Mirah Maines is DEAD

LIVE VIDEO :: "PUT SOME GLITTER ON IT HONEY" @ THE DOOR DALLAS
MIRAH MAINES RECORDS A SONG
THE STORY BEHIND THE NUMBER 3
Band Biography
When asked to describe their sound, Mirah Maines isn’t dumbfounded. They know exactly how to describe it. Just don’t expect to get a clear response. “Ultimately, everything gets thrown into a big pot,” says guitarist Brandon Murphy. “If we’re in the mood for something poppy and melodic, we’ll write something that is poppy and melodic. If the song calls for mosh-worthy brutality, we’ll go in that direction.”
This open-ended approach to songwriting seems to have benefited the band quite well. The current line-up has only been together since July, 2007, yet the band are already making a name for themselves throughout the metroplex, pulling fans of metal, pop-punk and indie, alike. They have built a loyal fan base and have shared the stage with the likes of Suicide Silence, A Life Once Lost and Walls of Jericho. Not bad, considering that, only a year ago, each member was unsure about their station in life – let alone music.
By the end of 2006, longtime friends Ryan Fraser and Jeff West were feeling musically handicapped. After ending a year-long run with local hardcore/screamo act Farewell Yesterday, they embarked on A Letter Etched in Black, a pop-punk/experimental band that, they felt, would be the cornerstone for their success in the music industry. Needless to say, after only a few months, the band went south.
“It was a difficult time”, says bassist Fraser. “Our vocalist and our guitarist both just quit out of the blue, so Jeff and I were, basically, left stranded at sea.” Finding themselves at a crossroads, the two comrades parted ways to seek out their own musical avenues, awaiting a voice that would call them back to their instruments. Further north of the equator, that voice would be heard.
“I had just parted ways with my band and was having some problems at home. I needed to get out and figured I’d go try my luck elsewhere.” While this seems to be the battle cry for many struggling musicians, for vocalist Ian Hancock, it was a daunting search for greatness that would take him from the serenity of Anchorage, Alaska to the hustle-and-bustle of Dallas, Texas. After making the trek across the States, Hancock immediately went on the prowl for musicians that shared his creative vision in the only way one can these days – he posted an ad online. It wasn’t until April, 2007, that he would get the response he was looking for.
“I wasn’t even sure I wanted to play music anymore”, says drummer West. Only by chance had he been browsing the classifieds on Myspace when he came across Hancock’s ad. Although skeptical about the prospect of getting back behind the kit, he agreed to meet with his potential band mate. After a long discussion of all things music, West was instantly sold. “Ian sent me this little YouTube video of his former band and his scream blew me away. My first thought after watching it was to immediately send it to Ryan.” After a few weeks of catching up, Fraser decided to embark on his old friend’s journey. “I, too, was questioning my career as a musician”, he says. “But, as soon as the three of us got in a room together, everything changed.” The band jammed out a full set of songs over the following months, only to have them all scrapped when their at-the-time guitar player left the band to pursue a different path. “It turned out to be a blessing in disguise”, explains Hancock. “If it weren’t for [our guitar player] leaving, Brandon would never have been part of the picture.”
Murphy turned out to be the missing piece of the puzzle the band needed. “I’ve played guitar many years, but had never really played in a band before, so it was awesome to come into this thing with a clean slate.” At his first practice, Murphy amazed the band with his versatile playing style, so much so that the band wrote their first song, Kill the Messenger, that very night. After that, it was all systems go.
It is a long road to success, and Mirah Maines is a band that embraces this fact with open arms. Never resting on their laurels, each member is constantly progressing, looking for new ways to incorporate their diverse influences and always in search of that extra push. “We all realize that this is an industry you have to work at”, says Hancock. “No one is going to hand you anything. We all put 100 percent of ourselves into this band and take nothing for granted.”
With that said, the band also likes to keep the environment around them as loose as possible. Each member takes the music seriously, but never to the point of obsession. “We keep our practices really chill”, explains Fraser. “It’s good to have time to grab a bite to eat and just hang out with your friends.” Even in their live performances, everything is extremely casual. “We’re not perfectionists when it comes to playing shows”, says West. “People are there to have a good time, so if I sacrifice the perfection of a fill every once in a while in exchange for going crazy and joking around with our fans, so be it.” It seems rather fitting that the band first took the stage under the moniker This Is Closure (the name-change occurred after their first show). Through writing music, each member has been able to overcome his own personal demons. “When we first started writing, we were still getting used to each other – not only as musicians, but as people”, Hancock elaborates. “We were still finding ourselves, individually.” Although they have each found their personal closure, Mirah Maines isn’t planning on getting big-headed anytime soon.
“We all still have day jobs”, says Murphy. “Well, Jeff makes movies. The rest of us have REAL jobs.”