MAC SATURN - INTERVIEW & ATOMIC MEDICINE
This past week I had the opportunity to interview, in a brief exchange of email and text messages, the Michigan based rock and roll band - Mac Saturn. Below is a summary of our discussion re-organized for better understanding and flow of conversation.
Can you tell me a little bit about the band and its background?
“Mac Saturn is a leviticously duteronomous soul-powered rock and roll band that was born from a gastric mass in the outer reaches of a forgotten renaissance. Dripping with ooze and wild mercury, ringing out a single lonely whistle like the ghost train riding through the dawn of time and space. Writing songs for the postman delivered by railcar and white lightning”.
What is each band members role in the group? Do you have any fun facts you’d like to share about Mac Saturn?
“Riding shotgun is Brett Dooge on lead six-string, strumming with his front teeth and surfing on the waves of the rhythm section. In the back seat is Jive Chivalski on bass holding the curtains, and Carson Macc on drums scrubbing the windows of the courthouse of time. In the driver's seat is Nick Barone. Spewing Blues that could make Fitzgerald forget the alphabet and turn Medusa to stone. Roots deeper than a countryside diner, and tempos rising faster than cigarette smoke at a propane convention. Four vagabonds from Saturn kicked around from planet to planet. Chewed up and spit out by the Sirens of Venus and the Arbiters of Neptune”.
Do you guys have any upcoming projects or anything else you would like to share?
“The four missionaries are currently planting the seeds of Rock & Roll in gardens all around the state (Michigan), and working on writing the follow-up to Atomic Medicine”.
How did the band get its name?
“So, when we first started jamming together, us four, we use to hang down out by a lake all the time, ‘cause a couple of us lived down by a lake. There was this local boat-man that lived there, and the locals kind of know him as a witch, or a shaman, almost. He is a local figure and we made friends with him over the course of this one particular summer...with the way we look, the way we sound, and the way we act together he would call us these weird names; and this one summer he kept calling us the Medieval Atomic Children of Saturn. He just kept calling us. He would call us that whenever we would walk by or whenever we would see him...he would always, just call us the Medieval Atomic Children of Saturn, and he would always be spooky about it too. So, that’s what we started calling ourselves! Eventually, my mom got sick of stitching all that shit onto a shirt so we just call it Mac Saturn know”.
After talking with Nick Barone, the lead singer of Mac Saturn, it’s nearly impossible to explain the band’s style and personality better than their responses in the above interview. In their debut album Atomic Medicine you can hear the soulful rock and roll, filled with smooth transitions, mesmerizing lyrics, varying tempos, and rhythmic guitar. The album starts with "Banana Wine", a slow but very soothing rock song with haunting vocals. As the album continues, generally speaking, it starts to pick up tempo but the variety of speed, sound, and ambiance throughout the entirety of the album is what makes it special. The guitar riffs and energetic drums lay the foundation of Atomic Medicine and are complimented nicely by the edgy, yet gentle, vocals and the smooth bass.
The album sets an uplifting mood, perfectly contrasted by the emotional and intellectual depth of the lyrics. I find myself listening to this album on my walk to campus almost every morning. Whether it be a slow start to a dull morning and I need a kick to get my day going, or a relaxing morning where I have nothing to do this album has something for everyone. The album consists of nine tracks: “Banana Wine”, “Love You Either Way”, “California”, “Banana Wine II” “I Am A Coyote”, “Autumn Leaves”, “Tried To Say No”, “Persian Rugs”, and “Atomic Medicine”. I’m really glad I stumbled across Mac Saturn, had the pleasure to talk with them more about their music, and I sincerely look forward to listening to their follow up to Atomic Medicine!
Best Tracks: “Banana Wine”, “Love You Either Way”, “Autumn Leaves”, “Tried To Say No”, and “Persian Rugs”
