Are you ready? Are you sure you’re ready for this? We don’t think you are, but you better get ready. Switching Styles has the answers you need with this interview with Notedead.
Introductions All Around!
Max Preuss (drums) and Trymer Martin (guitars/vocals) combine to form the band, Notedead. It all started where all great bands start, with a passion for music. The band found their start during the 2020 global COVID-19 pandemic, despite the hardships. Everything was rough. That didn’t stop them. For Notedead, this was a new beginning. The band formed in 2020 and has been rocking the world since.
Q&A Between Switching Styles and Notedead!
In an interview with switching styles, they’ve opened up about their band, their process, and their goals. Read below to get to know Notedead even better!
What is it about music that makes you feel passionate?
Music emits emotion. I long to feel what the artist felt when they wrote the song and kind of experience it together. Music is also everywhere, from malls to elevators. And rhythm is in footsteps and your heartbeat, it’s everything.
The emotions a song can put you through makes me feel alive
How did Notedead start and how did the Covid 19 Pandemic impact your band?
Early on in Covid times when everything stopped and when we couldn’t jam with our bands Trymer started writing his own stuff and asked Max to write drums along with it. We both quickly realized that our writing for our respective instruments clicked together.
We started ripping out songs super-fast, so we decided to continue writing under our own band together which is Notedead.
How is being an Edmonton-based band impacted Notedead?
It’s funny because only half of the band (Max) is Edmonton based and the other half (Trymer) is from Lacombe so it’s almost a long-distance type band relationship.
The local music scene in Edmonton has a great group of people who support and encourage us, and we are forever grateful.
What inspired you to start playing and making music?
Trymer:
Before I got into my own music I listened to my dad’s classic rock/metal, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Foreigner, ZZ Top, etc. Anyways but I’m in grade 5 I had some project to do at school and there was another classmate who did his project, but his was on Sum 41 and it caught my eye, so I got the CD “all killer no filler” at a Walmart in Manitoba, and that cd changed me.
From there I adopted my first taste of music away from my parents and it inspired me to want to play guitar, the ball started rolling from there!
Max:
Rock band. I loved the game because I was able to some of jam along to my favorite songs while simultaneously learning a basic version of the drums. I got very good at that game, and it made my transition into real drums very easy.
My music teacher in junior high band class then asked if anybody knew how and I volunteered to learn some percussion. The rest is history, between drum lessons, drumming for my high school jazz band & winning jazz artist of the year, it’s safe to say I’m a real drummer now
What bands or genres inspire your sound?
Counterparts, Napoleon, Dance Gavin Dance, to name a few… but it’s really so hard to say what inspires our sound, so many bands growing up shaped us into the musicians we are and what our preferences are as well.
We also use it a lot! Of dead notes haha
Describe your creative process when you write new music.
We both write our music on Guitar Pro. being as we are far away from each other, and we both enjoy the punctualness we can read. Trymer usually comes up with the first riff and then sends it to Max and Max writes the drums and then we work together from there, writing the song section by section.
Sometimes there will be a pre-discussed idea before we start on our next track, but we always write song by song and never add too much to our plates.
What’s your favorite venue for performing? Why?
We don’t play shows as we are only a 2 man band writing songs to share with people, but if we could Trymer would want to play the St. Andrews United Church in Lacombe as he used to play local punk shows there growing up (it’s kind of odd I know, but it was so much fun!) and Max wishes we could play at Polar Park Brewery in Edmonton but it unfortunately just closed down.
What are some of your current projects?
Currently, we have some new music in the bank but nothing to confirm aside from our new album “Separate Paths”. However, Max is in 2 other bands, Withered Days and Sol Runner.
What advice would you give to musicians just starting?
Listen to music as often as you can. Find something that you wish you could make your own and take that drive to make your own with your inspiration and feelings
Don’t give up, you’re going to suck at times, but music is a lifelong partner if you let it be.
Is there anything you wanted to mention that I didn’t ask about?
Yes, our new album ‘Separate Paths’ is out September 9th
