Exclusive Interview With Mike Hranica

  • Exclusive Interview With Mike Hranica
    POSTED

    Ever wondered where 8:18 came from to title The Devil Wears Prada’s latest album? We had a chat with Mike Hranica and he dished all the details on the band’s latest release.

    You said that the lyrical content for 8:18 is much darker so whats actually motivated that?

    I wouldnt say its a total reflection but to call it something darker is a little bit empty and a little bit misconstrued when I first said that. To me more a depressing matter is more immediate and more in to me, so for me I was really drawn to sadder things. I feel like theres a very notable level of sustainability in sad movies or music or art and I think thats the driving force behind why The Devil Wears Prada material seems to be leaning in a certain direction more predominately over the last couple of years.

    Do you think its sort of a digging as deep as possible to find deeper meaning and sometimes finding layers that are darker?

    Right, yeah I think that happens and I dont mean to sound so desperate as to say that Im forcing myself into the sadness that I try to have reflected in the songs. Its been a struggle the past couple of years and being able to play with the band, I have a means of being able to express and reflect upon what I feel and what Ive been going through. I mean, where Im coming from is not fictional, even if the narrative or the way I approach a song might be that way or might be more fiction based.

    Darkness doesnt have to be a negative space anyway; it can really be something where youre just exploring. Maybe something unknown or something that frightens you a little bit, or just exploring dread itself which is quite daunting.

    Yeah definitely I totally agree. I think that being able to understand suffering and tribulation is a key factor in being able to be happy and to live without ignorance or hopefully as far from ignorance as possible. You do get to know troubling, what is strife in life I guess.

    I was reading some comments from some of the other guys in the band just talking about how youre wiping the slate clean with this one and not going back on older material. Thats something that I think your guitarist Chris Rubey mentioned. I guess if youre starting again or scrubbing the slate clean can be quite a cathartic process but also perhaps rewarding and pure in a way.

    Yeah, like sometimes I can feel really inspired by older things that Ive done and I feel like ooh I can add to that or I have more depth to explore on that subject. But, regarding very specific events Ive had in my own life, I didnt want to do that on this record. I mean, what I was going through with Death Throne - I didnt want to go back on that subject. I dont think Ive done a good enough job to say that I totally wiped the slate clean and fully rebuilt and its a different thing, but I think it makes a more interesting progressive product for the listener to where if I can explore something thats a little bit different and basically ensure to make a different story or make a different something that surprises the listener or entertain them properly.

    I was interested about the comment regarding heavy music around for suffering from a lack of emotion. Can you maybe delve into that a little bit more?

    The biggest thing I think behind that comment is that I feel like theres a very notable lack of intention with a lot of heavy music now. I know where I can find that certain emotional awareness that I loathed to experience within music, but I think that what for the most part being put in front of fans right now and in front of young listeners really doesnt contain the sort of mentality that I think belongs in music. I know it belongs in a lot of music and I think that metalcore is kind of built itself the wrong name because its, again, that lack of intention and recognition that is, from what Ive experienced, is just so prevalent and soI dont knowit seems like its everywhere with these younger bands. I think, to answer your question, that people just dont know what they want to do with music and there are a lot of bands that are just immediately taken back because suddenly they play a show where theres thousands of people there or maybe they got their first royalty cheque or they sold out of merch or whatever it is. Its obviously very encouraging and very inspiring to a young act. I know thats exactly how we were when we were young, but again I just dont see that specific sincere intention behind heavy music that should be there.

    I just wanted to know what your experience was like working with Adam D and what he bought to the table for you.

    Adam and I have been able to build a wonderful relationship. I have a tremendous amount of respect for him as a dude and a musician/producer and I think that we have a very coherent, encouraging and fruitful chemistry between us to where when he has an idea and wants to try something hes able to approach it like he knows how to guide a relationship and to get me to perform to the best of my abilities and he knows when Im frustrated and when to pump the breaks. Its a very, very important part of the engineering or production mixing process of making an album and you know a lot of bands dont go back to certain producers but with much diligence we were happy to get Adam involved again with Prada and Im really happy with the results I think that he did a great job influencing the songs.

    Ok, so the title 8:18 is remaining cryptic or is that an intentional sort of, or is that something for those that are in the know will know what that means?

    Ive been pretty, well not outspoken, but the title is based off the Romans 8:18 which I came across a few years ago. I was just immediately very moved and inspired by it and I knew it was a good place, or a good foundation or starting point as for what I wanted to do with the new record. I think it sort of contains a certain level of intrigue to where when I proposed the idea to my band mates. Daniel, our drummer, he was immediately like I really like this name and honestly hes usually the hardest to please. I really like this name because its new, its mysterious, you want to find out, you want to know. So yeah, not to pat myself on the back but I like the record name and I think that it also contrasts to the rest. You know its our fifth full length plus the EP and the live album and I dont know, Im too scared to become complacent and stagnant with certain titles and I think that it even comes with this kind of immature melodrama or melodramatic immaturity I dont know how to describe it when you justeverything is always so, so serious which is good and thats how its meant to be but I think using numbers is cool and I like the idea for our album.

    Were there any tracks on the album where, while you were recording them, you were sort of felt right this is all really coming together? Were there any tracks that were a bit of a flash point for you in not just in what they represented but perhaps just at the time that you were recording them?

    Yeah, I mean like I had these kind of swain feelings between things pretty regularly with the record. I mean, I wasntIve come to the point and even a bit of the record was about the fact that Ive come to the realization that not everyone is going to understand. A lot of people wont understand something that I always tried to do. I dont mean to create this sort of careless apathy in myself but I wanted to make a record that I could hear the songs and be pleased with them and not feel like it was just Dead Throne round 2. There was a lot of restlessness only within myself to do my very best and to create songs that I could stand behind. With that tension, its also contrasted by those moments when you do have that and youre sitting back with however many members of the band or either Matt Goldman or Adam V and youre listening back to something and youre like yes! thats the melody or thats how it needs to go. When you have moments like that it is very encouraging. I remember going through a lot of the melodic singing parts with Jeremy and the melodies that I would come up with and I would show them to Jeremy and he would make them more hooky or more musically proper I guess from a theory perspective. John who did the keyboards was very involved within the melodies and all the chord motions and movements, progressions, so when those things would congeal it was like yes like its a song!

    You were recently back in Australia. What was that like this time around?

    It was great. We were supporting A Day To Remember and theyve been our friends for a very, very long time. It was good to tour with them again because unfortunately we havent really met up and got to do something like that in a while. Its even better that its in Australia because we didnt get to go in 2012 so it was awesome. It was very enjoyable as always and there were cool crowds and we got to play two new songs. Yeah it was awesome.

    Are there any bands that youre listening to at the moment that youre really getting into, that youre connecting with?

    I feel like I didnt like last year very much in regards to new music but I feel like this year has been really good. I mean lately, the two records that Ive really been into from 2013 would have to be Savages they put out a record called Silence Yourself which Ive already listened to twice today and its just brilliant. Its very post-punky and Joy Division but modern and relevant and noisy and so much texture but so simple at the same time. Also lately I keep going back to the new Pissed Jeans record called Honeys its just so gnarly. Its a funny name, theyre a peculiar band. Its just so raw and genuine and some of the lyrics are even really funny. They make me think a lot and I think a lot of people would hear it and think well this is entirely thoughtless, but I hear it and Im like what inspires you to make that into a song? The thing about Michael is that hes super cool but yeah that records awesome as well.

    What makes you a MANIAC?

    Im a maniac for a lot of things. Like coffee, and beer and sports. Oh lets go with hockey. I cannot wait for hockey to start again. Ice hockey. I know you dont have too much of it in Australia.

    No, we dont. What is it that you like about ice hockey?

    Its just always been my favorite sport. That and American football has just kind of been like what my Dad and I always watched when I was a kid. I was born in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania which is an awesome sports city. I love it so much and words cant describe my avid fan-ship of the Pittsburg Penguins, the hockey team. I just love it. I love the speed, the athleticism and the brutality of it but its also very agile at the same time. Its awesome though, its the greatest.

    Well thank you so much for chatting with me today Mike and I hope to catch you next time youre in Australia.


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Ever wondered where 8:18 came from to title The Devil Wears Prada’s latest album? We had a chat with Mike Hranica and he dished all the details on the band’s latest release.

You said that the lyrical content for 8:18 is much darker so whats actually motivated that?

I wouldnt say its a total reflection but to call it something darker is a little bit empty and a little bit misconstrued when I first said that. To me more a depressing matter is more immediate and more in to me, so for me I was really drawn to sadder things. I feel like theres a very notable level of sustainability in sad movies or music or art and I think thats the driving force behind why The Devil Wears Prada material seems to be leaning in a certain direction more predominately over the last couple of years.

Do you think its sort of a digging as deep as possible to find deeper meaning and sometimes finding layers that are darker?

Right, yeah I think that happens and I dont mean to sound so desperate as to say that Im forcing myself into the sadness that I try to have reflected in the songs. Its been a struggle the past couple of years and being able to play with the band, I have a means of being able to express and reflect upon what I feel and what Ive been going through. I mean, where Im coming from is not fictional, even if the narrative or the way I approach a song might be that way or might be more fiction based.

Darkness doesnt have to be a negative space anyway; it can really be something where youre just exploring. Maybe something unknown or something that frightens you a little bit, or just exploring dread itself which is quite daunting.

Yeah definitely I totally agree. I think that being able to understand suffering and tribulation is a key factor in being able to be happy and to live without ignorance or hopefully as far from ignorance as possible. You do get to know troubling, what is strife in life I guess.

I was reading some comments from some of the other guys in the band just talking about how youre wiping the slate clean with this one and not going back on older material. Thats something that I think your guitarist Chris Rubey mentioned. I guess if youre starting again or scrubbing the slate clean can be quite a cathartic process but also perhaps rewarding and pure in a way.

Yeah, like sometimes I can feel really inspired by older things that Ive done and I feel like ooh I can add to that or I have more depth to explore on that subject. But, regarding very specific events Ive had in my own life, I didnt want to do that on this record. I mean, what I was going through with Death Throne - I didnt want to go back on that subject. I dont think Ive done a good enough job to say that I totally wiped the slate clean and fully rebuilt and its a different thing, but I think it makes a more interesting progressive product for the listener to where if I can explore something thats a little bit different and basically ensure to make a different story or make a different something that surprises the listener or entertain them properly.

I was interested about the comment regarding heavy music around for suffering from a lack of emotion. Can you maybe delve into that a little bit more?

The biggest thing I think behind that comment is that I feel like theres a very notable lack of intention with a lot of heavy music now. I know where I can find that certain emotional awareness that I loathed to experience within music, but I think that what for the most part being put in front of fans right now and in front of young listeners really doesnt contain the sort of mentality that I think belongs in music. I know it belongs in a lot of music and I think that metalcore is kind of built itself the wrong name because its, again, that lack of intention and recognition that is, from what Ive experienced, is just so prevalent and soI dont knowit seems like its everywhere with these younger bands. I think, to answer your question, that people just dont know what they want to do with music and there are a lot of bands that are just immediately taken back because suddenly they play a show where theres thousands of people there or maybe they got their first royalty cheque or they sold out of merch or whatever it is. Its obviously very encouraging and very inspiring to a young act. I know thats exactly how we were when we were young, but again I just dont see that specific sincere intention behind heavy music that should be there.

I just wanted to know what your experience was like working with Adam D and what he bought to the table for you.

Adam and I have been able to build a wonderful relationship. I have a tremendous amount of respect for him as a dude and a musician/producer and I think that we have a very coherent, encouraging and fruitful chemistry between us to where when he has an idea and wants to try something hes able to approach it like he knows how to guide a relationship and to get me to perform to the best of my abilities and he knows when Im frustrated and when to pump the breaks. Its a very, very important part of the engineering or production mixing process of making an album and you know a lot of bands dont go back to certain producers but with much diligence we were happy to get Adam involved again with Prada and Im really happy with the results I think that he did a great job influencing the songs.

Ok, so the title 8:18 is remaining cryptic or is that an intentional sort of, or is that something for those that are in the know will know what that means?

Ive been pretty, well not outspoken, but the title is based off the Romans 8:18 which I came across a few years ago. I was just immediately very moved and inspired by it and I knew it was a good place, or a good foundation or starting point as for what I wanted to do with the new record. I think it sort of contains a certain level of intrigue to where when I proposed the idea to my band mates. Daniel, our drummer, he was immediately like I really like this name and honestly hes usually the hardest to please. I really like this name because its new, its mysterious, you want to find out, you want to know. So yeah, not to pat myself on the back but I like the record name and I think that it also contrasts to the rest. You know its our fifth full length plus the EP and the live album and I dont know, Im too scared to become complacent and stagnant with certain titles and I think that it even comes with this kind of immature melodrama or melodramatic immaturity I dont know how to describe it when you justeverything is always so, so serious which is good and thats how its meant to be but I think using numbers is cool and I like the idea for our album.

Were there any tracks on the album where, while you were recording them, you were sort of felt right this is all really coming together? Were there any tracks that were a bit of a flash point for you in not just in what they represented but perhaps just at the time that you were recording them?

Yeah, I mean like I had these kind of swain feelings between things pretty regularly with the record. I mean, I wasntIve come to the point and even a bit of the record was about the fact that Ive come to the realization that not everyone is going to understand. A lot of people wont understand something that I always tried to do. I dont mean to create this sort of careless apathy in myself but I wanted to make a record that I could hear the songs and be pleased with them and not feel like it was just Dead Throne round 2. There was a lot of restlessness only within myself to do my very best and to create songs that I could stand behind. With that tension, its also contrasted by those moments when you do have that and youre sitting back with however many members of the band or either Matt Goldman or Adam V and youre listening back to something and youre like yes! thats the melody or thats how it needs to go. When you have moments like that it is very encouraging. I remember going through a lot of the melodic singing parts with Jeremy and the melodies that I would come up with and I would show them to Jeremy and he would make them more hooky or more musically proper I guess from a theory perspective. John who did the keyboards was very involved within the melodies and all the chord motions and movements, progressions, so when those things would congeal it was like yes like its a song!

You were recently back in Australia. What was that like this time around?

It was great. We were supporting A Day To Remember and theyve been our friends for a very, very long time. It was good to tour with them again because unfortunately we havent really met up and got to do something like that in a while. Its even better that its in Australia because we didnt get to go in 2012 so it was awesome. It was very enjoyable as always and there were cool crowds and we got to play two new songs. Yeah it was awesome.

Are there any bands that youre listening to at the moment that youre really getting into, that youre connecting with?

I feel like I didnt like last year very much in regards to new music but I feel like this year has been really good. I mean lately, the two records that Ive really been into from 2013 would have to be Savages they put out a record called Silence Yourself which Ive already listened to twice today and its just brilliant. Its very post-punky and Joy Division but modern and relevant and noisy and so much texture but so simple at the same time. Also lately I keep going back to the new Pissed Jeans record called Honeys its just so gnarly. Its a funny name, theyre a peculiar band. Its just so raw and genuine and some of the lyrics are even really funny. They make me think a lot and I think a lot of people would hear it and think well this is entirely thoughtless, but I hear it and Im like what inspires you to make that into a song? The thing about Michael is that hes super cool but yeah that records awesome as well.

What makes you a MANIAC?

Im a maniac for a lot of things. Like coffee, and beer and sports. Oh lets go with hockey. I cannot wait for hockey to start again. Ice hockey. I know you dont have too much of it in Australia.

No, we dont. What is it that you like about ice hockey?

Its just always been my favorite sport. That and American football has just kind of been like what my Dad and I always watched when I was a kid. I was born in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania which is an awesome sports city. I love it so much and words cant describe my avid fan-ship of the Pittsburg Penguins, the hockey team. I just love it. I love the speed, the athleticism and the brutality of it but its also very agile at the same time. Its awesome though, its the greatest.

Well thank you so much for chatting with me today Mike and I hope to catch you next time youre in Australia.


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