Olympus Mons is a band name you’re going to be seeing a lot of in the near future. The London spawned three piece have a perchant for mixing up jazz, indie, roots and rock, to create a sound vitally different to today’s lanscape of guitar bands.
The band signed to Dad Records and are gearing up to release their debut album ‘Nothing’s Gonna Spoil My Day’. They’re a bit Bloc Party, a bit Futureheads, and a bit of something you can’t quite put your finger on. It’s that something else that makes Olympus Mons ones to watch.
We put some questions to the band’s frontman Aaron Mcintosh.
AudioScribbler: How did your sound come about? Was it the result of jamming or have you always just sounded have you do?
You know, I was listening to some of the earlier multitracks, some of which we never managed to finish recording, at the weekend and actually realised that the sound has changed a lot. I wouldn’t have thought that before. When we first started the band my personal idea was to sound like all the other
bands around on the London scene at the time. I liked the current sound and just wanted to slot into it. We just started rehearsing and the sound took it’s own shape. I like what it is now so it’s really a very welcome
accident.
AS: Tell us about your forthcoming debut album ‘Nothing’s Gona Spoil My Day’. Where was it recorded and who produced it? How long did it take?
Well it’s an amalgamation of all the different personalities in the band. I’d like to think that it’s not really your average indie/rock album but at the same time it’s not a complete departure from the genre. We recorded it in Versaille (France) for 17 days and then spent maybe another 2 weeks or so in London on it before heading off to New York to have it mixed with Mark Plati. All in all it was quite a while really.
Olympus Mons – Follow You Down
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AS: Your album is 16 tracks long, which a few might find a bit more difficult to digest than the average lengthed album. What was the decision behind this, was you too proud of the songs to leave any off?
Maybe. It could have been even longer and it was really hard to leave some songs out. Also, CDs of your average rock or indie bands are indeed hardly any longer than half an hour or 40 minutes or so. So why not for a change do something different and give people good value for their money, do proper albums again instead of an accumulation of some singles and loads of fillers.
AS: You share your band name with a quite awful screamo grindcore band from Kentucky, USA. What would you say to them if you bumped into them?
Christ! (They were a christian band) I’d say that this is evidence then that the lord does indeed move in the most mysterious of ways!
AS: Who would you work with if you had the chance to do a collaboration?
If I could choose anyone to work with I’d maybe choose Richie Havens. His voice is amazing and I’m sure he’d be able to teach me a thing or two about guitar playing that woudln’t be the basic cliches.
AS: What songs are played on the Olympus Mons tourbus/van?
I suppose it’s a mix of everything really. We’re all into totally different stuff so one moment it’s Husker Du and the next someone has put on a horrible Sepultura record and then some Grace Slick (Jefferson Airplane). Never a dull moment musically but at the same time only few can listen for more than and hour or so without someone putting on something they completely hate.
Olympus Mons – Late Again (Live)
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AS: How did Dad Records pick you up?
That will probably always be left in the dark, because no one really knows how that happened. It’s a mystery.
AS: The Olympics have now ended, but what event would Olympus Mons fare best in?
Don’t know… weight lifting?! Hockey?? Sumo wrestling (is that olympic?)?!? Wouldn’t mind a shot at the joust!
AS: How would you describe your music to somebody who had never heard you before?
I’d like to call it something for the not so faint of heart. Music for the man, woman or child who listens with an open mind and a clear vision of the world. Something to maybe make you think about them and those about you but something that’s not necessarily taking itself too seriously. Mood music maybe?… Yeah, upbeat mood music.
AS: What are your plans in the immediate future? Do you have any plans to come and play any shows up north?
Of course. Get a tour together and certainly play up north. Quite some people like us there already so it’s about time to pay them a visit.
http://www.myspace.com/theolympusmons
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