INTERVIEW WITH THE MARIANA HOLLOW

THE MARIANA HOLLOW, THAT’S A BAND’S NAME THAT NEED SOME EXPLANATION…


Richie) It took us ages to find the right name for the band actually. We knew that we wanted something very distinct, that carried the feel of the music. We felt that we wanted something related to the sea, as the music seemed to really fit well with that kind of imagery, going from violent storms and tragedy, to hope and calmness. As soon as the name The Mariana Hollow came up, we all knew that this was exactly what we are looking for. The Mariana Hollow is the original name for the Marianas trench, which is the deepest point in the worlds oceans...



NOT THAT IT MATTERS BUT I COULDN’T DECIDE TO CATEGORISE YOU AS GOTH, METAL OR ALTERNATIVE POP…..

Adam) Well, I think that it's all three then! It more or less shows what we all like listening to...
Richie) We don't really know exactly what box we fit into to be honest. We just write the kind of music we want to hear - epic, emotional and with a heaviness created by power and dynamics rather than just trying to sound like killswitch engage and chucking in a load of beatdowns.


HAVING SAID THAT, THE GUITARS REMINDED ME OF THE GODLIKE SOUND THAT I HEARD WITH ALL ABOUT EVE OR THE FIELDS….

A) I don't know those bands so much, but it's always great being compared to people who are good or great! I really like how textured Danny's and Richie's guitar work is, there's so much to get into when playing with them. It's really interesting hearing what people think we sound like.


R) We've never really looked to those bands for inspiration, but I think there's a lot of common ground between them and TMH in terms of the kind of emotions we deal with. I think people who like these kinds of bands could definitely find something they like about our sound.


IN FACT, IS IT EASY TO COME UP WITH YOUR TYPE OF MUSIC IN HIP LONDON?
I MEAN WHEN I WAS THERE LAST YEAR I GOT THE FEELING THAT THE GOTHMARKET, ESPECIALLY AT CAMDEN, IS BASED ON TOURIST SNAPSHOTS…..

A) It's not a problem to actually come up with the music itself! We really enjoy what we're doing and it seems to just get better, creatively and in terms of playing together as musicians. London is very hip and possibly way too cool (and I'm essentially a foreigner saying this), and there are not enough bands just focusing on writing the absolute best songs they can instead of aspiring to a certain sound or aesthetic or part of a scene. It's unbelievable, but in such a massive city, this is a very surprising fact! I think it is less important to be cool and more important to just be good and have people relate to your work on a more substantial level. We really hope that people are going to appreciate that we're trying to create good songs here and that anyone can dig them, no matter what tags you want to place on the sound. We aren't aiming for the Goth market specifically, although we have an idea of who might prefer our sounds; but to have it as wide open as possible is the best thing for any band.


YOU ARE A NEW BAND BUT YOU COULD CONVINCE CHRIS SHELDON WHO WORKED WITH FOO FIGHTERS AND SKUNK ANANSIE, HOW COME?

A) Scott, our bassist, got in touch with Chris through a mutual acquaintance, and he just seemed to like what we were doing off the bat. Danny and Scott would fill that one in better because they actually got to go and see him! Danny and Richie have been working on the songs and sound for some time, and Danny is very educated - we're all a little older and fairly experienced in this band, so what I'm trying to say is, I'd like to think there was a confidence, focus and originality in our delivery that Chris took to - as well as what we hope are good songs, as I was saying before, haha! It gave me goosebumps thinking about our stuff being mixed by the man who mixed "The Colour And The Shape" and Biffy Clyro. I think he did real good, thank you Chris!


I GUESS IT MAKES YOU PROUD THIS ONE, BUT YOU DON’T HAVE THAT MUCH OF A BRITISH SOUND.

A) Not? I think sometimes the vocals might have the odd inflection, but a lot of the guitars are informed by Sabbath, Opeth, Paradise Lost, Anathema and others, which are definitely British or at least European. Unless that's what you meant! :) There are American influences, of course, but they don't dominate. Maybe in the rhythm section, but no-one gives a shit about bassists and drummers anyway, haha!



HMMM BY COINCIDENCE I SAW LAST WEEK THE EDEN HOUSE IN CONCERT AND I LEARNED YOU GUYS KNOW EACH OTHER!!!!


A) Yes, we did a gig supporting them at the Scala, which was our first 'big' show actually, and they were really nice people and accomplished musicians. We are playing with them soon and think it's awesome to be associated with people of their pedigree.


IF I HEAR MUSIC LIKE YOURS, I CAN ONLY THINK OF ONE THING….ESCASPISM….

A) That's an interesting thing to say. I think that most of us are into things like sci-fi and fantasy in our own capacities outside the band, and we are all fascinated with the intangible and expressing this in one way or another. We love things that are dramatic, that send shivers up your spine - not just musically. I think the music and lyrics are influenced by this in some way, and it's great that you picked up on it!


DO YOU SEE YOUR MUSIC AS DARK OR SOMETHING THAT GIVES HOPE?

A) Both. Richie?


R) Yeah I would definitely see the music as containing both sides of the coin. We've always wanted our songs to be cathartic and we write from the darker emotions that everyone experiences, but I don't think we're a negative band. Its just all about being honest and writing from the heart. I think Rebecca's lyrics are very open, poetic and interesting and I think she does a great job of moving you though different sides of the music as you listen.

I WAS WONDERING THIS MYSELF THIS WEEK, DOES MUSIC MEAN ANYTHING TO YOU?

A) That's also interesting. Getting older and getting more into playing and creating music, it suddenly becomes a different experience listening to things - in a lot of ways, it sucks, because if you make progress in your own capacity, then you look for inspiration in sources that are much more accomplished than you are; or not even related to what you're doing. This makes it harder to find new stuff that you will return to in the way you did your first metal albums, for instance. There seems to be less music I can easily relate to at the moment, that blows me away. Maybe you could call this being old and jaded! But music means so much - it defines your identity, groups of friends, ideas, so much. It changes as you get older though.

I KNOW IT’S DIFFICULT TO SAY FOR A SMALL BAND, BUT ARE THERE ANY PLANS FOR EUROPEAN SHOWS OR IS THAT FAR TOO EARLY?


A) Mental plans, maybe! Nothing to report so far cap'n... but watch this space!

QUESTION I ALWAYS ASK….WHAT’S YOUR FAVE RECORD OF ALL TIME AND PLEASE STATE WHY…..

A) Can't say! I will say that Nirvana's "Nevermind" changed my life, and at the moment I am still hooked on Biffy Clyro's "Puzzle," for the powerful riffs, songs, creativity and sheer naked emotional fragility - wow that sounded really pretentious! Have you got any journalist jobs there?


R) Very hard question, there are a few records I will never tire of, but '...And justice for all' by Metallica was the first record that really inspired me to want to write and perform in my own band and it still grabs me on every listen. The riffs are so precise and heavy, Hetfield's vocals are incredible and the breakdown and middle section in 'to live is to die' is still one of the most moving pieces of music I've ever heard. Nothing they've done since has touched it in my opinion.

THE LAST WORD IS YOURS……….

A) Yours!!!!