Mailman-led U.P. band Liquid Mike hits it big with ‘Paul Bunyan’s Slingshot’
MARQUETTE, Mich. (WJMN) — A U.P.-based indie rock band has gained notoriety across the nation in publications like Rolling Stone and Stereogum. Despite songwriter Mike Maple’s well-received 10th studio album, “Paul Bunyan’s Slingshot,” he hasn’t quit his day job yet.
Local 3’s John Truitt caught up with lead singer, songwriter, and namesake in their converted garage practice space in Marquette.
By day, a mild-mannered postal carrier. By night, a rockstar.
Meet Liquid Mike, a Marquette band fronted by a local guy with national recognition. A six-person lineup that produces a lively, power pop, guitar-fueled lyrical gut punch, these guys rock. Lead singer, Mike Maple explains.
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“We’re just a power-pop kind of melody,” said Maple. “Forward music for people. Short attention spans, super short songs. Just try to make as many songs as possible at the time. Catchy, if the song’s not catchy, we probably didn’t write it.”
Liquid Mike is making waves. They were recently featured in Rolling Stone magazine being called the “Best Midwestern indie rock band fronted by a mailman you’ll hear all year.” This band still has the feel of a garage band of sorts.
“It’s validating for sure,” said Mike Maple. “Leading up to that, though, there was a bunch of good press on the album. I think it had just been building up to something kind of big. Like that is the first time we’ve ever had a record that people had eyes on. Going into it, usually, we’ve just been putting albums out into the ether for no one here but ourselves. So, this was the first time that people were looking forward to it.”
We asked him to tell us about the new album, Paul Bunyan’s Slingshot and how did the Rolling Stone article praising this new album make him feel.
“This was my like 10th record I’ve ever made in all the bands I’ve been in, and they’ve never had any response like this,” said Maple. “So, it’s just validating.”
Liquid Mike is coming off a very successful tour of the Midwest and the East Coast. Their homecoming concert last Thursday night at Ore Dock Brewing Company in Marquette was standing-room only. These guys didn’t disappoint.
“I think it’s not the most challenging music,” explained Maple. “There’s something kind of comforting, like familiar about it. So, I don’t think it’s like it would turn too many people off when they hear it for the first time. I think we have our own identity for sure, but, you know, it’s pop music. When it all boils down, is what it all boils down to.”
Maple says his job as a mail carrier gives him a different perspective on the community and in so doing, material for songs.
“But, you know, I’ve seen as people get like divorced and like someone’s throwing other stuff out in the yard and stuff and like, or dogs are dead suddenly and they’re not in the yard,” said Maple. “So, you kind of like know what’s going on in their lives a little bit from like the outside. So, I mean, it helps writing songs.”
The future certainly looks bright for Liquid Mike as they continue to write songs and fine-tune their craft. To learn more about their music and their next show visit https://liquidmike.bandcamp.com/
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