An Interview With MYLO BYBEE
MYLO BYBEE certainly hit the ground running dropping an EP and 2 singles all in the past 3 weeks and in doing so, showed an outstanding array of indie rock songwriting complete with colorful and vivid sounds and a blast of raw energy.
The songs from the EP are like a cross of Block Party, Modest Mouse, and Pavement but with a new found shine that seems to become a staple feel of the band.
This band has a touch of that 90's underground rock undertone going on right down to the bass tone.
Songs explode with energy and depth when you least expect it and there is almost always a pleasant surprise around the corner.
The percussion across not only the EP but all the songs released from Mylo Bybee is an imperative part of the vibe and really takes the cake and helps push the band as it runs through build ups, break downs, and massive climactic choruses.
Remember when bands had songs that were so musically impactful that the chorus was just music? Well, MYLO BYBEE brought it back and did it damn well.
Other bands like At The Drive In come to mind while songs thrash with heavy emotion and hints of aggression peek out from the corners of each track.
The EP also has a peaceful side to it and gives off the feel of a struggle that was had and has been resolved. But the EP takes you through that struggle and takes you along for that ride.
This band has a ton of heart and it shows vibrantly through the pain of these songs.
We wanted to have a chat with MYLO BYBEE to find out where all of this came from, how it started and where it's going.
TSWS: Okay let's start things off with the EP itself. This record has a high energy progressive pop rock vibe. Where did this EP come from?
First and foremost this came from us getting to spend a lot of time writing and working on our sound during the pandemic. My writing style as a guitar player and vocalist has always tended to fit the progressive, indie rock vibe. The music I like to listen to is traditionally upbeat, melodic, and powerful. This EP is really a result of that as well as the diverse skill-sets that each of us bring to the group. All three of us listen to and have played all different styles of music that consists of an array of genres and I feel like that benefits what we each individually can add to our tracks. With the impact of the pandemic on the overall arts, we really worked to take advantage of the time to perfect our sound and produce something that we enjoy and hope others do to. We took a bit of an unconventional approach while recording an EP before we ever even played a show for anyone. I am extremely happy that we now have this music to share with others and prove to those we spend time away from when rehearsing etc. that we were actually making good use of our time :)
TSWS: Each song has something a bit new to offer and the songs are driving and powerful. What bands influenced you?
Stemming from my answer above, between the three of us we have about every genre covered in our listening repertoire. I have always listened to a wide variety of artist from different styles ranging from James Taylor and Jim Croce, to Thrice to Coheed and Cambria as well as everything in between. I don’t necessary work to model my sound or style after any individual artist or group, rather play what I would want to listen to. I think that listening to different types of music than I typically play lends itself to keeping my writing and playing style interesting and exciting.
TSWS: How did all of this start for you?
I grew up in a household heavily influenced by music and always was exposed to a plethora of styles and artists. I got my first electric guitar when I was about 15 years old that came with an amp built into the guitar. I’ve always had a love and passion for creating and writing music as well as attending local shows and concerts and just watching music be created. Growing up I used to jam with different people from time to time, but nothing ever “organized". When I was in college I was in two separate bands which was my first real experience working to play along with other instruments. Since I don’t have any formal training and cannot read any music I had to learn to rely on the other instruments to straighten me out in terms of tempo and consistency as well as force me to become better at my instrument. I then took several years off from playing in any organized group, while still playing and writing on an acoustic guitar. Luckily, I have some talented family members that happened to play an instrument and could tolerate my style, thus forming Mylo Bybee ;)
TSWS: This EP has some depth to it lyrically. What sort of things inspire you to write?
I typically will write my lyrics from the perception of different perspectives. What I mean by that I don’t just necessarily draw from personal experience when composing lyrics. I write lyrics based on the experiences that I don’t necessarily have, but how I perceive others may feel when experiencing something. I take this approach in my writing because I feel like it allows me to not only connect to my music, but connect me to other people through my music. Of course my lyrics on occasion will reflect on things I HAVE personally experienced or gone through, but I will always draw from other inspirations. I also am never completely sold on the lyrics that I write as I always feel that things could go in 1000 different directions. I mean I was changing and writing new lyrics in the vocal booth while recording our EP…..
TSWS: What's next for you as a band? Anything in the works even now?
We are really working to polish the portfolio of songs that we have right now. We recorded 5 tracks on our EP, but have several others that we have written. Our short-term goal would be to continue to become completely proficient with our songs to then continue writing more and above all else enjoy the process. I think the thing that we enjoy the most is putting in the “work” to see what can comes from that effort. We are also working to play shows when we can. We have a virtual show coming up on March 27th. We are also working on a few other things in the near future that really allow us to share our music with our local community and hopefully beyond.
TSWS: Do you guys get together for rehearsal? Will you be focusing on live performance when the time comes?
Yes! We typically get to rehearse 1-2 times a week. We have our own dedicated practice space that allows for 24 hour access where we can make a lot of noise and not bother anybody! We definitely are working to be as “polished” and “sound" with our songs as possible to then focus on doing live performances, once we are able to, but of course want to ensure that we are completely rehearsed and ready. As I mentioned above, we have the opportunity to play a virtual show in March as well as share our songs on our local radio station and with our friends, family, and community in the meantime.
TSWS: What are you guys doing when you're not working on music?
Well we actually get to spend a lot of time together outside of the band as we are composed of two brothers and a brother in law. My bass player is my brother and our drummer is married to our sister. Individually, we all have many hobbies ranging from photography, hiking and backpacking, to snowshoeing to scuba diving.
I thoroughly enjoy the outdoors and hanging out with my partner Heidi and Siberian Husky Kiska. We get to do a lot of traveling as we are able to work remotely. This really lends itself to a healthy work/life balance and affords us the opportunity to change the scenery every once in a while :)
My drummer, and my sister, just had a baby in December so their time is pretty much consumed changing diapers :).
TSWS: You've released a bunch already in the few short weeks of 2021. What sort of advice would you have for other bands trying to get heard out there?
Practice often. I think the biggest thing musically is to keep at your trade. I remember a time in my life when I didn’t play guitar very much, about a year or so. When I picked it back up it took be a bit to get back into the rhythm, and even recall songs I had written. I think it is like anything else. If you don’t use it you lose it.
To get your stuff heard, I think the best thing to do is really be vested in your local music community and scene. There is no better way to network your songs and work than through those who may be most accessible. Starting with your community musicians and art advocates is a great way to gain “cheerleaders” to play your stuff from the rooftops as well as support you at local events and show. This is obviously a very subjective business and not everyone is going to like your sound, but you can still celebrate the work of others in a collective group to then have that reciprocated.
TSWS: Before we go, what would you like to say to fans of the music?
We really hope you like what you hear! Like I mentioned, I write songs that I want to listen to and hope you can find something in even one of our songs that makes you tap your foot, or sing along to. I firmly believe that music is a universal language, but should and does make everyone feel a little something different. We hope that we can be a part of just some of your day. We will continue to make and share music and grow as a group. We hope you will follow us on social media or even join our mailing list so we can share our experiences with you!