On the 28th April Dublin quartet and BBC Radio 6 Music favourites MELTS bring their second album ‘Field Theory’ to The Bodega, so we got to know ’em!
Hey Melts! We’re looking forward to having you back in Nottingham, how are you feeling about this string of shows?
Feeling really good about these shows. We haven’t been on the road since 2022 so itching to get back at it. We’ve been jamming the new set with all the new tracks and it’s a nice feeling hearing them alongside our first LP songs. Really feels like we have added some solid work to the live show. Also looking forward to being back in Nottingham. We didn’t get there on the last few tours. Such a great city.
The singles are sounding huge on the run up to your second album ‘Field Theory’, what can you tell us about the songwriting process for these tracks?
We kinda hit on a formula mid way through writing Maelstrom that has continued on to this record. The general process we have is I would usually come in with some synthesiser sequences, with either rough beat ideas or riffs. We usually just jam the idea over the next few rehearsals and the songs start to take shape. The structures usually come together with Eoin’s vocals or Hugh’s guitar riffs. Every song seems to take shape in different ways but I think some of the best ones are the fastest. Altered felt like it came together in a take or two. Always a great feeling when that happens.
‘Field Theory’ was recorded live to tape, do you think that live element helps capture the energy of the band?
Yes we did the same on the first album. I always champion using tape because it adds a real nice warmth and compression to the final audio. I don’t really think it has the limitations that many people think. You can always drop in and overdub just like you do with digital. Just with tape that process is marginally slower. We are quiet a hefty sounding live band so we don’t really overdub too much either so tape works in our favour that way.
Synth is a crucial element to your sound, do many ideas steam from an initial melody created on a synthesiser?
Yeah like I said before, it’s generally the first ingredient in the writing process. I usually work a lot at home getting sequences together that I think might work for us. They don’t always work out as planned but it’s definitely the main formula for our writing process. I find most work best if Gaz gets a good buzz from it. His beats are generally what get the songs cooking.
In Nottingham we’re really lucky to have an amazing grassroots scene, are there any notable venues that helped shape your sound over the years?
I’ve been in many bands over the years and have played everywhere in Dublin. I think over the years places like the Button Factory and Whelans are the top mid sized venues. There was a place years back called Crawdaddy that was great for bands both local and touring. The one that meant the most to me was Eamonn Doran’s. It was a 100+ dive bar in Temple Bar that was owned by a great man from the Irish music scene named Dermot Doran. For years it was just the centre of the Irish scene. So many amazing nights there and you could get up to all sorts of mischief and still be welcomed back. 🙂
Melts- Beyond The Pale 2023 – Friday 16th June 2023 – ©Glen Bollard
Best of luck with the show! Before you go, if you could get a musician, alive or dead, to join the band who would it be?
I guess for me it would be John Entwistle from The Who. My hero growing up and one hell of a bass player. I think he’d fit right in cause he played just as loud as we do! 🙂
Catch Melts at The Bodega on the 28th April, tickets on sale now.
