Mark Talley: I want to be the next James UrieEx Blood of Wecz guitarist announces intention after signing solo record deal with Chaos Records and announcing new indie style.
Mark Talley, the former Blood of Wecz guitarist, wants to take a new direction with his musicHe was generally seen as being the brains behind much of what Blood of Wecz did in the final decade of their almost 15 years of dominance of the metal scene, and alternative music scene as a whole. However, Mark Talley, the 24-year-old guitarist who was such a quiet and unassuming figure that his work was almost behind the scenes, has set his targets on something new, and this time he means business. The star has been hard at work in the past few months having decided to take the plunge and focus on his own solo material for the first time. Now, with his debut single, described as an energetic single ready for release, Talley seems to be a man on a mission. His indie rock direction, a far cry from the heavy metal influences that made him his millions and first thrust him into the spotlight at the age of just 14, has refocussed his attention, and given him all knew targets to face, all new dreams to go after.
"I want to be the next James Urie," Talley tells Culture Uncut as he lights a cigarette in a recording space in central New York. "Don't get me wrong, I don't want to start a rivalry with anyone. I'm just not that sort of guy, but I see James Urie as the bench mark for people doing the sort of thing I am now dedicating myself to. Indie music is primarily a genre that is dominated by bands as a whole, and I dream of being able to do something akin to that from Misery Loves Company, but James has shown that you can make a mark in this particular game, even as a solo artist."
The quiet spoken young man, still looking fresh faced and brand new, almost as if this is his first day in the industry, as opposed to a new project after ten years with his previous band, looks genuinely excited; and well he might. After a few years of soul searching and moving away from the big time, Talley has just signed his name on the dotted line to become the newest member of the family at Chaos Records, and he's found his true calling along the way. Far from the metal that made him famous throughout the 2000s, Talley will now turn towards the indie rock scene, and a much more toned down style that not only shows off more of his creative side, but also allows him to show off his swagger and style.
"I think you've probably heard Scott [RH] say at some point in the past that he feels he grew out of metal somewhere down the line, and that it's a young man's game. I was the same. I tried to write new metal songs for a while, but every time I listened to them I just thought it felt empty, like I needed something new. I was listening to a lot of Arctic Monkeys and Friendly Fires at that time as well, and I decided that I wanted to have a go at doing that. It's like a breath of fresh air, in all honesty. I feel like a new man, and at last I've recovered the love for music that first got me into this game a decade ago."
Mark Talley is ready to step out of the shadows of his former bandmate and make a career for himselfTalley's new lease of life is set to begin over the weekend. He knows that the media circus that will surround the release of the first new material from any member of Blood of Wecz in almost three years will be substantial, but the Pennsylvanian is prepared to face this and keep his feet on the ground. And yet it could have been so different. The song, Silver Linings, that Talley will release as his debut was so very nearly a Blood of Wecz song, and a new direction for the band as a whole. The only thing in the way of that however, was Scott RH, with the Chaos boss saying that he knew rejecting this track was the right thing to do, for reasons that are all purely positive.
"Mark came to me with a new song," Scott told Culture Uncut. "He said to me, 'I've been working on something all new bro, listen we need to record it.' I sat down and listened as he played me this little indie song with a real swagger and attitude. I could see the passion for it in his eyes, in the way he sang every word and in the way he strummed his guitar. Straight away I knew it was something he had to do alone. I've stolen enough of the spotlight from Mark Talley. It's not about forcing him to stand on his own two feet. It's more about stepping out of the way and letting a man who deserves so much more credit than he ever gets get noticed at last. He has my full support, and I even produced the single. I love it, and I love the guy as my best friend. I'm genuinely very excited to see what he does with his new solo career."
Although the recording process just finished, the hard-working Talley has revealed that there will be no resting on his laurels in the early part of the year. In a start as you mean to go on style move, the indie-rocker will take to the Star Factory stage this Sunday evening to officially premiere his new single live to millions on TV, before it gets it official release just minutes after the show finishes.
"Strike while the iron's hot," he says with a wry smile. "I want to hear my music on radios, TV stations and in stores. I love what I've recorded here, and getting out there gives me the chance to see if other people enjoy it as well. I'm looking upwards, and I'm aiming high. I'm coming for the likes of James Urie and Misery Loves Company, and I think we can all show together that indie rock can be the real driving force behind music in the eleven and a half months of 2013 that we have left.
Mark Talley will release his debut single 'Silver Linings' from his as of yet untitled debut album this Sunday, December 27th. The single will be released by Chaos Records. 