Band of the Month: Muleta Smiles

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The Band of the Month for October is: Muleta Smiles

Photo © Carl Battam Photography

Muleta Smiles is:

Liam Sexton, vocals

Matt Blockley, guitar

guitarist from muleta smiles

Dan Laffar, bass

Kane Dalton, drums

Biography

Formed in 2006, the four piece Leicester band really got going in 2010. Muleta Smiles has established itself and now puts on regular shows at the Shed live music venue in Leicester. These shows attract considerable interest and are always well attended.

UK finalists in the Battle for Bloodstock competition, in June 2011, they were one of the few bands in their genre to get past the opening stages of the event, and they got voted UK Top 4.

The band's style of music is basically tech/hardcore - very loud, very energetic and incredibly exciting. They have released several E.P. recordings.

The band is signed to ITG Records of London.

muleta smiles band
Photo © Carl Battam Photography

Russell Pierce (former member), Matthew Blockley, Liam Sexton, Kane Dalton, Dan Laffar

Interview

Artsin: I am here with Matt from the Leicester band Muleta Smiles. Matt, tell me a bit about the band.

Matt: Hmm ... it's a very long story but basically, the idea of the band and what i wanted to achieve from it, was formed in 2006 by me and Kieran Brindley. The last single we released, for example, Her name in lights, was actually half written back then but the project got put on hold for over three years, as my girlfriend Amy fell pregnant with my daughter Everlyn.

At that point I decided to take time off the live circuit and be a father. I always have written obsessively and came back to reform this project in March 2010, with a mad amount of ideas, I'd built up during my time away from live music. With abit of luck and a few member changes I feel now that i've found a good enough lineup to carry out what me and kieran laid as the foundations ... all those years ago. So yeah ... that's about it up to now with Muleta really.

Artsin: If you were to describe the kind of music to someone who had not heard the band before, what would you say?

Matt: Well it's kinda tricky at the moment with so many sub-genres knocking about. I mean, it's not like 10 years ago. Back then, if you asked people what style they were, they would answer something simple like, Metal or Rock. It seems today that modern music is constantly evolving and changing and going off in its little direction. It's good that there's so much fresh stuff around but the only problem with such divides, with genres, is that essentially it becomes a social divide too?

Anyway, Back to the question at hand. We get tagged under quite a lot of styles when people speak about us online. A lot of people say tech or hardcore but from our point of view and especially on the new E.P., I'd say the most accurate pidgeon hole we've been put in would be progressive hardcore.

This I think is mostly down to our approach to writing and that we literally say if we enjoy it and it works then its going in; whether that be a smooth jazz section or a thousand m.p.h. blast section. (laughs) We like to keep the listener guessing and at the same time just do whatever feels natural to us Without being boxed into something too obviously generic, so this works for us.

Our influences are massively diverse, so I think that comes into play a lot with our schiztophrenic side (laughs). Kane for example is an amazing old school disco drummer and is really into intricate hand work. Save the jokes on that shall we?

Our influences range from bands like Nirvana and Alice in chains and a lot of the grunge era bands, right through to stuff like the Dillinger escape plan, Glassjaw and Tony Danza. If it's good, then it's good, regardless of genre we feel.

Photo © R Ingley. Muleta Smiles playing at the Shed, August 2011

Artsin: Tell us about the hardcore scene in Leicester; your shows are always packed out. Why is that?

Matt: The hardcore and metal scene as a whole in Leicester is the best it's been for years, in my opinion. I think, slowly but surely, our shows are getting more and more busy because people are realising what we set out to do with this show. In the first place.

Artsin: So, what was your intention when starting out these Shed basement shows exactly?

Matt: Well, when i came back to live music, I noticed that something was missing from before. i noticed that people would all go to shows but not interact and not only that but this sub-genre divide ruled out people from being at the same shows as each other. Even when, essentially, they all love heavy music in general. So, my plan was to get everyone into a close enviroment, make it a night where basically all the bands are heavy but varied in styles and, that way, it would open people's eyes to see that really we all want the same thing.

We all want a great atmosphere and for out of town bands to come and actually play to a positive crowd, regardless of the elite way of thinking. We have such a great bunch of open minded regulars and even some of the usually more particular elite crowds have started turning up.

I just really believe that a strong community at shows, as a whole, from the ground up, will make for a better future of live music. That's just my opinion man and I think a lot of people just come to the shows expecting to hang out with other likewise minds. So I guess my plan worked!

Artsin: What do you think about live music in Leicester generally. Is this city a good place for bands to play?

Matt: Leicester has some great venues now and some quality promoters that absolutely work their asses off to bring us some awesome shows. Andy Wright at lock 42 puts on so many great varied nights down there that you could pretty much pop in on any of his shows and see some class acts.

Adam Onslought does a great job and works really hard supplying the more death metal and grind side of things in leicester too. Then there's Kieren Brindley who does the big hardcore/metal shows down there too.

I actually think that he is the main reason why the bigger heavy bands are still even interested in playing Leicester sometimes, as I know for fact that so many times, in the past, he's gone totally out of his way and really put a lot of his own time and money into bringing a great band to our town.

So, Id' say Leicester can only get better in their hands, now that we are slowly achieving the change in attitude that I spoke about, with regards to the social side of local shows.

Artsin: How does Leicester compare to other places the band has played, like Nottingham?

Matt: As i said, Leicester is always improving lately, in my opinion, but it's not quite there with the likes of Nottingham. I'd say Nottingham has a bigger alternative scene (whispers) and here's where i get into trouble ... because they have a larger number of bigger and more respected local acts.

In saying that, I think that Leicester is producing some real class acts recently and I kinda think that's another result in Leicester becoming a better live scene.

Artsin: Name a few local acts who you have enjoyed lately on the live circuit.

Matt: Ok, well we have some really exciting young, up and coming bands but a few, already on it, are, for starters, I'll say Without Fire. We had them headline at Basement Show 5 and I honestly thought they were incredible. Just so many well written songs and really nice guys.

Secondly, I'd say Atlantis. They're really bringing something different to the table at the minute and they're so powerful. I don't think there's a band like them around here and that's always gonna demand my respect, to be honest. There's so many, Trevor, honestly ... I'm struggling here! (laughs) Internal Conflict are about to deliver something mad as well soon. I'm lucky enough to have heard their new E.P. and it is without doubt the most professional record I think I've personally heard come out of Leicester. It sounds so focused and has so many great twists and stand out moments.

Lion Estates ... these guys are ridiculous, 'chaos with precision', I think, is the best way to describe those boys, intense live as well. Now, I could go on forever Trevor, as I currently enjoy lots of Leicester bands but I'll cut it there mate!

Artsin: Most times that I have seen the band, you are playing in the basement of The Shed, rather than on the main stage. What's that about?

Matt: Well it's that whole thing I spoke about earlier really. We believe it's about being up close and personal with your crowd for a start. When a few more people have heard us then maybe we will move on to stadiums man! (laughs).

Artsin: Has the band got any new songs coming out: singles, E.P.s?

Matt: We have a new E.P. written, called We are entwined; it's a six track and I'm beyond excited about it. We've worked really hard on these tracks and I can honestly say there isn't a section in any song that I don't enjoy playing. It's frantic as hell but also beautiful a lot of the time. I suppose I'd have to say go into this E.P. expecting nothing in particular, more like lots of everything. It's coming out October some time and I absolutely cannot wait.

Artsin: Tell us about your record label.

Matt: ITG Records are like our out of town agents, we are managed by a great guy called Steve Ground, who helps to spread our name to promoters in london that otherwise we would struggle to reach.

Photo © Carl Battam Photography

Gigography

You can see Muleta Smiles at their next shows:

2011

Saturday, 1st October at the Shed

Saturday, 8th October at Spanky Van Dykes, Nottingham

Wednesday, 19th October at the Leicester Soundhouse

Wednesday, 26th October at lock42

Monday, 31st October at the Firebug

Friday, 18th November at The Intake Club, Mansfield

Saturday, 19th November, The Shed, Leicester

Friday, 2nd December, The Basement, York

Friday, 9th December. The Shed, Christmas Special, Show 8, free entry.

Discography

Singles

Set Sail - Hear this on MySpace, link below

Her Name in Lights - Listen to it on Facebook

Demos

Lest We Revenge - Hear this on MySpace, link below

Without Wax

16 Years - Hear this on MySpace, link below

The band's first fully produced EP is due out in November

Muleta Smiles live

Iv'e seen Muleta Smiles play live several times, almost since they started out. I have to say, it's always a memorable experience. Recent gigs in the Basement Bar of the Shed are a challenge for me, not least because the temperature down there is volanic. So is the music. The sound system is crap but you can hear it, well, you can't help but hear it.

Muleta Smiles put one hundred per cent into their performances. I just love the way they pump out megawatts of energy and the room pulsates with the passion of their sounds.

What I also love is the way the audience reacts - they live the music just as much as the band does. It wouldn't be real without a group of lads, at the front, moshing madly. If you want to get a feel for what it's like, check the YouTube videos below.

As someone who watches every imaginable flavour of live music, I hold this band in particularly high regard. What they do live, does it for me big time. They contribute something positive and valueable to Leicester's crowded live music offering - a real, down to earth, in your face, total music experience. One day I am going to get up the front and mosh, just for the hell of it. It's an experience I need. You can''t just listen to this band, you have to feel their music and be part of it and for lots of kids who go to their shows, that's what they get, something live and very exciting.

Videography

Set Sail, the band live at the Shed on Saturday 1st October

Click here for the YouTube Video

Set Sail, official music video on Youtube

Muleta Smiles live at the Shed, show 5, (courtesy of Darren Hines)

Muleta Smiles live at the Camden Barfly, July 2011

Links

Muleta Smiles on Facebook

Muleta Smiles on Myspace

ITG Records on Myspace

Other pages you might like:

This years festivals (2012)

The home page of the music section