‘A lot of people aren’t into Grunge bands because they say it’s all depressing and stuff which is

           true but then there’s also the side that they were really real about what they were doing

and really honest which is what’s lacking in today’s music in a lot of ways.’

 

A raw honesty is what singer / guitarist Michael John brings to songwriting within his band Arcane Saints. After the release of their debut album, Turn The Tide, in 2013 the band went through a lineup change and have now returned with a new EP, In The Shade of the Juniper, which is receive great reviews.

 

With passionate and versatile songwriting, and live energetic live performances Arcane Saints have set a standard ready to take on the world.

 

I recently had a chat with Mike about the new EP, song writing and touring.

 

Congratulations on the new EP In the shade of the Juniper. Did you have any difficulties writing and recording the EP?

 

No, nothing really. It was a much more easy process then our previous album. We did our previous album over in Nashville with a big name U.S producer and it was a lot more complicated than it was over here in Australia. It was out in Grove studios which is out in the bush near Sydney and it just created a laid back atmosphere because you’re just isolated and away from the city. There was bushland and little lakes everywhere on the property. Just a really nice property. It was just a really relaxed vibe and it all went really smoothly.

 

Sounds like it was a good area. Lyrically there was a lot going on in these songs. Juniper for example is quite haunting and chilling. Where do you draw your inspiration from when writing lyrics?

 

It just comes from a lot of things really. What a lot of musicians will be able to relate to is you can get really frustrated with the state of music and trying to be a musician especially in Australia. Anger and frustration comes out. But then you don’t want to be is one of those depressing dudes and be one dimensional and just be angry all the time so we purposely try to write more light hearted upbeat songs. The lyrics still have a twist to them. I don't really want to have any heavy pop kind of lyrics or anything. There’s always a darker element to them.  But yeah it all comes from just being a frustrated musician. But there’s always the flip side. There’s that side of being really proud to be a musician in Australia and being able to go on tour to places like America and Canada and China and places like that and experience the joy and the thrill of playing music. So it’s a double edged sword and I guess that comes out in the lyrics a lot.

 

As you were saying there’s a lot of range in your songs from darkness to happiness. Is that due to the type of songs you grew up listening to? Would that be the influence on you?

 

Yeah maybe. I listened to Alice In Chains which has those darker elements so I guess subconsciously it all gets put into my brain and filters out different streams I guess.

 

Your vocal range. It ranges from cleanly sung to really raw guttural screams. Is there anything you do to get ready to perform live before going onstage?

 

Yeah, I just warm up my voice. I had really good singing lessons with this lady in America called Melissa Cross and she's taught everyone Metal. Like Corey Taylor and all those guys, she's taught them. We were on tour last year and I eventually had to perform 4, 5, and 6 shows in a row and I started losing my voice so I thought I gotta do something about it. So I got lessons with this lady and since then it’s been a breeze. She's taught me a few things like how to warm up properly and how to sing properly. I’d had lessons before but nothing like this. She's just the Yoda of singing. So just a warm up routine and I don't drink alcohol before we play and I try to stay away from the usual singer things like I try to avoid dairy and coffee. I’m pretty disciplined.

 

How do you think the band developed in the 2 years since “Turning The Tide” both as songwriters and performers?

 

Well half the band is different now. We've got a new rhythm section now so obviously that’s gonna change things. We've got a new bassist and drummer who came on board soon after the first album was released. So different playing styles is always going to grow the band and get pushed in another direction and other than that I guess every band naturally evolves as you play and I don’t want to sound egotistical or anything but my song writing’s improving all the time and I’m not sure what anyone else thinks but I personally say the songs are better on the EP then on the album. And also working with a big producer over in America really teaches you a lot as when we were laying down those tracks he’d say things to me like give yourself a bit more breathing space before you come in-between the vocals and the chorus so that sort of stuck with me so just little things like that. Just like anything if you keep doing it your just gunna get better at it. And you always try to write a better song then you did last time.

 

So you’re challenging yourself all the time.

 

Yeah exactly. If you’re not challenging yourself you’re not growing.

 

What would be some of the biggest challenges you've faced in Arcane Saints since you started?

 

Just trying to find time really. Like any other business, show and band money is a big challenge. Trying to find money for touring and albums and things like that. We did a crowd funding campaign for the EP which helps a lot with the costs which is good. And I’d say exhaustion because we all work full time jobs and then the leave we do take is spent either recording or touring. I went to Thailand earlier this year, I had a couple of weeks off. It was my first holiday in about 6 years because all my annual leave and all my money is spent on touring and recording. So it was kind of wired and surreal just being able to just lie on a beach cause I hadn’t done that in like six years or something. That’s just what other people take for granted cause your work colleagues say “enjoy your two weeks off touring around the world” and it’s really not a holiday. Anyone who’s been on tour will know what I mean, it’s grueling. So just exhaustion and the tenacity of plugging away when you don’t really get support from radio and things like that.

 

When did music first come into your life and what does it mean to you?

 

Music is everything. I remember when I was a kid and sitting next to the radio and listening to Brian Adams and just going “wow”. It’s pretty rare for a kid to do these days but I was just listening to a whole album back to back and putting it on again and writing out the lyrics to it. Some people are just drawn to that and then I started learning a few chords and it just went from that.

 

Who would you say has been your biggest influence as a musician?

 

Nirvana. I’m a big fan. It taught me the sincerity of songwriting and trying to keep it honest and real. A lot of people aren’t into Grunge bands because they say it’s all depressing and stuff which is true but then there’s also the side that they were really real about what they were doing and really honest which is what’s lacking in today’s music in a lot of ways.

 

I can see that. I can also see the influence of different textures. The soft and high and heavy and loud.

 

Quite a few bands, actually. I’m a really big Alice in Chains fan, Soundgarden fan and bands like Black Sabbath. All the really big rock bands. But then I'm into really quirky stuff. I’m into Bjork too. I’ve got such an eclectic taste these days so I’m not too sure. It’s not a focus where I’m gonna write a song just like that. It’s just what comes down.

 

You've toured in various countries all around the world, Canada, China, New Zealand, how does the live scene overseas compare to the live scene over here in Australia?

 

We were touring America last year and everyone was saying “Rock’s dead” and all that and we were playing to hundreds and thousands of people every night. Like Monday Tuesday and Wednesday night kind of thing. Rock is very healthy over there. China is just a different kettle of fish altogether. That place is just mental. I could be on the phone forever just about China. They’re just very grateful because they are like a very repressed communist country so their getting into youth rebellion. So Rock N Roll is very new to them. I guess it was how it was back the day for the rest of the world. They’re kind of just catching up to us. It’s this big punk rebellion. They go absolutely crazy. Just hurling each other around the room. There was one show we played and they somehow got hold of car tires. We were playing and watching these massive car tires go flying around the room. The one good thing about Australia is there is a lot of talent here. The musicianship is great. The band are great but we don’t have the population. Like you can say what you like about America and China but the thing is they’ve got a massive population. There’s gonna be more people going out to see shows. But Australia has a massive talent pool of band out here. I just wish a lot people went out to see them.