SOCIAL MEDIA

TM - Hi, this is Amelia and Elizabeth and we are here with Martin from White Stones, Thank You for having this interview with us today we appreciate it.

MM - Thank You for having me.

TM - That's ok, how's everything going with you?

MM - Good.

TM - You have your new album "Dancing Into Oblivion" coming out what can found expect from that?

MM - It's the second album from the band and this time the music is a bit darker, it's heavier as well. If you like the first album, it's a bit different but still the same lineup as the first one, so I hope people enjoy it.

TM - What made you want to go darker on this album?

MM - I usually like darker music but this time I think I was influenced by the pandemic we were facing. Our music is about feelings and emotions, I have in the body. In the beginning, I think I reflected with music, so that helped me out to make it a bit darker.

TM - What was your writing and recording process for Dancing into Oblivion?

MM - Pretty similar to the first one. I made it at home and then I sent it to the rest of the guys. We don't rehearse, we go straight into the studio and then we work it out from there. It's kind of an easy process, I work out the demos, we meet in the studio and then everything is done and then send it to mix and master.

TM - why is your favourite thing to work it out in a studio?

MM - That's maybe one of the most fun parts of being a musician, to work it out in this studio. I love the environment, I love the feeling when you and the rest of the guys are coming out with some ideas. I love the moment and it's a magic moment for me.

TM - How did you come up with your album cover and is there a meaning behind it?

MM - I had the idea from the beginning but there should be a combination of these two colours red and black. I think it represents the sounds a bit dark and tents is a strong combination. I think it fits with the sound of the music. My partner actually painted the artwork and she did different experiments with painting and working out with the pictures and all of that.

TM - That's cool so you said your partner painted that, does she do that for work or do that for a hobby?

MM - She is a photographer, but she usually paints and then she works it out with us.

TM - You have three instrumental tracks on your new album what inspired this?

MM - I had an idea from the beginning to have an interlude between the heavy songs. I think my idea is good for listening to the album from starts to end. I think these sections bring you back from the heavy songs and put you in the mode and then you start with the next heavy tracks. I think it's good, I like the dynamics in the album with the tracks in between.

TM - What was the inspiration behind the track chain of command?

MM - I got the inspiration when I was listening to jazz. I got the inspiration from the intro of the track. I write it very fast. I got inspired took my guitars and got the main riffs for this song, that's the first influence, I got for that song. I listen to a lot of music and everything else inspired me as well. John Coltrane was the first reaction I got when I started writing this song.

TM - You also did a music video for Chain of Command, can you tell us about that?

MM - Yes, I wanted to make a video where people could see us as a band as well because we haven't had the opportunity to play live yet. We have two albums out so I thought it was important for people to see us as a band. I like the video, It's Made by a friend of mine, I'm involved in almost everything so it kind of works with this album.

TM - You just mentioned not being able to tour with white Stones, will you be touring soon?

MM - My idea is to make some festivals with this band. I don't know about touring. I am pretty busy with OPETH, but if I have the time and the time is right I will do it, otherwise, the idea is to do a few shows. When I have some time, it would be great to do some festivals, which is a bit easier to make, that's the idea for now.

TM - You also have an American tour coming up with OPETH.

MM - Yeh it's planned, we will see if we can do it.

TM - you started as a solo project and evolved into a band how did this come about?

MM - I don't like the idea of being a solo project, yes I am a writer but the other guys in the band add some colour to the music and they participate in different ways so I consider it a band.

TM - You Play Sandberg basses, what's your favourite thing about playing them?

MM - I got the signature last year and I played through the whole album with it. It is a great jazz bass. I've been playing my whole life and we made some adjustments to the things that I like for example the placement of the pickups and it's kind of different with the position of the body shape. With a Jazz based neck, it's a great instrument and it's not very expensive, which is something I like to and it's a great bass too.

TM - Where can people get that bass from?

MM - I think you can order it from the sandberg website. I think they also have some distributors. I guess you can ask a music store where you live where you can find it. I guess they have distributors around the world so it should be easy to get.

TM - If you could have any band play one of your songs what band would it be, what song would it be and would it be in your style or their style?

MM - I would like a different style of music to play my song, not jazz because it's done already maybe Stevie Wonder for example playing a song of mine that would be awesome, what song chain of command would be a good one.

TM - What's your favourite memory of watching someone else perform live, can you tell us a story?

MM - I saw a lot of bands life but one thing that shocked me performance-wise was when I saw the band Mayhem playing at a festival level playing at a festival. I think it was the come back out of the band and the singer destroyed himself, that was shocking it wasn't pleasant to see. There was a knife there was blood everywhere on the stage, that was shocking, he was cutting his arms and tongue and everything and singing at the same time.

TM - That would have been a crazy sight to see. what's your favourite festival you have played?

MM - There are lots of festivals around the world, for some reason, I don't know why I like playing in countries like Finland or Norway, those festivals aren't usually that big for example in countries like Finland or no way those festivals aren't that big for example. Waken is a great Festival as well, they keep it so well organised and there's a great ambience as well. There are many great Festivals, I wouldn't want to name just one country but usually, they are very good and organised. As I said Waken and Download are very good festivals it's nice to play there.

TM - Is there anything else you want to say to your fans?

MM - If you are interested the album is coming out on 27th of August and if you were interested to have a listen to it and I hope you like. I hope one day I can start playing with the band Live, why not come to your country and play a so that would be very nice.

TM - Yeh that would be good to see you live. Thank You so much for this interview today we appreciate it.

MM - Thank you.