Mercer – Interview

Rising five-piece MERCER take aim with their explosive new single and video, What Ya Waiting For?, out now. Watch the video, here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCJ7vr5h1QU . With the band growing by the day, we caught up with them to find out more about:

What is the full band line-up, who sings and who plays which instrument?

The full band line-up is Te Meo-Forde on lead vocals, Adam Tayler on lead guitar, Gabe Harris on rhythm guitar and backing vocals, Sand Mitchell on bass and backing vocals, and Kian Isaac on drums.

How and when did the band form? Tell us anything interesting about your hometown.

The band formed while we were still in college back in late 2022. Te, Gabe and Kian had recently left their old band to start Mercer, and invited Sand and our original lead guitarist to join. After having a few lead guitarists we invited Adam to audition and he’s been with us ever since!

When and how did the band really start gelling and solidifying?

It’s only recently we’ve really started to solidify as a band. Since our inception we’ve had three different lead guitarists so our sound has been ever-changing. We’ve experimented with a range of styles – from glam rock to heavy metal – but we’ve settled on our own brand of alt-rock that pays homage to bands such as QOTSA and Royal Blood.

Where did the name of the band come from?

The name for the band actually came from Kian’s girlfriend. We’d just started heading to open mic nights as a group and people still had no idea how to refer to us, so she suggested “Mercer” after online personality Matt Mercer.

Name one crazy, interesting, or wild fact or story about the band or a specific member?

Technically, Sand (our bassist) isn’t officially part of the band. They just kept turning up to jam sessions and gigs so we decided to keep them around. One day we might ask them if they want to join…

How far back does your history with each other (the band members) extend?

We all met while in college and got to know each other through friends of friends. Te, Gabe and Kian were in a short lived project together before deciding to move onto something new. Not long after, Sand was invited to a jam session and started playing with us regularly. Finally, Adam joined in late 2023 after the departure of our second lead guitarist. Being classmates with Te and Sand, it only seemed natural to bring him aboard and fill out our sound.

Are you friends from school or any family relations?

For the most part, we all met in college. Te, Adam and Sand were all studying music together so quickly came to know each other through their classes while Gabe and Kian met through mutual friends and bonded over a love of music.

Where have you played or toured?

We’ve been tearing up the South Wales music scene for the last year and a bit. We’re lucky to have grown quite the cult following there and really appreciate all the support we’ve had from our fans and other bands and venues! We’ve also gigged a fair few times around Cardiff and Newport now and absolutely love the support for the local music scene there. This year we’ve got plans to cross the border into England and bring them something they’ve never seen before!

In your opinion, how is your band different from all the other bands out there?

One distinguishing factor that we feel makes us stand out amongst other bands is our audience engagement at gigs. We strive to put on a show at every gig, and we want the audience to be as much a part of it as us. Te in particular is great at interacting with the crowds and getting them hyped up for our sets!

If a deaf person were to ask you to describe the sound of your music, how would you describe it?

That’s a tough question – we like to think of our music as very vibrant and diverse, ranging from somewhat gritty and dark to more lighthearted and fun. Honestly, it’s hard to describe our sound when it’s as turbulent as the weather. Perhaps the best way to describe it is a chaotic mess that gets everyone up and moving.

Where can we find your social media sites?

https://www.instagram.com/mercerbanduk?igsh=bmFtZmVyMnptMDY3

https://www.facebook.com/mercerbanduk