What happens after the angst has gone down from playing in a metal band called Bury Your Dead? For Myke Terry, it allowed him the opportunity to explore making music outside of the realm of metalcore. It allowed him to channel his own sound, going from sounding like Parkway Drive to Frank Ocean or The Weeknd. Armed with a new EP (set to be released on October 9), a pen, paper, and the ability to throw a show that makes you walk away at the end going, "damn, that was a lot of fun", Terry is ready to take on the world.
I recently spoke with Terry about the making of his debut EP, the meaning behind the track "Red Handed", and one of the most unique "What does music mean to you?" answers I've ever received.
I’ve gotta say, based on everything that I’ve heard and read, your musical transition really interests me. How did you make the jump from metalcore, playing in a band called Bury Your Dead, all the way into playing music that’s much more in the style of The Weeknd and Frank Ocean?
I guess it would come from my background. I’ve always been into slower music or rock and roll, just different styles of stuff. After I got out of the band, I had more time because we weren’t touring or anything like that. I wrote a couple of records that were metal, but then I just started exploring more of the softer, heartfelt rock stuff, and it stuck. It was really just by happen stance.
When you were creating all of the songs on the EP, was there a specific goal you were setting out to accomplish behind the record, or was it really just about exploring and seeing what you could make with it?
That’s pretty much it. I was just going through it at the time. I just wanted to make music that reflected what I was going through. Earlier, when I was playing metal, I was a lot younger and a lot more angry and aggressive as a kid. I guess it would make more sense that metal was that direct outlet. I’ve sort of chilled out a lot. A more chill vibe is what I would like to give the world, anyways.
Tell me a little bit about the track “Red Handed”. What was the goal of that song for you in terms of the musicality and the lyrical content?
Just to get it off my chest, you know? For me, writing is really therapeutic, so with “Red Handed”, I just wanted to get off my chest what I was feeling, and try and get some closure to some things. (laughs).
A lot of people pay a lot of money to have psychiatrists talk or listen. For me, the pen and my fans’ ears are my psychiatrists. I’m able to voice the things that I’m going through. It doesn’t even have to be all bad! There are happy songs on the EP. I want to talk about things that I’m happy about. As long as people are listening, I think that’s pretty cool. It’s a good exchange.
Where does the term “red handed” come from, in terms of this song?
I think it’s a lot easier to say “caught red handed” then “caught with your pants down” (laughs). Or “caught and taken by surprise” (laughs).
What kind of message, if any, would you like fans to walk away with after listening to your music?
I want everyone to be happy and have a good time. You can jam, you can rock out to it, you can feel that energy but at the same time, you have the more upbeat songs that’ll make you wanna party. I think that when you leave a Myke Terry show, I want you to be sweaty and have a good time, and say “that was a lot of fun”. (laughs)
What does music mean to you?
I know it’s cliché to say it, but it means everything to me. It’s my interpretation of a God, I guess you could say. The sound and energy, which music really breaks down to be, I feel like it makes up my own interpretation of what a God would be like, I suppose.
This has been another Shameless Promotion.