Music Q&A with The Maguas
Photo courtesy of The Maguas
Emo-leaning, alternative rock outfit, The Maguas, recently released an EP titled Evergreen! In late November, the band took some time to answer questions about their new EP, working with Nik Bruzzese (Man Overboard, Casa Loma), the best live band they’ve seen, and more! Evergreen is out now!
How did the pandemic affect the creative process and recording of the EP, if it did at all?
Brandon: I think one of the most interesting aspects of writing and recording Evergreen was the fact that most of it was written in isolation. We weren’t really able to interact much at all outside of the digital world - so it became more of a group effort as we came together in the studio to work with Nik at The Gradwell. The week we spent in the studio was the first time in over 8 months that we had all been in a room together - it was a surreal moment to finally play those songs all together.
Daulton: I think it was a different experience for us because we weren't able to come together and really hammer out songs together. But I think it allowed us to get more feelings into our music because we all had so many feelings about the isolation of covid. I think it brought a bit of a darker idea to our music and in that sense I think it was helpful to our creative process.
Erik: We certainly spent more time coming up with ideas on our own. We didn’t have the opportunity to get together and go through the writing process from scratch, but eventually we were able to get together for a weekend and comb through what eventually became Evergreen.
Luke: We were fortunate enough to be able to get together in the studio when infected numbers started to slow down and hash out a lot of the finer things with each of the songs collectively. Our band is lucky enough to have members with tools at their disposal (like Matt’s studio) so we are able to get a decent amount of work done without the whole band getting together at the same time.
You worked with Nik Bruzzese (Man Overboard, Casa Loma) on the EP and it isn’t your first time working with him. What is it about his work that has the band continuing to work with him?
Brandon: Personally, I hold Nik’s opinion in high regard. When we bring Nik what we feel is our best work and all sit down together to hear his view on it all, it’s truly a special moment. Nik never holds back when it comes to our music - he simply wants to put out the best music possible. He’s a true producer, and I couldn’t imagine putting out a record without his guidance or mentorship.
Daulton: Nik is basically like a sixth member of the band at this point. His personality fits in perfectly with our band. And that isn't even mentioning how incredibly talented he is. He has a certain way of making you feel comfortable in your writing process but also bringing out all of the creativity you can muster. I think at the heart of it, he's been very helpful constructing our music and getting to what is the core of our songs.
Erik: He’s the best. He’s extremely talented, easy to get along with, and he’s as genuine as it gets. With his experience and talent, it’s hard to imagine working with someone else now that we’ve developed such a comfortable and productive dynamic.
Luke: Nik gives clear cut criticism that helps us constantly improve and grow as musicians. And since we’ve spent a decent amount of time with him he’s become more than a coworker and transitioned to a mentor and legitimate friend. I would like to work with Nik for as long as possible. He has helped us so much.
Matt: I love working with Nik. From start to finish, we have a blast working together in the studio. Most importantly, his input as a producer and expertise as an engineer is top notch. He’s not afraid to tell you the honest truth about your songwriting and general performance in the studio, which has really improved our band as professional musicians.
Who has been your favorite artist or band to see live?
Brandon: Mayday Parade! They perfectly emulate their records in their live performances, and their fans are so much fun to rock out with!
Daulton: The Wonder Years, just easily one of the best live performances I've seen.
Erik: Periphery
Luke: Rush
Matt: I saw Sevendust about 4 times, and every time I’ve seen them they blow me away. One of my favorite bands I’ve seen in 2021 was Turnstile, who were absolutely electric on stage.
What is your favorite album of all time?
Brandon: Mayday Parade [Self Titled]
Daulton: The Greatest Generation by The Wonder Years
Erik: You’re Gonna Miss It All by Modern Baseball
Luke: August and Everything After by The Counting Crows
Matt: Saturate by Breaking Benjamin
What's the best piece of advice another musician ever gave you?
Brandon: Whether you’re playing in front of 5 people or 10,000 people, be thankful for the opportunity in front of you and take advantage of every show you get! - Felipe Sanchez of Rain City Drive
Daulton: Nik once told me in the studio that sometimes you need to look around and appreciate where you've gotten to. I feel like I personally get very focused on what's next and what the next step is and it's very easy to miss what's going on in the moment.
Erik: This is two parts, the same sentiment from two people. We opened for Joe from Forever Came Calling and when hanging out with him afterward, he said something along the lines of “I liked that rock vibe, you guys should lean into that.” It wasn’t exactly that, but it’s similar to what Nik told us when we first went to the studio… which was to not try to be something we’re not. We started the band with pop punk in mind, modeled after bands like The Wonder Years or The Story So Far. Those two guys realized that wasn’t what we were before we did, and it really helped pop the bubble we started in.
Luke: Enjoy the time you have currently and what it means to be together as a band now because if you get more popular the dynamic shifts and I will always miss when my band was where you guys are now. -Nik
Matt: My guitar teacher as a kid, John Yzkannin, once told me, “If you hit a bad note live, own it like you meant it, no one probably noticed anyway. It’s when you start to panic or make a bad face, people will take notice.” After playing so many live shows with the band, I think this holds so true. We’ve had so many things go wrong over the years while playing live, whether a guitar was out of tune, something breaks on stage, or a part of the song was played wrong. Remaining calm, despite what might happen on stage, and continuing to put on a rocking performance throughout is key to being a really confident live performer.
We all have our days where it may not be going as well as we’d like. People deal with their worst days in different ways. What helps you get through the bad days? How do you stay positive?
Brandon: Typically when I’m struggling, I turn a lot of my energy to writing. I often find it cathartic to get my thoughts on paper and express myself in poetry or songwriting. I am typically a happy, go lucky person, but music always helps me get through those really tough days.
Daulton: I feel a lot of relief in the band itself. Whether that is just the 5 of us hanging out or writing or practicing. Having this outlet has been a god send for me personally.
Erik: I find getting to the gym helps, relaxing and playing video games, or even some guided meditation. Overall I try to stay present and understand why I feel a certain way.
Luke: I try to always focus on others when I’m having a bad day. I drive to this particular spot that overlooks my entire hometown and I just sit there and think about what might be happening in the lives of all the other people that live all around me and grew up in the same place. Focusing on the lives and perspectives of others helps ground me and come to terms with whatever I might be struggling with that day. I also turn to writing poetry a lot and just getting the feelings out on paper.
Thank you for taking the time for this Q&A. Any last words or final message for the readers?
Brandon: We just want to thank everyone who has continued to support our music and journey! This has been a dream come true and we are so thankful to each and every person who has given our music and our band a chance!
Daulton: Thank you to everyone who has supported us and we have so much more planned for the future of our band.
Erik: Follow us on MySpace! (Or whichever social media platform you use!)
Luke: I hope everyone that made it to the end has a great week! Well, and the people that didn’t make it to the end too. Thanks for taking the time to check out the article!