EMQs With The Behaviour
EMQs With The Behaviour
Hi everyone! Welcome to another EMQs interview, this time with USA Alt Rock/ Blues/ Shoegaze solo project, The Behaviour. Huge thanks to Marshall Kilpatric for taking part.
What is your name, what do you play and can you tell us a little bit about the history of the project?
I am Marshall Kilpatric. The Behaviour is my solo endeavor, where I write/arrange/produce/play/perform all of the music, instrumentation, and vocals myself. This includes drums, percussion, bass, guitars, synth, and any other instruments. I had the idea for The Behaviour back in 2014, some time after working with Black Light Burns, The Esoteric, Today is the Day, Kylesa, Crisis, and many others, and finally set out to bring it to fruition in 2020. I stepped away from the music industry for some time to focus on my personal life, and about the time of the pandemic, I decided to finally devote my resources to make it come to life. I had written many songs, so I had an arsenal to choose from, which made deciding which songs to first record easy. I wanted to do something that was purely mine, that best expressed who I was as an artist, and encapsulated my own influences and what I desired to be heard and seen as such. I had always been the drummer in all of these groups, while also being a songwriter, so The Behaviour is 100% my own efforts; not buoyed or limited by any other input or compromise. Not that there isn’t anything wrong with that at all, and I do enjoy it doing in other capacities. Whether this succeeds or fails, it is solely upon my shoulders.
How did you come up with your name?
Names can be tricky. I wanted something that stood out, was memorable, and recognizable. As I strive to make original, unique, and inherently niche art, the name needed to be something that reflected that. My music reflects things I experience, see, think, and feel, and is both introspective and existential. Therefore, with human nature being a common denominator in everything around us, The Behaviour is a perfect artistic representation of that.
What Country / Region are you from and what is the Metal / Rock scene like there?
I currently reside in the New England area of the US (Massachusetts), though I have lived in all four time zones of the country. The Behaviour began after I left Los Angeles, was living in Colorado, and moved to the Midwest before living here in Massachusetts. The Rock/Metal scene is phenomenal here in particular. Many well known artists are from here, as well as some that are considered more underground. Boston, The Cars, J. Geils Band, The Pixies, Aerosmith, Cave In, Converge, Mutoid Man, Amanda Palmer, The Lemonheads, Killswitch Engage, The Modern Lovers. The list goes on. There is never a shortage of shows/concerts.
Tell us about ‘Pedestals’, your new EP.
Pedestals are things upon which we place something or someone we revere, or rather can be used to reference a situation in which someone or something is greatly or uncritically admired. It is also is cautionary, meaning be mindful of what you choose to hold in such high regard, as all things in life are temporary. Each of the songs on this EP reflect that in its own way, but “MK Ultra” is by far a very personal one. “MK” actually are the initials belonging to a close family member who lost his battle with cancer, and I had originally wrote it for him to play and sing on before he passed. This was both to give him something positive and creative to focus on while in the throes of the horrific illness, and also to memorialize him after and give comfort to those of us who knew him. Unfortunately, it never came to be, and now serves as a tribute not just to him, but many very close loved ones dear to me who also have passed on since writing it. He, and everyone lost along the way, deserve their own pedestal. Each song is a reference to something that can be highly regarded – our own magick abilities, loved ones still with us and also gone, the energy of everything around us, and the perspective we gain through adverse conditions and finding light amidst the dark. Overall, ‘PEDESTALS’ is a balance of darkness and redemption.
Who have been your greatest influences?
Artistically, I would give credit to Pink Floyd, Jeff Buckley, Leonard Cohen, Killing Joke, Slint, Nine Inch Nails, Swans, Soundgarden, David Bowie, H.R. Giger, Hieronymus Bosch, and every musician/artist I have created/played with. Philosophically, Manly P. Hall. Personally, my soul mate and lifelong best friend Wendy A., my parents, sister, family and close friends – too numerous to be named here.
What first got you into music?
My father was a guitarist/musician, and from the time I was born (and even before), his band used to rehearse in our basement. I’ve been told by my parents that I used to crawl into the rehearsal room and fall asleep next to his drummer’s bass drum, somehow. I also used to rock the hell out of my crib or any chair I’d be sitting in (ADD?). I think the energy of that cast an indelible mark on me, and it has stayed with me through my entire life. I got my first drum set at the age of 4, and essentially learned how to play as I learned to walk. Music has never not been a huge presence in my life.
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
Trent Reznor. His music and creations have been prolific, diverse, and always evolving. He has managed to garner great success by remaining true to his artistic and personal ideals, without compromise. I hugely admire and respect him as an artist, and would love the opportunity to collaborate. We did have nearby proximities in our artistic circles while I was in Black Light Burns, but it never came to pass, so it is one unfulfilled desire I still possess.
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
Roadburn in the Netherlands. The lineups are always impeccable. They choose such a wide variety of artists from all over the world, and open the doors for many new and emerging underground artists, bringing them to wider audiences. I find a similarity in some of those groups that have performed there, and could easily see The Behaviour being well received in that arena.
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
That’s a good question. It’s hard to remember. Perhaps not so weird but memorable, I got a Russian military hat from a fan when I was on tour with Black Light Burns and Combichrist. I absolutely loved it, so much in fact it became a part of my stage attire. I still have it.
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
Let the music and its messages resonate with you, and allow it to take you somewhere else. Escapism. I hope for it to be universal enough for anyone to find something personal to connect with, to find his/her own meanings and allow for a personal discovery and journey of some sort. And if it does, know there is always hope and positivity to be gained from any adverse situation or difficult circumstance, and it is how we deal with them that makes us who we are.
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
Richard Wright. While there is still time for a full blown Pink Floyd reunion. And if that happened, I would be willing to bet it’d be significant enough for Roger Waters and David Gilmour to bury the hatchet.
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
I enjoy that it allows me to express myself, who I am, better than any words spoken or other method of communication. Also, it is a very healthy therapeutic outlet for stress, anxiety, and depression. And perhaps that my artistic creations may in any way influence or inspire someone to do so on their own accord.
I hate that it is so difficult to make a living at doing. The entertainment industry, especially the music industry, is so watered down and inundated now with AI, unskilled artists who use software to cover their ineptitude at writing/playing, and homogenized clones that it is difficult to be heard and stand out above all the clutter. And unless you are an already established act who has been at it for many years, you have petty revenue from streaming and have to hope for some viral sensation to occur to find visibility. Touring costs have grown exponentially. You have to really be passionate about it and stick with it, almost ignorantly.
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
More oversight over the use of AI, especially where its sources originate. And for DSPs to delineate between real human artists, and AI. And with that, better revenue models for artists from streaming. I guess those are three things, but all related.
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here” (especially the new 50th anniversary edition), or “Animals”.
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CDs or Downloads?
Vinyl, without question. Nothing beats its analog warmth, tone, fullness, and clarity. And the interaction the listener must have while listening is more personal. You have to drop the needle, flip the album. You have to want to seek out the album and buy it. You also cannot beat 12”x12” of full artwork, being able to hold it in your hands, smell it, drink it in. You just cannot get that with any other format, and streaming/downloading has taken that away. Sure, it’s nice that for the price of one album you can own the entire world of music at your convenient fingertips. But there will always be some music that never gets distributed, and if you want to hear it, you have to find the vinyl. Plus, owning physical media most often assures the artist will get a better fair share of their earnings compared to the cents on the dollar for streaming/downloading.
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
I can’t recall the name of the festival, but while I was in Black Light Burns, we did a festival with Deftones, Chris Cornell, Smashing Pumpkins, and many others. Being able to share the stage with all of these artists was a tremendous pleasure, not to mention the sheer energy of playing in front of 10,000+ people. There is nothing else like that in the world.
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
Being miserable, lol. I probably would pursue a degree in exobiology. Help push forward the full disclosure of the extraterrestrial agenda more rapidly.
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
My wifey, my mother, Leonard Cohen, Manly P. Hall, Jesus, and Buddha.
What’s next for the band?
Creating visual media to accompany the music of PEDESTALS, in a format and presentation that goes far beyond regular music videos. More to be said on that next year. Putting together a live group for a few shows. And writing new music.
What Social Media / Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
Instagram.com/thebehaviourmusic
YouTube.com/@TheBehaviourMusic
There’s a long-standing food-based debate here in the UK. And we’d like your help. So… A Jaffa cake – is it a cake or a biscuit? Discuss!
Well, as I am from the US, I am unfamiliar with this fine delicacy. However, based upon my referral to Sir Google, it would appear to me to be more like what you refer to as a biscuit, which here we would call a cookie. At least in my humble opinion.
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
I genuinely appreciate you taking the time to do this interview, and for your support and interest. I am grateful and appreciative, thank you so much!
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