The Mae Shi are usually not the first band that comes to mind, when one thinks of downtown Los Angeles’ Smell scene. It’s a shame too, considering that they might be one of the most exciting and unique of the loose collective. But hopefully their latest album, HLLLYH, will change that.
The LP is a frantic ride through different perspectives of a theoretical apocalypse, told in noisy, shambling, and—maybe above all else—jubilant strokes. It’s the kind of music kids dream of. Well, only if they are fun-loving, a little screwed up, and into the dark and twisted aspects of the Bible.
Anthem recently got a chance to sit down in a circle with the Mae Shi’s Brad Breek, Jeff Byron, Jacob Cooper, Jonathan Gray, and Bill Gray, before setting off on a national tour in support of the album.
What has the fan reception for your HLLLYH, been like so far?
John: They hate it.
Bill: Eh.
Jacob: They’re awfully confused.
Brad: I don’t think that they’re that confused at all. I’ve seen MySpace comments saying, “Your new singer’s voice is annoying.” And then there’s people who are like, “I love it!” Most people seem to like it better.
Well, for those who have had negative reactions, what’s been the reason?
Bill: Too many choruses.
Jacob: Americans are adverse to change.
Bill: I think most people seem to have liked it, but maybe the people who hate it don’t talk to us anymore.
Jacob: I think it’s mainly content related because a lot of people don’t really get what it’s about. I don’t know—there are a lot of assumptions made before they really look into it?
What is the album about?
Jacob: The end of the world.
Jeff: It’s about life through religious/philosophical/our eyes.
Bill: It’s a religious and anti-religious album—at the same time!
Brad: A lot of it is about taking religious ideas and trying to look at them through a non-religious lense. Like the song “Pwnd” is supposed to be about the Book of Revelations, but if it was written by a science fiction writer. Kind of reinventing some of the stories, stuff like that. But there’s not a specific narrative that runs through the whole record. The central thing is about God and the apocalypse, but there’s no specific story. It’s taking those ideas and using them as inspiration.
Bill: It’s not a concept record but there’s a theme.
Jacob: I think there are just a lot of people that know what the bible is and what you can take from it. But there are also a lot of people who don’t know what it’s about.
Jeff: There are a lot of crazy stories in the Bible and it seems like everyone’s got opinions about it.
Brad: They’re fun topics and they resonate with everyone, even if you’re not a Christian.
Bill: Especially if you’re not a Christian.
Brad: There have been several comments that are like, “Why are you guys so preachy all of a sudden and shit?” But they’re misunderstanding what we’re preaching about.
Jeff: It’s funny because our previous albums sound preachier. To me they do.
2008 Interview with Mae Shi (part 1)
The Mae Shi are usually not the first band that comes to mind, when one thinks of downtown Los Angeles’ Smell scene. It’s a shame too, considering that they might be one of the most exciting and unique of the loose collective. But hopefully their latest album, HLLLYH, will change that.
The LP is a frantic ride through different perspectives of a theoretical apocalypse, told in noisy, shambling, and—maybe above all else—jubilant strokes. It’s the kind of music kids dream of. Well, only if they are fun-loving, a little screwed up, and into the dark and twisted aspects of the Bible.
Anthem recently got a chance to sit down in a circle with the Mae Shi’s Brad Breek, Jeff Byron, Jacob Cooper, Jonathan Gray, and Bill Gray, before setting off on a national tour in support of the album.
What has the fan reception for your HLLLYH, been like so far?
John: They hate it.
Bill: Eh.
Jacob: They’re awfully confused.
Brad: I don’t think that they’re that confused at all. I’ve seen MySpace comments saying, “Your new singer’s voice is annoying.” And then there’s people who are like, “I love it!” Most people seem to like it better.
Well, for those who have had negative reactions, what’s been the reason?
Bill: Too many choruses.
Jacob: Americans are adverse to change.
Bill: I think most people seem to have liked it, but maybe the people who hate it don’t talk to us anymore.
Jacob: I think it’s mainly content related because a lot of people don’t really get what it’s about. I don’t know—there are a lot of assumptions made before they really look into it?
What is the album about?
Jacob: The end of the world.
Jeff: It’s about life through religious/philosophical/our eyes.
Bill: It’s a religious and anti-religious album—at the same time!
Brad: A lot of it is about taking religious ideas and trying to look at them through a non-religious lense. Like the song “Pwnd” is supposed to be about the Book of Revelations, but if it was written by a science fiction writer. Kind of reinventing some of the stories, stuff like that. But there’s not a specific narrative that runs through the whole record. The central thing is about God and the apocalypse, but there’s no specific story. It’s taking those ideas and using them as inspiration.
Bill: It’s not a concept record but there’s a theme.
Jacob: I think there are just a lot of people that know what the bible is and what you can take from it. But there are also a lot of people who don’t know what it’s about.
Jeff: There are a lot of crazy stories in the Bible and it seems like everyone’s got opinions about it.
Brad: They’re fun topics and they resonate with everyone, even if you’re not a Christian.
Bill: Especially if you’re not a Christian.
Brad: There have been several comments that are like, “Why are you guys so preachy all of a sudden and shit?” But they’re misunderstanding what we’re preaching about.
Jeff: It’s funny because our previous albums sound preachier. To me they do.
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