Master Nate & The Reprobates have been catching my ear with their awesome music for a long time now. It was about time to talk with them for my webzine.
Hi and welcome to my webzine. So, first of all, talk of the day is your new album. Can you tell me about it, the concept behind it all and as I understood this will be eventually a concept full length, what is the theme and how did you imagine the release dynamics?
Master Nate & The Reprobates -MNR’s new album “The Dusk” is actually the 3rd release in MNR’s debut 8-Album Concept set entitled, …”The Diem Series”.
“The Diem Series” is a themed set, which encompasses the span of light to dark in the physical, emotional and spiritual realms, while painting a mural of the passage of time.
Albums in “The Diem Series” include:
1. “The Dawn”
2. “The Day”
3. “The Dusk”
4. “The Dark”
5. “Tomorrow”
6. “Overmorrow”
7. “Between The Days“
8. “Between The Nights”
All albums covers align to form a Huge Artistic Mural when laid out together. The artwork from the first 4 albums has now been released to the public. The remaining 4 will be unveiled after Bare Bones Records Touring Season for 2023 has concluded.
So as you can see, this is actually a “Concept Album” multiplied 8 times.
No other band in the world has debuted with an 8-Album Themed Set!
Not The Beatles! Not Elvis!! No One!!
That is more albums than many bands release in their entire careers….and we are just getting started.
Can you tell me more about process of making songs? You guys have such awesome and smart lyrics behind the music and how is the creation process?
For me, the process of writing songs is an unending process. It flows like proverbial water from a spontaneous ‘faucet’…so I always try to keep a metaphorical ‘cup’ on hand to catch the inspiration whenever and wherever it comes. I always carry a note book, often have lyrics written on my arm when no paper is present…and a guitar is in my hand daily.
The Song Pool for “The Diem Series” alone exceeds 100 songs. Our sister band Sofa King Addicted -SKA has 4 albums of about 70 songs….AND there are our Seasonal Side Bands as well:
-‘The Frostbite Faction’ (Christmas)
-‘The Tombstoners Union’ (Halloween).
I write all the songs for these bands and they just seem to spew forth from me endlessly.
Is it going to be a physical release of new material? How much is merch important to you as a band?
For the release of “The Diem Series”, here’s what will transpire…
-the first 4 albums will be released online.
-MNR will then release a Vinyl “Greatest Hits Of The Diem Series -Part 1”.
-MNR will then pause to release an Acoustic Album on Vinyl and online, which features Keith Douglas (Mad Caddies).
-the last 4 albums of “The Diem Series” will then be released online.
-MNR will then release a Vinyl “Greatest Hits Of The Diem Series -Part 2”.
*MNR will then release the entire “Diem Series” on Vinyl in a Special Limited Edition Box Set!
Sneak Peak of the Acoustic Album…
Have you toured? Have you played Europe and what do you think are main cultural differences between Europe and America/Canada? Did you already play new material live?
We have toured…just not Europe. We tried, but no European promoters would take us on. So we made our own tour!
-Last Year, Bare Bones Records (the label I founded) created “The Pirates & Punks Festival Tour” and toured Costa Rica.
-This year, The Pirates & Punks Festival Tour will run through August & September, and will visit: Canada, Costa Rica then Australia.
-Next year, in 2024 MNR plans to tour in Europe. Although nothing is formally planned, MNR intends to tour Germany and as many of the surrounding Countries as possible, with the goal of playing some shows in Paris during the 2024 Olympics.
We look forward to speaking with European Promoters and Agencies regarding this.
And yes, we have played some of our new material during the Costa Rica tour to some really great reviews!
As for the cultural differences between Europe and North America…
Even from our perspective from across the Atlantic, we can see that North American culture is much more uptight and restrictive when compared to European culture. Needless to say, we are looking forward to experiencing the shows and scenes in the much more carefree culture and atmosphere of Europe.
As well, we are filming “The Bare Bones Records Hardcore Travel Show” during these tours. So we look forward to experiencing and showcasing Europe’s extensive history, as it’s the roots of the North American culture which we have experienced our whole lives.
Out Soon: Season 1 -Costa Rica
Slated To Be Filmed: Season 2 -Australia
In Pre-Production : Season 3 -Europe!!!
What was the highest and what was the lowest point for MNR so far?
The highest point for MNR is right now! Talking with you about MNR in Croatia, while I am in Canada, having the 1st half of “The Diem Series” AND our Acoustic Album Mastered and slated for release, pending International Tours…the high point is today!
The low point was every single time we have built something, only to have it fall apart. We commited to the Costa Rican your, only to have our drummer quit. We had no time to find another, so the band from England we were touring with (Hinge) loaned us their drummer for the tour.…*Thanks Matt for doing double duty! Dann and I hadn’t jammed in 9 months, had no drummer, brought no gear, and boarded the plane to Costa Rica with nothing but confidence and guitar picks.
…but we did it, and we filmed the 1st Season of The Bare Bones Records Hardcore Travel Show, AND we turned the biggest possible challenge into another high point!
This year, we’re comin’ fully loaded and ready for war!!!
Question that went through my mind as I read the newspapers the other day. Does the situation in the world look line 1930s more and more? Does history repeat itself?
I do agree that history repeats itself, and that there are unprecedented global challenges…however, I don’t think we can compare it to the 1930’s.
My Grandfather grew up in the 1930’s in Ontario, Canada. The son of a farming family, he had it hard. I remember my Grandparents telling me stories of what Christmases were like for them growing up in the 1930’s. They woke up, went downstairs and they each had a bowl on the kitchen table. In it was left an orange. That was their Christmas gift, as oranges were exceedingly rare in Canada at that time, and in that season. But that’s what they knew…and they were happy! More importantly, they knew how to be happy with what they had! Comparatively today, we live in excess.
Our Christmases exceed those of the 1930’s a thousand times over. Today, when we feel we have it bad, we are still living in excess by comparison.…even most homeless have phones. We’ve never had more (usually at the cost of the environment), we’ve never had it better (usually at the cost of someone else)…but few seem happy. Few seem at Peace. Back then, most had nothing…and most we’re happy. Many found Peace. No, this is not like the 1930’s…this is something else entirely.
What do you guys do for living? I almost wrote ‘ordinary lives’ but I thought one thing. When you are into punkrock and music for long time and it becomes indivisible part of you, this actually is ‘ordinary life’ or is it not?
I got my 1st job in 1994 (when I was 14) working for my small town. I took that job so I could buy a Gibson SG. I held that job til just last year, largely to finance music. Before I departed that position, I financed a career’s worth of songs, which MNR is now unveiling. Now, I work where I choose…and when I choose, making music the Priority of my Life. We are the sum of our imaginations, and I don’t imagine myself to be confined with no options nor means of egress.
How much would MNR make compromises in possible situation: You are signed to a record label, I am not talking about major, but some, let´s say, bigger name in punkrock/indie label and they tell you to do something this or that way, how far would you be ready to compromise in given situation?
I have built Bare Bones Records and our bands so we answer to no one. We do everything on our own and do a better job because there is no outside influence, nor vested interests beyond our own. Even when it comes to the songs, I am very secretive for fear of outside influence. I have a very clear vision of these songs in my head. No one else is hearing what I am hearing, so no one is then qualified to influence what they have not yet heard.
We record in a reverse order. I go into the studio and track guitar and vocals alone. Dann usually hasn’t even heard the songs before he enters the studio later on to pay down bass, much of which he writes on the spot. Then drums are usually done last. Our new drummer Kyle tracked drums of 27 MNR songs in a 2 day session.
Dann and Kyle (The Reprobates) are both Troopers and have many, many unseen gifts, which are perpetually at work beneath the surface. Without them…it does not happen! It’s unorthodox and counterintuitive…but that’s just how it has to be. And that’s why we’re coming out of the gate with over 100 original songs! It works for MNR!!!
Having said all that, although I like to be open-minded whenever possible…MNR has no need to compromise for anyone. Take us or leave us!
Are there any spooky or scary urban legends in place you live?
There’s a spooky experience that hits really close to home…
When I was a child, our family was building a house. It was not yet finished when we had to vacate our old home. So during the month or two interim of having no home, my family stayed at my Grandparents house until we could move into our new home. All the bedrooms we’re filled, and me being the youngest, was given a mattress on the living room floor as a sleeping area (which was on the ground floor level). For reference, this was a rural Canadian Road going through fields and wooded areas, about 15 minutes outside of the town.
One night, an ex-husband showed up at his former wife’s house, across the road…to kill her & her new boyfriend, and to abduct his children. He shot and killed the boyfriend, but the wife and kids got away and ran through the fields to our house, to hide from the killer. I was awoken to the wife and kids trying to open the living room door and windows, screaming “HE SHOT RICKY!!!”
The screams and cries are something I will never forget.
I wrote a song called “Another Man’s Life” about the incident.
Here is a video of both the Acoustic and Electric Versions of the song. (Released on upcoming albums: “The Dark”, and the Acoustic Album “How Did I Get Here?”)
So, for the end classical zine boring question. Is there anything else you would like to add? Thank you so much for your music, your time and your friendship.
In closing, I really want to Thank You Vlad! What you do is such an invaluable service. By your sharing and exposing music, you are creating opportunities and connections.
Without you, everything I’ve just said stays within. Words are one of the most powerful things on this planet. Music is one of the most inspirational things to people.
You facilitate Power and Inspiration Vlad!
On behalf of MNR and Bare Bones Records
…Thank You!!!
KRAYKULLA-WEBZINE 