Exclusive Interview with Metalcore Band MAY WE MEET AGAIN
By Melanie Bryan
Meet your latest metalcore addiction: a promising new band called May We Meet Again. With influences all across the rock and metal scenes, this three-piece brings us a sound that’s fresh yet also familiar. Their debut single, “Lost In Time”, was just released a few days ago and can be found below! I had the opportunity to chat with Tyler and Tay recently about their influences, upcoming debut EP, and their message as a band.
MWMA is: Tyler Fay (vocals), Tay Manesis (drums), and James Reda (guitar)
FFO: Architects, Bad Omens, Like Moths to Flames
MSM: Hi, I’m Melanie and I’m here with May We Meet Again. Would you guys like to introduce yourselves and tell us what you do in the band?
Tay: I go by Tay 212 or 212 or just Tay, and I play the drums. I also do a lot of the songwriting and pre-production for May We Meet Again.
Tyler: I’m Tyler. I’m the vocalist and I’m the secondary songwriter.
MSM: Okay, so my first question…I stumbled upon a post that I think told me the answer to this, but — your band name made me think of my favorite show, The 100. Is that what it’s from?
Tay:
Absolutely. Yeah. Myself and the original vocalist (a friend of mine, Taylor), both love the show and we both wanted to get the quote, “May we meet again” tattooed. I wanted to get the full quote on my ribcage. For those who don’t know, it’s: “In peace, may you leave the shore. In love, may you find the next. Safe passage on your travels, until our final journey to the ground. May we meet again.” There were a few word changes that I added to mine to make it my own, and I know they changed a little bit throughout the show as well. And we had our band name already picked out. It was a totally different band name and we’re on our way to the studio when we texted our producer last minute, and were like “hey, we know it’s kind of last minute, but we had a change of plans for the band name. We think we have something that’s gonna fit really well, something that really means something special to us. And obviously, I figured it would reach some other people and mean something to them as well.
MSM: Yeah. So, that’s one thing that drew me in at first. This actually is Jasper and he’s named after the show as well. (cue the cat lady showing off her cat)
Tay: That’s awesome.
MSM: Say hi, look, see these people, and they wanna say hi to you. He’s like, I’m not feeling it. It’s okay, Jasper. <laugh> But yeah, that totally drew me in, and I love metalcore so, of course, I was like, okay, I’ve gotta listen to this. And the thing that really drew me in from there is the vocals. Ty, your vocals are amazing. You’ve got some skills.
Ty: Thank you very much. It’s definitely been an arduous process getting to where I am, so I appreciate it and I’m definitely trying to get better every day, as one should.
MSM: So, for both of you, what kind of ignited your passion for music? Like, what got you started in wanting to create music?
Tay: Honestly, I think it was once I got into rock and metal in general. I think growing up, no one really listened to much rock or metal around me, so I didn’t really grow up liking it or listening to it at all. And then as soon as I heard Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit”…it was one summer night driving with the windows down and I was with my mom, and she played it like really loud, and we were just driving this summer night, and I don’t know what it was – the guitars, the vocals, the drums, everything just being loud and distorted – but, from that point, I knew that rock and metal was for me. And then it was shortly after that I wanted to get a drum kit but had to settle for a guitar, because drums are extremely loud. And so, I fell in love with chord progressions and songwriting and melody structures and stuff like that. I never really got too good with like, shredding, but I just, once I knew that I wanted to bang on drums and make beats pretty much forever and make chord progressions and melodies to go over top of them, I figured I’m gonna have to have other people to play that out live. That’s when I just knew, I just had to find other musicians and it was just gonna be a thing forever.
MSM: Yeah. And I guess part of you was like, look at all that equipment. I would love to carry that on stage every night by myself. <Laugh>
Tay: Fourteen-year-old me thought “yeah, that’s gonna be great!”.
MSM: Yeah. <laugh> What about you, Ty?
Tyler: So, my music background actually started in a wonky way. I was more into rap growing up and definitely at the age of 10 to 12, I was introduced to a lot heavier rock, like Breaking Benjamin, Three Days Grace, and a little bit grungier, things. And I stumbled upon metalcore through one of my lifelong friends, Josh, who showed me Pierce the Veil, Sleeping With Sirens, and Asking Alexandria (Asking Alexandria being one of the standouts for me). And, at that point, I always made weird voices and sounds with my voice. And I was able to scream on one of the first tries. And I was like, man, I kind of wanna do this. And I started doing it more and more and realized that it’s not really just something I wanna do in my bedroom, that I wanna meet other people who wanna create music and who like the music that I listen to. And, like Tay, I knew I couldn’t do that by myself. So the story here is that I and Tay stumbled upon each other at what was earlier than we thought. We actually met in 2018 without really meeting. We probably passed each other at Warped Tour where we were seeing our producer Robbie Litchfield play. But that kind of gave me the inspiration as well to see all these people having fun on stage, which Warped Tour was one of my first shows. So, being able to see my idols, like Danny Worshnop, and Andy Leo. Then, just watching the passion they gave and I just knew that I had to do it then. I knew then that it was my calling to be able to do music.
MSM: Just to create and share that.
Tyler: Exactly. Yeah.
MSM: That’s amazing. So, do you have any goals in particular with creating music? Is there anything that you really want people to take away from your songs in particular? Like, is there anything, in particular, that you want to say?
Tyler: Yeah, so I know Tay has a little bit more he can elaborate on, but I know the overall structure is that we want our music to help people in situations they may have been in or situations they’re in, or overall just help them from a darker place that they’re in and help them out of it and let them know that there are people out there for them.
MSM: Yeah.
Tay: Yeah. Correct. Everything from the quote itself from the show is something that brings hope. Even though it comes from a darker aspect of the show, cause it’s the last thing that a lot of people hear before they pass on, it’s “may we meet again”, like that “in peace, may you leave the shore, in love, may you find the next…may we meet again”, kind of thing. From that, all the way to even just the number, like the 212 thing. Some people ask what the 212 thing is about, and it just represents being true to yourself, being honest with yourself, trusting in yourself, and just being the best version of yourself that you could possibly be. As far as just being a good person and being just honest with yourself and everybody. And yeah, like Tyler said, just kind of overcoming things and doing your own thing. I think from song to song, it does vary, too. We have some heavy stuff that’s a little bit more in your face kinda, we have some stuff that’s a little bit more pop-punk, just kind of let loose, have fun, and then just everything in the middle.
MSM: And that kind of goes into my next question, which is what can we look forward to with the debut album that’s coming up?
Tay: Pretty much everything right there that we just talked about. There’s one track on there that sounds more like a deathcore style, one towards more pop-punk, kind of a bouncy and upbeat style. And then just classic metalcore vibes mixed with modern metalcore elements. We like to take stuff like orchestral and symphonic synth elements, or EDM stuff, and mix them in with the heavy riffs and the double bass drums and stuff.
MSM: Yeah. So, Ty, it sounds like you were not an original member, correct?
Tyler: I was not, no.
MSM: So, have you watched The 100?
Ty: <laugh> I’ve seen bits and pieces, and Tay showed me a little bit, but also my dad used to watch the show when I grew up, and I’d walk in from football practice and see him watching it, but I wouldn’t necessarily sit down and watch it.
MSM: You haven’t seen all of it yet?
Tyler: Nah.
MSM: <Laugh> And that was his last day in the band. <Laugh>
Tay:
That’s gotta be our initiation.
MSM: Yeah, exactly. So, it sounds like you like to mix the genres up a bit, for sure. What bands inspire you the most?
Tyler: As a whole band aspect, it’s definitely Architects being one of them. You definitely see the aspects of Bad Omens, too, and with a Too Close to Touch kind of singing style with very out there style choruses. And Like Moths to Flames, Whitechapel style guitar riffs, the guitar riffs, the drum fills and everything, just really sound like that classic kind of metalcore in a way. For me, personally, though, I definitely have a Chelsea Grin background, Asking Alexandria Alexandria…like the people who paved the path for the 2010 scene.
MSM:
Yeah. What about you, Tay? Do you have any particular influences or inspirations that you bring to the table?
Tay:
For sure, I think that some of the bands mentioned are definitely good comparisons. Well maybe not comparisons, I wouldn’t put us up there with Architects and Bad Omens, but that’s definitely a style that we kind of achieve overall. But, from my perspective, we kind of get there by combining things, as my influences come from all over the place. I dunno if you’ve heard of a band called Chase Atlantic, but I love their music, I love what they do, how they combine everything and their live energy. I know that they write a lot of stuff programmed in synth and whatever, but they perform live as a band. Artists like Pink, like I said, our biggest message is to stay strong and be who you are and not let anybody tell you different. And that’s one thing that Pink is huge on. Growing up, I heard a lot of Pink. Even other big radio artists who have amazing voices like Adele, Kelly Clarkson, Justin Timberlake…I feel like a lot of people would never assume our music might stem from. But even in a lot of our breakdowns, you hear a lot – I guess this is another teaser of what’s to come – you get a lot of these like techno or alienesque vibes, sometimes even big symphonic orchestral sounds. But, like Tyler said, it all does stem from the bare bones, like Architects-style metalcore classic stuff, and newer metalcore.
MSM: How do you stay creatively inspired and motivated as a band? Like, did you have any moments where you were trying to come up with songs for the album, and how did you kind of overcome that?
Tyler: There are definitely creative differences in each and every individual out there, but me and Tay have a system at this point where we offset each other to where when both of our ideas come together, new ideas pop up with a mix of the two ideas. We combine a lot of our own thoughts that we have. I’ll make some melodies and I’ll send ’em over to Tay and he’ll correct ’em, give it some “Tay spice”, as I like to call it <laugh>. And he’ll send them back to me, and it’s just a collaboration of bringing all our creative pieces to the table and working together, not just using one person’s idea, but taking everyone’s ideas to make that one idea achievable.
MSM: Yeah.
Tay: That’s one thing is, I think where I fell into being the primary songwriter was where I was the one who had the computer and the interface and all the stuff to get the demos done. And that’s another thing was when I set out to find the other pieces of this puzzle, I knew that I was gonna have to find someone who specializes in being able to sing and scream and have the rhythmic structures that I want. And then they’re also gonna have to have the same taste in order for us to be able to collaborate. And then, same with guitarist and bassist, they’re gonna have to be able to play what I write, but also I want to have the same taste cause I know a lot of bands do have that one songwriter, and everyone just kind of learns the parts and it works. But, I feel like in the long run if everyone’s voice is kind of heard and put into the melding pot of creativity, then it lasts longer as far as members not wanting to leave cause they don’t feel like they’re being heard and whatnot.
MSM: Yeah. I think it’s also important that you have the same style, but you also have your own influences and I think that’s an important part of blending the genres and everything. You’re all coming up with different ideas but along the same vein. So, for each of you, what are you each passionate about besides music?
Tyler: I really love my animals. If anything ever were to happen to them, I don’t know really what I’d do. Honestly. I love my cat and I had a dog for 17 years who was my best friend, and I would do anything for them. You know, I have my hobbies, but I’m passionate about animals and I’ve grown a very special bond with my animals, so that’s kind of where my passion is – being with animals and doing whatever I can with them.
MSM: Okay. What about you, Tay?
Tay: Honestly, besides just spending time with people I care about (friends, family, my girlfriend especially)…I like to cook here and there, but, honestly, between the midi stuff on the computer, my keyboard, my drum kit, and my guitars, I think there’s plenty of music to go around. And I also work a full-time job, like I still cherish every little minute that I can get working on new music or even practicing old stuff or playing along to songs. I don’t know, there’s really not much outside of music that I like to do.
MSM:
I understand that, that’s how I am with photography. Everything I do kind of has something to do with that, so I understand that passion. So, my last question for you guys is, for anyone that may not have heard of you, what would you say to them? Why should they check you out?
Tyler:
We’re fun, easygoing guys. We like to have a good time and, obviously, a lot of bands interact with their fans in and out of the show. But I’m a very talkative person and I’m very approachable and very likable. I wanna make friends with everyone and I don’t feel there are a lot of people out there that don’t wanna do it in this day and age, finding people who do wanna make friends and be your friend and be there for people. It’s good to get to know us even if you don’t necessarily listen to our music. And, as we said earlier here, we wanna make sure that everyone’s living their best life to whoever we can influence in whatever way possible.
MSM: All right. Do you have anything to add to that, Tay?
Tay:
I don’t know. Not really. We’re pretty easygoing and approachable and, as Tyler said, just want to interact before and after the show. Like, come hang out! We’re not really the type to just be like hanging backstage on our phones or anything like that. Like, please come and hang out. Okay, as far as why they should check out the music? Honestly, like, if you just want to hear something that we believe is new and interesting, and fun. It can be a little deep, but it also can be a little fun. I think that’s a pretty big reason to check us out at least once. Once we have the EP dropped, I think there’s one song on there for everybody as far as being right in the middle of light and heavy, and then there’s the lighter stuff and the heavier stuff. So, you know, if you want a fun little combination of metal and anything else you might like, come check us out.
MSM: Okay. I know that I’ll be keeping an eye on you. When can we expect the debut EP? Or do you not have a date set yet?
Tay: We don’t have an exact date set for the full EP release. But we are expecting to have the full thing dropped by the end of May.
MSM: Okay. Awesome! That’s exciting. All right guys, well, thanks for chatting!
Tay: Of course. Thank you for having us.
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