By Daniel Griffin

For someone who writes, creates and records all his own music, 22 year-old MEGA is a rather humble guy.

MEGA, who is Las Cruces born and raised, doesn’t give off the typical Southwestern vibe in his appearance, demeanor or style of music. He has that “cool guy” vibe without the air of pompousness that accompanies musicians more often than not.

MEGA, who asked that his real name not be tied to his music, is an eclectic combination of different parts in his life, which are, in turn, used to create the music he makes.

Influenced by life

In fact, if one happened to hear a MEGA song such as “Solid Gold,” it would be more reminiscent of a solid electronic dance track and far apart from most other local music coming out of Las Cruces. This all makes sense when considering the project MEGA got its start in Sacramento, Calif., and what influences the music isn’t as simple as his home town.

“Las Cruces definitely influences me, but I wouldn’t limit it to just that,” said MEGA.
There is a certain amount of detail and purpose that can be attributed for everything MEGA does – and that sort of certainty that even shines through in his music.

Origins of name

The name MEGA is the shortened name of the original project name, which was Mega Putty.  This term came from the Putty Patrol, the army used by the arch villain of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers during the show’s first season. After a full year of being called Mega Putty, the name was shortened to MEGA and has been the same ever since.

Although MEGA is from Las Cruces, there are places he’d rather be. Las Cruces isn’t as inviting musically as it was in Sacramento, where the project got its start. For that reason alone, there are cities such as Phoenix and Austin that MEGA would rather live in because the music scene is much more inviting and everyone isn’t into whatever is popular music-wise. MEGA even mentioned moving back to Sacramento when asked about it.

When asked how he got into making music, MEGA attributed it to one group, AIDS B***H. A friend of MEGA’s showed him the group’s demo, and MEGA was so elated with what he heard made him want to start recording his own music.

Instruments of choice – Mac and PC

Shortly thereafter, a few songs were made, and from then on the project took off. The music is made all on his two computers, one a PC and one a Mac.

When asked why it was all done on computers MEGA said, “Everything sounds full. If I had more people, I would be more open to live sound.” While MEGA said that he doesn’t really listen to any new music, he did cite Fischerspooner as being one of the only bigger bands he found musical influence from. He said he listens to the music his friends’ bands create.

Intentional sound

The words and tones of MEGA’s music are anything but accidents; his songs sound the way they do because he meant them to sound like that. The situations are real and content isn’t meant for everyone, he points out.

“My audience age group is 18-24. I have a little bit more adult underlying concepts, I don’t write things for 14 year-olds,” said MEGA.

Currently, MEGA is in school. He is a Creative Media student at New Mexico State University whose focus is on sound design. MEGA said it would help him to create better music and have a more professional sound.

“It’s critical that I move on,” MEGA added.

Real-life connections

Apart from being in school and working on new music, MEGA said he spent a majority of his time managing relationships with friends because “if I don’t have anything going in my life, I don’t have anything to write about.” 

One of MEGA’s close friends and fellow artist Tom McFarland described MEGA as being “fun, random and weird, but in a good way.” If one were to look at MEGA’s Twitter account the words fun, random and weird would definitely come to mind. (The latest reading: Light as a feather, stiff as a boner.)

When asked about the flurry of bizarre Twitter posts MEGA said, “If I hear funny things I’ll put it on Twitter.”

When it comes to live music, MEGA has played a number of shows in Las Cruces and lately has been playing more live shows in Albuquerque including one at the Launchpad last month.

For his fans who have been asking him for new music, he’s got a new song called “Like An Animal” that comes out this summer.

After hearing MEGA’s music, it is clear that the songs made aren’t commonplace pop hits and they actually have substance to them. The lyrics in MEGA’s songs and especially his latest single, “Solid Gold,” show that while the words sung are synthesized and mixed incredibly well with the overall sound of the song, what’s being said has a harsh dosage of reality. It was pointed out that the lyrics to “Solid Gold” were written about a relationship MEGA was in where what sounded good, unfortunately, wasn’t reality.

In this light MEGA’s music starts to take shape –  that it is just one man expressing himself, yet staying true to himself and his music. As MEGA said, “Doing what I do.”

If anyone wants to check out MEGA music, go to www.myspace.com/MEGA or see his Twitter at www.twitter.com/softbeats