Local band kicks off Homecoming Week at Ball State, discusses upcoming album and more

MUNCIE, Ind – With their latest tour coming to an end, The Indigos, a local Muncie band, make a stop for homecoming week at Ball State University. Another tour is on the way with their newest album release coming out on November 11th in Mesa, Nevada and accompanying P.O.D. We went to the concert to see what the Indigos are up to and find out more about them.

One of the impressive traits of your band is that it has so many people in it. What is that like when you play live and record in the studio?

Matt Mellen: Playing with so many people is awesome. It adds so many dynamics and different ways we can build and bring down a song.

Maci Hayes: There is always someone to mess with on stage.

Mellen: Getting to show and setting up it is a complete nightmare. The logistics of getting people from point A to point B is ridiculous. Recording is similar and also a nightmare. It’s awesome though because the songs on the album that you will hear on November 11th… sound so full. It’s a big, warm wall of sound. It was totally worth all of the work.

What new things do you have planned?

Mellen: All you need to know is that they are huge.

Hayes: There may or may not, I’m not gonna spoil it, but there may be a music video in the future. Who knows? I’m not gonna spoil it but it will be huge.

Mellen: And another thing that we will be doing is a lot of showcases in January for fairs and festivals all over the Midwest. After the showcases, we’ll be in the process for booking an even bigger tour for next summer.

I’ve noticed that on top of having a large band already, you have feature artists join often as well. What is that like and do you still keep in contact with them or previous members?

Mellen: I would 90 to 95 percent of everyone that has been a part of this group we are still in contact with or do something with, and most of them came to us. We reached out there and said, hey we want to welcome as many people to be a part of this as we can and the law of attraction has brought to us so many talented musicians.

Hayes: That’s a big part of our “why.” We just want to uplift, inspire other people to do what they love to do. That’s why we are the Indigos.

Clark Hutchings: The only reason why I’m in the group is because they came in to one of the Ball State classes here in the music department and I was so blown away I just wanted to talk with them. Then when Matt said they needed a drummer, I took initiative and said hey, this could be a cool opportunity.

Mellen: We really just want him for his dog!

What would you say to someone who is trying to start their own bands?

Mellen: Good luck.

Hayes: Keep the mentality, and this is something that Matt has told me over and over and over again, no matter who comes and goes, you have to have the mindset that you are going to do this with or without the people you started the group with. If you keep that mentality and just keep going and just remind yourself that you’re doing it, that’s what we have to do all the time. People quit, people don’t want to do it anymore or have other things that they want to move on to, which is fine, but have to keep the mentality that I am going to do this with or without anybody else because I love it so much.

Mellen: You have to really want it and never quit.

Derek Hutchinson: Remember, a gig is a gig is a gig is a gig.

Mellen: I stand by my statement, but one thing I’ll add is try to work with people that you actually get along with. If you ain’t having fun, you’re doing it wrong.

What influences did you have growing up?

ALL Iron Maiden, Metallica, Megadeath, Judas Priest, Guns N’ Roses

Hutchinson: A lot of us are metalheads. Hard rock, get into some pop, and obviously the funk.

Mellen: We’re an alternative, funky, bluesy, jazzy, death metal band.

Hayes: Some of us came from hard rock, metal bands and some of us enjoy closet rapping *cough* Tyler *cough*.

Hutchinson: Its gangster rap Maci, get it right!

Portugal. The Man, the Killers new album, IRONTOM

If you weren’t in the music business what would you be doing?

Hayes: When I’m not doing this I’m a critical care nurse. I would do that and probably buy all of the dogs in the world!

Hutchinson: I would be a securities broker. I was going to be doing that in tandem with the band until I found out one of the FCC regulations says that if I met you at a show and I ended up meeting you again to sell you securities it would be a conflict of interest and technically securities fraud so I figured I should just stick to music and not go to jail.

Hutchings: For me, I’m trying to get into the eSPorts team with Hearthstone. Actually, later on this week I’m going out to Denver to compete in a tournament called Dream Hack.

Hutchinson: I would be a professional ping pong player.

Mellen: I would get into politics. I have a lot of policy changes I want to enact in education, environment, food, health and I want to run for office someday. I plan to all of that after the band.

What has been your favorite venue to play?

Mellen: Dance marathon is my favorite show that we have ever played. Dance Marathon 2016.

All The mainstage of Jersey Shore was awesome. Sea side heights on the main street right next to the beach.

You can check out the new album, “Indigo Army,” when it comes out on November 11th. Matt Mellen, Derek Hutchinson, Maci Hayes, Caitlynn Fox, Tyler Fox, Tyler Harris, Brett Schall, Bruno Cabrera and Clark Hutchinson have been working hard on this new album and can’t wait for you to hear it.