Who is MDM?

MDM is essentially Daniel X and myself in the studio performing and recording pretty much everything.  On stage we are joined by SINic on drums, Panic on live synths and Mike Bryant from the band Nanochrist is currently with us on rhythm guitar.

How did you come up with the name for the band?

Years ago when we first began as MDM it was an acronym for Martyr Diabolos Martyr which reflected the darker nature of our imagery and subject matter.  As time went on we've evolved away from the darker imagery towards a more socio-political vibe and the name Modern Digital Militia was chosen to reflect that evolution.

What other projects were you involved in before MDM?

I was in a punk band called the Cretins many, many years ago as well as an experimental noise project called Theatre of Cruelty.  Neither project produced any substantial recorded material.  Daniel X has been, and is currently, in the band Defence Mechanism and Mike is in Nanochrist.

Do you find you're well received outside of Canada?

We've had a great reception outside of Canada so far which was boosted with the international release of our last album.  We were also very warmly welcomed at Wave Gotik Treffen 2009 by some amazing fans.  It's really nice to know that our music is reaching people that far away!

Your music seems politically charged, why did you choose to take such a risky direction musically?

I've always been a politically charged person involved in activism ranging from animal rights and veganism to protesting the WTO and NAFTA.  When the Iraq War broke out it was the beginning of a new era of American/British Petroleum Imperialism that effects the entire globe.  It just makes sense to me that music can be a voice for change and, if used properly, can reach a much greater audience than just speech alone.

How do you find the right balance within your musical elements, such as electronics and guitars?

We don't really consciously pay attention to a balance of any sort.  Some songs are completely written with the drums and synths completed before guitars are finally added and others begin with a guitar riff and the rest of the song is built around that riff.  Over the years I think we've learned when to just stop messing with shit and allow the song to complete itself.

Many bands attribute an artist as an influence in their musical creativity. Who has helped mould you into the artist you are today?

I've always had more of a punk rock background so old punk bands, especially politically driven punk bands such as The Exploited, Crass, Subhumans, Pennywise, and Bad Religion have had a definite influence on me.  I've also always loved some of the 80's/90's industrial bands like Skinny Puppy, Ministry, FLA, KMFDM, etc.  So I guess those influences combine to form the core of MDM's sound.  Daniel X is heavily into a lot of old 80's rock and synth pop as well as some of the classic industrial bands so, with him being much more heavily involved in the writing of our new material, we're starting to really hear those elements coming through.

How do you prepare for your live stage shows?

Rehearsals basically.  We all live in different cities and sometimes it's difficult to get everyone's schedules to sync up so each person goes over the material on their own and if we can schedule a rehearsal for the whole group then we do so.

What can people expect from a live show, how do you transform the music to a stage?

Our shows are very fast-paced and energetic.  We pretty much keep the music pumping from start to finish.  Visually, depending on show and venue, we have props such as banners and flags as well as a backing video that synchronizes with the set list. 

Is it important for you guys to have a show as visual, as your music?

Although I think the music should speak for itself, our addition of visual elements definitely helps to engage the audience on a higher level.  The unfortunate thing is that the visuals can't always be used in every setting.  Sometimes stages just aren't big enough or we have no way of projecting video at the venue.  Festivals present difficulty as well in the fact that there isn't always a lot of time for setup.  In those cases I just try to keep the tempo up and let our music and energy lead the way.

You have supplied music for such films like "Matrix re-loaded" and "Jimmy and Judy" how did this come about?

The Matrix thing came about from a compilation CD we were involved in many years ago.  The fellow who put the compilation together recommended us to the music director for the Matrix project and he wanted to use one of our tracks.  Jimmy & Judy was secured by a publisher that we signed on with a few years ago.

How do your personal lives influence your music and how does your music influence your personal lives?

When we're not working on music or performing we all have day jobs, families, hobbies, etc.  The unfortunate side of that is we don't always have as much time as we'd like to devote to our music but we plug away as best as we can.  As far as our music influencing our personal lives. well, let's just say it really sucks having to get up in the morning for work after a late night gig :)

Any last words for our readers?

Thank you all so much for taking the time to check us out.  Our fans are obviously the most important part of our whole equation.  We can make all the music we want but without great fans our message is completely lost. Cheers!

www.myspace.com/mdmisgovernment
www.mdmisgovernment.com