Birmingham post-punk noise-rockers Mutes have released their new single, Mere Slaughter, and announced their fourth studio album. We asked James from the band the BIG questions . . .
Speaking about the new track, the band say, "Mere Slaughter was born from a need to write something ugly and dissonant - somewhat of a sonic exorcism. A lament for a society that is slowly eating itself by means of division and gaslighting."
Tell us three things about yourself . . .
My name's James annnnnd I love my 2 cats, Nico and Lockett, with my entire being, I play/have played in multiple other bands including Magarita Witch Cult, Table Scraps, God Damn, Creature, The Spider (Bowie Tribute band), and have guested here and there with Spits Milk and Johnny Foreigner. Until I picked up a guitar at age 12 and started the slow decline towards becoming a hack musician, my singular dream was to be a marine biologist - I was utterly obsessed with sharks, whales, dolphins etc. I did end up getting a D in GCSE Biology though so that passion clearly fell off the deep end.
How would you describe your music?
Somewhere between the deconstructivism of post-punk, the ethereality of shoegaze, and the rockism of 'grunge'.
Who are your musical inspirations?
Some of the bands that inspire us are Battles, Mission of Burma, Grizzly Bear, Catherine Wheel, Yo La Tengo, Brian Eno, Swell Maps, Deerhunter, Sonic Youth, Neil Young, Women, Smashing Pumpkins, and Pixies.
What was the first gig you ever went to?
Trivum, Annihilator, Gorjira and Sanctity in 2007. I was 15 and was just about to do my GCSEs, I think. The main thing I remember is Gorjira's bass drum - it was a visceral, physical experience. I was big into Trivium - I used to play guitar along to Ascendency all the time in the holidays. I was shipped off to boarding school at age eight, so didn't really emerge into the real world of gig going until I was 18. A late bloomer.
What was the first record you ever bought?
With my own money, the first full length was Jamiroquai's Traveling Without Moving on cassette from an Asda bargain bin, and/or The Offspring's Americana on CD from Woolworth's. The first single I bought was Sum 41's Fat Lip/Crazy Amanda Bunkface from that same Asda bargain bin. I was so in love with Americana that a French exchange student and I named Huw would sit on the swings and sing it through front to back, and we also illustrated our own version of the CD booklet. Given that I can barely draw a stickman, I'm sure it was utterly terrible!
What's your favourite song right now?
Spirit of the Beehive's Tapeworm/Natural Devotion 2. I count it as one song due to the incredible video, which is like a digital double A-side. I think Spirit of the Beehive are my favourite band currently active - just incredible, jarring, mind-bending stuff.
Favourite lyric of all time?
An impossible question to firmly answer! But Wilco's Handshake Drugs is a song that will live in my head rent-free forever. "And if I ever was myself - I wasn't that night" always hits, as someone who has gone through substance abuse issues etc. Now being sober, it takes some reconciliation with oneself not to focus on past mistakes and the endless time I've wasted.
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Brian Eno - Discreet Music.
Where can people find your music/more information?
If you'd like to support us directly, our Bandcamp is the best place. To get the numbers up so that 'the industry' takes us more seriously, stream us on Spotify and watch us on YouTube. For direct comms/updates, our Instagram and (sporadically) Facebook. Twitter is a hell hole that I avoid at all costs.
Alan Corr
