By Kreig Marks, May 1, 2020

 

TRR:   Before this quarantine came about, how was the Rock music scene in Providence?  Velvet Crush came out of Providence and became pretty mainstream and there seem to be a lot of solid local bands.

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PSYCLE: We have a tremendous amount of talent not just here in RI, also in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the whole North East. We have an incredible metal scene and family around here, too. I feel like the scene has changed a lot over the years, but right now there is a lot of love and comeradery. To name a few, Parts Per Million, Young Other, Carpathia, SixteenX20, and Bloodline Theory.

 

TRR:  Tell me about the band's name.  Where did it come from?

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PSYCLE: When the band first started, we had entered a Battle of the Bands, and the promoter approached us at an event before the show. He wanted our band name, to put it on flyers, and it’s something we had not discussed yet. Everyone kind of looked at me and I always had that name Psycle in my head. To me it really represents “What goes around, comes around”. I always felt that, what you put into the universe both good and bad, will find it’s way back to you at some point. I always loved the psychology of that.

 

TRR:  Seth, you originally put the band together in 1999.  The current lineup of you, Jay, Mike and Joe have been together since 2016.  How would you say this lineup compares to the original lineup?

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PSYCLE: I would first say that I have been very lucky to play with some amazing musicians and people over the years. Sometimes people’s lives intersect for different reasons, and people grow and change what they want in life. As far as this line-up, I feel like I have worked my whole life in music to have the experience that I am having now. I think that our connection and ability to work on writing music is special. There is no ego in writing together, and it always comes down to making the song better. We may all play different instruments, but there is an openness in our writing, where Jay may write a guitar part- even though he’s the drummer. We try to treat the process as a whole, and push each other to be our best selves. This does not take away from those who have come before this line as they helped pave the way, but here we are and here we go.

 

TRR:  How did the four of you meet?

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PSYCLE: Jay and I have been playing together for over 16 years. Jay joined Psycle when we were in the studio for the first time. He was in another band back then, in the same studio, and agreed to do some drum tracks for us. Jay really loved the material, and soon after became a full-time member. Mike and I became friends around 5 years ago - when we were in separate bands. We played a New Year's Eve show together and quickly became friends. Joe was the greatest “Craigslist” find of all time ha ha.

 

TRR:  If you can actually find a solid band-mate through Craigslist, that's a story in itself!

 

PSYCLE:  Yes! Seriously.  I found Joe thru an ad and we had an amazing talk on the phone the first time. We both talked about our influences and we agreed that we wanted to write our version of Pearl Jam “Ten”. Easier said than done, but I think that sealed it.

 

TRR:  Seth, around the same time you put this lineup together, you got engaged and then married.  Did she know what she was getting herself into?  Having a band is like being in a second marriage.

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PSYCLE:  I actually knew Stephany years before, as she used to come to our shows. We were friends and eventually got connected thru a mutual friend, and began dating. She always knew what she was getting into hahaha. We have a very honest relationship, and were very up front when we first started dating. I think that when you have people by your side, whether in a relationship or friendship, it can strengthen that second marriage or band. It's really about communication across the board.

 

TRR:  I know Seth has been streaming some acoustic covers during this quarantine.  What have the rest of you guys been doing?

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PSYCLE: Mike and his wife Cara have been doing weekly Facebook live show called "Mike and Cara’s 'Fandango'!" We all have been trying to be as present as we can, to promote the music and show our friends, family, and fans our appreciation. If anything, I think that it keeps our sanity in check, too.

 

TRR:  Tell me about how you guys write your songs.  What’s the process?

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PSYCLE: On this new album Kill the Machine, all of these songs were created by the 4 of us in a room together. One of the things that I think helps us is, we record every rehearsal we have. Joe takes those recordings and breaks them up to send to us during the week. This gives us a chance to work on things at home, have some playback on what everyone else is doing, and capture something that might inspire. As I mentioned before, it really is about servicing the song. For example, the song “King Without a Throne” was originally brought to rehearsal completely different. We only kept the pre-chorus from the original version and built around that. There is no ego and I think this album ended being more riff orientated than “Surfaces” was.

 

TRR:  You guys released your first EP, Surfaces, in 2017.  How long did that take to finish?

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PSYCLE: “Surfaces” took about 4 months to record/mix/master. We had been writing for almost a year before we decided to record. We thought it was important to have something that represented us in order to get our name out. Instead of waiting to do a full album we felt doing a 4 song EP could give us that exposure. With “Kill the Machine” it was a different beast all together but that’s another story hahah.

 

TRR:  Where did you guys record it?

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PSYCLE: We recorded both “Surfaces” and “Kill the Machine” with Chris Piquette at No Boundaries Studios. Chris originally was located near Providence RI, but moved the studio to North Kingstown RI, and built a brand-new studio with lots of new gadgets. Chris has been like a 5th band member to us and we are so grateful for his work.

 

TRR:  Are you guys still on schedule to record the next album in August? 

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PSYCLE: We just finished tracking “Kill the Machine” at the end of January, so we are in the "put-out singles until the album drops" mode. The album comes out June 16, so we are doing a lot of press and are so grateful for the support we've received. From publications to radio to podcasts, etc. We've been very lucky. We're really looking forward to playing the live shows once it’s safe. We enjoy showing how the songs are alive. Live shows are where you showcase what songs are about in real life. I think we are all excited for that opportunity.

 

TRR:  Tell me about the first live gig you guys did together.

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PSYCLE: The first show we played together was at a venue called The Coliseum in Providence RI. We opened for a band called Never Say Die. It was the first song on their tour, and that band had some guys from the band, My Darkest Days. They eventually had to change their name to Deadset Society. Amazing people and band.  I know they are still together in another group called Tense Machine and their album comes out soon.

 

TRR:  Nice to support them, very cool. What’s the most memorable show you’ve done so far?

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PSYCLE: I would have to say playing the main stage at the East Providence Heritage Festival. Huge stage in a football stadium, and it was pretty amazing. Each show we have played has had its own impact. As for myself, I love playing new songs for the first time live. Seeing how the audience reacts is always thrilling.

 

TRR:  What’s your favorite song to perform live?

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PSYCLE: It's hard to choose. As a singer I would say the last song we wrote on Kill the Machine, called "White Flag." It has such an amazing groove to it and an ebb and flow of energy. I think sometimes it depends on the crowd and the sound. I am truly proud of every song we have.

 

TRR:  Who are your fans?

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PSYCLE: Our fans are our family of fans, and we make sure we treat them that way. Whether it be a person who likes a song, a photographer, a publicist, a radio personality or an actual relative, we try to treat them the same.

 

TRR:  What’s the long-term plan for you guys?

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PSYCLE: Keep writing, keep playing, keep recording. I think you always chase the proverbial tail of your best song. How do you create your “Stairway”, “Hotel California”, “Blackbird?" I don’t believe in being satisfied because, no matter how many songs you write, your next one could have a profound affect on someone life.

 

TRR:  What bands would you guys like to share a ticket with?

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PSYCLE: I personally would love to play with both Alter Bridge or Sevendust. One band we had the pleasure to play with was BlackTop Mojo.

 

TRR:  We're friends with Matt James of Blacktop Mojo.  He's a great singer and a really great guy. 

 

PSYCLE:   He is.  I would tour with those guys in a blink. However, being able to play with anyone is an opportunity to learn and grow, so let’s just throw in Black Sabbath for good measure, ha ha.

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TRR:  Anyone you guys would like to give a shout out to?

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PSYCLE: Any person who has given us a second of their time, we send our gratitude and love. We have been blessed to have a lot of support and for the fear of missing someone…you know who you are.

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TRR:  Seth.  Thanks for taking the time to speak with me today.  Good luck with the year and hopefully we see you guys out on the road again soon. 

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For more information about Psycle, visit their website at www.psyclemusic.com. 

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