Monday, December 31, 2012

Matt Mays Interview!

 
 

Well the end of the year is upon us which means the end to the “Top 5’s of 2012” lists from all you readers.

 

I really enjoyed reading all of the lists and it showed me some great albums that I missed over the year. I have had lots of positive feedback from everybody regarding the lists. So thanks!

 

The winning album with the most votes was Matt Mays' newest LP “Coyote”!

 

I too am a big fan of this album. It has strong songs throughout and the production Mays personally did on the album is amazing!

 

Matt Mays was nice enough to answer a few questions for the blog!

 

So without further ado! Matt Mays!

  

Maritime Vinyl - A quote from Bob Mersereau’s review of “Coyote” from his blog on CBC:“You can hear the quest in this disc, Mays pushing himself to write and record an album that's going to stand up to the road, to time, to the fans, and most of all, to his own high standards.”

This album has only been released since September and it has been at the top of most collectors’ lists on Maritime Vinyl’s site as their album of the year! Regardless of the short time this album has been out, this praise already tells me it will stand up to the test of time as Bob mentioned in his review. Is this lasting effect of a record your number one goal when recording an album? Are your standards as high as Bob mentions?

 

Matt Mays - For me it doesn't really come down to anything that can be put into words. It's more of just a big search for the sound I hear. I work until I get as close to that sound as possible. Sometimes I get really close other times I can't get there.

 
 

Maritime Vinyl - Besides being the sole songwriter on this album you are also the producer. How much more freedom does producing the album allow you? Songs like “Dull Knife” seems like there was plenty of time in the studio judging by the vocal overdubs and amazing studio work done. Are songs like this written by yourself envisioning all of this great studio work being done or does the studio work ideas just come to mind when you are actually in the studio recording it?


 

Matt Mays - I wrote Dull Knife on a really shitty guitar walking around this garden I had in my backyard in San Francisco. The song came in really fast. It wrote Itself. I had it done in about an hour. For me everything has to paint a big picture even on an acoustic guitar or piano etc. on its own. If it holds up in that form its only gonna grow in the studio.

 

 

Maritime Vinyl - “Coyote” really seemed to cater to us music collectors! The vinyl was on beautiful white vinyl and the CD packaging was in a very attractive cardboard mini LP sleeve. Are vinyl and CD collectors kept in mind when album packaging is made great like this one or is it your personal (and the label’s) preference?

 
 

Matt Mays - I wanted to have something that felt like it had worth. Like when you hold it in your hand it feels like a good album even before you listen to it. I'm a collector myself so packaging is very important to me.

 

 *** I would like to thank Matt Mays for taking the time to do this interview! I always look forward to hearing from my favorite artists!***

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