American metalcore band MISS MAY I returned to Montreal recently, opening for Parkway Drive. See our review of the show HERE.
The band has retained the same lineup since its formation, with the only exception being bassist Ryan Neff, who left the band in 2007 and rejoined in 2009. We caught up with frontman Levi Benton to talk about life on the road, poutine and Justin Bieber!
Montreal Rocks: With a hectic touring schedule, you have the same lineup you had in high school, what’s the secret to your longevity?
Levi Benton: I think it’s our mindset, we’re all still doing it just to have fun. Obviously it gets businessy sometimes, but we’re all still best friends and having a great time. We appreciate that this is way more fun than a cubicle job. Even though this is our job, we’re just headbanging and having fun and meeting people.
MR: 5 albums in 6 years is almost unheard of for touring bands. What motivates you to keep such a hectic schedule? Do you ever think about taking a break?
LB: We feel that every year more and more content gets thrown out there, it’s a very saturated job. With so much out there people can be a little A.D.D., so we’re just pushing it out reminding everyone we’re still here. It’s funny when people tell us we put out lots of albums, cause if you look at rap or pop, they put out way more. We’re just doing the same thing in the metal world.
People don’t really buy records anymore either, so that’s not it. It’s more like hey, we’re home for a month, let’s make a record.
Montreal Rocks: With the new record, you went back to Joey Sturgis who produced the first two records. Tell me about the decision to go back to recording with him.
LB: Going back to Joey was like a sucker punch to our fans. We felt like our last two records had more of a mainstream radio thing going on, we were playing a lot of radio festivals. Everyone thought we were going to release another radio record, so we thought what if we do the polar opposite of what everyone thinks?
When we started recording with Joey we didn’t even post about it online until it was done. We went to him and said we need to make our heaviest record because no one’s going to expect this. We did it and when we released the first single everyone was saying what is happening? Yeah, you weren’t ready for this. We just like keeping people on their toes.
MR: With Deathless, is there anything new you feel you’ve brought to the table? Something that may even have surprised you that came out of those sessions?
LB: Yeah, this is the first time we’ve been upset. This is our first pissed off album. We’ve always tried to inspire as a band, even if it’s a negative song, we always tried to have a positive outlook. This record is the first time we were just mean, it’s a dark record. We were in a weird spot mentally. The bigger the band gets, the more we have to deal with contracts and the more people are snakes. It’s been a rough two years, seeing everyone’s true colors. That’s what the record is about, our last 2 years of getting screwed left and right. In the end, that just comes with the job.
MR: In the past some people have called you a Christian band and then you come out screaming “I Hate Everyone”, definitely a huge contrast.
LB: It’s funny because we didn’t go into the record with that intention, it just came out naturally. We didn’t have a goal except to write a record. Then every song started coming out like that and we thought there was a theme coming out and we should just keep going with it. I love it because it’s nice to see another side of the band after so many records.
MR: You spent the summer on the Warped Tour with a lot of the bands you list as your influences. Talk to me about that experience.
LB: It’s crazy. It’s so great to get to play with your influences. Especially now with Parkway Drive. They were my biggest influence on this record and now we’re touring with them. It’s great cause I meet fans who tell me “one day I’m gonna tour with you”. I just respond that I’m gonna hold ‘em to that, all the bands that I grew up listening to, I’ve toured with them. Anything can happen. It’s a great feeling I hope I never end up taking for granted. I get off stage and I don’t even hit the shower, I feel like I have a free ticket to a great show every night.
MR: What are some of the newer bands that you’re discovering? Any bands you’ve been exposed to on tour that you’ve gotten into?
LB: Thy Art Is Murder is a new one for us on this tour. They’re incredible, so heavy. Citizen were on the Warped Tour, they’re Brand New-esque. It was funny cause we worked out with those guys, whole bodies covered in tattoos and they’re jacked so you’re thinking they’re a hardcore band. Then you watch ‘em and you start crying, they’re these big beefy dudes writing sad songs.
MR: You spend a lot of time on the bus, you can’t listen to metal all the time. What are some records that get thrown on that might surprise people?
LB: We were listening to the new Justin Bieber record on the way here. It just came out yesterday, so it’s curiosity. But we do listen to some top 40 stuff, people give us crap for that. I listened to that stuff when I was young, before I was in a band. My little brother is the age I was when we started the band, it’s funny cause he’s always saying screw the radio. But now that I’m in a band, I like to appreciate the songwriting. If it’s in the top 40, there’s a reason it’s there. Sometimes it’s cheesy, but sometimes that’s good songwriting. I listen to five metal bands a night, sometimes I need a rest.
When I’m doing busy work or at the gym, I’ve been listening to a lot of EDM. If it doesn’t have lyrics, I don’t need to focus on it, it’s just there. That’s a whole new genre of music for me. You can listen to it in the background and it doesn’t mess up what you’re doing.
MR: Last question. One that I have to ask any American that comes through town, have you tried poutine yet?
LB: *gets very excited* Poutine is our favorite! When we were in Edmonton I had a poutine day, breakfast, lunch and dinner. I’ve had McDonald’s poutine which wasn’t the best. Smokes is my favorite, along with a place the promoter brought us to, probably in 2011, really nice restaurant, I wish I knew the name, sit down place with tonnes of variety, it was awesome.
MR: Does La Banquise ring a bell?
LB: That’s it!
Miss May I return to Montreal on March 4th to play the Corona Theatre with Blessthefall.
Interview – Richard Brunette
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