Exclusive Interview: The Merks

Following their concert at The Space in Hamden, CT on August 8, 2015, I sat down with The Merks at a Denny's in Middletown, CT to interview the band.

“We’re like babysitters to full-grown boys,” self-proclaimed ‘Merkette’ described to me. As I spent an evening with the Merks and their posse, I found them extremely welcoming and inclusive, but also unrestrained. Their goofy band chemistry made for some funny moments and laughable one-liners. But behind all of their quirkiness, the members of The Merks are actually serious musicians. Another Merkette I had the pleasure of speaking with informed me that, for most of these guys, they would either be rock stars or accountants; there was really no in between.

After their set, I walked into what seemed like a heated discussion about the band’s future, how they could improve, what would make them more marketable, etc. There were no laughs being exchanged in that conversation. What follows is an interview I conducted with the band about their upcoming album, Live From: Area of Refuge, their songwriting, and the group, in general.

How did the band form?

Conor – “Basically, Nick and I were playing guitar at the lake, Ian showed up a bit later, and we all decided to play music together. It was funny, we were actually trying to play a Strokes’ riff.”

Apparently, there is an extended version, but I was just privileged with the highlights. I’m also not sure which “lake” Conor was referencing; I received no clarification.

How did you come up with your name?

Conor – “It’s actually Nick’s nickname, but people started calling [the band] that, too. Because we have so much meaning packed into our lyrics, we kind of wanted a meaningless name.”

If you could describe the band in one word, what would it be?

Conor – “Disheveled.”

Ian – “Nuts” (*Laughs*).

Nick – “Insanity” (*Intensity in his eyes*).

Jayson – (never actually came up with a word)

What will listeners find unique about this album?

Conor – “The lyrics. Strong bass lines, seriously Ian, take some credit. A lot of melody, we were all about the melody with these songs.”

Additionally, the album features precise arrangements that are well-developed and correlate to the emotions Conor wished to portray.

What is your favorite track on the album?

Conor – “Life-A-Lign”

Jayson – “Rock ‘N’ Roll Band”

Ian – “Life-A-Lign”

Nick – “Now, Now Honey”

As Conor comments, “Yeah, Nick has a weird obsession with that song.”

What sets you apart from other indie rock bands?

Ian – “We’re not in your face, maybe not even inde?”

Conor – “We’re a cross between Frank Sinatra and Julian Casablancas.”

To summarize, The Merks are diverse musically, to say the least.

So is this your first album?

Conor – “Kind of, we had an EP, and a big pool of ideas, basically.”

This is their first solidified, coherent project.

Are there any artists you draw inspiration from?

Conor – “Sinatra, Peter Doherty, Julian Casablancas, Lou Reed.”

Ian – “Alex Turner and Noel Gallagher (only in spirit).”

Who is the runaway muse in the song of the same name?

Conor – “Vera, my ex-girlfriend, girlfriend, whatever, it’s complicated. I actually wrote it while I was in Sweden (Vera lives in Sweden).”

Can you describe how the songwriting process went?

Ian – “For this album, Conor brought songs, like rough, loose ideas, to the band and we all added to them, rearranged stuff…”

Conor – “Yeah, Ian rearranged the song ‘Chances and Choices’ and it was seriously awesome.”

Ian – “But yeah, the music is collaborative, the lyrics are Conor’s.”

This is a live album – how did the recording process work? What did you like about it?

Ian – “It was actually the most natural thing ever, just the four of us in a room.”

Conor – “Yeah, it was such a smooth process, surprisingly so.”

I’d like to thank The Merks for letting me interview them. They’re a lot of fun to be around, I hope I get to see them perform again soon.

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Note: The Merks have since broken up, however Conor and Nick continue to collaborate musically and creatively as LUV. Check them out on Spotify - band page below!