Mike Herrera (MxPx & Tumbledown)

Without MxPx this website would not exist.

I'm not aiming for overdramatics to spice up the opening line of my review, I'm being dead serious. It was MxPx that pulled me out of my junior-high years of Pantera and Metallica. It was MxPx who were (along with Blink 182) one the first bands covered by the original AP.net. It was MxPx who, upon first listen so many years ago, drew me into the melodic world of fast drumming overlaid with lyrics mostly about (failed) relationships.

Now - almost 12 years later - I'm still listening.

This is a band that has been around for over 10 years and released over seven full-lengths, four EPs, three compilation CDs, and one live album; almost all of these with the same three members. They've written songs from each end, and just about every level in-between, of the pop-punk spectrum. Fast and raucous to extremely poppy - they've done it. This foray through an assortment of styles has left the band with a blend of fans. Most vocal are those who pledge allegiance to the sound of the band's roots and have been wishing for a repeat of the Life in General and Slowly Going The Way of the Buffalo era. For me, my favorite song has always been "Doing Time" and my favorite album Slowly Going the Way... - so while I may be in the minority for having enjoyed all of the band's releases, it's been a while since I've genuinely loved one.

Secret Weapon has undoubtedly changed that trend.

While semi-recreating a sound that draws influence from the early 90's, MxPx and producer Aaron Sprinkle have been able to put together a fresh mix that results in a feeling of re-birth. A feeling that says an old fan could fall in love with the band all over again and a new fan could discover the band for the very first time. Due to this emerging dichotomy, this review will contain thoughts and feelings from both perspectives. While drawing on references to the band's extensive back-catalog I will also be pointing out qualities that should be helpful to the MxPx virgins.

The regular version of the CD spans 16 tracks and covers roughly 50 minutes of playing time. The majority of the songs are fast-paced (think Teenage Politics/Life In General) and meant to be played loud. If "fast pace" was a vertical line - you would find a spattering of tracks on either side. Some reaching for a more melodic range (think "My Life Story" and "Study Humans") and others ignoring the mid-tempo and simply playing faster than your ears can keep up (think "Fist vs Tact" and "Talk of the Town"). Every member of the band is playing as well as I've ever heard them - great guitar riffs, steady and quick drumming, and some of the better bass playing I've heard this year. Mike's voice sounds good, usually within range, and only occasionally hitting a whiny tone. Aaron Sprinkle's production is fantastic. Smooth and clean - yet clear enough to allow the aggression to shine when needed. The album's lyrics walk through the usual MxPx themes (the pun life in general is too easy not to use) and teeter between simple and slightly corny.

The album opens with two tracks begging to be played at full volume ("Secret Weapon" and "Shut it Down") - both feature brisk drums, clever progressions, and Mike's vocals frantically trying to keep cadence. "Shut it Down" contains gang vocals, a foot pounding intro, and one of the best bridge's the band has ever written. The next three tracks ("Here's to the Life," "Top of the Charts" and "Angels") are arguably the poppiest songs on the album. "Top of the Charts" (a song discussing the current state of the music world - tongue planted firmly in cheek) is probably the weakest song on the entire release. Not quite as cheesy as Before Everything and After's "Everything Sucks" - but almost. It seems every MxPx album has one of those songs. "Angels" contains an opening and styling that reminds me of "Opposite of Intellect”; it'd be my recommendation for the radio single.

The next three tracks kick the album into the next gear. We have "Punk Rock Celebrity" (a track that changes pace mid-song), the one minute twenty second punk rock fueled "Contention," and "Drowning" (which recalls memories of The Ever Passing Moment's "Buildings Tumble").

No album review should leave out "Chop Shop" (a song that begs to be played live with the entire audience screaming the chorus) or the phenomenal bass-solo in (predictably) "Bass So Low." Mike Herrera may be one of the most underrated bass players in this genre - I think the energy and voice he gives to the instrument is extremely impressive.

With 16 tracks - the album feels a slight bit long. While the songs are strong all the way through (from the pure-pop of "Sad Sad Song" to the "Your Problem My Emergency"-esque "Never Better Than Now"), I can't help but feel a slight bit worn when the album ends. Maybe one or two tracks would have been better used as extra b-sides on an already expansive deluxe edition. However, we are left with an album of qua - Absolutepunk.net

’m sitting down with Mike Herrera the frontman and bass player of MXPX. It’s around seven o’clock on a Thursday night and were are sitting in this exaggeratedly tiny upstairs room backstage, graffiti from past bands who have played The State Theater is scrawled across the ancient brick walls. I can’t believe that I am this nervous, I guess it’s because you never really imagine what you would say to someone “famous,” someone who you idolized as a teenager.

Mike is wearing a pair of long dark khaki shorts and a black t-shirt with a skull emblazoned with red and green lightning. His hair is bleach blonde and provides a vast contrast to his twin sleeves of tats.
Well, here goes nothing…





music-reviewer.com: Mike it’s really thrilling for me to be interviewing you, I have been a fan of MXPX since Life in General was released, when I was about 14 or 15 years old. Over the past ten/fifteen years you guys have really evolved as a band. Who would you say is your fan base now? Or how has it changed?



Mike Herrera: Well, a lot of our fans have definitely grown up with us over the years and a lot of the guys have families, girls, kids…Its really weird, when we see our friends change, they’ve graduated college, grown-up, got married, and got a “real” job. That is really strange to me because we’re (MXPX) still out here touring. It’s truly weird to see people going through their life cycles where they get into punk rock music and they end up having to grow up and go through all that and they still like it, but it’s defiantly not the only thing they think about in life.



m-r.c: With Secret Weapon being released in July, what experiences do you think influenced these songs?

Mike: I guess just mainly think and feel like, “Hey! were an underdog working class band,” and uh, those ideas shape the songs, the attitude behind the whole thing (album), so as you listen to the album you’re going to get a lot of themes coming out.



m-r.c: How does the albums sound compare to your past work?

Mike: Its hardedge, I would say that this album is much harder and in a kin to our live shows, its much more raw emotion.



m-r.c: Who did the writing on this album and what was your process?

Mike: Ummm…..Me. I write all the songs, actually I have written all the songs for all the albums



m-r.c: So when you started out as a musician you were obviously influenced by many different bands…who do you think were your current musical influences are?

Mike: They’re basically the same as they always have been with a few new bands thrown in… Black Flag, The Ramones, NOFX, Circle Jerks, Bad Religion, Rancid, you know just, just punk rock…as well as Elvis Costello and a few of the new 80’s punk rock and just singer/songwriters, Superdrag and Sugarcult. As far as new bands or newer bands, bands like Sugarcult, I’m a big fan of, we got Tim singing on the record, and we had a lot of guests actually and it’s been really cool and fun.



m-r.c: What would you say your goals are for this album?

Mike: Umm, I think were just storming the castle on this one...just kicking down doors, and uh, you know starting fires, moving from room to room…that kind of thing. (with a sparkle in his eye)



m-r.c: Are you working on anything new? Do you think you’re done? Obviously you would know if you were done… (Laughs in slight discomfort)

Mike: (Laughs) Well…I think were just starting…Were definitely not done, I think this record can bring about a lot of new fans, sort of bring back punk rock in general. I think there has been, there’s been sort of, a lot of a bands distancing themselves from punk rock saying, “oh, we’re a rock band, were an emo band or we’re this or that, but whatever and really if you think about it most of the bands are kind of punk rock, they’re punk bands, maybe they are a little slower, really were all coming from the same place, the same areas as far as that goes. I think were proud to say, “We’re a punk band!” Hopefully with this new record were going to bring that back.



m-r.c: How would you define “success”? I mean, obviously you’re very happy doing what you are doing…you love music, so do you think up to now MXPX has had success?

Mike: I mean absolutely. There are different levels of success; there are different definitions of success, but for me, in this band, being able to live, you know, on music and having punk rock, “pay the rent,” so to speak, is uhh…being successful. You know not having a regular job, working for myself, it’s awesome, its great…Not having to grow up, but at the same time growing-up in some ways, paying bills, and the way I make money to pay the bills is by having fun and acting like a kid and traveling around, so its been awesome.



m-r.c: I saw some of your younger fans when I walked in and they look soo young…Many of them probably were not even around when your first album was released…
- Music-reviewer.com

Pre-dating Warped tour, emo and your older sibling's scratched-up copy of Dookie, a lot of punk has gone under the proverbial bridge since MxPx struck their first power chord in 1992. But unlike most teenagers at 15 years old, MxPx have found their center, like being at home (Secret Weapon is the band's first album on Tooth & Nail in more than 10 years) and have produced the most cohesive CD of their career. All grown up, vocalist/bassist Mike Herrera-with his fellow Magnified Plaid-ers Tom Wisniewski (guitar) and Yuri Ruley (drums)-storms into the chorus of the title track, growling, "You are your own secret weapon/It's all up to you to come out swinging." From the catchier than bird-flu "Not Nothing" to the double-time, tear-up-that-half-pipe "Drowning," Secret Weapon shows off a band at the height of their career, even though they're already almost two decades into it. - Alternative Press Magazine