultures of food from every city is a lot of fun for me. That was the thing I was gonna bring up as I just found out literally right before this interview that you have this Instagram called Meaty Mullins, and I was looking at it, and I didn't realize that you also said in a previous interview too that you got your, you get your meats from this place called Snake River Farms over in Boise. And I didn't realize, like, that there was, like, oh, it's right here in Idaho that you get your meats from. For I do.

Yeah. Yeah. Big Snake River Farms fan. And, yeah, barbecue became a huge hobby and pastime for mine during the pandemic. I took it up as a hobby, and then I got obsessed with it and started that Instagram.

I don't have as much time these days to cook, but I do still love it, and I plan on getting back to it full time at some point. I was about to ask, man. Do do people depend on you for that Christmas dinner, that giant barbecue, like, ham or whatever, you know, that type of meal prep from the, you know, the Matty or the Meaty Mullins, I should say? Yeah. Definitely.

I mean, my family has definitely gotten accustomed to me, kind of bringing that level of heat to, family dinners and holiday dinners. So yeah. Oh, it was funny. I do have to I was gonna say too, when I saw you guys open up for Ask in Alexandria earlier earlier this year, I very rarely take my phone out during the show because I don't wanna be that guy. Because I'm already tall enough as it is, and I don't wanna, like, have my phone above and, like, block even more people.

So I the one time I recorded you guys on stage, you tripped over the mic cord at the Revolution concert house. And I was like, oh, there's that one video, and I put that in a little compilation. And I was like, I tagged you guys. I'm like, I'm hoping they don't get mad that I just put Maddie tripping on stage in the middle of everybody else performing. Oh, that's awesome.

I mean, we're always looking looking for the, the special moments, the ones that set others apart. So that's definitely it. Yeah. I did. I I could only imagine how clumsy I would be on stage because it's just it seems like a lot to move around, do the performing that you do.

I mean, cardio must be a huge part of prepping for anything. Like, especially with singing the way that you do with the clean vocals, the harsh vocals, and I'm sure the harsh vocals take a little bit more out of you. Right? Yeah. To some extent, you know, and, yeah, I mean, these days between Memphis touring and Amberlynn touring, the a lot of the cardio constantly being on the road and constantly singing.

And when I'm not home or, when I am home, I'm usually in the studio here, you know, and and recording vocals and stuff. So it's kind of just like a muscle that's constantly being worked out. Definitely. Definitely. When you I heard you in a previous interview talk to I forgot who exactly it was, but I've noticed that many rock and metal tracks being released lately are somehow tied to either Cody from Wage War or John from Point North.

And I've noticed that because I think you said Chaotic was produced by John in Point North. I mean, he's done a ton of tracks. We had him here in the studio with the band and he was chatting with me about how, like, he helped fall in reverse and, like, all these other bands and including your guys' Chaotic. I mean, John is definitely one of the nicest dudes out there. What's it like working with him on these tracks?

He's so rad. Yeah. I love that. I love that guy. We, he didn't produce the track.

We had written the chorus together. I was out in LA, and I just went over to a studio, and we sat down with an instrumental and just started kinda like riffing over it. And, we wrote that chorus together. It was a ton of fun, and he is a massive talent. I know for some people that know of him from Point North have no idea who he is behind the scenes, but he's definitely a big name in writing and recording and rock and just throughout the whole genre.

And Cody, the same way. You know, Cody is a really good friend of mine, and obviously, he and I are, like, neighbors. We live just right down the street from each other, and we hang out all the time. So during the pandemic, when I couldn't travel to write, I was like, Yo, do you want to try writing vocals together? And we did, and we were like, This is amazing.

It's so much better doing it with someone that you know and love and trust and hang out with so often. And so we just kinda kept going down that road, and it's been a huge blessing, man. I love him as a close, close friend, and I respect him as a writer, as a musician. So he feels like an essential part of the dream team for sure. He He definitely has that personality to where, like, when you talk to him for the very first time, it's almost like you're friends with him for years.

Like, every single time that I have interviewed the the the band as a whole, like, all 3 of those dudes are like, oh, hey. How's it going? How's everything been for you? And it's it's always great. Even even, Cody from Set It Off, those guys too.

All 3 of those guys, extremely nice people. And you wouldn't think that of, like, the rock and metal scene really. You think, like, these guys covered in tattoos about to be super mean and whatever. Yeah. No, man.

I I would say, like, in my experience, rock and metal artists are among some of the sweetest and most genuine people. It's kinda polar opposite of what you would expect it to be, you know? And so, yeah, those those are all you named all really great dudes for sure. Definitely. Definitely.

And whose whose idea was it to come up with that signature bleh in chaotic? Was that you? Was that John? Or because I love that bleh every single time I hear it, man. I don't remember.

It's not a chorus part, so it wouldn't have been John. It would have been me or Cody, while we were riding the rest of the top line for that song. So but, I mean, knowing Cody, kind of a kind of a king of the bless, it was probably him. Nice. Nice.

Yeah. With putting out singles for this, upcoming album, I believe there's 5 of them out so far? Yep. 5. 5.

And then you as a person, are you a fan of the singles approach or are you a fan of just dropping the whole album being like, here, enjoy this? Because I know, like, there for a little while there, I was looking at You Falling in Reverse and their their album that came out this year, they already had a whole bunch of songs out from that album. And then there's only, like, 4 new songs that nobody's ever heard of on that album. So yeah. Just so weird.

Yeah. It's true. You know, our previous album Remaiden Misery was the same way. By the time it came out, there's only 2 songs that hadn't been heard as singles. And I really do believe in that format for us.

I think there's a time and a place for everything. I would say in the hip hop, you know, like top tier, top 40 hip hop, you can kind of get away with dropping a whole album unannounced and it just being a hit. Right? As far as our fan base is concerned, I've just, you know, statistically from what we've seen, it makes more sense to give every single song its own lifespan, its own spotlight, you know, in in regards to DSP playlisting and things like that. So, I don't personally believe that albums have the same type of that they hold the same type of weight that they used to.

And so we are definitely a single focus band. At this point, I can't predict the future, but our last album, this one definitely as well is super single focused. Very nice. Yeah. No.

I heard you say, like, the last album was incredibly popular, and then now this album is looking to be even bigger. Is it that is it, like, that big, like, weight off your shoulders looking at it? Because after all these years of touring as a band, putting music out there that you're finally getting the recognition you guys deserve. Definitely. Yeah.

I mean, we're definitely as that's for sure. We have worked hard and swam against the current for our entire career. And so to be at a place when you know if you put something out, there's gonna be a certain amount of people that hear it, that is a great feeling, and we are so thankful. Never take for granted all of our listeners that give, you know, the art that we make a chance when we just so. Yeah.

As in I mean, it's crazy to me when I was thinking about it because I interviewed Cam and Sam in Asking Alexandria prior to that show over in Boise, And I remember seeing their shirts back in high school and I looked up, I'm like, how old are these guys? And I found out they're only a few years older than me. And I'm like, oh, okay. That's a little weird to think. Like, these guys have been doing it.

And I'm sure you've been, like, into music since, like, your teenage years as well. And it's it's to me, it's like, okay. I'm now reaching that age where I'm almost the same age as most popular rock stars. What am I doing different? Like, how can I be as successful as them in a way?

But Yeah. It's it's even it's far more depressing, looking at like NFL athletes and things like that, like 10 years younger than you are, and just extremely wealthy and successful. That's one that's like, woah. You know, you're 21 or 22 years old and just, like, making $17,000,000 a year. That thing is that's really crazy to look at.

Yeah. Even like that Juan So to that just signed with the Mets, 15 years, 700 and $65,000,000 and I think he is like 21 years old. And if it's the one sport that you think would be the safest, safest, it's definitely baseball. Football, it's hard. That's a tough, tough sport.

I played basketball my entire life and most people, it's real sad to see those people that are in the basketball world who are, you know, like, trying their hardest still to still be playing in college. They're, like, 25 years old and you're, like, dude, like, let's let's maybe go to accounting or something. Let's do something a little bit. Yeah. Make your money that way.

Yeah. It's tough. It's tough tough world out there. That's for sure. Definitely.

And I know it's I'm sure you've been writing music for quite a long time now. And the one thing I was going to ask, asking Alexandria when I was interviewing Cam and Sam from the band at the show, because I know there's been songs that they written when they were, like, 17 and they're, like, somewhat embarrassed now to be performing those songs because they feel completely differently because they've grown up. Have you, like, looked back at your older material and went, okay, Maybe we I'm I'm not really wanting to do this song live because I don't really like it anymore, or do you ever have that sense of, like, iffiness? Absolutely. Yeah.

Yeah. I, I don't know if there's any band that doesn't feel that way. You know, You have to it's a perspective thing. So if people say that they wanna hear a song from our first album, it's like really what they're saying at the at the root of that comment is like, I want you to make me feel the way that I felt the first time I heard that song. And so if a crowd or, you know, a listener is saying, I really want to hear this song, then you need to, as an artist, also put yourself back in the shoes of that kid that wrote that song and and enter back into that time frame with your listeners, you know?

And in that sense, it's really cool. And, you know, at the same time simultaneously as an artist, you are playing a song live for 15 years on tour for a couple 100 days out of the year, every single year, and you play that song a lot. You know, it's just, you gotta be careful with your perspective and and be and be grateful that somebody wants to hear that song, really. That's the only way to to be excited about that. Yeah.

We often say here on the air that, like, bands often put all their best music on the first album because it was years of build up, years of writing that. And then, you know, it slowly kinda goes into over time, like, when the band even gets more successful than other bands, like, they sort of lose that emotion into the music. And how do you keep those, like, emotions into songwriting? Like, how do you dig up those, like, maybe harsh feelings to come up with a song like Shapeshifter off the new album? I think that it's really easy to as you become more successful, to to want to hide the any kind of, like, raw things that you might be experiencing in life or insecurities, maybe something personal that you're going through.

Believe that, you know, once you have a platform like this, it is your responsibility to be honest and to be transparent because the reason people fell in love with your music is because of that rawness and transparency and honesty. And, it's a lie to believe that if you were put on a pedestal by somebody or some group of people that they are expecting you to be, without flaw. You know, I think that the things that connect us as human beings is the things that we all struggle with, the things that we're all going through. And and for a listener to understand that an artist is experiencing something similar to what they're experiencing in their own life can create an even deeper connection. So I would say, never stop being, you know, open and honest, and don't be afraid to be authentic in in what you're really actually going through in life because you're not alone in that no matter how successful you get.

Definitely. And then we saw a big time part of that with, unfortunately, Chris Cornell and Chester Bennington. And I'm glad now that we're more more open than ever when it comes to people's emotions and especially from, like, the dude side of things. Like, it is cool to see these songs being put out there, like, bands like your guys', and Bad Omens, and Sleep Token, you know, putting out relatable songs for the masses that people like, oh, okay. I'm not alone with this matter.

And, I was looking at the meaning of Shapeshifter, and I really liked that song because it's when you just hear it, you go, okay. This song is just really harsh. What's this all about? And then you think about it and you see the meaning. You go, oh, it's why that's why I love about the metal genre as a whole.

Yeah. Yeah. For sure. Yeah. And I've I've seen you know, any time I see an announcement from an artist saying that they're counts canceling a tour or, you know, taking an indefinite amount of time off or whatever specifically related to mental health, I always it's a huge breath of fresh air.

I know it's so disappointing to anybody who has planned to go see a band or to maybe plan travel around that and, like, all those things. Those are heavy, heavy weights that we hold as artists. Like, if I am not able to, stick with this commitment that I've made or this thing that I've announced, then the whole world falls apart. And it's like when it comes to your mental health, protecting that at all costs means that you're going to be able to be around for longer and play more shows and create more art and enjoy more moments with your listeners. And so, taking the time to say, listen, right now, I need to focus on me.

I don't feel like myself. I'm not feeling okay. I think that that is a hard thing to do and it's a very respectable thing to do. Definitely. I was talking about it on the air because we were planning on doing a ticket giveaway for the Ghost Inside for their North American tour and I did see they canceled the entire thing just because of fatigue over touring in Europe.

And it's like people don't necessarily realize all the the travel and planning you have to do in a band to force something like that. They just say, oh, you guys are skipping out on me now. I just lost a whole bunch of money or I'm getting the money back, but I I was so excited for the show. And it's like, there there will be future opportunities for sure. But it's just it's I do resonate big time with how, like, these bands when they cancel a tour, like, okay.

It's the definitely the travel, the whole thing. Like, they were just over a good majority of it, and they needed that nice break during the wintertime especially. Yeah. Absolutely. I mean, it's, it comes from time to time that you just hit a wall.

And, be feeling like your fan base gives you the ability to be honest about seasons like that is so, so valuable. Right. Well, thank you, Matty, again for joining me today. Big time. Appreciate it, man.

It's gonna be really cool to hear the full album. I mean, we've been playing, like, I think every single so far. I think every time I've seen a new single drop, I'm like, okay. Put it on the new music feature of we do we do this new music feature called It's So New at 5 PM, and I just play it and people have been enjoying every single track so far. So we're excited.

Awesome, man. Thank you so much for the support, and thank you for having me on today. The artist's interrogations podcast is a production of Riverbend Media Group. For more information or to contact the show, visit riverbendmediagroup.com.