Press To MECO [Interview]
Press To MECO are a one of a kind band. Dropping pop-punk, post-hardcore, and math-ridden influences into their own musical melting pot and cooking up a genuinely unique sonic style, Press To MECO are exactly the kind of band the rock world needs right now: Different, special, exciting, and forward-thinking.
From February 22nd through to March 9th, Press To MECO are touring the UK with Max Raptor and Allusondrugs – and here, TMMP talks to vocalist/guitarist Luke Caley about motivation, life after the release of debut album Good Intent (reviewed on TMMP here), and Press To MECO’s ultimate goal…
The last time we spoke, you were about to head off and tour the UK to support the release of Good Intent. How did that go? Any road stories?
The tour was so awesome! I think three shows overall sold out, and every date had people showing up singing all the words. It’s incredibly humbling to see years of hard work pay off in physical form like that.
[No road stories] really to be honest, haha! When we head out on tour it’s literally just the three of us in a van with no extra crew – so we’re usually either travelling to a show, eating, or exhausted and asleep when we’re not on stage. There’s always loads of funny stuff but nothing MENTAL…maybe we’re just really boring, haha!
Good Intent has been out for a while now. How do you feel about the way it’s been received so far?
Yeah, it’s been awesome. As I said above, to have anyone turning up to your shows and singing as loud as they can is the most amazing feeling. We’ve not stopped getting messages from new people saying how much they like the album since it came out, too.
All the press was really positive as well, which is mental for us, as we’ve found we’re quite a “Marmite” band. People either really like us or just aren’t into it at all.
You’re about to hit the road again with the awesome Max Raptor and Allusondrugs. Since some people turn up to shows just to see one band in a given lineup, how would you sell the other bands on the bill to them?
We’re all so, so excited for this tour. When the tour was being put together we really wanted it to be marketed as a [full tour] package rather than a headliner and two supports. It’s three bands all of a relatively similar hype and success getting together to try [and] celebrate and represent the up and coming UK rock scene.
Max Raptor and Allusondrugs, in my opinion, are genuinely two of THE best bands on the UK touring circuit at the moment. You’d be mad not to go see them on the same bill.
If you could add any other band to the lineup, who would you choose, and why?
Ermmm….if it was a BIG band, maybe someone like Manchester Orchestra or PUP. But I’d love Dillinger Escape Plan, just so I could watch them and cry with joy every night. On a similar level, it would have to be our mates ACODA – unbelievably good band, and I think they’d fit so perfectly on the lineup.
What are your pre-show rituals?
NOT eating at least like an hour before you play is a good one for us! I dunno if it’s a ritual, but it’s something we’ve learnt the hard way NOT to do. Lewis (our drummer) always has a good stretch and warm up on his pad, and me and Adam will always find somewhere quiet to do a vocal warm up together. That’s about it really.
Actually, I guess I’ve never really thought about it and it’s quite specific to us, but we always bump fists before we start playing. I dunno why we do it, but it feels good, almost like a team huddle before a match; [a] “morale” kinda thing. It’s something we’ve done since the first time we ever played together, and it’s literally stuck every time.
What happened the first time you ever got onstage?
I used to do stage school stuff and tap dancing when I was REALLY young [laughs], so I can’t actually remember the first time I ever got on stage. But the first time I ever performed in a band was with a couple of friends performing Teenage Dirtbag to our class (in the classroom) when we were maybe eleven years old.
The first show I played was probably when I was twelve, at a local youth wing.
What keeps you motivated?
I always say about people doing what we’re doing, it’s almost not a choice. It’s like an addiction you have no control over and you simply HAVE to be playing music and performing, or you just end up feeling empty and sad.
Obviously you have to be driven to achieve goals and and make progress – otherwise you become frustrated – but I always feel for the people in it for the right reasons, it’s more than just being motivated. It’s something you know you can’t live without. It’s why we’re all still living at home with family and have no money [laughs]!
What’s your ultimate goal as a band?
It’s a generic answer, but it’s gotta be the same for 90% of bands out there. The dream of being able to live and earn a wage from doing exactly what we’re doing now is what we all strive for and always will be.
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