What’s your story as an artist?
It’s based off the need to tell a different story – a story of hope and of something deeper in the way we walk through life. I’ve always said music wasn’t something that came naturally for me really ever, just something always drew me to it. I needed it, even from a really young age, but was so tied up in athletics and other hobbies to give it the attention equivalent to its early weight in my life. When I was 16, I wrote a couple of really terribly kitschy songs about love (or the lack of love) I experienced in my formative years, and around 18 had the opportunity to record for the first time. And I just fell in love. I then changed my path academically from the medical field to follow it in the form of audio engineering, and during my time in school, I met Sam Katz as I was branching out into the world of live performances – playing solo and starting a new garage band or folk project every other week. His style of playing was much different than any I had encountered, and we connected right away.
During these times were some of our earliest ideals of Mountains Like Wax, playing gigs in between metal bands in DIY festivals hours away, and whatever house venues or coffee shop parking lot we could make noise in throughout Middle TN. So in the fall of 2015, we released our debut EP – a collection of four songs entitled ‘Tetralogy’ – and in this process, something more driven and directed was born. We wanted to be bigger, be louder, more intentional, and be more driven. So we added more players over the years, wrote a lot more songs, dreamed many more dreams, and realized a true sense of purpose. After releasing a couple additional EP’s and singles and touring regularly around the southeast, we were able to complete the writing from late 2017-2020 on what shaped up to be our debut LP, which will be entitled ‘Before There Was Plenty’, releasing February 2022. And it’s the truest and most earnest view into what is Mountains Like Wax – a voice of growth and change, and looking forward to those things in hope and adoration.
What do you want your music to communicate?
I think mostly understanding. When someone really understands where you’re at or what you’re going through, it really brings a deep comfort, helps us know we’re not alone, and gives us some sort of a community, even if it’s with people we’ve never really known. I guess my goal is for us to meet people where they’re at, embracing what happens in life throughout youth and change through the days we live, recognizing the here and now and capturing that in a sense, so we can grow from it and move on.
What are some sources of inspiration for your storytelling?
I think the lens we see life through, and how that life and perspective affects each one of us differently. But more directly, growing up around such great folk and bluegrass music really exposed me to truly colorful lyricism and storytelling
Who is an artist that you look up to more than others today?
I think the same as what made us want to play music in the first place – Radiohead, Oasis, The Killers, Coldplay, and countless others.
What’s the record or artist that made you realize you wanted to be an artist?
Mitchell: Alchemy Index – Thrice, A Rush of Blood to the Head – Coldplay
Sam: (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? – Oasis, The Suburbs – Arcade Fire
Tell us about your latest release and how it came about
“Are You Changing?” (released 8/27) is the first single towards our debut record. It’s one of the most definitive moments of introspect and change on the record – noticing where you’ve been and where you want to be. And for us now, and in the scope of this record’s story, it’s important that was the first step.
“Boxing Your Ears” (releases 10/1) is the moment when the inner-fight and naive optimism waves the white flag towards a relationship that is too far to be requited. I wanted to depict that moment when you’re drunk and you catch yourself in the bathroom mirror and just stare for a moment – with your hands on the sink and a purple-faded smirk, asking yourself ‘what the hell am I doing here?”
What inspires your sound?
I think primarily the music that we grew up listening to – rock, grunge, and emo – from the mid nineties and early 00’s. There’s a certain timelessness about that which made us fall in love with music that I don’t see a lot today. Maybe that’s just nostalgia, but I feel it’s something deeper.
What’s your favorite tune of yours?
Are You Changing? or The Runner
Where are some things you really want to accomplish as an artist?
Reach as many folks as possible. Whether that’s playing in garages or amphitheaters, we just want to connect with people.
Favorite lyric you ever wrote?
“A little more summer skin, and a lot less Ambien”
Was there ever a moment when you felt like giving up?
Every other day if we’re being honest.
What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten?
Don’t censor yourself. You’ve chosen a life as an artist, so if you say or do something in the scope of that artistry, but worry about how it’s going to be received, then you’re more of a puppet than an artist.
Where do you think the next game changer will be in the music industry and entertainment scene?
I think we’re living it. I think it’s up to us now – the ones making music and entertainment. Do we want to make Tik Tok hits or something that will last?
