Members of the Grand Rapids band are still stretching outside their ‘comfort zones’ with dynamic songs that they’re now releasing as singles one at a time. They play New Holland Brewing on Friday.
Focusing on the Music: The Mines have maintained the same lineup — and same attitude — for years. (Photo/Anna Sink)
THE MUSIC: Epic indie-pop, rock
WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE BAND: 10 p.m. Friday at New Holland Brewing, 66 E. 8th St., Holland
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For nearly a decade, The Mines’ lineup and mission has remained the same.
“A song only gets recorded if all four of us are excited about it,” says guitarist Greg Lockwood. “The Mines is very much a democracy, which in the most artistic way, challenges each of us to stretch outside our comfort zones and defines the sound as the band, not just one individual.”
Expanding Their Scope: The Mines (Photo/Anna Sink)
That sound – touted as “epic” indie-pop/rock – continues to propel the Grand Rapids band in fresh ways that distinguish it from other West Michigan rock groups. It’s a rousing approach showcased in attention-getting videos that The Mines have produced since releasing their first album in 2006.
“We coined ‘epic’ for our music early on because we had the tendency to write songs that would start softly and build and build – songs that had a lot of dynamics – and we still write those,” Lockwood says of the band which also features bassist Ethan Nickerson, drummer Todd Hoek and guitarist/keyboard player Troy Hatfield.
“I’d say we’ve expanded our scope a bit, however, to not just rely on that pattern but to push the boundaries and continually push ourselves to let the songs be what they should be. … The sound has grown organically over the years as our own abilities as musicians have matured and our friendship has grown.”
Fans will get a chance to hear some new material and catch the band live for only the third time in six months when The Mines play New Holland Brewing in Holland on Friday night.
On Wednesday for Local Spins Live on News Talk 1340 AM (WJRW), three of the four band members previewed that upcoming show with an on-air acoustic rendition of a new song, “Quest.” Listen to the podcast here; check out a video of the performance below, along with the new music video for the band’s latest single, “Lit Like a Star.”
PODCAST: The Mines on Local Spins Live
The band hasn’t performed frequently in recent years, partly due to family and career commitments, but also because the musicians spend long hours writing, rehearsing, recording and producing their songs.
“Another reason for the slowdown is the changing musical landscape,” Lockwood says. “A number of venues that were friendly to our sound have gone away and the majority of the places … are more conducive to folk or Americana. We tend to look for the opportunities where the sound of the band fits with the venue.”
The Mines recently decided to start releasing their new songs one at a time as singles rather than waiting to unleash an entire album. The group released the song, “Quest,” in October, followed by “Lit Like a Star,” earlier this month, part of “The Mines Singles Project” being produced by Joel Ferguson. (Since their formation, The Mines have released two full-length CDs and an EP.)
About half of the current project is completed, with the band heading back into the studio after the holidays. The Mines plan to release a new song every other month “until we’re done,” with some videos accompanying some of the tracks.
“Part of releasing songs as singles is to let each one live independently of an album: Let each one of them get their own marketing campaign, cover image, really just give each song a chance to be heard,” Lockwood suggests. “These days, so many people are just buying individual songs or streaming the songs on demand … so we just thought, ‘Why fight it?’ ”
The Mines also long ago gave up the idea of fighting for success in the music business. Band members say they love making compelling new music together, but now that they’re in their 30s and 40s with families and jobs, they have no aspirations to tour relentlessly and become “the next big thing.” But they continue to assemble for weekly rehearsals and develop new material.
At New Holland on Friday: The Mines plan to release a new single every other month.
“We have too many commitments and responsibilities, and looking at the economics, you just have to be realistic. We’ve flirted with the business side of things all throughout our musical careers, but making a living making music is still based on luck, riding the right stylistic wave, and other market conditions that we’d rather not think about anymore. We’d rather focus on the music,” says Lockwood.
Nickerson views the band as a place to push boundaries and take musical chances.
“One of the reasons that I can’t stop and we can’t stop is that it is a sandbox, it’s a test kitchen. It’s a place where we can just try new things and experiment,” he says. “For me, I love walking into a room and knowing, ‘Hey, we can do anything. So, what are we going to do today?'”
As Lockwood puts it: “It’s what we do. We are musicians, so we make music. As long as we’re still able to create songs that we all enjoy, and we feel like we have something to say collectively as The Mines, we will continue to do it.”
VIDEO: The Mines, “Lit Like a Star”
VIDEO: The Mines, “Quest” (Acoustic), Local Spins Live
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