EMQ’s With THE RETICENT
EMQ’s With THE RETICENT
Hi everyone! Welcome to another EMQs interview, this time with USA Progressive Metallers, The Reticent. Huge thanks to their Bassist, Paul McBride, for taking part.
What is your name, what do you play and can you tell us a little bit about the history of the band?
My Name is Paul McBride, and I play bass for the progressive metal band The Reticent. Initially, the project was a solo endeavor and brainchild of Chris (Hathcock), band leader and primary songwriter and composer, but over the years, he has gathered musicians to make it a full band.
How did you come up with your band name?
The band has always been an outlet for acceptance of mental health and a myriad of other taboo topics that are rarely articulated to the degree to which we explore. The band and concept were materialized before my time, but based upon the definition of “reticent” which means to not reveal one’s thoughts or feelings readily, I’d say it’s an antonym for what the band does and embraces, which is that its ok to feel these things, no matter how much society may shun you for them. People tend to mock or fear what they don’t understand, and the band teaches people not to be afraid of those feelings and to embrace them.
What Country / Region are you from and what is the Metal / Rock scene like there?
We are from the greater North Carolina region in the United States. NC has had an eclectic variety of heavy bands over the years, including but not limited to: Corrosion of Conformity, Between the Buried and Me, the Wretched, etc. A lot of talented players come out of this region.
What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single, Video)
Our latest album, simply titled “Please” was released on November 13th on Generation Prog Records. We have a couple of singles (‘The Concealment’, and ‘The Scorn’) from the record available as well on all streaming platforms.
Who have been your greatest influences?
The band gets compared to Opeth often, and I’d say they’ve been an influence on all of us in different ways, but beyond that, we get Porcupine Tree a lot, as well as Wilderun and other similar prog acts. At its core, Neurosis is a big one purely from a composition standpoint and the emotion it evokes. They approach songwriting like an art installation, and it’s more about what the music makes you feel at the end of the experience. For me personally, I’m a huge Yes fan, and Chris Squire and I try to approach bass playing with a similar mindset.
What first got you into music?
As a young man I would constantly steal my older sisters heavy metal cassettes, just something about it always drew me in. then a little later on I remember getting Metallicas “Kill em all” on CD and the bass solo anesthesia blew me away as a teenager. I got my 1st bass shortly after that at 15 years old and I just knew it was what I wanted to persue. That was almost 30 years ago at this point, ha!
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
There are a lot of very talented bands out there now, so that is a very hard question to answer, but I’d say Opeth would be a slam dunk. But really, anything with deep heartfelt emotion. I believe we would mesh quite nicely.
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
For me, I’d have to say Wacken, that’s like the holy grail of metal festivals.
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
I wouldn’t call it weird per se, but compared to any other band I’ve been with, reticent fans share their stories of loss and emotion with us regularly, and I find it truly touching. People tend to cry at our events and with good reason, we are showing them its ok to feel this way and that they are not alone.
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
We are glad you’re here, you matter, and your life and its subsequent journey are so incredibly important to us.
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
Another tough call, haha, but personally I’m gonna go with either Cliff Burton or Jeff Buckley. gone way too soon, and just such incredibly talented musicians and visionaries.
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
I view music as a public service; it’s essentially trade work. You’re there to give the fans something, no matter what that may be, depending on the band. i truly enjoy reaching people and providing them with an outlet for release. I hate all the BS that goes on beyond the stage or record player, the politics, the difficult circumstances you encounter…the list goes on. But seeing how fans react to what you’re doing makes it all worthwhile. I wouldn’t change it for the world.
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
Jeez, where to start? If it were truly just about the art and serving the public, I think every professional musician’s mental health would be great, but like I said before, the politics and red tape can easily disenfranchise a creative imagination.
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
“The Sham Mirrors” by Arcturus is definitely an all-time favorite for me. Front to back, the album is a fantastic journey of mind and emotion, and I’m a sucker for theatrics and pageantry, which they just nail wholeheartedly.
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s or Downloads?
Vinyl all day. Nothing captures the organic feel of a band better, in my opinion.
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
There have been many, but our recent trip to Montreal this year for the Progstorm festival was certainly up there. We had fans travel from Lebanon and all over the world to see us and confide in us on how the music impacts them. To me, that’s what it’s all about right there.
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
Honestly, I don’t think I can answer that legitimately. I’ve always felt that music is my purpose and path.
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
SRV, EVH, Jaco Pastorius, ICS vortex, and Weird AL
What’s next for the band?
We have been confirmed for both Prog Power Atlanta and Prog Power Europe next year for 2026, as well as some other potential fests and short runs in the US and Canada.
What Social Media / Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
You can find us on social media platforms (the.reticent.band) like IG, FB TikTok and many others OR on our website “Thereticent.net”, we are on Bandcamp, Spotify, Amazon Music, and many others as well @the.Reticent.Band
Time for a very British question now. As an alternative to the humble sandwich, is the correct name for a round piece of bread common in the UK, either a Bap, a Barm (or Barm Cake), a Batch, a Bun, a Cob, a Muffin, a Roll or a Tea Cake?
I’m gonna go with a Bun
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
I greatly appreciate your time, and we hope that you enjoy the new record. A lot of blood, sweat, and tears went into its creation, but at the end of the day, that’s what the reticent does. We are beyond grateful to anyone who takes the time to explore our journey, and if it has impacted you in any way, then we are doing our jobs.
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