WORDS: LIAM MAHER
To say that Meltybrains? are an anomaly in the Irish scene is something of an understatement. Not only do they stand out from their contemporaries musically but their history, live shows, image, and above all, their composition process differs starkly from most other bands. Having written their first songs on bassist Ben Bix’s laptop while the members were attending college in Maynooth, they happened upon a formula that was to encapsulate their sound. That song was titled Meltybrains? and the Fish-bowl and was to give the band their name.
Their first gig took place at a local song contest that was proliferated with singer-songwriters, from whom they stood out starkly by thrashing the stage and covering the song that advertised the Bop It toy. This history is important as it informs the band’s current aesthetic and musical attitude. While it may seem like they’re poking fun at everyone and anything simply for the sake of it, there is an important motive behind such activities. As Ben Bix succinctly put it, “it’s all about letting go and not taking yourself too seriously.” Such an attitude lends itself to more creative freedom, as the band are keen to “only play to their own expectations” and not those of others.
When it comes to writing songs “there is a one take ethos,” an approach that has resulted in the raw sound that they have become known for. It also means that the spirit of the song does not get watered down and remains true to their original intentions. Coupled with this, they reverse the normal creative process by having “a song written before we ever play it as a band.” What they mean by this is that a demo of any particular song is first made on a laptop and is then transposed onto live instruments. As they say themselves, “it’s all about instinctive writing. We put ourselves on the spot and see what we come up with.” A natural after-effect of such a composition process is that a lot of improvisation is involved, something that is integral to both the Meltybrains? studio recordings and their live show.
The idea of spectacle is essential to their ethos, “[c]ompared to a lot of other bands, we have a lot of performance experience. When you go to a live show you want to see something.” At a typical gig one can expect to see various members donning their “Meltymasks,” climbing the stage or thrashing it, as well as a bevy of chocolate sauce. The masks have become a trademark, and serve an important role aesthetically and performance wise. As Brian stated, “you can do a lot more on stage when you’re wearing a mask.” This experience was something that the band are keen to transfer onto the audience members as well. At a recent gig in the Unitarian Church this Summer, they provided their audience with masks of their own in order to free them from inhibitions and provide a unique concert experience. Such actions set the band apart from others within the Irish scene and make them a group to definitely watch out for.
In the coming months Meltybrains? will be putting on a variety of one off shows in Dublin, Waterford, Cork and elsewhere throughout Ireland in order to raise money for their tour of America early next year. The band also wanted it to be known that they are available to hire for house parties and that Brian is looking for love. Both offers should not be passed up.
Here’s a link to a playlist of Meltybrains? including two unreleased tracks!
http://www.mixcloud.com/tn2magazine/tn2meltybrains/
