MMIV
MMIV is the project of Essex-born songwriter Max Rawdon, who is currently living in East London. MMIV make rough and ready pop music who’s heart is really ground in the alternative, taking inspiration from LCD Soundsystem, The Beatles and the giants of indie rock.
The drugs are running out
Eine Ode "22 zu werden", stand in der Beschreibung. Klingt gut, klingt interessant um reinzuhören dachte ich mir. Und ich muss mich da direkt bei meiner Neugier bedanken, da dieser Song, eigentlich ein Debüt, schlicht und einfach großartig ist. Der Songwriter Max Rawdon verarbeitet hier das Thema des älter Werdens, die Jugend wird nicht ewig halten wie jeder weiß und "The drugs are running out" zeichnet den Moment auf, in dem die Party ihren Höhepunkt erreicht, aber leider auch kurz vor dem Ende steht.
Bass und Hi-hat bzw. Drums eröffnen das gute Stück, der Gesang setzt ein und man ist bzw. wird begeistert sein. Es ist diese Art und Weise der Vocals, dieses "special something" das in der Luft liegt, sprich durch den Äther gejagt wird.
Der Chorus respektive Refrain mutiert fast ohne Mühe zur Hymne, ja MMIV vermag in allen Belangen zu überzeugen. Auch das gewählte Genre, oder auch der Genre-Mix aus Indie Pop meets Alt Pop/Rock steht dem Künstler außerordentlich gut, da kann man MMIV abschließend nur zu einem perfekten Debüt, wo alles passt und alles sitzt, gratulieren.
Q&A
MMIV is…?
MMIV is the name of my recording project for the minute! I always wanted to be in a band, and I got one together before covid but that changed all of our lives and meant that I had to go it alone for a year and a half or so. I had all these songs that didn’t feel like ‘singer-songwriter’ songs, so I decided to keep the name and have it be a bit more vague.
I wanted to be a bit like Tame Impala, LCD Soundsystem, Bright Eyes, those sort of groups. Leave that door open for the band and a wicked live show in the future. The music is very pop-inspired and melodic, but keeps true to a left-field, rough, DIY attitude.
Who inspired you to make music in general?
I’d say that The 1975 opened up the flood gates for me as a teenager, made me discover new things, and from then on I’ve been pretty obsessed with it.
The Beatles are a constant source of inspiration. But also my older brother used to play in bands when I was a little kid and a teenager, so that probably inspired me because I thought it was cool. Or wanted to show him how it was done.
…and especially your song "the drugs are running out"?
The Drugs Are Running Out is really inspired by two artists: LCD Soundsystem and Phoebe Bridgers. I had listened to ‘All My Friends’ the night prior to writing it at a friend’s house and hadn’t heard it for a long time. I reworked its lyrics to get the melodies - ‘back to your place’, ‘running out of the drugs’ etc - and then the drum beat is ‘Someone Great’, just as another little nod.
But I’d also recently gotten into Phoebe Bridgers and I think that lyric about therapy at the start (even though it was true to my life) comes straight from Motion Sickness, and how struck I was with its first verse. I also have a sneaking suspicion the bridge may have come from the song Punisher ‘Drugs stores are open all night…’, as that album had just come out.
But I think Phoebe inspired its confessional feeling in the verses. The pop element just comes from the fact I’m not as cool as either of those artists.
What is your creative process like?
Fast, and usually comes in clusters. I tend to either be writing every day constantly or not at all, but songs are very quick to knock off.
I think The Drugs Are Running Out took about fifteen minutes all in all, and if I feel I have something worth keeping I’ll then work on an arrangement on my laptop. Acoustic guitar or just in my head first, then a select few get given attention on the laptop and filled out further.
What are your most useful talents besides music?
I don’t really have any, I was alright at sitting exams at school so I was able to coast for a while but those days are over and that’s not useful any more. I suppose to just charming old ladies in the bar I work at to get tips.
Who would you most like to collaborate with?
I suppose everybody says Rick Rubin… but someone with a sort of hip hop background who can do actually cool production stuff to music like mine.
What Rick Rubin did on the most recent Strokes record is amazing for instance. Kanye West of course as well would be amazing, just to see how he works and for similar production outcomes. My inner teenager would love to work with George Daniel as well.
What was the first ever pop/rock song you listened to or remember?
Dancing in the Moonlight by Thin Lizzy. Big tune. Big up my dad for that one.
What do you prefer, live gig or studio session?
Studio session! I love being in the studio, I’ve been recording some stuff with my friend recently and I get such a buzz being in a studio and being useful. It’s tiring but it’s the greatest, I’d love to spend 6 months living in one making an album and just forgetting to eat all day.
Live gigs are stressful, and I don’t have enough music out yet for it to be as much of a party as it could be.
Do you remember your first ever self-written song?
Yes. I used to write stuff as a child, I came up with some rhymes from my brother’s band’s EP in primary school and I’d jot things on a piece of paper all the time. But first proper song, age 15: The 501. It’s terrible. My apologies to the 15 year old girl I wrote it about.
What’s next for you?
More songs, hopefully soon, but I have to see how well this does first. Some left turns. And hopefully start putting a band together through 2022!
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