pMad - Interview

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Published on Tuesday, 01 February 2022 16:39

Irish alternative dark/gothic rock act pMad is a music project by a solo artist and multi-instrumentalist Paul Dillon. His musical path started with writing and playing with The Suicidal Dufflecoats, continued with The Return Of The Suicidal Dufflecoats, then The Greeting and now - pMad. The pandemic gave Paul the time to concentrate on his music and finally get it released. Among over 100 tunes that have been accumulating through years, eight of them, one extended mix and a few remixes, with help from friends in Latvia, Germany, Ireland and Brazil, are now mixed, mastered and ready for release on Zedakube Records later this year. So far, pMad has unleashed two singles/videos, "Who Am I" and "Medicine" - both of them well-acclaimed right away. And, today pMad's maxi-single Medicine got released; containing "Who Am I",  "Medicine" and "Who Am I (pMad Remix)" is now available also in CD format. You can read the review HERE, while (all) the rest awaits you below.

Interview with: Paul Dillon
Conducted and edited by: Jerneja

Jerneja: Hello Paul, since pMad is new on the scene, let us start with the name. I doubt it has anything to do with perinatal or postpartum mood and anxiety disorder, let alone with Pakistan Military Accounts Department. Or does it?
Paul: First of all, thank you for this interview. I love this part of the music side - I get to think and hear myself say things out loud – sometimes I say things, I didn’t know I would say or think cause I was never asked that question or made to think about it. Great therapy, I am finding. It is a pity it doesn't stand for "Pakistan Military Accounts Department" - that is a fantastic name; I might use that as a remix title. It isn't copyrighted, is it? I spent a lot of time working on the title of the band I am also in, a grunge/pop-punk sounding band called The Greeting. Checking out names previously used - and I have always loved bands with "the" in the title: The Smiths, The Fall, The Cure, The The, so I wanted to be in a with "the" - so I came upon The Greeting, with the way things changed when the pandemic arrived, our greeting habits changed. So, to pick a name for my solo music! If I used anything around where I live, if I put the "the" in the title, it might end up me being called a lot worse than what was the title, "The B…." etc. It has been asked a lot actually what the "p" stands for, and people have been quite inventive in what I am "mad" for! Any guesses... What have people guessed, I wonder? But boringly, and that is why I have taken so long to get this far, they are the initials of my full name.

Jerneja: What about your slogan "pMadisnotacult" (the space between the words doesn't seem defined)... Would you please explain what you meant by it, or it is supposed to be clear to you only?
Paul: I am a huge fan of The Chapman Family, Kingsley Chapman And The Murder and Kingsley, who is now going on to be massive with Benefits, and they had a t-shirt that I have worn to threads. I always said to myself that if I ever got to release music, I was going to recreate that t-shirt, just something about the sarcasm in it! That I could even think I could be a cult, but maybe that you could. Also, the text is cluttered and not spaced as it makes you read and think, what is it and then that people could mix up the spelling of cult into another word, makes it that little bit funny also! I have my own sick sense of humour that people will get or not - like everyone, I suppose. You know, the way you see something or hear something, and you are the only one smiling at it! Maybe that is pMadisnotacult.

Jerneja: pMad is about to release its debut full-length Who Where Why What. Can you reveal more details about it?
Paul: Eight tunes are fully recorded, mixed, and ready to go, but the album will not come until a lot later in the year. There are remixes, extended versions for a lot of the songs, so I'm going to make the most of the enjoyment of releasing music. I am so new to this music... not sure... industry, business, thing... I am learning each day and making new friends each day. Loving it, so I don't want to rush things. The plan, for now, is the two singles out will be followed by a third "Broken" and an EP, which will include "Who Am I", "Medicine", "Broken" and "I Am" and a remix or two. There is a certain theme to all four songs in this episode. Then another EP of four songs plus remixes and then album Who Where Why What, which will be the two EPs plus bonuses. I have amazing videos with each song also, so, possibly a DVD, that is a bit away yet. Debating whether vinyl is a thing for pMad, there is a big backlog on it, so unsure. And will anyone want to buy my music in hard format or just stream and YouTube it? But at the moment, the CD single of Medicine on Bandcamp is really selling well even before release, so really happy with that. We will see! I have so much planned, yet it is all so changeable! People that play and listen to my music will decide so much in the coming months.

Jerneja: So far, pMad has unleashed two tracks, first well-acclaimed "Who Am I" and then "Medicine", which premiered on 14 January on Terra Relicta dark web music magazine. And, they will be, together with "Who Am I (pMad Remix)" released on 1 February also on CD format. How come this decision?
Paul: I just felt "Who Am I" also deserved to be on a hard format and that putting the two opening pMad singles together on the CD was a natural thing to do. The pMad remix of "Who Am I" is something I thought of and wanted to learn more about. It brings a different vibe again to pMad and has, since remixed, so other of the songs from the album. And I thought to offer people something else for paying hard cash for my music would be nice. Like all music, and pMad is no different, we won't all like it all and can't; out of the three songs on the single, people will like one or two more than the others. "Who Am I (pMad Remix)" may appeal to a whole different genre too, maybe opening the door to new listeners. Rather than just writing pMad off as a gloomy goth ghost, they may move their doc martens around the floor at a faster beat to the remix?

Jerneja: Both tracks also came together with a video, and both videos are amazing; professionally upper-class, I would say. Who is/are their creator/es? I'm interested in the whole process, from the idea to the final product.
Paul: Thank you, a lot of thought went into all the eight videos and a lot of time and energy too! Music is consumed in so many ways these days that I feel that a video can often be as important, not as the song, but can really bring the song to the next level and make it interesting. It also tells the story of the song, if the video is good enough! "Who Am I" is about self-realisation of who you are, and we need to find out who we are, or we will be brought down by others and bound by their ideas, not our own. We need to be the people we want to be; life will be so much happier for us if we do. To love ourselves first and be brave enough to do that. But everyone will hear and see something different, which is all good too! The video goes to the next step; it was done graphically and stunning as with a debut, it needed to make an impression! I believe it did, and people are still wondering what it is about! Well, it can be about anyone you want really, but to me, it is about "Who Am I"... am I the perpetrator, am I the victim, am I the survivor, am I good or evil... Which one are you? And maybe we all a bit of them all. The body on the post mortem table at the beginning/end is not the one you think actually. Even though we are chased, attacked and with a gun pointed at us, it is not me on that table... see in the middle section... the blood is not hers! With "Medicine" the video was trickier to go from song meaning and getting it across on video without being too dark altogether. I had to go at the production again on my own, but it was just missing something, so I had a chat with great Brass Moxie Media, they made one of their own, and with that, I got the ideas to fully frame what I was saying the song into the video. The tag lines for "Medicine" - we all have our special time, vice has its own reward. What would you say to life in a day? What is your special time? Can we escape the vicious circle? They hand you the script but all it leaves is you is black and white and red and green... Can we help ourselves? pMad is using hope as the medicine and letting us all know, the power is within! It is just life, racing, running, trying to be all things to everyone else, selfies, drink, drugs, sex, poisoning ourselves with others thoughts, etc. There is nothing wrong with any of those things, but until we are happy with ourselves on our own in our own minds, we will struggle. Then, on top of all that, it is none of the business in how other people live their lives, until they ask for help, but not from a pill. Modern life seems to think the only cure is in the doctor's script, it can be, but maybe we need to be happier easier in our own lives. Easy for me/us to say and judge, but it is not for me/you to say! It's not in a pill you know? We all have the power within!

Jerneja: And now, the most important - the stories behind the singles/videos...
Paul: As explained above, the songs and the videos intertwine; well, that was the plan anyway. I follow a path of introspection and try to convey a unique view of the world and what we are doing to ourselves and the planet! I am a huge believer in ourselves as a race, even though we can be incredibly cruel for whatever reason, power is a corrupter, he who shouts the loudest and all that. I still believe in us. It is hope, that will bring us to a better place. But unfortunately, so many do not have any hope of escaping poverty, depression, addictions, wars, greed, etc because they are offered no hope and do not see an escape from the depths of despair. The 1%'ers prefer it that way. They say you live in a democracy, dictatorship, socialist or whatever society, but the whole system is stacked against you, and in favour of the house, it is the system that is wrong, the framework of our society that is wrong. If lucky enough to be able to vote, all you do is change the puppets, the puppeteer is still there pulling the strings. Not sure we change it, just a complete overhaul of it. That one person could be a billionaire, and one billion people are only earning a few dollars a day... never mind the corporation, trillionaires etc., how can that be morally right. And then all we are doing to the planet by not paying people correctly, making healthy food affordable and enough of it available... I could go on and on and on... maybe that is what I wrote the songs, three to five minutes of what I am trying to say, easier for all maybe, definitely shorter! Unfortunately, most of that is beyond my control, so as a nice quiet man who achieved quite a lot once said "be the change you want to see in the world", I am starting with myself! If I have nothing good to say, I say nothing. If you want my help, I will give it as best as I can. I have a feeling I know who I am now; I am broken but aren't we all, so what. None of us is perfect, and none of us is the same, isn't that what keeps life interesting. And if you could all live by not hurting people intentionally, we will not all get on, that is ok! I understand that not everyone likes me, I am ok with that! And I don't like everything or one, I just stay away from them, turn the channel, switch the station, go to another place, find another website, whatever - and get on with my life in as a happy a manner as I can. God, I sound so perfect and preachy - sorry. "Who Am I", I am "Broken", that is ok. Hope is the "Medicine". That is who "I Am".

Jerneja: Bands usually do remixes of well-acclaimed tracks and/or when currently out of new ideas/inspiration. But you stated you had over a hundred tunes, yet you decided to only work on eight of them and make remixes of these new songs. How come?
Paul: Definitely not out of new ideas or inspiration! Out of the 100 songs, they all be great (yet). So put eight together and made the album. Better to focus on the eight and get finished than mess around with 100 unfinished songs. I like to get things done, see a finish line! The tunes not chosen will be used as inspiration for future music - I didn't make them bad just need more work. On the remix front, are you saying "Who Am I" is not a well-acclaimed track, haha? I just thought, there was a different side to the songs that could be put across and might be attractive to listeners that would not otherwise like pMad. "Who Am I (pMad remix)" is a totally different angle to go at the tune from. I also wanted to learn from it. I am so new to this and have set no limits; who knows what direction pMad, will head in the future. As a music fan, I always loved buying, say a New Order (who were the masters of remixes and bonuses) single/12", and hearing the b-side and the remixes! Sometimes the remixes were better than the single as it went in a totally different direction, and it suited the song better, in my opinion. Music is all about opinions, yours, mine, everybody, and we are all correct. Beauty in the eye of the beholder! Let's see what people think of it; it has been getting a great reaction so far from those that have purchased the Medicine single. There are more remixes of other tunes done, also, and I have got offers from people to do more for pMad, so that could also be interesting.

Jerneja: What will happen to all those put-aside tunes/songs? Will they find a place on some other pMad or perhaps The Greeting's release?
Paul: A good few of the tunes have gone to The Greeting, which is a more grunge/pop-punk project. I am influenced by so much music, as I will listen to anything (do like it all, but there is something to be learned from all genres) that some of the tunes went the road of The Greeting. All these so-called 100 tunes were put together over years and years and influenced by whatever I was feeling, listening to at that particular time, that is where people are able to hear so many different influences in each tune but still not pinpoint a definite one! The other tunes just need more work, and the learnings I gained from this album will only help those tunes be completed or else, it will be the difficult second album! Who knows, maybe this is the start, or maybe, this is the end. As long as I am enjoying and hopefully other people enjoy it, then the future will decide itself!

Jerneja: Are you also planning to release something with The Greeting any time soon?
Paul: Going well with recording The Greeting; five great tunes fully recorded and ready for final mix and mastering. With probably another three to do, along with a cover version, the hope is later in 2022 to get some tunes out from The Greeting. It is a different genre to pMad and still possibly some links. But it will not be that soon since we are both so busy, and I have a perfectionist in my company, which is brilliant but compared to pMad, a little slower in the final production stage. But the sound produced by The Greeting is amazing! If I do say so myself.

Jerneja: I've encountered the information about you being a multi-instrumentalist... So, which instruments do you play; are you a self-taught instrumentalist, and which is your favourite one and why?
Paul: I will attempt to play anything that makes noise! I am totally self-taught and know what I like to hear. But modern technology has improved so much that it has helped in piecing the jigsaw of sounds together. Music is so different now to when I started out, back in the day, 4 or 5 of us head into the room, play the full tune together and give out, beat the heads of each other and go for pints and end up with nothing of any good recorded. Mad heads that I was with, it was just the camaraderie and fun that we got out of it. Over the years, I just recorded a riff, a chorus, here and there, and now we are here! Oh, a sucker for the bass! Nothing beats a great bassline!

Jerneja: What is your art of composing?
Paul: Art?? Working with snippets, lyrics, and piecing it all together. Picasso might understand! I hear what I hear, and I like what has been produced. After that, I can do no more - I love my music, the selfishness in me, but if I like it, there hopefully will be a few others around the world that like it. I can do no more than that. Like Picasso, some will say what the hell and some will say that's good!

Jerneja: Do you plan/wish to perform live with pMad; a tour perhaps - when the pandemic clears up, of course?
Paul: All these decisions I am leaving out of my hands, just enjoying the releasing of the music now after the process of making it. It will be up to others, and I will see what is possible then. Of course, I would love to - it is always in the head. I believe pMad would be a good gig for people to go to, they would enjoy it! So we will see what offers come in if any!

Jerneja: What does music mean to you?
Paul: To mean it means one thing, I try my best to explain what I mean/t, and that is all I can do. But from reading reviews, listener's comments, emails etc., people are taking other things from it too. It can come across as gloomy, dark, moody, and that is true, but the actual meaning is upbeat. But you will take what you take from it. Like signing the wrong lyrics to a song all your life, until you read the lyrics and you realise, wow, those are the lyrics and the meaning. I was getting that so wrong for years! What I am trying to convey in the music and lyrics is that we are our own worst enemies; we need to believe in ourselves, give ourselves hope... we are all broken, but that is ok, and it is no one's right to judge us. It is not my place to say! Be the survivor, get out of that vicious circle by realising everyone is broken and have their own fears, so you are not alone; there is hope! Just look at pMad in a short few months, and where it has brought me, there is hope for everyone!

Jerneja: Is there something you would like to add/communicate to Terra Relicta dark music web magazine and radio readers/listeners for the conclusion of this interview?
Paul: To thank you, Terra Relicta web magazine and radio, for the amazing support; it has been amazing. When you hear of the music business/industry, all I heard were bad stories, but all I have is absolute positives! Terra Relicta is a fabulous brand and does tremendous work, much appreciated. To all the DJs, radio shows, stations, magazines, podcasts, reviewers, etc., etc. - a huge thank you, you didn't have to, but you did, and I am ever so grateful. It has been just unbelievable in making the charts, over 70 countries on radio, on National Radio stations, etc., in such a short space of time. Love. To all those that do not like my music, it is not for everyone; I thank you for replying in such a nice way or not saying anything at all. I have no problem with that. "If you have nothing good to say, say nothing" - I do my best to live by that! And to the listeners of Terra Relicta, thank you so much for your support; I hope you like my music. If you do, you can request it on the Terra Relicta radio channel - just type in pMad! I am so grateful to all of pMad's listeners, and I am only delighted to hear from you and chat with you. There is a chat function on my website or just email, always great to make new friends!

Thank you, Paul, for this interview and your appreciation of Terra Relicta and other similar projects' work. Take care of your charming voice, and hopefully or definitely, we'll hear more from you soon!

pMad links:  Official website, Facebook, Bandcamp, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Linktree

 

 

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