Sarik Kumar of Mars Motel talks to The Note's Charlie Blasberg about the roots of the band and the writing and recording of one of their most popular tunes.
CB: How did Mars Motel first get together?
SK: Mars Motel was actually first formed in 2016 as a solo/side project to my then current band, Twin Wave. As it would turn out, Twin Wave began to waver and fade by the end of 2016 and thus Mars Motel was born into a fully formed live band around the songs I had recorded earlier that year. We began playing shows all over NYC in early 2017 and released 4 singles throughout that year. In 2018, we released our biggest streaming single yet, "Living in the Moment" via Billboard and recorded and released a Live EP, "The Eclipse Sessions".
CB: What are your favorite spots to play in NYC?
SK: Well now with a SOLD OUT Mercury Lounge show under our belt, its hard to say otherwise! But we have all always been a fan of The Delancey in the Lower East Side. Its a unique room, but the sound on stage has always been killer. We have been lucky enough to play there several times as part of the Glamglare NYC showcases and every time so far has felt fantastic.
CB: My favorite tune of yours is "The Enemy." Give a little insight into how that was written and recorded.
SK: Thank you, so glad you dig that tune! "The Enemy," similar to our other 5 singles was actually written when I was in high school... Lyrically, “The Enemy” addresses our society’s obsession with social media and the loss of ever truly being reflective and alone, comparable to the intangible force watching over every move we make like in George Orwell’s classic 1984. To take this concept a bit further, I wanted the listener to not only acknowledge the presence of this force, but also address that many people, because of technological advancements, find some sort of comfort in never truly being alone, broadcasting their daily activities for the world to see and respond to. This concept is labeled as “The Enemy” and can be seen as a sort of “Black Mirror” allusion where one finds a sense of comfort and company being watched and viewed, instead of living through life’s natural moments of solitude. As the pre-chorus goes: The Enemy will be your friend when your alone // The Enemy will take hold of you, when its your time of end.
From a musical/recording standpoint, I was very inspired by The War on Drugs at the time. The rhythm section is certainly capturing that driving vibe throughout the track, while the guitars focus on the melody. I used a Fender Telecaster Deluxe and Fender Jazzmaster for the main riff and my black custom shop Jazzmaster for the solo section. It was this music and record that truly made me fall in love with the Fender Jazzmaster. I have not been able to use any other guitar in Mars Motel ever since.
CB: What bands are your biggest influences?
SK: This is an ever changing thing for me, but at the time these 5 songs were recorded, I would definitely say The War On Drugs, The Stone Roses & Cage the Elephant, but as the next iteration of songs have been written and preformed, I was listening to a lot of older Kings of Leon and My Morning Jacket. As of late, I have really been digging Ariel Pink, Shintaro Sakamoto, Fela Kuti, & Khruangbin.
CB: What is next for Mars Motel?
SK: We actually just finished our debut record Passenger X recorded at Virtue & Vice Studios in Brooklyn. Its an cohesive 8 track record that we are all extremely proud of! The plan is to release in mid 2019, so definitely follow us on all socials and stay tuned for updates!
Mars Motel is a New York City staple at this point and can be found playing at a variety of NYC venues. Their music can be heard on Spotify and Apple Music. Stay tuned with their upcoming release of Passenger X and live shows on their social media channels.
SK: Mars Motel was actually first formed in 2016 as a solo/side project to my then current band, Twin Wave. As it would turn out, Twin Wave began to waver and fade by the end of 2016 and thus Mars Motel was born into a fully formed live band around the songs I had recorded earlier that year. We began playing shows all over NYC in early 2017 and released 4 singles throughout that year. In 2018, we released our biggest streaming single yet, "Living in the Moment" via Billboard and recorded and released a Live EP, "The Eclipse Sessions".
CB: What are your favorite spots to play in NYC?
SK: Well now with a SOLD OUT Mercury Lounge show under our belt, its hard to say otherwise! But we have all always been a fan of The Delancey in the Lower East Side. Its a unique room, but the sound on stage has always been killer. We have been lucky enough to play there several times as part of the Glamglare NYC showcases and every time so far has felt fantastic.
CB: My favorite tune of yours is "The Enemy." Give a little insight into how that was written and recorded.
SK: Thank you, so glad you dig that tune! "The Enemy," similar to our other 5 singles was actually written when I was in high school... Lyrically, “The Enemy” addresses our society’s obsession with social media and the loss of ever truly being reflective and alone, comparable to the intangible force watching over every move we make like in George Orwell’s classic 1984. To take this concept a bit further, I wanted the listener to not only acknowledge the presence of this force, but also address that many people, because of technological advancements, find some sort of comfort in never truly being alone, broadcasting their daily activities for the world to see and respond to. This concept is labeled as “The Enemy” and can be seen as a sort of “Black Mirror” allusion where one finds a sense of comfort and company being watched and viewed, instead of living through life’s natural moments of solitude. As the pre-chorus goes: The Enemy will be your friend when your alone // The Enemy will take hold of you, when its your time of end.
From a musical/recording standpoint, I was very inspired by The War on Drugs at the time. The rhythm section is certainly capturing that driving vibe throughout the track, while the guitars focus on the melody. I used a Fender Telecaster Deluxe and Fender Jazzmaster for the main riff and my black custom shop Jazzmaster for the solo section. It was this music and record that truly made me fall in love with the Fender Jazzmaster. I have not been able to use any other guitar in Mars Motel ever since.
CB: What bands are your biggest influences?
SK: This is an ever changing thing for me, but at the time these 5 songs were recorded, I would definitely say The War On Drugs, The Stone Roses & Cage the Elephant, but as the next iteration of songs have been written and preformed, I was listening to a lot of older Kings of Leon and My Morning Jacket. As of late, I have really been digging Ariel Pink, Shintaro Sakamoto, Fela Kuti, & Khruangbin.
CB: What is next for Mars Motel?
SK: We actually just finished our debut record Passenger X recorded at Virtue & Vice Studios in Brooklyn. Its an cohesive 8 track record that we are all extremely proud of! The plan is to release in mid 2019, so definitely follow us on all socials and stay tuned for updates!
Mars Motel is a New York City staple at this point and can be found playing at a variety of NYC venues. Their music can be heard on Spotify and Apple Music. Stay tuned with their upcoming release of Passenger X and live shows on their social media channels.
