Marianas Trench lead guitarist releases second EP
Photos courtesy of Catrina Jaricot
Marianas Trench’s lead guitarist Matt Webb takes centre stage in his new EP, Right Direction. Released on Feb. 4, his six new songs sound very different from the band’s usual music. He says the inspiration for the EP was the last few years of his life.
“I’ve been really busy with Marianas Trench stuff, travelling around the world, and being away from home a lot,” Webb says. “I had that three years and life experience to reflect on and I wanted to get them down.”
Because of his experience, this EP differs from Coda and Jacket, released in 2011.
“I think this time around I just had a much clearer idea of how I wanted it to sound,” he says. “I wanted it to be more cohesive an 
organic and raw and not really overproduced. I wanted to be able to hear individual performances and mistakes and the breaths and all that stuff.”
Right Direction has been received positively by the fans, debuting at number five on the iTunes Canada Overall Album Chart. Webb says that these songs are special to him because they reveal so much of himself.
“What you’re hearing is definitely me. There’s no writing lyrics for the sake of writing lyrics. It all very much has meaning.”
The Right Direction tour begins on March 5 with its second stop on March 6 at Mavericks on Rideau Street in Ottawa. Fake Shark – Real Zombie! and University of Ottawa alumna Jessica Lee will also be performing.
Webb says, he’s looking forward to the audience interaction as her performs at smaller venues on the tour.
“I’m really stoked,” he says. “I’ve played Mavericks so many times over the years with Marianas Trench when we were first starting and it’s so nice to be able to come back into those venues and play again. They’re small, so I get to be able to interact with the audience and come out and say hi to everybody.”
When asked why university students should come to the show, he says, “It’s gonna be a loud, diverse, spectacular rock show that’s gonna knock their socks off.
“No, but seriously,” he adds, “hopefully people come and just enjoy the songs and hang out afterward.”
He says Marianas Trench has been very supportive of his solo efforts and they remain his first priority, “Marianas Trench is my family. I would never ever leave that behind.”
Once his tour concludes, he’s going straight back to the studio to work on the band’s new record.
“We’ve been working on it for months,” he says. “It sounded really good. I can’t really disclose anything other than that, but it’s awesome.”
Ticket for the March 6 show at Mavericks are available online or at the door.
