MONSTERS DUE project started before the coronavirus pandemic back in 2020. 'Real' was recorded at a studio in Monivea Galway. It was mixed and mastered by Dave Skelton who is known for producing the likes of Robbie Monaghan and Rofi James. The song was inspired by alternative rock from the late 70s and early 80s. MONSTERS DUE wanted the song to have cryptic lyrics and he didn't want it to just have one meaning he wanted it to be up for interpretation. 'Real' has multiple meanings depending on the person but Monsters Due wrote it about chronic anxiety disorder.
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
Hi MONSTERS DUE. Can you write something about yourself?
This is MONSTERS DUE and I value the old ways of doing things, I work in a record store and I primarily listen to vinyl. I’ve released “Real” which is the first part of the monsters due project that’ll be released soon.
How has the pandemic affected your career?
I went into the pandemic as a 17 year old so I was adult by the time everything started to go back to normal. It’s an odd feeling that not everyone will get to experience thankfully. During the first lockdown I discovered my dad’s old record collection and that definitely helped my creativity as I started listening to more genres and styles of music.
Your latest track is 'Real'. Can you share with us the background of its creation and did any unusual things happen during its creation?
I wrote “Real”when I was 17 just before the first lockdown in March 2020. Before writing “Real” my songs were all about love and heartbreak and I was never very fond of them. I had been listening to Joy Division and New order and they introduced me to a more cryptic style of writing which I prefer. The whole song was built around that opening line. I had just watched “The Dark Knight” and in it Heath Ledgers joker says the line “see I’m not a monster, I’m just ahead of the curve”. Right there I had the foundation for the song and the inspiration for the band name. I then recorded the song with a local producer in April 2021 and released it in June 2022.
What are the themes of your songs? What do you like to explore?
The song is about someone with chronic anxiety disorder and dealing with a generation full of fake people. The protagonist of the song goes from speaking directly to the fake people and to the anxiety. It’s a subject that’s not often discussed in songs so putting it out there for people dealing with those issues was important to me. People have been interpreting the song in many different ways which I love. I wrote it with the intention that everyone could take something different from it.
What is the biggest decision you’ve had to make?
The biggest decision I’ve had to make was whether or not I should put myself out there. It’s a scary thing to do especially when none of your family members have attempted anything similar. Thankfully my family along with some important friends encouraged and it turned out to be something that I’m incredibly proud of.
What makes you different from others?
I only write about things that are real (pun intended). Everything I write about is genuine and actually happened either to me or to someone I’m close to. As you’ll come to know all my songs sound different and aren’t stuck to one genre because my music taste is so varied.
What are your achievements so far?
So far I’ve had several positive reviews from different publications and hundreds of streams on Spotify and other platforms. I’ve also written a few albums worth of songs and have many songs produced and ready to go.
Who have you had the opportunity to work with? How do you recall it?
I’ve had the opportunity to work with the amazing producer Dave Skelton, without whom my songs would never reach their potential. I went int the studio with an idea and I left with a finished product. The production on his songs is world class and I can’t thank him enough.
What is the first thing you think of when you wake up?
I keep a notebook close to me when I’m sleeping cause I often wake up in the morning with lyrics and ideas from my dreams. Some ideas are better than others but I always keep a note of them nonetheless. I tend to get my best ideas when I’m trying to fall asleep at 2am.
What are your plans for the future?
My plans for the near future are to drop more singles and eventually a 6 song ep.