The past 12 months have been massive for Muules. They’ve played alongside Brisbane’s Osaka Punch and Melbourne’s Omnific as well as finding the time to release 2 new singles. The progressive alternative rock trio from the Sunshine coast have done it again. Previously releasing their debut EP in 2018 In the Lines Between, followed by their self-produced single Unabated earlier this year, Muules have pumped out their latest track Deeper, their heaviest track so far and boy did they dig deep with this one. Using pedal effects, Rhys makes his bass sound like many instruments in one, along with the powerful beats from Nick and the grungy vocal punch in the face from the front man Nathan, this trio have managed to make a sound that equals that of many larger bands. Deeper was released June 21st and is available for streaming and purchase on most platforms.
Metal-Roos: Thanks again for taking the time to have a chat with me today. Firstly, congratulations on your latest single Deeper. Very exciting! This is a favourite of mine and I’m loving the sound of it and the direction you guys are heading in. Can you tell me more about the name Deeper and the meaning behind the lyrics please?
Ok, so with Muules’ songs, we generally call them something before we have the lyrics. This one is a rare one, where we wrote it as a trio. Normally I’d write the song. I’ll nut it out and record a rough version. Then I sent it out to the guys and then they’ll listen to it, jam it out and we’l come to a conclusion from there.
Nathan has a really big collection of lyrics. He’s got this massive lyric book that he just writes stuff in all the time. He just basically pulls them out and we’re like oh that will suit and sometimes he would just go off the cuff.
With this particular song, Nick and I were jamming out a riff and then Nath sees something happening. His ears prick up and basically jumps in as well. So, we thought ‘shit we’d better record this’. The lyrics changed from the original recording. We did in the jam room and was originally called Exit (random name), and then we decided to call it Deeper instead as we thought we were going deeper into our sound. Then Nath properly sat down and listened to it and after a few jams he actually had the lyrics fully nutted out. He’s different with his lyrics as sometimes they just come to him. Then he figures out what they are about. So, this was one of those songs where this happened.
I pointed out this this particular song can be interpreted in many different ways. The way I interpret it is like how I’ve said in the press release. It’s a call to arms for us creators basically. You’re given a chance, take it, go with it and see how far you go with it. Who wants to do the whole 9 to 5 thing when you’re creative. But then when you go to the next level in the music industry it becomes a 9 to 5 job anyway and so it’s all about the money. As I said it can be interpreted many ways. If you read Nirvana lyrics, they can be taken so many different ways until you find out the true meaning of it.
Metal-Roos: When did Muules first get together and how did this musical project come about?
Nate and I used to be in a band together 12 years or so ago doing some progressive, alternative, nu metal kind of stuff. Then the band fell apart and we lost contact. Years later he was at a Barefoot gig, I was playing for at The Fullmoon Festival. I got off stage and a friend from school was there and I hadn’t seen her for a few decades, so it was random. She told me that there was someone here to see me and she took me aside and there was Nathan. It was over a decade since I saw him last. Got chatting and asked if he was still into music and he said not really and that was that.
At the same time, I had been writing this project. No name yet but I’d been writing. I used to play heavy music and honestly, I missed playing it and I needed another creative outlet and I wanted to explore different things. I discovered Royal Blood and how they do the split signal with the bass and I loved what they did. I could do that! But make it more grungier or heavier as they are more rock with blues elements.
So, I started writing all these ideas and I didn’t know what to do with it. My partner said just go with it and do the drums and sounds and see what happens. I didn’t realise until after I’d met up with Nathan again that I’d found the vocalist. Cause I can sing but I didn’t want to sing in this project. So, I tracked him down on Facebook and I sent him the tracks. I had a massive song writing purge I think about 13 in 3 weeks. So, I sent him 3 or 4 tracks and I heard nothing from him for like 3 or 4 days and I was like ohhh crap! But then he contacted me back and was like, man thanks for sending me these, these are brilliant. When can we start. And I went ‘oh cool! let me find a drummer’. So, I had to go around and find a drummer. I had a bout 3 in mind and Nick was the one that I was told to contact. I knew him from his punk band up here Not to Regret and thought he was a pretty cool guy. I loved his hard-hitting style. Sent him the tracks and did the whole panic thing again and luckily, he got back to me and said he’d be honoured. So, this is all coming into place. Literally we organised a jam within a week. Those guys learned 3 or 4 songs and we had a band practice and because we’d learned them, basically we sounded like a band straight of the bat. Ready to go, instant band. I love Nate and I love Nick, but they are two different personalities. When we all come together, it’s fun. Both very easy going. Nathan’s very full on and I love him for it. Nick is like the gentle giant. He’s so tall and chilled and funny. It’s just a really good combination and I love playing with those guys.
Metal-Roos: You’re known as the 3-piece band that can rock off against many larger bands and still come out heavier. With just vocals, beats and a bass, how do you achieve this?
Hahaha! Can’t give that away. A lot of tap dancing on the pedals. Cleaver song writing play a part in it too. Sometimes I listen to how Nate is performing with his lyrics. I’ll have an idea and it will work and then I listen to the boys. They have different directions they want to go, and I think hang on. That’ll work a lot better. It’s listening to each other.
Making it heavy isn’t the hard part. It’s making it blend and work. When you’re doing what I do as opposed to a guitarist making it sound like a bass and guitar at the same time it doesn’t sound as heavy. There are a lot of bands that do it and it sounds cool, but you can tell it’s a guitar doing it. Whereas going from bass and sounding like a guitar as well as a bass it’s a different thing and its thicker and because I’m a bass player of like 25 years. That’s what I’m used to. I’d rather that way then play a guitar.
Metal-Roos: Your name Muules, how did this come about?
Cause we’re stubborn old bastards. Literally! That’s how it came about. We were trying to figure out a name and it sounded, not abrasive, but hard working and we added another U so it wouldn’t get confused with other bands like Midnight Mules and all that. And easier for search engine optimisation.
Metal-Roos: What songs are currently on your Spotify at the moment?
Ohhhh! Hey, that’s a good question. Let me just have a look. I don’t think I’ve ever been asked that question before. Well, we do have a playlist called Muules’ Shed of Tunes and I do add to it occasionally and there’s plenty of Royal Blood on there. But the latest one added is Biffy Clyro, Like Thieves, Never See It Coming. I put some Sevendust on it recently too because I love Sevendust. Anything of Muse’ last album which is Simulation Theory. Cause Muse are a bit of an influence of ours and last one after that, believe it or not is Osaka Punch, How We Operate. They’re funny dudes and we loved playing with them. We’ve only done one show with them, but we’d love to do more.
Metal-Roos: If you could pick any musician or band past or present, who would you include to make your ultimate festival?
Festival! Ummm! Alive or dead? Soundgarden would be up there, definitely. Alright we’ll go for influences from each band member. I know Chris Cornell is Nate’s idol. For Nick I’d probably go Fall Out Boy. And for me I would go Incubus. Oh, and we’ll stick Korn in there too. Why not? Their new songs just come out and I love Korn.
Metal-Roos: What is your favourite venue to play and why?
Well we haven’t played the Zoo yet. But we’re playing there in July lol. I’ve played the Zoo before with my other band and I like playing it. Sol Bar is our home, always fun gigs playing there. But if we’re going to talk dream within possible reach, Umm I would have to say Triffid. I’ve played the Triffid, but the boys haven’t, and I’d like to do that with them.
Metal-Roos: The single Deeper, the art is super cool! The pool with the whole universe in the background, who decided on this image and what was the inspiration for it?
Hahaha. They’re my sexy legs that you’re seeing in the pool right there. That was taken on my honeymoon and the photo was taken just for the image of me diving. It wasn’t for artwork or anything it was just a happy snap. Normally I do the artwork but for this one we were going to outsource, and I had a few artists in mind. But money was running low so as I was flicking through images. saw this and thought well that’s me going deeper into the pool and thought ell its right there standing in front of me. After some photoshop work with some Star Wars inspiration we decided to go with this one.
Metal-Roos: What can we expect to see in the future? What are you currently working on?
Apart from us getting through this whole single launch, we are finishing off the editing for the film clip for Deeper in the next week or so. We do have another 2 or 3 songs in the can right now that need to be mixed and I need to go and start recording another 3 or 4. But that’s going to take some time. So eventually another album but by the end of the year we will possibly have another single. Just have to figure out which one it’s going to be.
Metal-Roos: To celebrate the release of the new single, you’ve got a neat tour lined up which kicks off soon, you must be super pumped for that? Where are you headed?
We’ve got the Point Party coming up next week July 5th at the Sol Bar, we’ve got the Brightside on the 11th. Then we’ve got the proper launches at Banshee’s Bar and Art Space in Ipswich with Baltimore Gun Club and then The Zoo on the 27th.There is possibly a secret home show coming up but not 100% on details yet.
Big shout out to Clint Vincent (Vinnie) who mixed and mastered Deeper. He actually put a lot of effort and his magic into it and when I got the mix back for the first time it blew me away. I’ve known Clint for a very long time. We used to be in a band together in high school and I’ve always been a fan of Melodyssey and Dead Letter Circus. He actually came to Muules’ first single launch last year when we launched Butch Teeth in Nambour. He turned up out of the blue, it was actually kind of cool and he offered his services, but I put it on the back burner for a bit. When I finished with Deeper I asked if the offer still stands and he was like yeah send the track through. He listened to it and he said he loved it. He said let me do my thing and tell me what you think. He did it and it blew me away. So, I said let’s work on this together. So, the next few tracks will be mixed by him definitely. He has also worked with bands AERIALS, Like Thieves and Rival Fire. I owe him a lot, he is a top bloke, lovely guy and he is very talented. Lot of love to Vinnie.
Metal-Roos: Thank you for your time Rhys, I look forward to hopefully catching you at one of your next shows.
TOUR DATES
July 5 – Sol Bar (Maroochydore)
July 11 – The Brightside (Brisbane)
July 26 – Banshees Bar & Artspace (Ipswich)
July 27 – The Zoo (Brisbane)
Interview Date: 2019-06-28
Interviewer: Cherie Smith
