After a more than four-year layoff between records, Halifax’s Matt Mays is getting back in the saddle.
This isn’t to insinuate that Mays ever truly left the zone but four years can be an eternity when it comes to the music biz.
Mays newest record, Coyote, released this past September to much critical acclaim from across the country, continues his well-established reputation for blistering rock n’ roll.
In fact, if there is only one complaint resonating from Mays’ fans, it is “What took so long?”
“I had a group of songs that were probably half done but I am not one to want to pump out an album prematurely,” Mays says from a tour stop in Newfoundland. “I ended up taking a bit of time off and travelled.
“Once recording had started however, it took a couple of years for me to get what I was hearing in my head both sonically and song wise. I could hear what I was after but ended up needing to chip away at it in the studio before I found the exact sound I liked and wanted for this record.”
Mays performs Friday night at iRock on Elmwood Drive.
Having formally disbanded his backing band El Torpedo a number of years ago, Mays says that his backing band plays a crucial part in helping him bring these songs to life on stage. Finding that chemistry both on stage and off can sometimes be a tricky endeavour but Mays admits that he has been fortunate to be surrounded by talented musicians and great friends.
“What I loved about El Torpedo as a band is that we were best buds before anything else and I think that really reflected in the music we make. Having a bunch of session guys that are great players but that I might not gel with doesn’t really interest me. If anything, the shows are the easy part; it is living with these guys the time we are not on stage where it really counts.
“I have the best of all worlds right now and I think that is evident in the music we make. We love playing these songs live for people; it is great to be back on stage.”
Article published in the November 16, 2012 edition of the Times & Transcript