MxPx frontman Mike Hererra has been very busy this year, with the release of two new albums (On The Cover II with MXPX and his cowpunk side project, Mike Hererra's Tumbledown), and a world tour. We caught up with him as MxPx was headed for Asia and asked him a few questions about both bands.
RC: So you guys are going to Asia now? Are you looking forward to the trip?
MH: Yeah, I have a friend that owns a Chinese restaurant with his parents, they were just in China on vacation and told me all about it, and it’s going to be a new experience for sure.
RC: Have you played Asia before? How does it differ from touring the Americas or Europe?
MH: We’ve played Japan, Singapore, Indonesia and S. Korea. This will be our first time to China. First times are the best. It is way different…they’re more exotic and unfamiliar.
RC: First I wanted to ask you about On The Cover II. What made you guys decide to do another covers album?
MH: The fans wanted it…they got it.
RC: Personally, I’m surprised (and impressed) at the song choices. I mean “Heaven Is A Place On Earth” with Agent M came out incredibly. But what went into choosing the songs?
MH: Thank you. We chose songs we liked and also songs we thought hadn’t been done too often (obviously some had been, but it’s hard to really do something that was never covered, it’s all been covered).
RC: Now you have a new project with Tumbledown. Why a country album?
MH: Well, it’s not really a country album in the traditional sense. It’s music for me and my friends. We have a good time getting together and jamming. I’ve just gravitated towards that roots and bluegrass style but of course I put a pretty hard punk spin on things I do, which you will hear on the album.
RC: I know a lot of people feel that punk and country are and have to be exclusive of one another. Personally, I don’t, and you obviously don’t. But what do you think it is that ties the two together? What elements do punk and country share?
MH: You’ve heard of outlaw country…that’s basically the guys going against the mainstream, the punks of country. It’s kinda of cheesy, but it makes sense. I think you can pretty much mix any style of music and if it’s done right, it’s gonna be good.
RC: What went into choosing the Tumbledown songs? I mean, it’s obvious that some were meant to be country tunes. But it seems like there are few on there that could have been played by MxPx as punk tunes. Wherein lies the distinction?
MH: Because I write almost all of my songs on acoustic guitar, it’s first the lyrics that would set it up for an MxPx song or Tumbledown. Second would be the instrumentation on the recording. You could take over half my MxPx songs and slow them down and make them just regular pop style rock songs.
RC: So, will MxPx remain a priority, or do you see yourself taking an extensive Tumbledown tour anytime soon?
MH: MxPx is a priority but so is Tumbledown. I guess you could say that I have twin priorities!
RC: What’s next? Any ideas for another side project, with another different style of music?
MH: I’m always looking to do something I haven’t done before. It took me about 8 years to finally get Tumbledown going and an album out. I had the idea for a long time but just never had any time to pursue it.
RC: Did you hear that Kevin Lyman is starting a country tour? Is that something Tumbledown may do, acting as a gateway band between Warped and the new project?
MH: I heard that, and I think Tumbledown would be a great fit for that tour.
RC: Anything else?
MH: If anyone reading has the chance, come see the show live, it’s a blast and will fill that hole in your life!! Well, maybe not but it is super fun and lots of good times.
MxPx’s On The Cover II and Mike Hererra's Tumbledown are both out now.
