A Dirty Dozen with SAHAJ TICOTIN of MEYTAL – April 2019

According to a recent press release: “MEYTAL recently premiered the video for their single “Armalite” off of their highly anticipated new album titled The Witness due out April 5, 2019. MEYTAL is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, Ca in 2013. It was founded by YouTube sensation – drummer Meytal Cohen. Taking over vocal duties for the next album is Sahaj Ticotin, producer of Alchemy and vocalist/guitarist/producer of the rock band Ra, who produced the album. Other band members are guitarists Travis Montgomery (of Threat Signal) and bassist Anel Orantes Pedrero.” We get Sahaj to discuss new music, influences, and much more…

1. Tell us a little about your latest release.  What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through?  Are there any hidden nuggets the band put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

Not so much for the die hard fan but hopefully all the songs have enough layers to peel back that keep you engaged thru multiple listens.

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

Singing got me into music… I was obsessed with Return to Forever, The Police and peter Gabriel as a kid. I decided I wanted to perform while watching Purple Rain and seeing Prince perform “The Beautiful Ones”.

3. Building on that, is there a specific song, album, performer, or live show that guided your musical taste?

Sting on one side and James Hetfield on the other… I know that sounds nuts but it’s the truth. “Message In A Bottle” was my first love affair with a song… then came “Master Of Puppets.”

4. Who would be your main five musical influences?

The Police, Peter Gabriel, Paul McCartney,  Metallica, and Prince.

5. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be, and why?

Probably Sting. His writing is just the epitome of all I’ve strived for as a musician.

6. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before? What is the one comparison a reviewer or fan has made that made you cringe or you disagreed with?

I think the Meytal music is a good blend of classic progressive metal elements and hooky modern structure and melodies. It’s hooky math rock. I’ve seen Disturbed comparisons in comments… i’ll leave it at that.

7. What’s the best thing about being a musician?

If it’s something that’s a real passion for you, music can really be the most freeing thing for your soul.

8. When the band are all hanging out together, who cooks; who gets the drinks in; and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

We don’t hang… we work. …but if we did, i’d be the one causing all the problems.

9. When was the last time you were star struck and who was it?

I just went to a movie premiere and met Nicholas Cage. That was pretty intense!

10. If you weren’t a musician, what would be your dream job?

I would love to be involved in motor sports in some way. Very much a passion of mine.

11. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over”, even if it didn’t change your current situation?

I wish that I’d been more educated about the music industry when my first record came out on Universal Republic back in 2002. I would have dealt with publishing and touring and everything in a much more forward thinking way.  The world was just beginning to change and i wasn’t really watching the signs closely enough to adapt.

12. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

Even though it’s not on my list of favorite artists, I would have liked to be a fly on the wall while Pink Floyd made Dark Side Of The Moon. So many important studio tricks were invented for that album. That would be amazing.

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Category: Interviews