Interview: Mellow Mayhems and “Tricks”

We got to chat with London-based indie band Mellow Meyhems around the release of their debut single “Tricks”.

• Hey Mellow Mayhems! How did the band come to be?

Hello Manor 208! Thanks for having us. So Sam (vocals, guitar) had the name Mellow Mayhems in mind along with some ideas. 

He then met Pete (bass, backing vocals) through the Vampr app in April 2022 – which is funny because neither of us are particularly great with technology – but it fortunately worked for us that time!

Pete knew Steve (drums) after jamming with him at some different events previously and convinced him to join (he hopefully didn’t take that much coercion).

We then played our first show at London’s fabled Hope & Anchor in January last year.

• Congratulations on the release of your debut single, “Tricks”! How does it feel to finally have your music out in the world?

Thank you. It feels delightful if a bit daunting, we have worked hard and taken our time on this. 

Releasing anything into the world brings excitement and trepidation but we put our soul into the music so it is as honest and true to ourselves as it can possibly be.

We worked on some unreleased demos last year, from which we learned a lot! 

• “Tricks” draws inspiration from the timeless Motown sound. What drew you to this genre, and how did you infuse it with your own unique style?

The origin of the song started with a similar structure to a number of different Motown tracks, it’s the genesis of the tune when Sam was writing the guitar parts.

Pete’s bass playing is often heavily soul-influenced so when those two elements came together the Motown sound is the life force that the song took on. 

The Motown sound itself is such a draw because of the raw emotion, beautiful melodies and harmonies and the range of instruments and rhythms, it’s such a heavenly combination!!

With that in mind it made sense to add some brass to our debut track to give it a little extra sparkle.

• How do you feel your individual musical backgrounds and influences contribute to the overall sound of Mellow Mayhems?

Well, Pete’s bass playing comes from a hugely diverse range of influences; from grunge, to hip hop, to funk and disco. He originally picked up the guitar over 25 years ago inspired by a musical father and a love of Oasis.

There is a large crossover in style with Sam’s influences (Buddy Holly, Bob Dylan, Creedence, numerous Scouse bands, Motown, hip hop greats such as Jurassic 5, People Under the Stairs etc.)

The recurring theme in the crossover is that of melodic tunes and soulful vibes.

Similar to Pete, Steve’s mantra is: “Rock, pop, funk and soul both old and new, all feed into an approach to playing that defies any one genre.”

• As a new band, what are your hopes and aspirations for “Tricks” and for Mellow Mayhems as a whole?

We would love to extend the reach of the song across the globe and have people dancing and playing the air trumpet to Tricks in as many places as possible! 

At the end of the day, we’d just like people to enjoy listening to our music as much as we love making it.

As far as MMs goes, we would relish the opportunity to play some more famous venues, festivals, meet more people and expand our horizons further. And ultimately, see some more smiles when playing our tunes!

• What can fans expect from Mellow Mayhems in the future? 

Good question! We have two more singles slated for release before summer and then we are looking to release some more music later in the year, around September time. 

And maybe something dark and disturbing for Halloween as well so watch out!

• Are there any upcoming projects or performances you’d like to share with us?

Yes, actually, we are working on a live recorded charity gig with a promoter called Hotvox to raise money for War Child which will be aired on Monday April 8th. 

That is really exciting because we will be able to reach a wider audience with our live sound, which is where we think we are at our very best!

Be sure to follow Mellow Mayhems on TikTok and Instagram