TMFTML: It’s been 9 months since your last single, Marmite, was released. Can you tell me a little bit about what you’ve been up to? Sounds like the band might have a baby in the oven!
TOMÁS: Ya it’s been a bit of a stretch to be fair… but I’m happy to say we have birthed a baby boy called Adam Downey! To be honest we’re worse than spinal tap when it comes to drummers and despite playing no live shows, Adam is now the fourth drummer to cross the Bury Me With My Money threshold. However, we’re happy to say that power rangers are go! and we’re finally booking shows and begging to tour the EP Karosi at last. We’ve also began pre-production on another set of songs that will likely manifest itself as another EP.
TMFTML: You’ve filled the live bands ranks with some of the finest musicians in the west of Ireland, with members of Race The Flux, Bannered Mare and of course Ka tet. Has the writing process changed from the projects inception? Is it more collaborative now or are you still pulling all of the strings behind the curtain?
TOMÁS: Ya, we’ve gathered a great bunch of lads now and everyone gels well, which is half the battle. I’m still writing the guts of the songs and Joseph Padfield (Bannered Mare) is still our producer, but I’m also aware that each member is the most talented at their chosen instrument. Unlike the first EP where Joe & myself played almost everything on the EP bar the drums, which were played by Sean Wynne from Oscar Mild, this time round we have the opportunity to workshop the songs with the band and alter them so they are more natural and generally tastier! Half the reason it’s taken so long to get the band gig ready is because the previous EP was written on the computer, piece by piece. It was all very un-natural for a live musician to play and comprehend. So nowadays, I have the restriction of five actual human beings to consider and that’s actually helped in the writing process as there are boundaries to consider now.
TMFTML: This project is very different to your previous work with Ka tet. What that a conscious decision, or more of a natural progression towards more atmospheric and electronic soundscapes? Who are some of your main influences on BMWMM’s sound?
TOMÁS: I played guitar in Ka tet which was a three piece, but I would never have considered myself a guitarist per se. Guitar was a necessary tool to write and perform with Ka tet. So when we broke up, I gave up the struggle to command the guitar and turned inward to Ableton and began experimenting with synths and excessive percussion. At the time I wasn’t even sure if the songs would ever be performed live, so there was no restrictions put on the choice of instruments and sounds I could use to write a song. Then eventually, one drunken night, I tricked Joseph Padfield into agreeing to produce me and we took the spirit of having no restrictions on the soundscape we were making and we just went for it. Of course that came back to bite him in the ass when he had to re-produce them sounds live, but I’m happy to say he’s a genius and he’s nailing it!
TMFTML: You mentioned that ‘Okay’ is about the difficulty of being raised in a religious tradition and how breaking away from that can be a psychologically difficult experience, but ultimately leads to positive personal growth. Tell us a little bit about that. Did you grow up in a very religious household? What age were you when you started to break away from those traditions, and how did that experience effect you personally?
TOMÁS: I grew up in a very traditional, middle class, rural Irish, catholic home. Then around the time of my tenth birthday, my mum began exploring a range of other religions and various spiritual practices. I was apart of her journey for five to six years and eventually just turned my back on it all. I have never returned to organised religion, but now days I’m more open to the a range of possibilities out there (the universe is a big ass place), and I’m not closed off to the lessons hidden within the ancient teachings of most religions.
I also think some of the benefits of those experiences in my youth created a strong interest in the well-being of my fellow man, also a massive interest in the human psyche and the play between good and evil in people. I think that’s reflected in most of my music, especially in my earlier music, I felt my songs had to have purpose and portray a valuable message for others as well as myself.
TMFTML: Do you think Ireland moving away from those same traditions as a country is having a positive effect on our mental health and well-being as a society? Do you notice any negative effects this shift has had?
TOMÁS: I definitely think it’s effected our country, both for better and worse. I’ll never agree with the behavior of the catholic church (we all know how that panned out), but I do think we’ve over looked some of the benefits of some spiritual practices. How prayer and meditation can help clarify your thoughts and relieve stress and with the hectic lives we all live now I think elements of those practices could really help some people. We’ve also lost the strong sense of community we once had as a catholic nation. I don’t think there has been any unifying community that has come close to bringing people together like the church did.
TMFTML: What are your plans for the band? Bedroom noodles, or world domination? Somewhere in between?
TOMÁS: Noodles in bed is always gonna be messy, and I don’t think I have the energy for world domination. I think I’ll always continue to make music, it’s good for the soul, but I also love live performance and I’d like to do that full time. So if we could carve a stable career in music where we can all sustain a decent livelihood and gain some recognition for the art we make without loosing the run of ourselves, I’ll be a happy camper.
TMFTML: Thanks for taking the time to chat to me! Where can we catch you live in the near future?
TOMÁS: No problem! We play ‘The Fun Machine’ in Fibber Magees, Dublin on Sept 12th and The Roisin Dubh Galway on September 13th. Tickets to both shows will be available on the door 😉
For all the things TMFTML Follow us on:
FACEBOOK//TWITTER//INSTAGRAM
Keep up to date with Bury Me With My Money on:
FACEBOOK//INSTAGRAM
