Maslow - Artist Interview

Few bands seem to stick out in the upcoming indie rock scene as Maslow does. A new and upcoming band based in Manchester, currently talking about the struggle of AI in the creative industry and the lack of support artists are receiving. All this through heavy head-banging songs that have been stuck in my head since their debut gig at Stage & Radio last week. For fans of Wunderhorse, Radiohead, Muse and all the above, you’re not going to want to miss them. I had the chance to interview them before their show and ask some questions about what they’ve been up to.

SH: So you’re a fairly new band, what influenced you to start?

BART: “It started out exploring a solo project of mine with these boys (Sam Reynolds drums, Ryan Bee guitar, Seb Murphy bass). We were rehearsing and they kept on coming up with great ideas and these great ideas kind of took it over. It became something more than just a solo project and it just felt right. We’re in a time where we need more bands.”

SH: What musical influences do you feel inspire Maslow?

BART: “I’d say the one I’ve listened to a lot lately is Wunderhorse. I know for me as well Radiohead are a lifetime influence.”

SAM: “I feel a bit of Porcupine Tree in there as well. Maybe some Rage Against The Machine in the slightly heavier stuff”

SEB: “And even a bit of Muse in there as well”

SH: You have a message in an upcoming song about AI in the creative industry, could you talk about what you’re doing to talk about and counter the AI movement?

BART: “The lyrics for the main song we’ve been putting clips out for our band recently is for a song called Hesitate. The lyrics are talking about my insane paranoia about AI and how it’s going to take over so many things including the music industry. That and the loss of live music being underfunded and grassroots venues closing.

It’s a little bit over dramatic but the song is basically a ‘oh we’re done for, it’s the end of the world, do everything now and enjoy it’, whatever. The main question I want to ask is who’s in charge and are the best interests of the people at heart? That is what inspired me to write that tune”

SEB: “I think a key thing to this as well is organicness. I guess this ties into influences, but we want to do something similar to how the Red Hot Chilli Peppers just go on stage and jam about. There are no backing tracks. It feels old school, just jamming with real people. 

BART: “Even our music video is one take, not overly mixed or tweaked, but what you heard in the room when we recorded it. We don’t want an overly fabricated sound; we want something real and not overproduced. The energy is one of the main selling points of our music.”

We spoke a bit then about Hesitate, what can fans expect to be hearing from you soon? 

BART: “For a start, we have a gig next month at Band on the Wall on the 27th of April. We are on the main stage which is going to be sick. We’ve started releasing some clips of Hesitate on Instagram (maslow.band), which is going to be coming out in April on YouTube (maslowband1), as well as another song we recorded at that same time that we’re gonna start teasing soon. Also, check out all these guys Sam Reynolds on drums, Ryan Bee on guitar and Seb Murphy on bass.”

Do you have any advice for people wanting to start a band like yours and get gigging?

BART: “The best way is to just start. Ask around and play the music that you love”

SEB: “I think there are a lot of people that are looking to just play and if you look for people to work with, they’ll make themselves known. I came to Manchester not knowing many people but it’s such a good place for it. Just being in the city, you walk down a street and in a ten-minute space you’ll see like three people walking around with guitars on their backs.”

Sam: “Also go to gigs, a lot of people going to gigs are musicians or want to play. You just have to get in the scene, meet new people and talk to people you know. A lot of people know others who are in the same position as you.”

Just before you head off to your set, can you all give me one song that you have on loop at the moment?

SEB: “Nearly Daffodils by English Teacher”

RYAN: “It has to be Everything in its right place by Radiohead. It’s close to Karma Police and Paranoid Android. I’ve been listening to Radiohead a lot since we started this band.”

BART: “I’m going to have to stick to the same page with Black Star by Radiohead from the Bends, a slightly more underrated song in my opinion, but it’s great.”

Sam: “I’m going to throw a bit of a curveball and go with Argenté by Floating Points.”

You can check out Maslow on their Instagram and their Youtube.

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WORDS AND PHOTOS LEWIS WOLSTENHOLME