Name: Marriage Material
Members: Felix Lehrmann (drums), Arto Mäkelä (guitar), Raphael Meinhart (vibraphone, keyboards), Thomas Stieger (bass),
Interviewee: Thomas Stieger
Nationality: Finnish (Arto Mäkelä), German (rest)
Current release: Marriage Material's sophomore full-length Enchantment Under The Sea is out via Leopard.
Recommendations: Bruckner‘s 7th symphony; Joe Zawinul & The Zawinul Syndicate - World Tour (Album)

If you enjoyed this Marriage Material interview and would like to find out more about the band and their music, visit them on Instagram, and Facebook.   



When I listen to music, I see shapes, objects and colours. What happens in your body when you're listening? Do you listen with your eyes open or closed?

I listen to music with my eyes open usually; I don’t see colors but I can relate to seeing and feeling shapes and patterns.

It’s hard to explain why some musical moments touch me  and why other’s don’t. Sometimes it’s the rhythmic feel, sometimes the overall sound / atmosphere, a lyric or a harmonic device.

I guess that’s the beauty of music, you can’t really explain those goosebump-moments (even though we try to) and the experience happens on a way deeper level than math or science.

What were your very first steps in music like - and how do you rate gains made through experience versus the naiveté of those first steps?

My first step in music was learning the classical guitar when I was 9 years old, reading music; however, I never really liked playing and practicing on my own.

Switching to the bass opened up the possibility to play, jam and improvise with other people; since then nothing really changed except learning about different approaches and ways to organize music - and practicing a lot in the meanwhile.

In the end I think it‘s still important to remember those first “innocent” jams in the rehearsal space; and to always remind yourself to find your own voice and not to try to copy anyone.

According to scientific studies, we make our deepest and most incisive musical experiences between the ages of 13-16. What did music meant to you at that age and what’s changed since then?

At that age, music meant everything to me; it was - and still is - a way to express myself and the only way to escape from reality; as usual, my musician friends and me used to be the outsiders in high school.

I still feel like that sometimes; many people don’t understand what our “job” really is and don’t understand how much dedication and work goes into a concert, a recording or a song.

Of course, my perception of music has changed. I listen more analytically and always try to understand the construction behind a piece of music. Back in the days it used to be more about the overall feel or attitude.

Over the course of your development, what have been your most important instruments and tools and how have they shaped your perspective on music?

First it was the guitar and then the bass took over. The guitar is still an important tool for experimenting with harmonical ideas; sometimes the piano as well, even though the guitar is still closer to my heart.

Then, of course, the computer and the DAW are a huge help in shaping ideas. I develop many tunes on my laptop, it’s just super convenient to find effects and sounds quickly and that alone can push an idea into a completely new direction.

What, would you say, are the key ideas behind your approach to music and what motivates you to create?

It’s hard to say what the key ideas in my approach are; sometimes it’s a harmonic concept, sometimes it’s a groove, it can be a form or a melody.

I guess in the end it is most important and motivating for me to create something personal that can’t be categorized straight away.

It really turns me off if when I write something that “sounds like artist / song XYZ”. Usually those ideas go in the bin unless I find a way out of that trap.

Paul Simon said “the way that I listen to my own records is not for the chords or the lyrics - my first impression is of the overall sound.” What's your own take on that and how would you define your personal sound?

I can relate to this statement a hundred percent. As mentioned before, most of the time it is hard to explain why something touches you. However, the overall sound is the very first impression you get from a piece of music - how things blend and work together in a room.

It is definitely the first defining factor for any band and artist. That’s why you have to work on it so hard and make it your own.

I would describe the sound of Marriage Material as energetic, fat, tight, dynamic but still spacious at the same time.

Sound, song, and rhythm are all around us, from animal noises to the waves of the ocean. What, if any, are some of the most moving experiences you've had with these non-human-made sounds? In how far would you describe them as “musical”?

I would totally agree with describing them as “musical”. I enjoy sitting by a river or in a park and just listening to all the surrounding sounds - the birds, the trees, the water, the wind. There’s rhythm, harmony and melody in all of those sounds and they all follow their own patterns and structures. I sometimes feel like what we understand as “music” is a concentrated form of all of that, a pill or a drug.

Moreover, listening closely to those sounds helps me to understand that I’m a part of something bigger and that I have a tiny task in this huge system. A quite soothing thought.

Making music in a group has that same effect on me; it’s clearly not about you as an individual. It is all about the greater picture and what everyone can contribute to make it work.

From very deep/high/loud/quiet sounds to very long/short/simple/complex compositions - are there extremes in music you feel drawn to and what response do they elicit?

I was always drawn to music that has a “soulful” aspect to it (whatever that means). Maybe it refers to the time-feel and space, probably also to the role and the importance of the bass. I always liked recordings where you could understand the bass, if that would be Motown, the Beatles or Bach.

I guess it all has to do with the Golden Cut, you can’t be extreme in every parameter of music; in fact that would be way too simple, it’s easy to write something complex just for the sake of being complex. Plus, all that is super personal as well; describing something like time-feel is super complex in itself.

That being said, I feel drawn to music with harmonic twists and turns and rhythmical intricacies as long as they serve the song.

From symphonies and traditional verse/chorus-songs to linear techno tracks and free jazz, there are myriads ways to structure a piece of music. Which approaches work best for you – and why?

I think the “songwriting”-approach (may it be a simple verse-chorus(-bridge) or AABA-form) is something that works very well for our kind of band setup.

However, I‘m drawn to a sort of (dynamically) linear approach as well, when it comes to rhythm section playing. Something you can find in African music or electronic dance music - or in Phillip Glass‘ works.

Could you describe your creative process on the basis of one of your pieces, live performances or albums that's particularly dear to you, please?

One piece that came to life in an interesting way is the very first song on our new album called “1984.”



I experimented with Minor-Major 7-chords and just moved them around and found this simple melody to connect them. After that I just transposed the whole structure and the song was pretty much done. The interesting fact is that the piece just uses one kind of chordal / harmonic color.

It was a completely new approach for me using this kind of strict conception while writing. Usually I float along with an idea and one part merges into the next until I have the complete piece.

Sometimes, science and art converge in unexpected ways. Do you conduct “experiments” or make use of scientific insights when you're making music?

To be honest, I love having this romantic idea of music as this mystical, magical thing you can’t really explain.

Of course, there are physical aspects you can’t deny while writing, producing or playing music. You have to leave space in the frequency field for one another. As a bass player I’m super aware of that, especially the low frequencies are very sensitive and blur the harmony quite quickly.

In my case, that awareness was developed by experimentation rather than scientific studies.

How does the way you make music reflect the way you live your life? Can we learn lessons about life by understanding music on a deeper level?

In general I like to think of myself as being organized and reliable; we all need and seek those moments of surprise and “chaos” though.

Finding that balance is something that reflects this relation best; trying to leave space for freedom while having a structure underneath you can rely on.  

Do you feel as though writing or performing a piece of music is inherently different from something like making a great cup of coffee? What do you express through music that you couldn't or wouldn't in more 'mundane' tasks?

I think the special thing about writing music is that there is no set way to approach it. There are many recipes and devices to help you find ideas and find a way out if you’re stuck. Sometimes those can be completely useless though.

To refer back to the coffee image: no one tells you if you should start with the milk, the coffee or if you even need the cup - and that’s why it’s so fun to create music. Whatever smallest inspiration you have, you start somewhere and make it grow.

Every time I listen to "Albedo 0.39" by Vangelis, I choke up. But the lyrics are made up of nothing but numbers and values. Do you, too, have a song or piece of music that affects you in a way that you can't explain?

With me, it is more small musical moments that affect me. Like the first notes in Miles‘ solo on “So what”.



Or Jaco Pastorius‘ melody on “A remark you made.”



I would say I’m more a fan of moments than of full albums or certain artists.

If you could make a wish for the future – what are developments in music you would like to see and hear?

I would love for music to be less categorized. I feel the industry is limiting the possibilities of combining worlds and ideas - even more so these days with streaming services, playlists and algorithms. I hate to put art into those set frames and fulfill clichés.

However, I get why that concept is not working for the industry; I think for the art itself it would be quite liberating though.

Anyway, if I had a wish, that would be it.