Buzzgrinder: "Well yeah, it’s interesting because, you know, there’s got to be some shifts along the way when you start out as a high school band. Talking about high school, talking about relationships, talking about authority. And, you know, just sort of blanket “I hate authority-isms” (chuckles). And then growing up, paying bills, mortgage. Making a career out of music. You know … as a songwriter I try really hard to, for one, be honest and not write about something I have no idea about. Or something I can’t relate to. And, at the same time, keep things interesting. You know, I’m not going to write a song about paying bills … So there are parallels to being in a band and everybody else being part of the workforce. It’s a different type of job, but we are out there, working really hard and traveling. It’s kind of like a circus in a way (chuckles). But I try to use that and draw parallels to what our normal listener may be going through. And, you know, as far as subject matter, I try to keep things fresh. But at the same time it’s always usually pretty universal. Sometimes maybe about relationships. A lot of it may be just about experiences. Social ideas, social struggles. Politics definitely come into that a lot … Ever since, I think around Teenage Politics, I had a couple of songs that were about politics. But ever since then I really haven’t had too many songs directly involving politics. Usually more of, like, the ideals around politics or comments on the status quo. Authority or an administration. Stuff like that. But it’s usually a little bit broader (An Interview with Mike Herrera of MxPx).
Michael Arthur Herrera (b. November 6, 1976) is an American musician most widely known as the vocalist and bass guitarist for the pop punk band MxPx, as well as being the front-man of his new band Tumbledown. Herrera married his wife Holli in 2001. The two currently reside in Bremerton, Washington, with their cat and two dogs. Herrera not only plays bass but guitar and piano as well. Herrera is a Christian, along with the other members of Mxpx, although they prefer to not be called a Christian band. On the topic of their faith Mike Herrera has been quoted saying "We are Christian. It’s not a cult or something. It’s part of our story and I guess it’s different and controversial. But it’s a personal thing. It’s what we choose to believe. That’s all there is to it. We don’t preach to anyone." (Wikipedia).
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