ABC/Image Group LABack in the ‘70s, a music critic would often “embed” with a band, following them around on tour and spending every waking moment with them. That style of journalism is a little old fashioned these days, but so is Midland’s vintage aesthetic and throwback musical style.
That’s how the trio found themselves the subjects of an immersive profile which ran in the Washington Post this week. The piece documents the band’s experiences on the road during the last leg of their Road to the Rodeo Tour, prior to the COVID-19 shutdown.
“To give someone that kind of access is an act of faith, or foolery. We only have one gear: wide open,” says frontman Mark Wystrach. “…It was a little bit Russian roulette, a little bit ‘here we are as we are.’”
Among the subjects covered in the lengthy feature is Midland’s group dynamic. The band admits they actively work to ensure that all three members are comfortable and happy in the group.
“We plan on doing this for a long time, so we have to take care of ourselves and maintain our relationship,” says Cameron Duddy. “We all want to be one collective team.”
But collaboration hasn’t always come naturally to the trio — Cameron admits that he and Mark used to butt heads because they’re both so competitive. In fact, they got rid of their backgammon set because it was causing too much friction.
“There was a lot of fighting about you name it: Someone’s guitar level, who drank the last sparkling water,” Cameron adds. Fortunately, the group learned to prioritize what’s important, and these days, they check in frequently with each other and keep any disagreements offstage.
Earlier this year, Midland released a from-quarantine EP of acoustic tunes called Guitars, Couches, ETC., ETC.
By Carena Liptak
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