MORTICA – AN EXTRAORDINARY INTERVIEW WITH THE DEAD BRAKE
By Ralph Beauchamp
I met Mortica when I went to Bleachers Bar in Bristol, Ct. when they opened for my friends at Zero One Zero. I didn't know much about the band, but after their performance I was totally blown away. Their music was exciting and the setting was quite interesting. Singer and frontman extraordinaire, Dead Fred was incredibly animated. He held the audience's attention throughout the set.
Billed as a “horror” themed act, MorticaHis props were perfect for the size of the room. Dead Fred wore a skeleton mask the whole time. There was horror decor scattered around which gave the club a cool vibe. It was definitely fun and light.
In addition to the scary scenery, the musicianship was dynamic. As mentioned earlier, Dead Fred entertained the crowd, but more importantly, his vocals were bold and adventurous. Joe Demilio on guitar was a beast. His riffs were oversized and his solos were powerful. Bill Cee on bass was killer while Mike Luciuk's percussion hit with determination. Their songs were bold and spontaneous. A sign of a band to come. Mortica it's the real deal.
AMP: Can you give our readers a brief history of Mortica?
DF: We actually started after the collapse of 2 separate music projects. Joe and Bill were in a band with 3 others, 2 of those 3 broke up with the band. Leaving the vocal and guitar slot open. Mike (our drummer) auditioned to be a second guitarist. I was a solo artist for years and after years of not seeing the live success I wanted I decided I was going to make records exclusively.
I put an ad on Facebook asking for a band to help me record a solo project and the band that responded was the one that would Mortica. We were a 5 piece, but after some creative differences, we parted ways with our former drummer Mike moving to the kit. We started as a 4 piece on June 22nd, our first single and live show was on November 22nd and the rest is history.
AMP: You describe yourselves as a “horror” inspired band. Where did this idea come from?
DF: I've been a huge horror fan for as long as I can remember. I've always been drawn to genre in all its forms, music, movies, what have you. After years of failed musical endeavors. I decided I was going to write songs about something I liked. Horror.
The goal was to release albums that were kind of parody/silly songs about horror tropes and characters and when the band that became Mortica answered my ad, I pitched the idea to them and it turns out that's a direction they were trying to go. They were looking for an image to match the music they were writing. It was a wedding. Since then, the band and I have been creating music with that vibe in mind. Not every song is related to horror, but many are. Which works for us.
AMP: Your live shows are very theatrical. Do you feel that audiences respond well to special effects?
DF: Yes. Part of speech Mortica The band works so well because we all want to create something, visually and sonically, that we haven't seen much. We wanted to be the band you talked about when you left the venue.. even if we only played for 15 minutes. It's an added bonus that we also write really cool music and perform it well, but if you couldn't listen to a second of it, Mortica he still has something for you. We believe that music should be more than just an audio experience, but also a visual one. A “Double Feature Creature” if you will.
AMP: What is your favorite song to play live?
DF: We all have our favorites for different reasons but I'm torn between 2, one being our first single, “Vamped”. I love it because it is near and dear to my heart. It was our first song, it's what started this journey and for me it's the benchmark for our career. Also, seeing some of the die hard Mortals who have been there since the beginning sing the lyrics is an experience that no amount of money can buy.
And the second is our closing song, 'Mausoleum Mambo', a song about 'misbehaving' in a cemetery. I love this song because it's a swing song that invokes dancing and singing, it's fun to watch the crowd react to the theme rather than dancing along anyway. It's also the perfect closing song to end the night, such energy, such power. It's perfect.
AMP: Who are some of the artists that have inspired the band?
DF: Too many to mention, but few would be
Van Halen, Black Sabbath, Aerosmith, Ghost, Rob Zombie, Ice Nine Kills, to name a very few. Our influences span many genres, but again, too many to mention.
AMP: Can you give us a glimpse into your songwriting process?
DF: It's a little different than most other bands, but in our case, 9 times out of 10, our guitarist Joe, will come up with a raw idea and because he's a multi-instrumentalist he can record a 'karaoke' part of his idea. It ends up in a shared google drive. Every week or so we look at pieces that we would like to work on and individually we will work on our parts. In my case, I'll come up with a melody and write lyrics. And until the next rehearsal, we play it as a unit and if it works, we work on it until it's perfect. Then we have a song.
Other times, our drummer, Mike, will do the same thing. He is a singer, so the track will have lyrics and vocals. If we love it, it becomes a Mortica song. That's how we can create so much. We don't write songs in the rehearsal room. We refine and critique, but writing and learning are done separately.
When it comes to my lyrics, it's all about the vibe, if I like the way the track sounds, I create a tune. I usually have ideas running through my head all the time. So it's a matter of making them. Some come easily. “Vamped” took 10 minutes. Whereas, “Plagued” took days. It's really a matter of feel.
AMP: If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?
DF: Personally, I would love to share a stage with Ghost and see what kind of magic we could make together. Ice Nine Kills would be a match made in Hell that I would love. Maybe one day.
AMP: How is the internal dynamic of the band?
DF: It's a family. We are 4 different people, with different backgrounds and personalities and that usually can lead to trouble but in our case it doesn't define us. Our age differences and backgrounds don't matter. Some of us live almost an hour away from each other, but we meet every week and travel all over the place to perform, because it's worth it.
We communicate better than most marriages and nothing is a secret. If there is a difficult one, it is fragmented. End of story. We've all been in bands with unstable personalities before, and none of us are interested in doing that again. This is how we all keep our Ego under control. We encourage and support each other and pick each other up when others are down, it's as simple as that. They are my brothers and I personally couldn't imagine sharing a stage with anyone else.
AMP: Do you think your presence on social media has given the band a better footing in the global music scene?
DF: It's a huge help. The digital landscape can be hit or miss, but it's the way of the world. Adapt or die. Along the way we learned how to use social media to build a fan base. We started with funny skits to get attention and once there was an audience, we nurtured it. I do a weekly LiveSCREAM on TikTok, I host a podcast on YouTube where I tell scary stories, and we do a monthly Zoom Meet and Greet called “The SLAYance” where paid Patreon members can join a call, ask questions, and receive free signed merchandise as well as band updates.
Social media, like life, rewards those who show up and stay consistent. And it has rewarded us with fans from all over the world. Our “Mortals” mean the world to us and inspire us every day to keep going. So if you are just starting out, learn not only your craft but also content creation, it can help you a lot.
AMP: What's next for Mortica?
DF: Summer appointments take place soon, until October. Sometime in May we will be going into the studio to record new music. Whether it will be a single or an album is still being discussed, but that's the plan now. Perform our best for the remaining 24 and we have new music for the Mortals to hear.
AMP: Any last words for your fans?
DF: We love you. We couldn't do this without you. You are the world to us and we thank you very much. I will continue to encourage new listeners to check out our merchandise and of course our music on our official website. Morticamusic dot com.
And consider subscribing to our Patreon. Besides buying our debut EP, “Originem” from our website, it's the most direct way to support an up-and-coming band doing what we love most. And in the meantime, follow us on all our socials and if you're in the CT area, come see us at a show and get a picture with us, we're DYING to meet you.
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