Q and A: Garrett Nickelsen (The Maine) (2017)

By ANDREW MCKAYSMITH

THE Maine are an alternative rock band from Tempe, Arizona. The band offers singalong choruses over big rock beats and loud guitars that fans of Kings of Leon, the Killers and Snow Patrol will surely adore. Since forming in 2007 they have released six stellar albums including the recently issued long-player Lovely, Little, Lonely.

Hot on the promotional trail for the new album, bassist and part time vocalist Garrett Nickelsen found time to answer some questions by email. So here they are!

Hot Metal: Congratulations on a wonderful career to date! How do you think fans are going to react to the new album, Lovely, Little, Lonely?

Garrett Nickelsen: “Hey thanks! I think our fans are‘gonna be really into it! It’s probably the least jump we’ve made from one album to the next. It has feelings of things we’ve done in the past but also a fresh vibe.” 

HM: Is there a theme for Lovely, Little, Lonely? 

GN: “We really wanted the album to feel like if you were floating at the bottom of a pool all alone. That uneasy feeling of being completely alone but there is comfort somewhere in that.”

HM: Is new single “Bad Behaviour” indicative of the rest of the album?

GN: “It for sure has a lot of the feeling that is on the rest of the album. I would say maybe the song ‘Black Butterflies’ and Déjà vu’ might be a better example of the album and whole. It has all the vibes that happen on the album in the one song. “

HM: Who are your influences and inspirations? 

GN: “I’d say the band we look up to the most is probably Wilco. Such an amazing band who keeps putting out great albums and doing things on their own terms.”

HM: If you weren’t in The Maine, what would you be doing? 

GN: “I’d be a very sad guy somewhere. I try not to think of things like this.”

HM: What has been the band’s biggest challenge? 

GN: “Everything we had to go through making the album Pioneer (’11) was pretty difficult thing for us. It was probably the closet we’ve come to not doing this anymore.”

HM: If it all ended tomorrow, have you achieved everything you wanted with The Maine? 

GN: “Life has a funny way of never really letting you feel like you’ve achieved the mountain top. We always have more and more goals. If it ended tomorrow there is still many things I want to try.”

HM: How do you find touring? 

GN: “I enjoy touring a lot. We live such a different life than most people do. I don’t take that for granted, I try and enjoy every day.”

HM: Favourite country to tour? 

GN: “I love Singapore a whole lot. Really nice people and a great food!”

HM: Best tour that you have been on 

GN: “The American Candy tour will be pretty hard to beat. Our best friends The Technicolors were on the tour and people were seeming to have a great time at all the shows. The Lovely Little Lonely tour is shaping to be a real great one too. I’ll have to get back to you on that.”

HM: Funny tour incident to share?  

GN: “One time my bunk on our bus caught on fire. Looking back that’s pretty funny.”

HM: Where do you see yourself and the band in 10 years’ time? 

GN: “We’re just hoping to still be doing this. We love making albums and touring and really nothing else sounds better than that.”

HM: Is there a grand plan? 

GN: “Grand plan is being able to make the albums we want and still tour. We have such a great time doing this we wouldn’t want to do anything else.”

Thanks to Garrett for the interview. The Maine are touring Australia in May, supporting All Time Low and Neck Deep. Check out the dates below.

Friday 12 May – 5:45pm