Video Interview: Jessica Ball of MWWB on The Harvest, Future of the Band and More
Formerly known as Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard, Welsh atmospheric space doomers MWWB released their fourth album, The Harvest, last week through New Heavy Sounds. One thing you need to know right away about the discussion below with vocalist/synthesist Jessica Ball below is that when she’s talking about their guitarist, Dave and Paul are the same person. If you’re not familiar with the band, it’s Paul Michael Davies on guitar, Ball on vocals, Stuart Sinclair on bass and Dom McCready on drums. But the name Dave comes from Davies‘ surname, and it feels important to make that distinction, lest the interview be confusing as shit.
The Harvest may indeed be the final offering from MWWB, even if it is the first under their new name. The reason Davies is so much a topic of conversation is that in 2021, he suffered a stroke as a result of long-covid, and though the album was slated to release a year ago, it was put aside in order to focus on health issues. His survival was in question. It was not a minor thing. Actually, to hear Ball tell the story, it’s horrifying, and of course one wishes Davies, Dave, Paul, or any other names he may have lying
around, continued recovery and strength. It is fortunate for all that MWWB were able to get to the point where they were comfortable putting the record out.
Not the least for the achievements of the songs themselves. 2019’s Yn Ol I Annwn (review here) basked in otherworldly energies that will be recognizable throughout The Harvest as well, but the band pushes forward into cinematic fare with interludes that allow them to touch on genres outside that which might be termed “mammoth” or “weedian,” processing beats, diving into unknown dronescapes, and so on. It is, as per Ball, the harvesting of all the seeds MWWB have collectively planted over the course of the last seven years since their first demo Nachthexen (review here) surfaced in 2015. To say it plainly, it’s the most encompassing work they’ve done to-date. And if it’s their swansong, one could ask no more of it than MWWB give.
There was a lot to cover here ahead of the album, including floating my theory as to how they came to shorten the name from Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard to MWWB, and I was beset by technical issues because that’s just the kind of professional I am, but Ball was gracious with her time and honesty, and that is appreciated. Look out new stuff from her ungoogleable solo-project Eye soon.
And please enjoy:
MWWB Interview with Jessica Ball, March 17, 2022
MWWB‘s The Harvest is out now on New Heavy Sounds. More info at the links.
