Interview: Alex Edkins of Metz talks pandemic, Austin scene

Last month we reviewed Toronto noise-rockers, Metz’ fantastic new album, Atlas Vending. Today we’re sharing an in-depth interview with band leader, Alex Edkins. We discussed the impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on touring musicians, the new album and how the Toronto scene compares to Austin’s. Edkins was frank and forthcoming during our chat, touching on fatherhood, how his nerdy, Bill Gates look serves him and acknowledged his gratitude for the success Metz has enjoyed since releasing their debut album in 2012.

Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for clarity and length

Greg Ackerman: I just have a few questions. I know we only have 20 minutes so I’m just kind of going to  get to it. But first, congratulations on the new record. It’s gotten a lot of universal acclaim. I was looking at Metacritic last week, 85 percent positive reviews. I think this might be Metz’s most widely enjoyed record. I guess I’m just wondering is it. Is it yours? And if so, why do you like this record so much?

Alex Edkins: Yeah. I mean I think every new thing we do is always at the time our favorite. I think that’s kinda the goal is to make something that everyone is feeling good about and proud of and it feels like is a step forward. So that’s definitely the case with this one and yeah I don’t know, I think the response has been maybe the strongest ever which is a really cool feeling. And the fact that we have gone in new directions and then the response has been so good has been really cool so it kind of makes us [happy].

You know without with anything [we put out], usually we get our feedback at live shows and that’s not possible now. So yeah, it’s it’s cool to kind of feel that from afar with people really digging the record and listening to it. You know, more than once… kind of just living with it. And so yeah feels good. It’s it’s definitely. Something we’re proud of. 

G: How’s your point of view changed around the pandemic. I know mine has changed over time just watching what artists and musicians are doing here [in Austin] to kind of pivot around the fact that they can’t tour in support of their album. I know you guys have done a live stream and you’re about to do another one but what else is different in terms of putting this record out versus your previous one?

A: Well I guess it’s just the big kind of a looming question mark. You know like we just didn’t know what the future holds. Usually I guess we’d have a year planned out with dates and touring and there’s some kind of comfort in that. So not knowing [when we can book shows] is tough and it’s, you know,  there’s the obvious part is where you thought you’d get so much joy from doing a show and even just go into a show. Yeah. And then what? So you’re missing that. So I feel like part of me sort of missing. And then then this thing that’s you know oddly enough become your focus in life and this sort is pretty much the way you make money pay the rent is also on hold. And so that’s even that’s another thing. I think of them as being separate because there’s there’s more than one way to to pay the rent. But missing shows that are part of you… that the debt that hurts pretty bad and you kind of realize:  Oh, man I really depended on live music. I really need that to feel good. That’s that’s been a big eye opener really. And I don’t think I’ll take that for granted. I think maybe I was taking it for granted or wasn’t sure exactly what role it played in my life but now it’s become pretty clear.  

G: I completely feel you on that point. You know, being here in Austin where we’re kind of spoiled with the options to go out to live music on a nightly basis.

A: Yeah. Austin’s just the best live music city I can think of, right? When I think of live music, one of the shows that resonates with me is us when we played with Cherubs at the Mohawk and that’s one of my… I think that’s one of my favorite shows ever that we’ve done. I think it was always like one of those goals in the back of my mind that I wanted to jam that place and have a really great show there. I’ve been lucky enough to play there over the years many times. But that’s just one where I was like that went off exactly how I wanted it to. And the reaction of the crowd was beautiful and that goes for a lot of shows at Barracuda may they rest in peace.

G: Going back to my previous question:  Did you guys ever consider delaying the release of the record because you knew you wouldn’t be able to tour in support of the album?

A: Yeah. Well we actually did delay it. Yeah, we we we pushed it back a month. And before that we delayed it several months because Chris [bassist, Chris Slorach] had a newborn baby girl. Obviously wanted to give him time to be with his family so we pushed it. And then when the pandemic hit we said, “Man, okay we’re gonna push it again.” But we did that just not knowing anything and when or if this thing would. come to an end. We didn’t want to push it too far in right. We didn’t want to put it on an indefinite  pause because I think that would have been even more torturous than this. So we pushed it back the most we could. Kind of like hoping it would buy us some time. But you know, since it started I don’t think anything’s really changed. I don’t think there’s been any real progress made [in slowing the virus]. I don’t know about where you’re at. But yeah over here it’s like we’re just in an endless cycle.

Check out the Metz album Atlas Vending and grab a copy here

G: I’d just like to hear that all these venues are going to come back but just a huge question mark so in lieu of touring did you guys brainstorm any really great ideas for how to put out the album going forward beyond the usual like during interviews like this or the live stream?

A: I’ll tell you that we’re pretty old school with our way of thinking [about music].
We like to just hit the road and deliver it straight to the people. I think there’s real beauty and magic in that. But no, I mean I haven’t tried to reinvent the wheel and frankly I mean I was sort of opposed to doing a live stream to be honest. I was like, you know… I don’t know. I don’t know if it will will translate right. That being said, I’m really glad we did do it and it was something that we could focus on and just stay productive because I think the worst part about all this is if you get stagnant. You can you can easily kind of get sidetracked if you’re not making something or moving forward with some new songs or something like that.  I think it can be rough. So that was a really good thing we did that. I’m glad and I think it turned out real cool.

I think the only way for us to move forward and probably most musicians is just to like continue creating… and hoping things can turn around. So one day we can share it with everyone but I don’t know have you heard of any work arounds on this?

G: I mean I’ve I’ve seen a lot of kind of out of the box ideas kind of pop up. There were the local [Austin] artists here who early on in the pandemic did a video series with other artists and then charged five dollars for access to that. I guess they were going for volume sales. But I agree with you that the important part is that everybody keep working and creating. Go ahead and record new material or work on new material. That’s great. If you want to try like a new video project or try something different I think it’s a good time to do that too.

A: Exactly. And I mean that’s the thing too is I guess. It takes some reinvention here because you know as everyone knows, bands need to play shows to have money. And so to work on a new project of any sort. You need to pay people to you know that you’re going to collaborate with someone it just can’t be expected that everyone’s going to work for free or whatever. So it is it is difficult even if you have a grandiose idea and you want to pull it off. There’s a lot of things that have to fall in place. Like the team that we got for our live stream with all our dear friends who are super talented… They did it on the cheap because of our history but God knows they deserve ten times more than we could pay them.

                          

G: I met you guys briefly at LEVITATION fest in 2015 and I remember being wowed by the 1:00 a.m. set in that tent y’all played. What the biggest difference between Metz five years ago versus now? How do you think you’ve changed musically as an artist between now and then? 

A: I think musically we’ve just sort of broadened our capabilities and also our interests. As a unit we’re more interested in doing different things musically than we were at that time. At that time we were about hard and fast punk rock… straight to the point. And that’s part of our DNA that’s  where we come from. That’s never gonna really change at the core. But I think we’re all excited about going different places musically and then personally. Two of us have had children. So we’re parents. We’re looking at the world differently. We have more responsibility. I think as a whole we’ve cleaned up a lot. We used to party as a band. It’s it’s not that it’s gotten more serious so much that we still love what we do and we have a good time. But there’s a different vibe within the band, just as far as how we approach a show and that kind of thing. So those are like some obvious changes that have happened since 2015.

G: How has become a becoming a father changed your creative perspective? I know that you kind of touched on that topic a bit but what has that done to the way that your approach to your work?

A: I think I feel even more fortunate every time I get to pick up the guitar. I feel lucky I can do that and I try to make the best of every minute that I have to be creative and to play music. I also think  when you are… When someone depends on you, I think it just kind of makes you want to be better in an almost every way.  You don’t want to compromise. You just want to do the very best you can do. Maybe inspire them but also, I don’t know, set an example by just doing as opposed to talking I don’t know. I like showing. Yeah… it’s hard to put into words but I think it’s made me better as a musician and more thankful for what I have.

G: I was looking at an old Austin Chronicle article and the writer compared you to Bill Gates. And you [sort of] look like him.  Did that ever really happen to you?  When I was younger people used to tell me I looked like Greg Brady from The Brady Bunch.

A: No, I don’t get confused for anyone famous. I have heard the Bill Gates thing more than once but I don’t know if it’s from the Austin Chronicle or what. But I’ve gotten that a couple of times. I liked it. I certainly don’t like to downplay the nerd thing. The nerd leading the punk band thing.
I’m into that. I mean I haven’t gone as far as like you know wearing a pocket protector or something. [laughs] But I’m down to play that out because I think when it’s not playing the role perfectly, I think it’s more interesting. And no one wants to see a rock band who looks like a rock band in my opinion.

G: What new music are you listening to? Is there anything that might surprise your fans that you’ve been in do lately?

A: The latest thing that I’ve been doing and this is not a surprise really, but Wax Chattels new record. Dig that. Got a Mark Stewart record here. That’s insane. I don’t know if you’ve heard this one as the veneer of democracy starts to fade. I have it. It’s bonkers. So he’s the guy from pop group that did these dub dub(ish) records.  Very crazy sounding in the 80s. My main fascination right now has been Cleaners from Venus which is just one guy, Martin Newell who was kind of like a Bob Pollard type character before Pollard [hit the scene] cranking out low-fi records. Very jangly and poppy, British sounding. I am just digging through his whole catalog. I just love it. That’s got to my heart. I love punk rock and I also love well crafted pop music.

G: All right I’ve only got a couple more questions. Thanks for hanging out Alex. If you could give your 20 year-old self advice about being a musician from your current self, what would you say?

A: I don’t think I’d give any advice because in a weird way, I feel like I wouldn’t change anything. I might tell him to practice more so that you’re better technically. I really never learned how to play in any kind of proper way. But then again it sort of worked well with what the band became . You know, we’re all kind of self-taught and I don’t know, I think I’d stay out of it because I’d feel super fortunate that we are where we are and we get to make this sort of strange music that is very much our own and at the same time people seemed to connect with it on some level.  It’s more than I could have ever hoped for. I never thought it would happen. So every day I pinch myself in that way and go, “You know. You get to do this thing that people would kill to do.” So I’m I’m very conscious of that every day.  

G: My last question you kind of already touched on already but talk about the Austin music scene and how it compares to what goes on in Toronto where you guys are based. I’ll bet you didn’t know it but the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau actually set up a sister city thing with Toronto.

A: Yeah. Yeah. I DID know about that. I think Toronto was trying to take a lesson from Austin and try to embrace that [music city idea] because at the time I think what it was probably what? Six years ago or something like that when it’s announced? I remember that being like, OK well if we could be more like Austin that would be great because I just think of [Toronto] as a city that I don’t know, doesn’t embrace all types of of the arts in Toronto as much as it likes to say that it does.  It’s so expensive… It’s prohibitive to do anything.  You can’t do anything really “out there” and interesting because you can’t afford it. It has to be mainstream and have to be commercially successful. And so as much as they’d like to I think they embrace the arts in a bigger way here. I don’t really see it happening. I just don’t see it happening now and I don’t know if I see it in the future because even to find a place to rehearse is a nightmare here. And it costs a fortune. There’s a lot of things keeping artists from being able to work and live in Toronto. 

G: Well hey man, I really really appreciate you taking time to do this interview and again congrats on the success of the new album. We’ve been loving it down here in Austin. We can’t wait until y’all make it down here again.  I hope you guys keep doing it for a long time.

A: Thanks man I really appreciate it. Yeah, we love Austin and we’re dying to get back there soon.

Featured photo by Norman Wong