Interviews: MERCER

On this new occasion, we have had the opportunity to interview the Alternative Rock band MERCER from the UK. Check out this band and follow them on their FACEBOOK PAGE.

1. Where did you get the idea for the band name, you planned it or did it just come out like that?

Finding the right band name was almost impossible when we were starting out, mostly because the five of us could never agree on anything! When it came to our first open-mic session, we were still nameless and still undecided. After a solid half hour of panic, Kian’s girlfriend suggested Mercer (after Matt Mercer), as were all huge D&D nerds. We gave ourselves five minutes to get used to the name and went straight up on stage as Mercer, and we haven’t looked back since!

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

Why wouldn’t we want to? We all love listening to rock music, with most of us picking up an instrument so we can pretend to be Kurt Cobain, John Bonham, Flea, etc… Basically anyone other than ourselves! It’s also been great for building new relationships with other artists, as no matter the genre, every artist secretly loves a little bit of cheesy rock! :)

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?

Te and Sand went to school together and were in the same GCSE music class. Although there's a couple years between them meeting and finally making music together, they became friends when Te helped Sand with some last-minute coursework in exchange for a jam doughnut from Tesco!

4. Each band member's favorite band?

Te: It was Freddie Mercury who inspired me to start singing, so I’d have to say, Queen!

Sand: I’m a little bit of a secret emo, I love some My Chemical Romance.

Ad: I love Queens of the Stone Age. I've seen them live and it was one of the best days of my life

Gabe: Arctic Monkeys, AM is a work of pure art.

Kian: It’s gotta be Led Zeppelin! I love John Bonham’s drumming so much!

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

We draw inspiration from literally everything, from going on nights out to experiencing heartbreak to falling in love. Recently, we even managed to write a song after being inspired by Gabe’s impression of a BabeStation model!

6. Where was your last gig?

Our last gig was in a bar in Carmarthen called Cwrw. Proper cozy place. You’ll definitely find our name written on the wall there if you look hard enough! By the time this interview releases though, we’ll have headlined Sin City for our ‘What Ya Waiting For’ launch party. Sin City is one of the biggest grassroots venues in South Wales and we’re so excited to play there.

7. Where would you like to play?

In a dream world, Madison Square Gardens seems like quite a nice gig! If we’re looking a bit more local, then Clwb Ifor Bach would be the place to go! It’s a lovely venue in the middle of Cardiff, and loads of amazing bands we look up to have played there in the past.

8. Who would you like to support?

Again, we could go all out and say Royal Blood, Queens of the Stone Age, Foo Fighters, and Metallica, but sticking more to our local scene, bands like The Lost Cause, The Night School, King Kraken, and Tragic Love Company are doing amazing things right now, and it would be great to help them on that journey. 9. Who not? That sounds like a question that could get us into a lot of trouble! For PR purposes, let’s just say that we would gladly support any band that we could get along with! We love making new friends and building new relationships. If we could have a laugh with you, then why shouldn’t we share a stage?

10. Have any of you ever suffered from stage fright? Any tips for beginners on how to beat that?

Stage fright generally comes from a lack of experience which is completely fine and definitely expected for a band just starting out. The only way to get over it is to power through it and put yourself out of your comfort zone. Make sure you’re well rehearsed and nothing can possibly go wrong!

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

There are so many bands, we wouldn’t know where to begin! Some of our biggest inspirations are Arctic Monkeys, Queens of the Stone Age, Queen, and Nickelback. We could continue but the list would be so long the readers will fall asleep!

12. What's the weirdest thing a fan has ever asked you for?

We did a gig in our hometown not too long ago, opening for a French rock band. Not long after we had finished our set, someone in the crowd introduced us to their daughter, before promptly asking Te (very politely we might add) to marry her! Of course, he declined, but we still have yet to let him live it down!

13. What do you think of your fans?

We love our fans! There are so many people who are actively invested in our journey and we couldn’t be more thankful!

14. What do you think of our site?

Honestly, it’s such a great tool for discovery and we’re so glad that there are platforms like yours available for musicians to promote their music and personal brand. Since hearing of Breathing the Core, we discovered so many talented artists from all over the world and we can definitely consider ourselves regular users now!

15. Something to add?

Thank you so much for the opportunity, it's been great to chat with you. I hope we get the opportunity to do this again!