Interview with These Dead Machines

What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today?

My Dad was always really into music and had a guitar around. When I was 6, we moved up North and he opened a second-hand record shop so growing up, me and my brother spent a fair bit of time there, soaking up the sights and sounds

Feels like in whatever form, making music is something I’m compelled to do…so I’d like to hope if it wasn’t that, it’d be another creative outlet of some kind. I’ve tried dabbling with writing projects in the past - maybe it’d be that?

What do you like to do when you are not playing music and how does that influence your creativity?

I tend to not force it, so it’s OK if there’s times not doing it and others when 100’s of ideas come. I have a fairly busy life outside of music anyway so it becomes a good outlet when the mood hits right

How long has your band been around?

As a band of one, I guess a couple of years? It started as more dabbling post-band and after a while, found my feet with my sound, started pushing a few creative boundaries a little and so around Sept ‘23 started to put out songs under this name

Where are you based out of and how did that influence your music?

I live pretty close to Manchester and while I grew up listening to The Smiths amongst many others, I never really got into Oasis, Stone Roses, Happy Mondays or any of the other big Manchester bands. There’s always been great grassroots stuff here though

How did you come up with the name of your band and what does it mean to you?

I tend to name songs very quickly to capture some of the theme and the place I was in when the idea formed and These Dead Machines was a song title for a song that I never really finished and seemed to fit well with what I wanted to do. Kind of feels like a name people could form their own opinion about what it might mean

Tell me about your most memorable shows.

As cheesy as it might be, some of the most memorable have been those where there’s almost no audience, just a old fella with a 3 legged dog at the back of the pub (not literally but y’know…). Doing shows that maybe don’t turn out as you’d like but you enjoy yourself and do it because you love it stay with me

What is your favorite venue to play at, and do you have any places you want to play that you have not already?

I enjoyed the Deaf Institute in Manchester - while it’s not huge, the stage is pretty high and there’s a massive mirror ball in the middle of the room. Just like the vibes.

If you could play any show with any lineup, who would be on the ticket?

Crosses (†††), Tigercub, and a mix of different flavours, English Teacher and Bob Vylan in there too

What is some advice that you would give to someone who is just getting into playing in a band and some advice that you would give to your younger self?

Don’t take it too seriously, enjoy every moment and do it because you love it not for any delusions of grandeur!

If you could go back in time and give yourselves advice, what would it be?

Lighten up!

Of your songs which one means the most to you and why?

Many on the album do, in different ways but Heartstrings does for many reasons, people, places and stuff it reminds me of

Which songs are your favorite to play and which get requested the most?

These days being just recording and not playing live, I’ll take it as most fun in creating and I guess that’d be Illuminate. I made the bass sound dirty and kind of riffed off of Bjork’s ‘Army of Me’ with that repetitive bassline and layered on top of that.

What is the creative process for the band, and what inspires you to write your music?

Just let it happen when it wants to happen. I try not to force it - if the spark hits then I’ll grab an instrument and see where it goes. I deliberately don’t learn other people’s songs so I try to make a point of picking up something and just playing whatevers in my head. Sometimes a beat, a note, a sound can trigger a thought or a memory then it’s very visual in how the rest comes together

What kinds of messages do you like to get across in your music?

They whole theres light in even the darkest of places kind of thing. There can be really difficult times but we can all be resilient and there can be hope

Do you ever have disagreements in your band, and how do you get past them?

Hahah, as a band of one, no!

What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that is coming up?

So, my album ‘Any Minute Now’ is coming out on 2nd December and in the background I have a load of tracks that’re getting into shape for what might be an EP or something at some point next year. Tonnes of ideas - just need to focus!