Bury Mia took a moment to answer our questions about their songwriting and about their music. Let’s see what they have to say!
First off, What’s up with your name? Is there a story behind it?
Mia? Who is she? How did she get buried? Well we are currently working on a short story on what happened to our dear Mia. But for now Bury Mia was started over a play on words… if you were to see us in a live concert setting you would say Bury Mia live (Bury Me Alive). Which years down the line honestly is interesting because it’s my (Devin) biggest fear.
Tell us about your musical past, would you tell us about your early years?
Early years of BM were a lot of figuring out who we are and how we wanted to sound. Playing a lot of local bars here in Denver. Plenty of shows where the audience consisted of band members and the bartender. You wouldn’t recognize us back then, as there was not a lot of movement on stage like we do today. It was us doing our best to find our instruments and not mess up. I credit a lot of my confidence to a friend of mine (Devin) to a bassist I saw live at Hermans here in Denver back in 2018. He really set the stage for me to make it a show not only in musicianship but also presence. Talk well it was a lot of music and being nervous talking into the mic between songs. We also really didn’t know how to go about how to take the band to the next level. We kept persistent and though we changed members we really locked in how we wanted to come across ( in sound and on social media) The years of growing a band were rough but I would not change it for the world because it’s made us into who we are today.
How would you describe your sound?
It’s like a big old fuzzy mash-up of all of our punk, rock, emo and other influences. People like to tell us that we remind them of early 2000s pop punk but we think that it’s evolved over the years to something interesting. We’re more serious lyrically than Blink 182, rougher around the edges than Green Day, less melodramatically sad than the emo of yesteryear and really just trying like everyone else to write that next great song that gets remembered in “Top 100 songs of [Year] to cut your cucumber to” type lists.
Which artists have the biggest influence on your sound?
Marcus: I love this question as my answer is one I’ve not shared before, even with the guys in the band. My greatest influence as a drummer is probably Roger Taylor of Duran Duran. His driving, steady style & understanding of the importance of space between notes definitely influences how I play today.
Devin: What inspires me musically right now is anything you can really feel emotion to. Songs written from the heart and that writer not being afraid to tell you how they feel. Music with a real passion.
Stevan: I grew up in Erie PA playing guitar in hardcore bands, so a lot of my influence comes from the early 2000’s straight edge scene. I aim for the aggressive sounds of bands like Converge, Buried Alive, and Integrity when I write songs. Riffs you can feel in your chest when you see a live band.
Justin: Mostly sounds around our place that are particularly spunky, if you can call them artists. The whoosh of steam coming from a tea kettle, the rattle of a door handle, the squeak of the stairs when you go up them late at night.
What’s the last song you listened to?
Marcus: Poppy “Church Outfit” Huge fan. She’s playing Denver in August. Definitely hoping to make that show.
Stevan: “Nerdy” by Poison The Well.
Devin: “Sleep” by Citizen
Justin: “Hackensack” by Fountains of Wayne. I got stuck in a bit of a 90s/00s wormhole over the weekend
What’s your source for hearing new music?
Marcus: Spotify is obviously a strong source these days but I try not to spend a ton of time with playlists or artists suggested through the algorithm. That just feels more and more like my own voice being played back at me. Conversations with friends who are really into music of all genres typically sets me on new musical trajectories.
Stevan: it used to be solely going to shows, compilation cds, and word of mouth from people in the scene older than me. These days it’s more of letting Spotify do it’s thing and live shows.
Who is your dream producer?
Anyone at The Blasting Room. We’ve had the absolute pleasure of working with Andrew Berlin and Colton but their whole team is dialed in to what we want to do.
If you could collaborate with anyone, who would it be?
Marcus: I’m really into Poppy right now so…
Stevan: Hmmmm, I’d love to be able to collaborate with a band like Comeback Kid.
Justin: Any of my idols like Chumbawumba, Ace Enders of The Early November or Buddy from Senses Fail.
What led you to music, and what motivates you to keep making it?
Marcus: Like all of us, I grew up playing music. It’s always been a part of my life. Right now motivation stems from the joy I get playing with these guys, from believing in our band, and desiring greater success as we continue to grow individually and as a group.
Stevan: My father. He was always listening to 80s thrash metal, talking about bands and concerts, singing in the car, asking me to help him pick out cds from catalogs together. He used to pick me up from school with the windows down playing Black Sabbath really loud, covered in tattoos and just say “sup dude, get in”. He still texts me music videos every once in a while. What keeps me going? I don’t really know any other way honestly. Just like there’s people who wake up and go for a workout and track their diet, I’m just thinking about riffs, playing guitar on my lunch breaks, and researching guitar equipment.
Tell us about the songwriting process. How does it all come together?
Marcus: We tend to write in a variety of ways. Often, Justin will have an idea for a melody that he’ll present to the band, or Devin will do the same, and we’ll spend some time exploring what might be possible with it. Sometimes Steve will come up with a riff that is begging to find itself within a song. Other times I’ll play a new beat and the guys will take it from there.
Stevan: Basically what Marcus said. the “Begging” is actually me trying really hard to sneak something heavy and aggressive into a song unexpectedly to recatch your attention when listening ha.
Justin: I have this huge list of song ideas on my phone as voice clips with just me and an acoustic guitar, yelling nonsense that sounds like words. Whenever one of those songs is truly captivating to me I will try to bring it to the guys to see if they agree or if they can put a twist on it that will make
How do you connect with your audience? What is the easiest way for them to connect with you?
Marcus: The same way anyone connects with anybody else really. Through an emotional connection. If we’re authentically engaged with what we’re playing & with each other on stage, it becomes an invitation to the audience to join us. One of the easiest ways an audience can connect with us is to get as physically close as possible. No boundary issues at our shows haha. Get close and we’re with you.
Stevan: I like to find someone in the crowd and stare uncomfortably long at them while playing. I also love talking about guitar equipment with people so anytime someone talks to me about my tone after a set I go full nerd.
Justin: Often the songs are our lives, so if you dig the songs and put them on playlists and show them to your friends that makes me pretty damn happy. But we also read comments and love seeing people’s phone footage after the show as well, we try to repost anything that’s positive.
Bury Mia (@burymia) • Instagram photos and videos
Bury Mia | Denver CO | Facebook
What’s next for you?
We’ll be playing regional shows in Denver, Colorado Springs, Fort Collins & Boulder, recording new music at The Blasting Room (Fort Collins), organizing a tour for possibly this fall. We’re also hoping to play festivals as well as support some national acts during tour stops in Denver.
Anything else you’d like to add or let us know about?
We’re aiming for the stars this year. Thank you for helping us to get our music into more ear holes.
Bio:
From an inception over breakfast burritos and nitro brew, the growth of Bury Mia has been rapid and steady. In just a few years the band has launched themselves from sweaty garage practices to packed and rowdy shows across the West Coast. As this 4-piece brotherhood of Punk has progressed through growing pains and extricated band members they’ve held a tight grip on their mission to assert their authenticity and musical lineage. As Bury Mia continues to gain recognition, their sound has become tighter and instantly recognizable.
Within a few years, Bury Mia has twice toured the West Coast and has made a significant impact in their local scene. In 2022 the band headlined a successful show at The Fox Theatre in Boulder and opened for major national acts including Boys Like Girls and State Champs at iconic Denver venues like The Ogden Theatre and The Gothic. They’ve also been featured in an array of regional publications including 303 Magazine, Westword, and LoHi Lifestyle Magazine.
“We believe that this music demands success. There’s something special here, a reinvention of sorts, a familiarity but with a unique freshness unlike anything out there right now. It’s not about claiming to be original. Originality is a myth. But this music is authentic.” says drummer Marcus Allen-Hille.
This group is passionate about their music which shows in every note. With no other goal besides issuing their hard-earned music into the world, they are going to get heard. Bury Mia has firmly planted a flag in the sound they’ve been dialing in from the beginning: It’s big, it’s loud, and it’s undeniably Punk.
