Interview with Hivemind: ‘James has a real technique for writing sick, punchy, melodic bass lines’

Sunderland and South Shields-based band Hivemind released their incredibly catchy and hooky single ‘Medicine’ last week, with another single, “Born to Thrive’, on the cards.

The band comprises Georgia McRae (vocals), Steve Kane (lead guitar), James Wallace (bass and backing vocals) and Jack Johnson (drums and percussion).

‘Medicine’ is essentially about toxic relationships, according to Kane: ‘Georgia, she’ll come up with a multitude of things,’ he said. ‘She was singing about relationships and things you know are bad for you. The song grabs hold of you. It happened by accident, to be honest. We were practicing our set a few days before our O2 Academy gig in Newcastle last year and James started playing this random riff on the guitar and the song kind of wrote itself, so we played it at the gig a few days later! We instinctively knew where the melody and vocals should go. I think we put it in the middle of the set then because we had other songs at the time that were better known but we could definitely close with it now. It’s one of the most enjoyable things, to tell a story in a set: do we want to bring it up and then back down and then up again? I think a lot about stuff like that.’

As the lyrics go: ‘I know I’m all talk but I won’t back down, never was it better than when you’re around. All I need to feel right is that medicine. Where you been?’

‘The song is quite grungy and we did that on purpose so that the rawness comes through more’

Another track that came out earlier this year, ‘Crying All The Time’, is ‘about the frustration that depression brings’, according to Kane: ‘It’s about the “I can’t be better than that, feel better than that”. The song is quite grungy and we did that on purpose so that the rawness comes through more. The intro riff is jagged, quite sharp to fit in with the vocals and the topic, to get that sense of frustration across.’

It worked, as the lyrics attest to: ‘Far gone innocence, gotta get fit again, it’s been a while since, gotta get thin again, I’m way past my prime, I cry all the time and I’m not afraid of it.’

Given McRae’s vocal range – she can try anything in the studio, according to Kane – they are now looking at songs in their catalogue that they never released. ‘We’ve got songs from previous incarnations of the band (they have had other singers over the past 6-7 years) that haven’t really materialised that we’re starting to unearth now for Georgia’s voice. They’re more bluesy, more like Amy Winehouse. We’ve got a couple of songs in our quiver.’

One such song is ‘Born To Thrive’, which will likely be their next single. ‘It’s about the light at the end of the tunnel. It starts off with a catchy bass line. James has a real technique for writing sick, punchy, melodic bass lines. We give Georgia free rein.’ When I say that this one sounds upbeat compared to the last two, he laughs. ‘Yeah, maybe they’re almost like a weird unintentional trilogy!’

They released a 4-track EP last year and are now mulling whether to do an album. ‘This is a conversation we have all the time,’ he said. ‘We often talk about albums and their relevance. It’d be a ton of fun and it would give us the opportunity to release tracks we might not release as singles. I’m a fan of albums.’

Hivemind are inspired by a range of bands, including Muse, Royal Blood, My Chemical Romance and Red Hot Chili Peppers. Their name comes from a song of the same name several years ago that never made the light of day but they always liked the name. When Lauren (their former singer) joined the band, they wanted to change their identity, so Hivemind was born. In the UK, they have opened for acts such as The LaFontaines, My Vitriol, Fangclub, Airways, Dead!, Shaun Ryder, & Fearless Vampire Killers. Last year, they were picked by BBC Introducing to play at the This Is Tomorrow festival in Newcastle and played a headline show at the O2 Academy in Newcastle, as well as making numerous appearances on national television, including taking part in a Channel 4 show with drummer and comedian Al Murray.

Locally, they are also inspired by several bands, including rock trio Ten Eighty Trees. ‘We supported them last year, they’re a really strong performer – riffs are everywhere!’ He’s also a big fan of grunge rock band, Shallow, who describe themselves as ‘fuelled by filthy fuzzy riffs and infectious vocals’. ‘They’re awesome. We all support each other, it helps to arrange gigs between us.’

‘I was switched onto people doing something interesting and wondering whether I could do it’

Kane thinks that as individuals we need to support the arts more and that lockdown has taught us to appreciate them more. He describes his own musical taste as ‘really eclectic’: ‘I’ve got my favourite bands and I don’t like inviting other bands in, I’m very protective! [laughs] I love Muse, they’re so dynamic, as are the Chili Peppers and Rage Against The Machine. Tom Morello (from Rage Against The Machine) invented what you can do with a riff. I was switched onto people doing something interesting and wondering whether I could do it. Marmoset (American indie rock band) have inspired us how to write songs.’

Before every gig, he has to convince himself that he can actually play the songs in the set: ‘It’s ingrained into us, I’m always convincing myself I’ll be forgetting to play the songs and I go for a cigarette and sit down with the guitar and play them. I’d be worried if I was more confident. It’s so matter of fact now!’

I tell him that I sometimes don’t remember songs I have heard recently and don’t always remember the singers’ names. He laughs and says he has the same problem: ‘James shared some old demos recently and I didn’t remember any of them, not playing them nor the songs themselves! We’ve played a lot of songs since, though!’

If he could have been mentored by anybody, he picks David Bowie and Prince. ‘There was a gig that Jack and James went to just before Muse released their Drones album (2015). Marmoset supported them. So to be part of that line up would have been amazing but you could be playing and then see Matt Bellamy looking at you and you’d freeze!’

The biggest dream they could have would be to put on a Wembley kind of gig, he said. ‘The coronavirus has given us an opportunity in general to reinvent how we do things we love in a different way. Hopefully, the music industry can do something similar.’

(Photo from left to right: James, Georgia, Steve and Jack)