The world of instrumental guitar is more fruitful than ever, which is ironic, considering that Marcos Mena’s group, Standards, the latest record, is titled Fruit Town.
Bad jokes aside, Marcos Mena, with his tapping and thumping, is a revelation. His contributions to math rock and instrumental guitar have been key cogs in both genres’ proverbial wheels. But what’s most interesting about Mena and his latest suite of songs is that, sure, his talent is apparent. But beyond that, he’s reminding fans that guitar-based music can and should be… fun.
As far as Fruit Town goes, we’ve heard what Mena can do, but this time, he’s taken things to the next level. His tones are cleaner, his player is just a bit more frenetic, and his intent has never been more apparent.
Still, these tracks are just so damn likable. If you’re not paying attention, you might notice that, despite his blazing heroics, Mena has managed to divert some of the attention away from his skillset and redirect it toward the greater whole.
Busy as he prepares for what lies ahead, Marcos Mena beamed in with ClassicRockHistory.com to dig into his approach to the guitar, his songwriting process, and managing the expectations thrust upon him.
You’ve been called the ‘greatest guitarist in present-day indie rock.’ How do you manage those expectations?
What a question to start on! I don’t believe that I am the greatest anything; I don’t think there is a “greatest” when it comes to music; that’s subjective. I just try to write and play to the best of my ability, and I am proud of what happens when I do my best. As an artist, that’s all you can do, and I hope that what you make or do inspires people.
Describe your present-day approach to the guitar. How has that evolved since your early days, and what prompted that evolution?
I try to use new or unexplored guitar techniques to make catchy riffs that fit into my band’s standards. When I started playing guitar, I just wanted to have a better grasp of it. I spent a lot of time learning new songs and techniques. Eventually, I landed on my current style, which fuses my favorite players (Tosin Abasi, Stanley Jordan, Ali Farka Toure, Jimi Hendrix) together.
Describe your compositional process.
I think the guitar comes first, as I like to write around the guitar primarily. I don’t mind having the guitar step back here and there, but the crux of many of my compositions stems from an initial guitar idea.
Which song or songs of yours mean the most, and which proved the most challenging to record?
I really just love the songs that people love. For my song “Pineapple,” I was trying to take the guitar tapping technique to a place I hadn’t seen before, which is one song people seem to enjoy a lot. “Special Berry” is another song that was very challenging to me then, but I was glad I wrote it since it made me a better guitar player having to play it every night on tour. There are so many songs I’m proud of, but I guess when people recognize a particular song’s adversity, I feel seen as an artist.
You’ve been known to use several different guitars over the years. What goes into the decision to use any given guitar at a given time?
Guitars are tools for a guitarist to express themselves with, so I’ve always just tried to find the best fit for me. Lately, Aristides Guitars have been my go-to as I’ve found their amazing build quality very comfortable to play. I have two, a headless guitar (their H/0 model) and their Telecaster-inspired model (the T/0).
What combination of amps and pickups are you using?
Lately, I’ve been loving the Fishman Fluence pickups. I’ve been using the Tosin Abasi set, which are punchy and modern and capture the sound of my percussive playing style very well. As far as amps, I use a Morgan MVP23 when I play live, which sounds amazing. While recording, I’ve been sticking with my Axe-FX III, which has some secret amp settings I’ll have to disclose another time. Whenever I’m tone crafting, I just try to enhance the sound I’ve already got with my guitar. Compression and overdrive are a must.
Do you get into pedals, too?
I do a bit. I think my main holdup with getting deeper into effects and effect pedals is that it keeps me from playing, and instead, I’m focused on the interface of whatever effect I’m using. It just feels weird at times to be sitting and playing with a pedal when I could be playing the guitar instead.
Similarly, I have certainly been in situations where my pedalboard wasn’t always working correctly or has been lost. I would feel super powerless not to be able to perform because I couldn’t have one particular, rare or expensive pedal that I would absolutely need to perform. I don’t think effects or effects pedals are bad by any means, and I do use them. When I do, I make it count and don’t write anything based on one particular effect.
Do you prefer vintage guitars or new?
I think my answer used to be vintage but has now become modern. Modern guitars are really my favorite, as the massive improvements to fretboard mobility and new and interesting builds have kept me interested in the guitar. I think I’m more of a modern guitar player anyways, so this made sense to me after being blown away by playing new builds in recent years.
Which techniques or tricks define your style, and how did you perfect them?
I’ve definitely been defined by guitar tapping, which has helped me gain fans in the guitar community. I also really like using thumping these days, which of course, was brought to guitar by Tosin Abasi but has been something I’ve attached myself to recently.
What’s the secret to good math rock guitar?
The secret is to do what you want and have fun because it’s one genre where you are totally allowed to do whatever you want!
What’s next for you in all lanes?
Working on new music and currently got lots of exciting tours planned, and hopefully, we’ll see you in your city!
Marcos Mena of Standards: The ClassicRockHistory.com Interview article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2023
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