Wild Ire

An intimate introduction opens up to an exceptional, attention-grabbing bass line in Wild Ire’s “Poetry & Puppetry”. The joy doesn’t end there: vocalist Jake Mayes puts up a remarkable performance that tests his range and shifts dynamically between quiet contemplation and choir-backed balladic belting. The tune’s rock instrumentation is adapted well to the vulnerable nature of the track, as the locked-in guitar and drums drop in and out seamlessly to support Mayes’ lead. - A Journal of Musical Things - Mathew Kahansky

Recently returned from performing at this year's NAMM conference, prog-pop quartet Wild Ire from Salem, OR has arrived with a new music video and single called "Poetry & Puppetry." Like a crooning, alt-rock marionette, vocalist Jake Mayes is strung up by various binds to represent the different types of control in a relationship.

"I based a lot of the lyrics on relationships I’ve witnessed in which their partners controlled them much like puppets," says guitarist Jesse Palmer. "In the video, we used a bed sheet to represent sexual control; an ethernet cable to represent text, phone and technological control; and then we used rope, lock and chain just to show physical and violent control."

The delightfully theatrical video for "Poetry & Puppetry" serves to enhance the song's dynamic cocktail of indie, jazz, rock, and funk. It's a genre-fluid track that continues the vaudeville vibe the band first introduced on their debut single "Ragtime Gal," which has over 300K streams on Spotify.
Where many bands are focused on traditional touring, Wild Ire have honed their efforts on participating in (and winning) multiple Battle of the Bands competitions, something that many artists will balk at, but has paid off quite well for Wild Ire. They've still managed to parade their dark cabaret across the US though, and have appeared at large music conferences like NAMM, where they were 1 of 100 underground acts selected to play.

Wild Ire is currently at work on a new full-length album for 2020.

Listen to the single "Poetry & Puppetry" now on Spotify. - High Road Publicity

Despite all the emphasis on chart numbers, record sales and ticket purchases, music isn’t really a competition. Art isn’t about being better or worse than anyone. That said, competition can certainly fuel creativity and help hone a craft. Salem rock group Wild Ire knows this first-hand. They’ve been performing under the pressure of prize-winnings and industry access since 2014, and it’s paid off tremendously for the group, which started locally in Oregon’s capital.

In 2017 alone, Wild Ire won two local Battle of the Bands competitions: one at Shotskis in Salem in which the grand prize was $1,000, and another up in Portland put on by the Headbang for the Highway Alumni Fest, for which the band claimed a free lyrics video for one song, produced by a local publicity firm. “We’re more competition-based,” said drummer Nick Turner. “We haven’t really done any straight touring … it’s more we find one or two shows that might really work to show off a certain song.”

This kind of spotlight has garnered the band a large following both in Oregon and outside of the state. This translates to over 11,000 monthly listeners on the group’s Spotify page, and its most popular track on the streaming service, “Ragtime Gal,” has nearly 300,000 plays.
The band uses this targeted approach -- dueling around with their songs -- as a way to not only generate buzz but to perfect their performances. “We did that at first as a way to kind of get a feel for our songs,” Turner said. “As a band it honed us (by) kind of being under pressure.” The more they’ve risen to challenges, the more new opportunities get presented to the band members. This week, the group is playing at The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) show in Anaheim, California -- the largest showcase for music industry merchandise in the world. Wild Ire was selected as one of 100 local acts, out of a pool of 1,000 from all over the country, for this showcase. This show is a big deal, a pilgrimage for producers and musicians who want to behold the latest shiny industry toys. Everything from instruments to sound and lighting systems is on hand for live demonstrations and listening sessions. While there’s a lineup of musicians throughout the weekend, some big names have been known to make surprise drop-in appearances at NAMM.

Wild Ire consists of vocalist and guitarist Jacob Mayes, lead guitarist Jesse Palmer, bassist Taner Jones and Turner on drums. It’s a progressive rock project that isn’t afraid to lean into new or different sounds with each album or competition cycle. Early tracks, like “Ragtime Gal” and “Kaleidadope” off the group’s first full album, Antisocial Butterfly (2017), have pop-punk verses and transition into heavier choruses with hard breakdowns. The songs tend to have grooving, bouncy beginnings and loud, explosive endings.
While Palmer is the principle lyricist and songwriter, the entire band shapes tracks into a blend of sounds and structures. Turner said that the group’s territory changes depending on what members are listening to. “Jesse’s talked a lot with me about how his taste in music kind of varies and comes in waves,” he said. “We’re still in the rock genre but playing more with different ideas of it.”

Earlier tracks, while still featuring the clean vocals of Mayes, were written during a heavier phase of Dillinger Escape Plan and Rage Against The Machine. Songs off of their 2019 album, Misery Machine, embrace poppier sounds and a more “math rock” influence. Turner said that a big step forward in the songwriting process was learning how to write for Mayes’ voice and not restrict it to a hard rock sound. New vocal techniques are certainly a feature of Misery Machine, which sees Mayes utilize everything from spoken-word rapping to high, choral overtures.

It’s clear how the need to be technically masterful, a main component of music competitions, has fueled each member of the band’s abilities. Songs are written with highlights for each sound, allowing masterful solos and fills that lead into the next segment of the music. “Bubble Tea,” one of the singles off of the latest album, showcases hooky choruses of “I just want to give you, more, more, more,” with fast-picking stringwork by Palmer leading in and out of the verses. Turner’s impressive battery on the kit punctuates the heavy bass lines by Jones, and the whole song caps off with an impressively high chorus line from Mayes. Songs like “Freaky Business” off the latest album and “Dirty Hands,” the group’s latest single, embrace grooving, funky riffs a la Maroon 5, with big, blended choruses and harder rock outros. “Dirty Hands,” specifically, feels very Muse-like with its rising crescendos and big cymbals and drums. “It’s never intentional,” Turner said of Wild Ire’s sonic catalog. “We never sat down and said, ‘OK, we’re going to be changing our sound.’”

The band is not only looking forward to the NAMM show, but is wrapping up the writing on new songs for yet another album. It is shooting for a spring or summer release, with singles already being rolled out on their social media pages. A new music video is on the way soon, too. Once new music is out, Wild Ire will “pick the right shows to kinda promote that record,” Turner said. With so many songs to build a setlist around, a full tour isn’t out of the question, but fans can be sure to catch the group at local venues like The Space in West Salem or other neighborhood spots throughout Oregon. - Curbside Press

From Salem, OR, we have this funky masterpiece delivered by Wild Ire with their new song “Dirty Hands”. This song has every element of talent and fantastic songwriting! The song starts off with a groovy drum beat that then quickly introduces what sounds like the funkiest bass lick of the year, but also well-timed and placed. The vocal delivery in “Dirty Hands” is brought to us by lead singer Jacob Mayes and it’s served up fresh! The song “Dirty hands” is an overall feel-good track, with endorphin popping melodies and musical performances. Vocally, Jacob can be described as a high pitched singer who has incredible range but cannot be directly compared to any other singers, really. But, honestly, I’m sure that is just fine with this one of a kind band!

The second verse, Jacob almost starts rapping, the super-fast vocals just prove how talented this guy is! The guitar work is also super funky and compliments everything else that is happening with this song. The production is also amazing, whoever produced and mixed this track can definitely be praised up and down, and I’m sure it is playing a significant role in helping develop the sound of Wild Ire. By the end of “Dirty Hands”, you are definitely ready for more by Wild Ire! Make sure you listen to these guys today and follow them on social media for updates.

Thanks for being with us today at Buzz Music Wild Ire! “Dirty Hands” has a lot of funk influence on it! Who would you say are some artists that sonically influenced what you’re doing?
When creating the song it mainly started out as a jam of the main guitar riff. There’s a lot of jazz within the chord structure. When it came to the drumming we really wanted to emulate that James Brown funk aspect his drummers would give; along with a modern twist on lo-fi beats that we’re big fans of.

Who is the producer of "Dirty Hands" and do you feel like they have an impact on your sound and songwriting?
We don’t have a producer. We have an engineer that we work with. His name is Jason Carter of wavelength studios he has recorded and mixed a majority of our records. He’s come to know our sound and thoughts on where we like to take our music. In that sense, he’s become very much an honorary part of the band.

Vocally, where did you find the influence to lay down an almost rap part in the second verse?
There is a lot of hip hop influence on the vocal aspect. A majority of our lyrics are written by our guitar player Jesse who paints usually a vague emotion-driven picture. With this one, the lyrics were written by Jake our lead vocalist. He had very much a clear cut story for Dirty Hands. Something where the listener could gravitate towards.

If you guys could work with any other artist, who would it be and why?
We have a list of artists that we’d love to work with. One of our biggest influences as a band is Incubus. A majority of the mass knows that band for their hit records. But, they are very much like us, in the aspect of genre-bending. Polyphia is a great artist we would love to collaborate with along with Maroon 5. Our sounds really bounce off a lot of the edges of these bands with our own touch.

When can we expect more new music from you? What's next for Wile Ire in 2020?
New music is coming soon! And very soon in fact. We don’t want to get too ahead of ourselves but you can most likely expect a full record in the upcoming future. Think maybe spring or summertime to hear some more Wild Ire. As for the next year, we go to NAMM in January which will be one of our first big trips as a band to another state. Which we hope in the next year to continue. More music, videos and bigger shows await! - Buzz Music

Having gained a local following, the band will perform next before a trade show expected to attract over 100,000 people.

In the basement music venue, the Space Concert Club, Wild Ire is setting up for a show on a Thursday night. The alternative rock band is a local favorite around Salem, but next month the bandmates will be taking their talents to California to perform at the National Association of Music Merchant show, described as the world’s largest trade-only event for music products. Famous musicians attend the yearly event, seen as an opportunity to look at the latest and greatest in music gear.

Wild Ire was one of more than 100 bands chosen to perform at the show. When they found out they were selected, “It was like ‘wow, cool,’” said drummer Nick Turner. Then they went straight into logistics, figuring out how they were going to get to Anaheim.

The musicians behind Wild Ire have been playing together for five years, a few of them went to high school together. Turner and bass player Taner Jones grew up playing music together and were always aware of other successful local musicians. “And then now to have our name a part of that, it’s pretty surreal sometimes,” Turner said. Guitarist Jesse Palmer is the band’s lyricist, and said he draws inspiration from “pure sadness.” “It’s my way of expressing myself. Otherwise I’m generally pretty happy. But when I sit down with a guitar it’s just, that’s the time for my tears to flow,” Palmer said.
The band points to Maroon 5 as a musical inspiration, while Palmer will also refer to math metal as an interest.

On Spotify the band’s song “Ragtime Gal” – a song about someone who focuses on sadness -- has more than 270,000 listens. Since they got accepted into the show, the bandmates said they’ve had people they’ve never met come up to congratulate them before they’ve even played the gig. Jones said he keeps hearing: “’You guys are one of the most popular bands in Salem.’ It’s weird being in the band and not seeing it that way. Because there’s so many other bands that I respect myself that I think are equally as good, or even better.” Turner thinks they were chosen for the NAMM show because they’re a “solid band,” made evident by the amount of listens they have on Spotify and their music videos on YouTube.

That, plus their ability to appeal to people of all ages. “It’s very palatable music, which is cool because that’s my favorite type of bands, where a band can go through different waves of what they are,” Turner said. Vocalist Jake Mayes said the band tries to be strategic about when they play in Salem, but “I think we’ve reached the peak of what we can do here, so we’re trying to expand it somewhere else.” Drummer Turner said they would love to become full-time musicians, but don’t plan on taking a traditional path to get there. “It seems even though we really want to do the whole normal route, which is get signed and get money and all that cool stuff, that’s the way things don’t work anymore. So, we’ve been trying to carve our own path of how to do it pretty much. Which I think we’ve been doing pretty good so far. A lot of people around the country know our name for some reason,” Turner said.

Wild Ire plays the NAMM Show on Thursday, Jan 16 at 10 a.m. at the Grand Plaza stage. - Salem Reporter

In this installment, our journey takes to Portland’s alternative underground, face-to-face with one of its scene’s most standout acts, Wild Ire. Wild Ire have been making craters in Portland’s music scene with their stylish and loose alternative rock style. The quartet’s music is just as colorful and mind-bending as their abstract album covers. Songs can contain anything from jittery, skittish drum beats to slinky, funk-indebted guitar licks, odd time signatures; everything but the kitchen sink. Their instantly distinguishable breed of rock music has earned them spots on lineups for such revered excursions as Astoria Crabfest, Hempfest, and a crowd-drawing performance at Make Music Day in Salem, OR.

Following a successful string of full-length releases, EP’s, and several acclaimed singles, Wild Ire’s bubbling-up vivacity was boldly realized on their most recent record, Misery Machine, released April of this year. The group’s prevalent cognizance of jazz and funk coalesce in a series of seven songs that run the gamut from smooth, somewhat sexy to heart-achingly to-the-point and stylistically bare-bones. The explosive “The Count of 5” features a 5/4 time signature, which the quartet ride like the back of their hand. The instrumentation swells in an intense and attention-demanding way towards the end of songs like “Bubble Tea” and the opener “Freaky Business.”

Weird-rock fans of the Northwest, enter a group to really sink your teeth into. - Northwest Music Scene

It was 76 degrees on a Thursday afternoon in May. The music was barely audible from the street. Hidden in a maze of driveways, four musicians were working on a new song in Nick Turner's garage, surrounded by string lights, instrument cases and an inflatable Widmer Brothers hefeweizen can.

Turner, 23, pushed his dark hair out of his face from behind his drum set while Taner Jones sat on a black stool strumming his bass guitar in the corner. Jesse Palmer — still in his work scrubs — stood in the middle with Jake Mayes talking about lyrics.

Odds are people who frequent venues like The Space Concert Club and Taproot Lounge and Cafe have seen them perform over the last four years. You'd know them as Salem-grown alt-pop band Wild Ire. And they've become one of the most sought-after local bands in town.

Setting Wild Ire apart

Their ability to collaborate effectively, devotion to the music they create and genuine friendships are why Doug Hoffman, owner of The Space, said Wild Ire is one of the top local acts who could "really do it." "These guys could tour nationally," he said. "I think in five years, it's possible that we see them breaking through on ... national and potentially international ... tours."

Since this iteration of the band came together in 2015, they've released two EPs and two albums. Wild Ire has performed around the Pacific Northwest from Seattle to Eugene, while also opening for touring groups like Covet and We Three, of "America's Got Talent."

"Misery Machine," their most recent album, debuted in April and spans genres from indie pop to rock to reggae and funk, just like the band itself. "We don't aim for any genre," Turner said. "I guess you could say on the Maroon 5 side of pop melodies, but also the rock sound of our influences blended together. The new (album) really shows that." "Misery Machine" is also a testament to just how much Wild Ire's sound has evolved over the years.
Turner, Jones and Mayes all went to North Salem High School, but they wouldn't become Wild Ire until after.

Turner said he met Palmer through mutual friends and became attached to his songwriting. They formed the band in 2014. Members came and went while they tried to find the "right fit," Turner said. He had been in a band with Jones before, and eventually, Jones became Wild Ire's bass player. Mayes joined as vocals in 2015, an addition that completed the band as it's known today. In the early days of Wild Ire, they attempted to be more serious, but that quickly faded. "It was kind of interesting at first for me because I didn't really know what to do or how to practice. I was very timid," Mayes, 22, said. "You aren't now," Turner responded, laughing. That friendship — and the fact they like the music they create together — is the core of the group.

Gaining attention outside Salem

While working on their new song that Thursday afternoon, the band bounced ideas off one another as they tried to figure out melodies and tempo. It was an atmosphere of open communication. If someone didn't like something, they said it and suggested something else. This is typical of their process, Mayes said. And with each passing moment, a stronger, more structured song was created — a correlation of the natural chemistry they exude. "There is a certain dynamic that only occurs if the chemistry of the group is right and they are able to stay together for a longer period of time," Hoffman said. "Then you start to see this next level capability in a band." Jones said when they first started, there was a lack of urgency when it came to practicing and recording. But their work ethic shifted once they noticed better shows coming to them and more people acknowledging their music — it was a push they needed. "It made us see that we are better than we think we are," Mayes said. Setting deadlines and goals has kept them motivated, and it's paid off. They have more than 11,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, for example, and their reach has expanded internationally to places like the United Kingdom and Australia.

Next stop: Make Music Day

Locally, their reputation of putting on a high-energy show and ability to draw a crowd has made them a band people seek out. Phillip DeRobertis, the music and audio specialist at CCTV, said that's why he booked them to headline their stage at Make Music Day on June 21. The first time DeRobertis saw Wild Ire perform was a few years ago at the Cherry City Music Festival, and he didn't see them perform again until last summer. "In two years, they went from being an average garage band to a band that actually has a legitimate shot at rising to the next level," he said. "They are the only band ... I've seen do that in my five years here at CCTV."

Some people still need convincing.

"People don't really believe in your until you make it," Mayes said. "There are still people who don't believe in us." That doesn't discourage them, though. All four agree they want to pursue Wild Ire as their full-time gig, and each year they get closer. For now, you can find them playing Seattle Hempfest, rocking out at local venues and working toward their goal day by day. "We do what we like to do and people like it, apparently," Mayes said. "It's cool to have that motivation ... doing what you like and having people like it." - Statesman Journal

It’s been a month since Salem’s indie/garage rockers, Wild Ire has released their second album, “Misery Machine,” which, received a glowing review from Salem33’s own Joel Machiela:

“There is a shy seriousness to this record that hides behind a cheeky façade. The hooks will get to you and invade your head for days. The skills of the musicians are apparent without being ostentatious. The influences are all over the place and will keep you on your toes—funk, maybe a little reggae, some soul, indie pop, and by the time you get to the Rage Against the Machine-ish ‘Pho Kit,’ you’re ready for anything.” https://salem33.com/2019/04/04/wild-ire-misery-machine/

Joel is a hard-sell too.

I actually sat down with three-fourths of the band a couple days before their release show back in April at The Space Concert Club, (Singer Jake Mayes could not make it to the interview).

I would say that Wild Ire is one of the more “serious” bands in town. They continue to put out new music, seem selective about where and how often they play, and they get out of Salem with some regularity. Which, in my opinion, is a must if you want to develop yourself as a well-rounded band. When I asked them about this drive and seriousness, Taner Jones (bass), and Jesse Palmer (lead guitar and vocals) immediately pointed at Nick Turner (drums), who smiled big and didn’t deny it. I’m often curious what bands are chasing; what is their idea of “making it” in today’s climate.

It seems to me the days are gone where an artist could put out a great (or not) album that gets picked up and they’re catapulted into superstardom overnight. The entire industry has changed so that “getting signed” is a thing of the past. It seems like bands/artists are more “made” these days for commercial consumption – artistry be damned. So I wanted to know what success looks like to Wild Ire. Their answer made me stroke my imaginary fu manchu and say, “Yesssss Grasshopper.” They expressed that making it for them would be to share bills with bands they like and look up to. Artists such as: Covet, Strawberry Girls, Jason Richardson, Eidola, and Thank You, Scientist. What reasonable and unpretentious goals. No limos and stadiums and attention-starved groupies. Just more realness from one of the most solid bands in town. - Julie Eaton - Salem33

Okay, so this thing starts out with some vocal “oohs,” “woos,” “yeahs,” and other silliness, and I’m immediately writing it off in my head as just another bit of juvenile bullshit. The guitar hits and it’s almost like a parody of a funk song—like “let’s take funk and make it bland!” The vocals come in and they’re just a bit too sweet, which isn’t helping. It’s only been about 15 seconds and I’m already prepared to hate this album. Then the lyrics go rapid-fire and I’m intrigued. A couple of high harmony hits and I’m smiling. By the time the song builds to its first big drop, I’m sold. This is something solid. It’s playful, but there’s feeling behind it. And when it gets to the breakdown—damn.

That first song, “Freaky Business,” creates the mold for the rest of this EP. There are layers. There is a shy seriousness to this record that hides behind a cheeky façade. The hooks will get to you and invade your head for days. The skills of the musicians are apparent without being ostentatious. The influences are all over the place and will keep you on your toes—funk, maybe a little reggae, some soul, indie pop, and by the time you get to the Rage Against the Machine-ish “Pho Kit,” you’re ready for anything. So of course the next song, “Lil Schlub” effortlessly turns from a Jack Johnson-in-a-dream piece of fluff into an odd bit of Twenty One Pilots-ish emo rap. Something like that could easily sound like garbage, but Wild Ire has the skills to pull it off.

There aren’t really too many negatives on this one. If there’s a throwaway tune, it’s the EP’s second song, “Matthew.” That’s not to say that it’s a bad song. It’s pretty good, but it doesn’t have the hooky goodness that the rest of the songs throw at you. The production on this album is fantastic, but it is just ever-so-slightly “bright” for my tastes. It feels a bit brittle—just a little. And I wish the vocals on “Pho Kit” were a tad more up front. I mean, it’s a song called “Pho Kit” (say it out loud) and I can’t quite follow why it is that I’m yelling “Pho Kit!” But I am, and you’ll be yelling “Pho Kit!” as well.

There’s a charming moment on the last song, “Sweet Goodnights,” where a slight flub on the guitar leads to a subtle laugh on the vocal track. It’s lovely and I’m glad they left it in. I’m glad I pushed through my initial impressions and let this record play. I’ve listened to it over and over as a whole and I look forward to its individual components appearing randomly when my car stereo is on shuffle. So go buy this record. Don’t just stream it. Give these people your money. Go to their shows. Get a sticker and put it on your car. Buy a t-shirt and wear it while you practice your kickflips. Your kickflips need work. - Joel Machiela - Salem33.com

Recorded on the afternoon of May 4th, outside of Broadway Cafe. Originally posted by Austin Rich.

Julie & Austin convene to talk about music and the Salem scene. In this episode, we interview local rock band Wild Ire. (Jesse: Guitar, Nick: Drums, Tanner: Bass. Not pictured, Jake: Vocals.) - Roughshod Radio

Oregon-based and recent Headbang for the Highway’s Alumni Fest winners Wild Ire has released a lyric video for their latest single “Ragtime Gal”. The alternative rock track has an immediate late 19th century novelty vibe before launching into an explosive, full-band earworm. Written about anxiety and depression, guitarist Jesse Palmer says “It’s a song to bring your heart to sadness all while insisting you bang your head.“

The lyric video for the single was created by Zack Williams and the track comes from the band’s debut album Antisocial Butterfly, released earlier this year. The Salem quartet formed in 2014, steadily releasing singles and EPs, including their self-titled effort and their sophomore release Me and My Friends. Since inception, Wild Ire has toured much of the Northwestern states and most recently sharing stages with Strawberry Girls, Jason Richardson and Covet’s Yvette Young. - Music Existence

Mix-n-Mash, an event featuring three days of activities, comes to Shotski's and Capital Taproom Feb. 25-27. The highlight of the weekend may be the all-ages kick-off event featuring the EP release show of local new band Wild Ire.

Formed in 2015, Wild Ire is a four-piece alt-rock band including Nicholas Turner on drums, Jesse Palmer on lead guitar and vocals, Taner Jones on bass, Jacob Mayes on rhythm guitar and vocals.

“The band went through many incarnations before landing with the lineup we have today,” Turner said.

“Jesse and I met because of a mutual friend that asked me to jam. I pretty much knew right then I had come upon something special. So since then, I put all my effort to get the band off the ground, and I'm so proud of this EP we put together. This whole band consists of the best of my friends that I consider my brothers.” - Statesman Journal