MGT will be releasing their new album, Gemini Nyte, on 23rd February on Cleopatra Records
Originally from Birmingham, UK, Mark Gemini Thwaite has been the former guitarist for The Mission & Peter Murphy and South African vocalist Ashton Nyte has his own project The Awakening.The upcoming album Gemini Nyte features 13 new songs written and recorded by Thwaite and Nyte, plus Paul Ferguson (Killing Joke) on drums and guest appearances by Burton C Bell (Fear Faactory) and Lol Tolhurst & Pearl Thompson – founding members of The Cure. You can check out their latest track from the album, All The Broken Things, below!
We managed to catch up with Mark and Ashton as they talk about the upcoming album and more!
How excited are you for the release of Gemini Nyte?
Ashton: Very excited! It has felt like a long wait for us and to finally see the album released is both a relief and cause for celebration.
Mark: Extremely excited. We started this album theoretically back in the fall of 2015 when working on our collaborations for my ‘Volumes’ album, and it’s been a very long time coming.
What is your favourite track from the release?
Ashton: If I had to choose one, I’d go with The Assembly Line. Mark’s moody chord sequences were a perfect pallet for me to draw from. Lyrically and melodically it is probably my favourite contribution to the album and favourite song in general. I enjoy that kind of space, atmosphere, tension and release in music.
Mark: I love Assembly Line too, but if having to play just one song from the album to someone to give them a sense of what to expect, I wouldn’t be surprised if I chose ‘Everything Undone’. It’s such a fantastic moment when the chorus kicks in! And ‘All the Broken Things’ a close second!
Can you tell us something nobody knows about the album?
Ashton: If you play it backwards it still makes perfect sense, just not to all the same people.
Mark: One of the songs contains guitar parts I previously composed and used on a song by my old band The Mission. Wayne Hussey is aware.. we’ll see if anyone spots which one..
How much do you owe to the guys at Cleopatra Records that helped you put together this record?
Ashton: Having a label commit to a new project in 2017 / 2018 is a blessing.
Mark: Cleoptra have been fantastic. I was previously signed to another label for the last MGT album ‘Volumes’, and although they initially seemed positive about releasing the ‘Gemini Nyte’ album at some point, as the demos dated back to late 2015/early 2016, it was Cleopatra who finally stepped up and wanted to release it. They really believe in the record, and they have a great staff there who all work really hard.
If you could work with any band on new song, who would it be and why?
Ashton: My life long dream is to share vocals with Kate Bush. Kate, if you’re reading this…
Mark: So many bands out there past and present, so this is a tough one… probably Siouxsie and the Banshees, she has such an amazing voice and presence, and a new Siouxsie album is long overdue!
Would you consider going back to the UK to tour Mark?
Mark: But of course. It’s not called ‘Great’ Britain for nothing! But seriously, yes would be a pleasure to play more shows in my home country, and Europe too..
Do you find it different playing as a duo rather than a full band?
Ashton: Oh we do play live as a full band. We usually perform as a 4 piece live, with dear friends joining us on bass and drums.
Mark: This is true. However when we do perform as a duo, Ashton strums my guitar with his left hand and I form the chords with my right hand. Its all about teamwork.
What’s it like having the likes of Lol Tolhurst & Pearl Thompson from The Cure perform on the album?
Ashton: Once again, a tremendous blessing. The Cure has been an influence on so many, ourselves included and to have Lol and Pearl bring some of their magic to our work is a true joy.
Mark: Fantastic to have Lol and Pearl playing on something, I think it’s the first time they have collaborated musically in a very long time, quite possibly not since the heyday of the Cure back in the 80s and 90s.. they contributed keyboards and guitars respectively to a ‘Cured’ mix of ‘The Assembly Line’, which is getting its own dedicated standalone release next month. Sounds fantastic.
What was the first gig you both attended?
Ashton: I think the first international band I saw play live was Depeche Mode in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1994. Precious few bands toured South Africa pre-1994 and seeing the Devotional Tour was not a bad place to start. I saw The Rolling Stones the following year, which remains one of my favourite concert experiences to date.
Mark: Mine was British rock band UFO – with Girl supporting, featuring a young Phil Collen of Def Leppard and Phil Lewis of LA Guns– at Birmingham Odeon England way back in 1980. The distant dawn of time… both bands were great!