Interview with Mesmere

Interview with Mesmere – by Beckylou in Sydney

Mesmere is a five-piece band from Brisbane, Australia. Their sound? Progressive rock infused with experimental jazz foundations and a slight dramatic glitter. Influences such as Jeff Buckley, The Mars Volta, Tori Amos, and Pink Floyd, as well as their own in-depth thought processes make up the basis of an ever growing, and changing sound. Maryanne's vocals wail and are backed by an incredibly tight and tuned rhythm section all of which, may I add, feed off one another consistently through each song. There is no doubt that the chance meetings way back in the education years were not a subject of fate.

Last week, I teamed up with three members from today's indieSolo stars Mesmere to find out their take on what makes the music world go round and what it is that they want from this spinning thing we call earth. I must say that these guys really do have their heads together. Ladies and Gentlemen, Movers and Shakers, I present to you Jamie, Maryanne and Tim from Mesmere:

Beckylou: What does IndieSolo mean to you?

Jamie: A way for unknown bands to show their music to a new audience who are interested in hearing you.

Maryanne: A chance to step out of the pack and into the spotlight.

Tim: It means the right as a musician to command an audience without having to succumb to the pressure and rape of a multi corporate company.

Beckylou: Describe Your Sound in Five Words

Jamie: Sonic journey into the unknown.

Maryanne: Emotion-powered art rock spectacular.

Tim: In-depth new-coming of forgotten music.

Beckylou: What influenced you to make music?

Jamie: It just naturally happened, listening to great music while I grew up and then one day started to have my own ideas.

Maryanne: My family and the band.

Tim: My soul - I was just born this way...

Beckylou: What is it like to be an unsigned band in the indie rat-race?

Jamie: It's a busy job just trying to keep on top of all the bands and get noticed.

Maryanne: Not fun because of the struggle to be noticed; fun because of the freedom.

Tim: As good as it sounds (laughs).

Beckylou: What is your ultimate goal for your music?

Jamie: To find an audience for our music that appreciates it or getting our song on a sexy car ad and getting a million dollars for it, or maybe both (laughs).

Maryanne: To write brilliant songs and perform them to the multitudes.

Tim: To know that when I play a show, there will always be an audience the size of a small army.

Beckylou: Name a memorable gig experience

Jamie: Ten hour bus ride to play a festival in an outback town - hadn't been off the bus for 30 seconds when some local boys were trying to buy drugs off us -as if we'd have any left after being on a bus for ten hours (laughs).

Marianne: Playing to 15,000 people at a festival that chose to watch us and not Russell Crowe & his band.

Tim: All gigs are remembered for their own reasons but my most memorable were the ones where you could see the end of the audience.

Beckylou: Which musician/s would you like to have a beer with?

Jamie: Elvis, Hendrix, Charles Mingus.

Maryanne: Jeff Buckley, Nina Simone and Janis Joplin, in their un-demised state.

Tim: I try not to idolize, if I were to choose famous musicians to have beers with, I'd choose them on basis of fun, not talent.

Beckylou: Monday Morning Madness - How do you cure your weekend hangovers?

Jamie: Maybe turn up to work drunk.

Maryanne: The more fast food the better.

Tim: By not having a real job.

Beckylou: Which song would you love to cover?

Jamie: Miranda That Ghost Just Isn't Holy Anymore: Pour Another Icepick – The Mars Volta

Maryanne: Sorrowful Wife – Nick Cave

Tim: Wish – Nine Inch Nails

Beckylou: What was your worst day job?

Jamie: Just having one. I'd like to make music my day job.

Maryanne: They have all been fairly horrific; perhaps writing repetitious meaningless propaganda that never sees the light of day for a complacent, self-serving government.

Tim: Door to door sales.

Beckylou: What influences your song content?

Jamie: The members of Mesmere, our take on the world, relationships, religion, politics - all the things that get us excited or angry.

Maryanne: Stories, the more intriguing and strange the better.

Tim: Ourselves and overactive imaginations.

Beckylou: Which city would be your ultimate gig destination?

Jamie: Anywhere out of Australia would be a start to world domination.

Maryanne: Any city where people want to hear our music.

Tim: Any major Western European city.

Beckylou: First record/CD/tape ever bought?

Maryanne: Cindy Lauper – the one with Time After Time, True Colours etc.

Tim: Master of Puppets - Metallica

Beckylou: Last Words?

Jamie: Vote for us!!

Maryanne: If you like our music, please support us. Buy a CD or songs and help us keep making great music...

-end

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Mesmere Tickets may be available from TicketScene