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Irish alternative dark/gothic rock act pMad - the creation of solo artist and multi-instrumentalist Paul Dillon - today exclusively premieres its third single/video "Broken", which will be released on 4 April via Zedakube Records. "Broken" is another proof that we deal with an artist who takes things seriously. His meticulous songwriting and sense of originality are more than welcome. "Broken" is a catchy song, somewhat melancholic, with deep thumping basses and some heavy guitars that perfectly accompany Paul's distinguishable voice. pMad offers a refreshing take on alternative dark rock music.
pMad, a young project of a long-time musician, has so far released two singles: "Who Am I" and "Medicine", which, together with "Who Am I" (pMad remix), found a place on a maxi-single Medicine, released on 1 February via Zedakube Records (also in CD format). If you've somehow missed pMad, follow the links to the pMad's interview, Medicine review and the exclusive premiere of the "Medicine" single.
Now, let's find out some more about pMad...
Jerneja: Hello, Paul! Today is the premiere of pMad's third single and video, "Broken". In our previous interview, you stated: "Who Am I", I am "Broken", that is ok. Hope is the "Medicine". That is who "I Am". How come "Broken" didn't precede "Medicine"?
Paul: True, they could come in any order really, I am "Broken", "Medicine" is the Hope, actually "Who Am I" and then the realisation of "I Am", and you could reorder them again, a bit like the 12 stages of grief, they can happen in different orders but they still happen. Really, in my own head, it is the building of the sound, the opening requiem of "Who Am I", the slow-building of brooding thoughts of "Medicine" to the crashing realisation of "Broken". pMad being a new artist is building too, giving people different angles to view me and different chances to hear me. "Who Am I" and "Medicine" have attracted different attention in different places, some like both, some like one and not the other. pMad is not for everyone; that is perfectly fine. As the meaning of the songs, people have interpreted them in so many different ways from what I thought they meant to me, people are hearing so many different influences and making comparisons I could never have imagined; it stands to reason that people would see that maybe they should have been released in a maybe a different order. I am "Broken", I make mistakes, that is fine, that is "Who Am I", accept me and hopefully you will find "Medicine" and get on with who "I Am".
Jerneja: Musically speaking, "Broken" is somewhat different from your previous singles. It has this post-punk/gothic rock (if not already gothic metal) vibes, with a more exposed and heavier guitar sound...
Paul: Yes, it is the building of the sound, the building of the realisations. Again people hear what they hear. I love to mix genres, as I have always said. I am a music fan, first and foremost. Listening to music all the time. Terra Relicta Radio is fantastic and on a lot of my day. There is so much amazing new music out there, which is fantastic. pMad wants to create something new for me. There are stories in all the songs, and they bring you along, but it also the sound that I love. You can listen to so many pop songs (or a lot of genres, for that matter) and not understand the lyrics and actually believe they are singing something completely different until you read the lyrics; some are actually quite deep and meaningful, but the music and production cover them. Not a fan of pop music really, and I do not like when I can't hear the lyrics correctly. So I am trying to get the balance between music and lyrics. As the music gets louder, here in "Broken" so does the voice and lyrics. Like the crashing sound when you break something! It does probably lean towards a more metal sound, and it may close soon doors to pMad, but it may also open some doors for pMad too. It just happens to be the next step, and when "I Am", "Horror", "Sisters", "Except Me", "Youth" (and the singles after that, hopefully) come out, the exact same question will be asked, "this is somewhat different to your previous singles"... like to keep moving, would be boring if they were all the same or would it?
Jerneja: Out of what sprouted the idea for "Broken"?
Paul: The music was there and added too during the filling out of the song. And, out of pages and pages of lyrics, the "Broken" ones just seem to fit so well and match the music. Simple as that, really. The actual idea of "Broken", I see it as, me realising not just that I am "Broken" but so is everyone else! Once you realise that we all have cracks, pores, imperfections, then we can go easier on ourselves and stop chasing what others have, as their lives are not perfect either, just because they have what you want. It does not make them any happier than you "could" be. It is a form of growing up and being content with a certain level of "Me". Don't be so hard on yourself! Try to take the positives more than the negatives; we are all so hard on ourselves, so critical and comparing to a false world of social media, TV and where ever you get your visions of what you like and want to be. Of course, I still aim for certain things in life, of we all still will, and we need to strive for better and more for ourselves but to reign into what is actually real. So much in front of the camera does not reflect what is behind the camera. The phrase "camera cannot lie" is not defunct in modern times, as it can and does!
Jerneja: The video is once again, and as expected from you, great. It includes many stories, some we get to see, some only to anticipate. What exactly did you want to emphasize through this video?
Paul: Thank you, I love bringing a visual story to the songs also and it also gives me a chance to bring a new angle to the lyrics and story. People consume music in so many different ways these days that the video can be just as important as the music and lyrics to some. Always a sucker for a good video and the bringing out of the song. With "Broken" lyrics, it has the story about "me" realising all of us are "Broken", and the video gives the chance to expand on that meaning and take in the third person view. So many different stories of so many people's lives are in the video. Leaving you as you say to anticipate most. The beautiful people in domestic abuse, the troubled teens and what can be viewed in our broken society in general. It is so sad what goes on behind closed doors in people's homes, and there seems like no escape, the hate of you because of race/gender/colour/religion, our inner feelings of not being good enough (what is good enough)... how can we step back from this and improve our own situation and someone else's? If we all do one small thing each day to make our own lives better first (without hurting others) and then do something to make someone else's life better too, that is 16 billion nice things done each day... it is a start! Be nice to yourselves, people! If you feel happier, maybe you might be nicer to others too!
Jerneja: The track was made before the war in Ukraine started, and there is a lot of slogans, like "stop hate", "freedom", "human rights", etc., included in the video, now even more noticeable. Was it a coincidence, or you've had a kind of premonition?
Paul: The song has been made for years, just not pieced together until now, and the video was created months ago, but it is neither a coincidence nor a premonition that the video is linked to what is happening today as it has been happening since the beginning of time! Up to a few weeks ago and still probably will say that we are in "Peace Times" and in the majority of the world, we are. But "War" of some form is going on daily in some part of the world every day and people are dying from bullets, bombs, etc. every day in the name of some power or want. The world has always been filled with Hate of some form, and I can't understand it. Not that we all have to get along and be best friends, we can't, as we are all different. But if I don't like you, can we just not stay away from each other! Why do we have to deliberately go out and show our hatred for someone, infringe on their freedoms and human rights, and I mean that in the person to person context and countries. I know it is too simplistic to say "can we all not just get along", but surely there must be a better way than what we are at now. The more seemingly advanced we get the more it feels like we attack each other more and feel like we have the right too. We need to have a good hard look at ourselves! I am a firm believer in "don't do to others what you wouldn't like done to yourself". That would be a start!
Jerneja: What did you have in mind with "I suffer for your rights"?
Paul: These days of rights, and rightly so, there is more freedom of rights, and we all feel we have more rights. That is a good thing, of course, but some people take on the mantle of "my rights", and they cause terrible hurt. You are my possession I have the right to… You are my child I have the right to... I don't like you, I have the right to... You are my enemy I have the right to... You see it every day somewhere or on the news or don't see it behind the closed door of someone's house, where people are suffering because someone thinks to have the right to beat you, call you names, write awful things about someone. Because they think they have the right to because they are drunk because they feel hurt because someone else did it. No, you don't have that right to hurt me or anybody else! They are not rights if people suffer for them.
Jerneja: If I recall correctly from our previous interview, an EP, which will include "Who Am I", "Medicine", "Broken", and "I Am" (and a remix or two) will come next. Any time soon?
Paul: CDs are being produced as we chat; they will be on Bandcamp before the end of April - that is the plan anyway. Exactly as you say, the four songs and the two remixes. Not sure how the remixes are going down; it again gives a different angle to pMad. Then the plan is to move onto the "Horror" series of tunes into the summer and autumn, four songs again in that with a few remixes also. And then we will see what pMad produces next. As an independent operation, it is a huge undertaking. When pMad and The Greeting started, I never knew the work that would be in the after making the music side of things! Mad really the work, not only the artists have to put in but also the DJ's, magazines, blogs, podcasts, radio stations, etc. and the majority of all these people are doing it voluntarily and for the love of the music, nothing but love out of it for them. I want to thank Terra Relicta for the amazing support, all the listeners and all the people worldwide that have been so generous with their time in playing, listening, writing, talking about pMad, it has been such a humbling experience. It is not a thing you think of as a music fan when you just turn on the radio, read the article, hear the DJ - the amount of work it took from all to get the song that far! Amazing dedication by people. Thank you all!
"Broken" lyrics:
Who let you live my life?
It’s broken
You write about my life
Live my life
Live my life
It’s broken
What gives you the right?
My life maybe broken
Broken
Broken
I suffer
I suffer for your rights
I suffer
I am Broken
I am
I am Broken
Broken
We live as best we can
We live as best we can
I paint my face
I live my life
Living
I am broken
What gives you the right?
I live my life
I am broken
Live my life
Wear my shoes
Feel my pain
See me live
Where I live
My life is
I am the centre of my life
I am the centre
I am broken
You destroy, my life
You destroy, my life
(You destroy, my life)
I suffer for
Your rights, your rights, your rights, your rights
pMad links: Official website, Facebook, Bandcamp, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Linktree
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