Striking while the irons hot, we caught up with the folks at The Mad Game off the back of their debut EP release, ‘Player One’. It’s a world of protest, electronics and venom-fuelled bars; but how does it all come about?
UTS: How would you describe your songwriting process?
Chaotic, frustrating, emotive, inspiring…a bit like a crazy, cruel boss…constantly demanding and never satisfied. Stories and emotions feed random thoughts that pop into the head, ideas for sensations in the six dimensional space that is sound. Then the challenge is not just to turn it into reality but to keep focused on the emotion we are trying to communicate and share.
UTS: How has this process evolved over time?
Technology has been the main driver of evolution. Changes and advances in hardware and software have made the process more convenient and accessible. Everything is in one neat little package, the laptop. In some ways, we miss the days of not having a spaceship full of buttons and lights to interact with on the creative journey. But the power of portable technology has allowed us the freedom to set ourselves up anywhere and spontaneously create whatever is in our minds. This has not just been essential to us, but actually a matter of survival. Otherwise, the actual mental creative process has more or less stayed the same: find a story and tell it in music.
UTS: Do you take inspiration from anyone in particular?
Do we have a specific muse? No. We are inspired by the collisions between our lives and those of other people. We are inspired by events that we experience and witness, be they good or bad. So it can be about anyone and anything. We live, we observe, we interact, we learn and then we write about whatever fires our imagination.
UTS: What is the hardest thing about songwriting for you?
Sudo: Staying in that psychological place that inspired the song in the first instance. This is especially difficult if events overtake you.
Karla: Avoiding too many expletives in the lyrics.
Sonya: Making sure that those those two [pointing at Sudo and Karla] are focused and efficient.
UTS: Do you have any remedies for creative writing blocks?
Two main remedies:
▪ Do something mundane but useful for a bit. Let the imagination wander.
▪ Go and experience something strong. Take a risk. Stop being so fucking safe and expecting it to be inspiring.
UTS: Can you summarise the main concepts and messages in your new EP?
The EP is really five individual singles rather than a single concept in itself. The project is much broader than just an EP and music. However, to provide a relatively simple answer, the main idea is that everyone is both player and being played in The Mad Game. In terms of common themes throughout the songs, there are probably two main ones: nothing is as it seems don’t take your past too seriously otherwise it owns you.
UTS: What has been the reaction so far to the new EP?
We’ve had excellent feedback. The comments are overwhelmingly positive, both from professionals within the industry and the audience.
UTS: What have you learned about yourself as people and musicians from the process of making the EP?
Far less that what we learned about ourselves during the events that pushed us to make this project in the first place. However, it was a nice confirmation that we really can make good quality music on the bare minimum of equipment.
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