Bert Martínez-Cowles of Split Chain

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This past week I was able to schedule a Zoom call with lead vocalist Bert Martínez-Cowles, of the UK rock band known as Split Chain. The band is gearing up for the release of their debut LP, motionblur, via Epitaph this Friday, July 11th. In this interview, I asked Bert about how the band got their name, the meaning behind the title of the record, and some music discourse on how Split Chain realized they were on the right track. Split Chain’s debut can be pre-ordered here.

Thank you so much for your time today, Bert, and it’s great to see you again! As I mentioned before the interview started, I’ve seen your band perform at the Fillmore Silver Spring, just down the road from me, with Silverstein. So tell me what you guys have been working on leading up to the debut of your debut album, motionblur?

Well, it’s just been tour, tour, tour, tour. So I think we were finishing in the studio in December, and then it was Christmas off, so we had a little bit of time off. And then straight after that, it was straight out with the touring season. So it was the Silverstein tour in January. Then we had a UK headline tour, too. Then it was back up to the states for a headlining tour, and some of the bits around that, and then it was the European festival season. So, we literally came back yesterday off of that run, which was amazing. We did Download Festival, which was amazing. Resurrection Spain, Cheers On Air in the Netherlands, and some headlining shows in Germany. So it’s been super busy, but it’s been really good.

Yeah, it sounds like you’ve been on the road quite a bit! Definitely clocking in some miles ther.. So, the record comes out a week from today, via Epitaph. So what’s it like to be on such a legendary label like that?

That’s the crazy thing. We never would have thought that when we started the band…it was more like, it might be cool if we can maybe play this festival, or maybe if you got on this small label that we were all like big fans of…But then as soon as that email came through, man, it was crazy! We had no idea if it was real or not. And then it wasn’t until we were all together at the rehearsal space and we had a video call with the guys at Epitaph, and it was just like, “Oh, God, it’s actually really happening!” And then on the call, they said, “We really hope you do sign with us.” It was them trying to sell it to us. And it should’ve been the other way around. It was the other way around. It was mental. But they’re the best guys to work with and they give us full creative freedom. We can have as many ins or outs on visuals, videos and the music. So it’s the perfect relationship. I’ve never had a label to deal with, none of us do, actually, so we have nothing to kind of compare it to. But from what we talked to our peers <about> and the people that we work with…they’re all really responsive, and they’re really nice. So to hear that from people who’ve worked with countless labels, I feel like we really did find the most perfect one for us straight away, which is amazing.

Yeah, and not everybody’s so lucky with their debut, for sure. Some people get stuck in “contract purgatory,” as they say…But yeah, Epitaph has always been great. Where did the name Split Chain come from?

Yeah, it’s funny because we like the word “chain,” and there’s a Soul band called Third Chain. We were like, that’s really cool. And it wasn’t until we were at one of the local venues, it was me, Tom, and I think Jake was there as well. And my girlfriend just said, “How about Split Chain?” I was like, “That’s it!”

Yeah, and it’s kind of like when you know, you know kind of thing when you’re coming up with a band name.

That was it. It clicked. It just portrays exactly what we sound like, without even needing to dig deep.

Yeah, and I’ve heard motionblur a couple times too, and you guys definitely killed it. It sounds great. Who produced the record?

Our friend called Cal. Cal Pinchin, we started off with this guy called Kurt ***an, who did the first two singles. He then took a step back from the music world. And so Cal is a friend of mine that I’ve known for quite a few years, and when he joined that studio that Kurt left, it was like, it’s gotta be Cal. He’s a good friend. Let’s just go and work with him. He’s done everything since the third single we dropped, which would have been in probably like August, or September. So yeah, we’ve been working with him for what would have been June, or July.

Wow, almost a full year.

Yeah, and he just gets it. And we’ve already said this quite a lot in other interviews and stuff, that we’re not here to kind of work with people just for their “name” or to try and find that next level. We want to be comfortable. We want to be working with friends, rather than people who have a “name”, or whatever. So when it came to LP one, and the label was like, “If you want to go with Cal, go for it.” He was still relatively new within the producing world, and we didn’t have much experience with it. We’ve been a band for two years. We don’t really know what we’re doing. So if we could have a friend, we’ll take the friend.

Yeah, you guys are taking the right approach there. I mean, some people sign contracts with a label and stuff like that, and a producer is forced on them. And sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t…You’ve got to find the right fit, which it seems like you guys did.

Yeah, I mean, it’s always been, if we can kind of put our friends, or our peers of interest,that’s going to improve our world, we would much rather do that than kind of strive for something. Maybe we’re not there yet.

So let’s talk about one of your singles. You mentioned “Bored.Tired.Torn”. What went into the lyrical material for that?

That was the funny one, actually, because I think that was the very first demo that we had. We had a bunch of demos where we were writing towards the album, and that was the first one I remember that actually stuck and stayed on the album. So I think I remember hearing that one I was driving down to a little weekend holiday with my girlfriend and her parents, and they were already down there. So I was driving down on my own. It’s like a three, or four hour drive. And I remember how the demo got sent through, and I stopped at a petrol station. As soon as I left, I put it on, and I was driving, and I was like, that was the moment where it clicked. This is where the album starts. This is where the writing process has clicked. We found the place where we want to be. And I remember that kind of the hook of, “you’re bored, you’re tired, I’m torn.” That kind of came out of nowhere. And I already knew instantly that was going to be it. And from that, it was kind of like figuring out maybe why that kind of popped into my head and whatever else. A lot of the songs were about growing up and the whole album as a whole has to do with growing up, and where we are now, and it’s just kind of going back to points in life where…being kind of in a in a house, but with family, and it’s just not a good environment. It’s very toxic, and I’m actually kind of okay to say that I’m done with that kind of vibe. So, it’s a very full circle moment. It’s a way to just reassure <myself> and be okay with myself. You can be accepting of bad things and be like, it’s fine. Not everything’s perfect, but I’m okay with it.

Yeah, and you mentioned the demo was pretty strong. Did the song change much from the demo to the final?

It didn’t, actually. I remember that we had a funny conversation in the studio, and I had this phrase of, “let’s put it in a box and leave it in a museum. Don’t touch it.” I thought it was perfect. There was one section where we added, which was the pickup section before the second chorus, I believe, but everything else kind of stayed exactly the same.

Usually the songs that come together like that, tend to be the singles. Either they’re really easy to write or it just feels right, you know what I mean? So, I see some skate decks in the back. Do you skate?

Yeah, me and Tom do, hence why all of our merch is just this type of stuff.

Yeah, that’s awesome.

I mean, that’s kind of the reason why this band kind of exists. We’re all very into the kind of 90s, or The Noughties,” 2000s kind of skate scene with Jackass and CKY, all that stuff. We’re all very on the same page with everything. That’s how we grew up. That’s why we’re so invested in wanting to recreate that feeling of that timeframe. And then through visuals and the graphics and stuff like that, too.

And this scene of music has also lent itself well to the Tony Hawk Pro Skater series. Do you think there’s any, any chance of getting on one of those soundtracks?

That was one of the things we’ve all kind of joked about is…if we could ever get the gold standard, we can quit music. But it’s funny, because the album drops the same day as the new Tony Hawk <game> comes out.

Oh yeah! I forgot about that. That’s right. Friday releases, for sure. So let’s talk about the name of the record. What comes to mind when you think of motionblur?

Yeah, so that was actually decided on when we were in the states on that Silverstein tour. And we’ve been putting it off and off and off and off…the name of the album. And then it was like, crunch time. And we had a few names there and throughout the past couple of months, nothing really stuck. And then, I think it was Tom that said, “motion blur.” I was like, it’s so perfect. Yeah, it fits the mood of the record too, you know what I mean? The name of it was exactly what these past two years have been like. We’ve not had a chance to process anything. We started a band, and it was through the deep end straight away. And I think we all agree that we’re so glad it happened that way. We love just being in the deep end. For example, this is Tom’s first ever band. He’s never played a show before. He’s gone from the first show that we booked ourselves as a DIY kind of band. He’s gone from that to playing Download Festival on the second stage and Silverstein <tour> for six weeks, all within two years. It’s so crazy. I think the main “motionblur” is how it’s felt the past two years. I think it brings the vibe up the album quite well. And it even sounds like the way we kind of were writing the stuff out as all in lower case, or one word, because we want that to come across as if it is a blur. It’s two words put together. The tiny little details I think really do help. Overall, when you see it on the album cover, it makes so much more sense.

And with a great label, like Epitaph, they’re going to take good care of the vinyl and everything else like that too. Have you gotten a physical copy of the record yet?

We were out a couple days ago, and I think the label had sent it to Ollie and he took photos of them, and it looks so so good. And I think our copies are at Ollie’s house. I’m actually sending him a message after this so I can take a look.

And some bands do those “unboxing” videos to kind of tease the vinyl…

I’ve had the test press sit on my TV stand for a month or so. I don’t have a record player! I bought an old vintage one from somewhere. Yeah, that was a couple of years back, and I haven’t had one since the test press just <came in>.

Yeah. I mean, turntables are more readily available than they were 15 years ago, for sure. There’s definitely a resurgence.

Hopefully I pick it up today or maybe tomorrow, and be able to hold one in my hands. I think that’s gonna be a really proud moment. Seeing our first album with the Epitaph logo on it.

Yeah, that’s crazy. Chef’s kiss, as they say. <Laughter> Any last words for your fans, or things to look forward to after the record comes out?

It will be non-stop for the rest of the year. We’re fully booked up for the rest of the year. So anyone in the States, Canada, UK, Europe, we’re gonna be around, so come down to the show. Come hang out. We’re always at the merch stand. So come have a chat. Make sure, if you want to hear it in full, pick up the vinyl. Because there might be something on the end of it…going back to 2000-vibes. Enjoy it, start bands. We always say this, “Start a band.” There’s never enough bands. Go to local shows. Go to small shows. Support venues and enjoy the new record.

That’s awesome. Rock on, dude!

Appreciate it, Adam!

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