CH.89: If you were to categorize or describe the style of your music, what would it be and why?

FM: I guess I’d just describe myself as a singer/songwriter. That’s really the only constant between all the different ways I make music. I’m interested in lots of different genres and formats but most of my songs still come from me sitting with a guitar or a keyboard.

CH.89: Where do you draw your inspiration from?

FM: I like to write stories about family and friends and my own experiences. But whatever it may be, I tend to romanticize situations to their fullest extent.

CH.89: What made you want to start a music project and how did you come up with the name Bored Nothing?

FM: Bored Nothing was just another solo project of mine, the band was fleshed out with my friends whenever they were available. The name just came from some words that were collaged on the front of my first tape, it didn’t have a name but those 2 words stuck.

CH.89: How does your new music project Wedding Ring Bells compare to Bored Nothing?

FM: Wedding Ring Bells isn’t entirely different to Bored Nothing, but it’s more about embracing the quieter songs. I’ve spent years playing loud music and I wanted to get back to the intimacy of playing mostly by myself and putting more importance on the songs themselves.

CH.89: How did you come about with the name Wedding Ring Bells?

FM: ‘Wedding ring bells blues’ is a great song by Daniel Johnston. He has a special way with words that I’ve always admired and I’ve always wanted to name a band after him.

CH.89: Can you talk a little bit about what your creative thought process is like when starting a new song or a new album?

FM: I tend to start a song with an idea about lyrics, say a story, and a musical reference point where I can bring the sound and the words together and just work on getting those middle points to meet. Sometimes it never gets there and I’ll give up on an idea I really like, after a little while, but it’s usually a waste of time flogging that dead horse for too long.

CH.89: What would you want people/ the listener to take from your music?

FM: If someone can manage to be distracted from the real world long enough to pay attention to a song and float around in it’s world for three and a half minutes I’m a happy man. What more could you strive for?

CH.89: Can you talk a little bit about your lifestyle as an artist and what that is like?

FM: Well, I’ve always been dirt broke and fairly unoccupied. I tend to spend a lot more time smelling roses than describing them, but I don’t like the idea of putting pressure on myself to make up too many stories or songs all at once. The more I do, the more I think about what I’m doing, so I try to spend as much time as possible laying about without a thought in my head.

CH.89: When starting out an artistic task, do you think it is better to have a particular direction/set plan guiding your way? Or, is it better to act on impulse and go from there?

FM: I don’t think you should start any 2 things the same way, unless that’s your intention, or the well can get dry pretty quickly. I like to wait until an idea is so incessant it’s annoying before exploring it, which can work sometimes, sometimes I’ll let go of it and find something else straight away though, which is just as good.

CH.89: What is one major lesson you’ve learned as an artist?

FM: Everything has been done, but not by you.

CH.89: Do you regard personal style & taste to be of highest importance?

FM: Absolutely not. I think those things are at best distractions from what’s really important in life and art.

CH.89: What do you consider to be the hardest thing about being an artist?

FM: Paying your bills.

CH.89: What is one thing you love about being an artist?

FM: The hours are pretty good.

CH.89: Is there anyone in particular, any artists that inspire you in any way?

FM: I really admire Gareth Liddiard from the Drones. Every idea he has feels fresh to me.

CH.89: What do you think of technology in terms of being a useful tool for artists today?

FM: I love it. I was born in a generation that was just on the cusp of the internet being an essential tool for music and art, so it’s pretty much second nature to me. It’s sad that there are people that feel unsatisfied because they’ll never get rich from selling one million bits of plastic, but if that’s what you want out of art then you should probably be designing phone cases not writing songs.

CH.89: Do you think being an artist allows you to view the world differently from those who don’t follow creative paths?

FM: I think it’s kind of the other way around. I know plenty of people with very creative minds that just don’t have creative hands or tongues. I see it as a choice as to whether you want to convey the way you see things to other people or not. You don’t really get to choose how you see things.

CH.89: Do you enjoy traveling? If so, do you have a favorite city?

FM: I very much like Spain and Italy but you could pretty much dump me anywhere in Europe and I’d be happy. I love Catania in Sicily, it’s quite small and pretty and the water is lovely.

CH.89: Do you have a favorite author or book?

FM: I love so many authors but I’ve always said that my favourite book is 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, it’s very magical and crazy.

CH.89: Any future goals or plans for your music?

FM: ‘Keep doing it’ is the only goal I have set.

CH.89: What does being an artist mean to you?

FM: Honesty.

CH.89: Whats the last song you listened to?

FM: Berlin Got Blurry by Parquet Courts.

CH.89: Any last words on the aesthetic of your music?

FM: Nope.

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