EP 16 | Man of the Mountain + The History of Song Structure
LTATM EP 16 Man of the Mountain
Doom Groove Rock band from Tacoma, WA.
Sounds Like: The Melvins, The Ventures, Nirvana, Sunn, Clutch, 10 years, The Offspring, Sleep, Black Sabbath, Deftones.
Where to watch or listen to LTATM | Lets Talk About The Music
Episode 16: Writing Songs and Gear Talk with Man of the Mountain
Man of the Mountain has been around for two years or so, but as we will discover further in the interview, the band is part of a legacy that goes back far longer. Mike is on Bass and Vocals, Cody features on Lead Guitar, Woody takes care of Rhythm, and James plays Drums. In this episode, we chatted on the topics of song writing and band gear.
Writing Songs, or Merging Structure with Creativity
We’ve all got our favorite tunes—those songs that stay with us for years or even decades. While each songwriter’s creation is unique, that originality is usually built upon a standard foundation. No matter the genre, most music follows a basic structure.
I’m sure everyone is familiar with how a song is generally organized into sections. One common structure is verse - chorus - verse - chorus - bridge - chorus - outro, also known as ABABCB. However, the parts can be combined in many different ways, depending on what the writer has in mind for the mood, emotionality, and purpose of the music.
Verse: Contains details and information about the story or theme.
Pre-chorus: Builds tension and anticipation for the chorus.
Chorus: The central part of the song, usually catchy and summarizing the song's message.
Bridge: A scenic route that's often sandwiched between two choruses.
Post-chorus: Reminds the listener of the song's main idea without restating it.
Outro: A way to spice up the song structure, often by repeating the first verse.
When Man of the Mountain crafts their musical stories, they will add or adjust the sections to emphasize or downplay portions as desired. For example, a writer can repeat the bridge to add length or buildup to the next chorus. Switching chord progressions can add contrast and create a different mood by, say, moving from major to minor chords in the bridge. Another technique uses a “hook” to grab the listener's attention with a dramatic riff, shift in melody, or alterations to the expected chorus lyrics.
The Importance (and Unimportance) of Gear
Obviously, gear is important, but it is not the sole determinant of a musician's success or the quality of their music. It's a tool that can enhance performance, musicality, and the recording process, but a musician's skill, talent, creativity, and dedication to their vision are far more crucial components. We do dive a bit into Man of the Mountain’s gear preferences on the show.
About Man of the Mountain: Doom Groove Par Excellence
This band is sort of new-ish, as I mentioned above, but the musicians have been part of the PNW music scene for a long time. Remember the “Southern metal, rock, blues, and beer” group, the Fallen Kings? They had incredible shows and were around for centuries. (Well, not really—but for a very long time.) Unfortunately, Fallen Kings disbanded for personal reasons even before the pandemic; when they did, Mike went on to become the front man and bassist for Man of the Mountain. Woody wasn’t available initially, but has recently come on to provide rhythm. James, their drummer, is also in Fifteen Stitches, while Cody on lead guitar brings a wealth of knowledge on gear and song-writing. According to their Facebook page, they strive for a sound similar to “the Melvins, the Ventures, Nirvana, Sunn, Clutch, 10 years, the Offspring, Sleep, Black Sabbath, and the Deftones.” So if any of those groups check your musical boxes, be sure to catch Man of the Mountain!
I had a blast getting to know Man of the Mountain a little better and am very grateful the band members were able to come on the show. I’m looking forward to seeing what they do next!
So if you are interest to get know Man of the Mountain and learn there music Structure. Have a listen to EP 16 either on Aubioom or on YouTube.Then let use know who you Structure your music.
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Three members—Mike, Woody, and Cody—are from the Fallen Kings.
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