INTERVIEW REPLIES by MOVMENT
21 February 2023
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- Introduce us to the band! What are your names and what do you do in the band?
Martin: I’m the vocalist, and drummer when song writing. I started on drums, but progressed to vocals when the singer left our previous band, Raw Novembre.
Kevin: I started on Bass but play guitar now. I also experiment with synthesizers and samples.
Movment was a side project myself and Martin, my brother, started when we still in our previous band, Raw Novembre. Movment became our main project in about 2008, and we released our first Movment album, Broken Down, in 2012. - Where do you call home?
Martin: We are from Mullingar, Westmeath, Ireland. And we have our own home studio, End Of Light Studios, where we write and record.
Kevin: Mullingar is in the midlands of Ireland about 80km from Dublin. We go to lots of gigs in Dublin. We write and record all our songs in our Home Studio using pro tools. I think most bands probably work this way now, especially those that are still independent. Our studio has evolved a lot over the last 15 years, and it is now an excellent place to write songs and experiment with sound and music. - How long have you been together as a band and how did you find each other?
Martin: We are brothers. I started the band! I got a drum kit in my teens and played in a few bands until Kevin got involved.
Kevin: After Martin was drumming for a few years, I got a bass, and we haven’t looked back since. I think Transmission was the first bass line I tried. We have been playing together for a long time, and we have played with lots of musicians locally over time, but now we write and record together. Our first real sessions as Movment began in 2008 and we have recorded 3 Movment albums since then. - Do you have a special songwriting recipe you follow?
Martin: Like most bands our songs start with a jam, drums and bass, or drums and guitars. I normally add vocals to these jams.
Kevin: We have begun to use Synths and samples more in our songwriting these days. I use Maschine quite a bit now. It a great tool for getting an atmosphere for a song, and creating a song structure. We probably have 25 – 30 pieces of music written which we work on and they become songs. Not all of them work out. - How would members of your family describe your music to someone that hasn’t heard it?
Martin: Rock, Punk, Intense! Our family members are very supportive of our music, and we get feedback from them on songs, before they are released.
Kevin: At the heart of what we do is rock music, but our sound has evolved. Family members normally compare us to different bands. I’m not sure they use multiple genres to describe us, just rock music. - What do you have on your (Spotify) playlists you would be embarrassed for others to see?
Martin: If the songs on our playlists are embarrassing, we won’t let anybody know what they are! Sometimes you like music but grow out of it. So, there are songs that we no longer like. I don’t think I get embarrassed about any music I listen to, because I try and listen to a broad range of music. And if I don’t like a particular song or band, it would not get on to any of my playlists.
Kevin: Your musical taste is unique to you, so I often add music to playlists to check them out. So, there are bound to be some embarrassing songs on my playlists. I have a blog, roughcalmhead.com, where I list the bands and songs I like. I have a Song of the Week post on it, and I have added a song each week to it since 2015, a long time. So, generally these are songs I like, but a few embarrassing songs have found their way on to the lists. One rule of thumb I have used in the past is I will buy an album from a band if I like their music. So, if I’m not driven to pick up a CD from that band, then I’m not really a fan. Or if I really like them I will catch them live, normally in Dublin, or at a festival. - Do you have any pre-show rituals?
Martin: Nothing of note. We get fired up before a gig. The main thing we do is write a setlist that suits the venue or city.
Kevin: If we get a soundcheck we can sort out any issues with sound. Getting good onstage sound is one of the main things or us. It is difficult to play well if the onstage sound is not clear and loud. So that is our main focus before a gig. - Who have you met that has left you starstruck?
Martin: I am rarely starstruck, but probably because I haven’t met my heroes, so I possible would be if I did. I am sure there would be some effect if I met Bruce or Nicko from Iron Maiden, or Trent Reznor, or Justin Sullivan. But I presume they are probably down to earth and hopefully we could chat about music, which we should have in common.
Kevin: Martin met Black Francis, once, before the Doolittle tour gig in Dublin. That was a memorable experience. Was he starstruck? Perhaps a little, but I’d imagine he was down to earth. An amazing song writer, though. There is a strange feeling when you do meet someone that you admire or a famous musician. I haven’t looked into that but I’m sure it does have some effect on you. - What do you consider your greatest achievement as far as a band?
Martin: For me, to write, record and release an album of songs, that is the achievement. It is a unique set of songs that we have created, and hopefully if someone hears the songs and really likes them, they will get something out of that. But our main focus is to write and record songs.
Creating something unique is why we write.
Kevin: Yeah, we focus a lot of recording and writing songs. That is our legacy. Once we release a song or an album, it is available to be listened to forever, well for a very long time! With the internet and streaming services like Spotify and YouTube, music is always available, for now. And we have physical copies of our music too, CDs, and some vinyl. But the idea of having a vast repository of songs online is great. So, if someone hears a song of ours, they can check out other songs online. I’m not sure this will last forever, but for the time being it is available online now. - What key elements do you believe makes up a successful song?
Martin: There is no one way to write a song, and there are varieties of styles and structures that work for me. I listen to lots of different genres, but our songwriting style is aligned to the music we listen to, rock, alternative, post punk. I think a song has to connect with the listener in some way. I suppose a song is successful if it is passed around by word of mouth and gathers a large listenership. If it is good, people will listen. Although there are so many songs these days it is very difficult for independent artists to be heard, or listened to, whether the songs are good or bad.
Kevin: We write songs in our own particular style. I listen to lots of albums and most of the time only 1 or 2 tracks really stand out. And I add these to playlists. What makes these songs stand out? I think it is all due to personal taste and the songs connect to you in some way. Everybody has their own unique musical taste. It is great when you like a song that other people like, but I don’t like songs just because someone else likes it. Is a great song one that goes viral? Perhaps this is the case. - When writing, how do you know when it is finally done?
Martin: We have a process now for writing songs and we work on each part of the song, adding and removing parts. The songs begin as a jam, or with a few instruments, drums and bass, drums and guitars. Once we have a structure for a song, we add vocals and lyrics, and keep adding until we feel the song is complete.
Kevin: I suppose we tend to forensically examine each part of our song and mould it and massage it into something special. A song is made up of many parts, and it is important to us that each part is carved and forged until it feels it has reached its conclusion. Sometimes this takes a lot of effort and sometimes songs, and the various parts of a song, come together quite easily. But with the tools we have available these days for recording and creating sounds, it is much easier to be more creative with our songs, and it is very helpful to the songwriting process. A song is normally done when no more can be added to it to make it better. - What song of yours are you most proud of?
Martin: I really like Existence from the new album Reinvention. It is a slow build but has an atmosphere I like.
Kevin: I’ve always liked Propaganda from our last album, Transformation. But I like the vibe of The Light Goes Out on the new album Reinvention. It has a nice mix of synths and guitars. In general, the guitars on Reinvention are probably my best. I hope to improve on them again on the next album, which we are writing at the moment. - Is it possible to be on the road and not eat junk food? How do you keep it leveled out?
Martin: We try and stay healthy, but takeaways and fast food are easy, so yes, it can be difficult to stay away from them. It can be hard to get healthy food late at night.
Kevin: Yeah, the temptation to eat takeaways all the time is there, and it is also difficult to get healthy food after midnight. But we try. I find Asian food the healthiest late night food at the moment. We probably should not be eating after midnight! - Are you able to write while on the road or do you need a calm familiar space like home?
Martin: I might write some lyrics when on the road, but the music is all done in our End of Light Studio. I know it is now much easier to work on songs when on the road so we might do some of this in the future. You can easily put down ideas on a mobile phone. So, the technology is there to do it. And there are many new portable devices including keyboards and synths. And there is always the opportunity to use acoustic guitars and bass while on the road.
Kevin: I have a good setup in our Studio, so I tend to use that for writing music. But I might use other options that are available. I have written some songs at the kitchen table using Maschine. But guitar and bass work is always worked on in the studio, for now. I tend to have access to amplifiers and effects boards and pedals in the studio, which I might not have on the road. But I would say it is not impossible to do some writing on the road. It is definitely easier than it used to be. - What’s the most embarrassing thing to happen on stage or on tour?
Martin: We did have an altercation on stage once, with a guest musician getting annoyed with an over enthusiastic fan, who was making shapes at his saxophone. The guest musician made a swing with the sax, and all hell broke loose. We managed to keep playing though. Rock and Roll!
Kevin: I have let my guitar fall during a soundcheck, it was a strap issue, but it is not good. Luckily nothing was damaged only my ego.. We also had our bass player break a bass string back in the day, and with no spare, he changed it in under a minute, while we jammed and made noise… Well done to him! - What can BleachBANGS do to help you in any way?
Martin: As an independent artist, any mentions, reviews or interviews are helpful. It is difficult to get people to listen to your music. So, any adds to playlists or radio plays, all help with getting our music listened to.
Kevin: There is so much music released every day, and only a small amount of people will listen to new music. So, album reviews, posting photos, or mentions on podcasts, all of this helps. But ultimately, the listener will decide if they like a band or their songs, when they listen to it. This interview exposes the music of Movment to new listeners, which is great.
- How can everyone keep up with everything you have going on? Where can they get albums/merch?
Martin: We have a website – www.movment.ie , we post on socials, and we have music on bandcamp, physical CDs, some vinyl. All purchases on bandcamp go directly to the band and are invested in our future releases. We have our own label, Distort The Scene, and our last 2 albums, Transformation, and Reinvention, are available from Epictronic in Italy.
Kevin: We post news on Facebook, Twitter/X, and Instagram. And we are also adding videos to YouTube and TikTok. Links are below.
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MOVMENT Biography www.movment.ie
MOVMENT are an alternative post punk band from Ireland. They have released 3 albums, Broken Down, Transformation and Reinvention, and 1 EP, Red Death Sessions. They will be releasing new material in 2024.
Movment produce raw, profound, original music with guitars, electronics, bass, drums and experiments with sound.
Movment observe life and offer their unique view on living.
Movment mean what they say.
The first single from Reinvention, I Believe in Noise, explores how sound and songs have a deep impact on their reality. 2 other singles, Crawl Back Inside and Existence were also released.
Guitars and Bass and Drums and Synths are at the heart of the MOVMENT sound.
The new album from Movment, Reinvention, is available now via Epictronic.
It explores deep inside us, and our reason for being, and our Existence. What happens when it is over. We need to grab hold of our lives and not let go. So Movment examine our curious thoughts, and how we control our actions. Go by what you feel!
Lineup:
Martin Kelly – Vocals, Drums, Words
Kevin Kelly – Guitars, Bass, Keyboards, Synths, Programming, Words
Mark Kelly – Bass (live)
Isabella Rowden Kelly – Guitars (live)
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For more information on MOVMENT, contact Jack Crossan, info@distortthescene.com
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[Links]
Links:
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/movmentie
Instagram – https://instagram.com/movmentie
TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@movmentie
Twitter – https://twitter.com/movment
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/movment
Official Website – https://www.movment.ie
Band Record Label Shop – https://www.distortthescene.com/shop
Label Info:
Epictronic – www.epictronic.com (Italy)
Distort The Scene – www.distortthescene.com (Ireland) our own independent label.
Listen to the new MOVMENT album REINVENTION on Spotify – https://spoti.fi/3SViTXc
ARTWORK/PHOTOS Downloads
Revinvention Album Cover (with text)
https://www.movment.ie/ArtworkReinvent23/Dark-Ghost-Forest-Movment-Reinvention-1500×1500-TXT.jpg
Revinvention Album Cover (no text)
https://www.movment.ie/ArtworkReinvent23/Dark-Ghost-Forest-Movment-Reinvention-1500×1500.jpg
Movment – Band Photo – Forest 01
https://www.movment.ie/ArtworkViolence22/Movment-Forest–9371-BW-1500×1125.jpg
Movment – Band Photo – Forest 02
https://www.movment.ie/ArtworkViolence22/Movment-Forest–9381-BW-1500×1125.jpg
