An Interview with “Hurr and Madd”

Today we are bringing you an interview with a very unique and talented group Hurr and Madd. They are not only artists but also authors.

Twist Online : First Tell us a little about the starting of the Hurr and Madd?
Hurr and Madd : We are James and Priscilla Turner (J.P. Turner) authors of Hurr and Madd the book and soundtrack series. Hurr and Madd started in 2014 when we were writing and recording songs to tell stories from our personal experiences and recreating those moments within our music. The songs we wrote initially were sort of random tales that we pulled from our past and expounded on. We challenged ourselves to write directly from those perspectives, be it good or bad moments. After listening to the songs over with our friends, we realize that instead of telling stories through each song we could actually write an epic story and compile and create songs for the entire series. The idea is to read the story and listen to the music at the same time. It was then that Hurr and Madd was formed. We wrote the story, worked with amazing graphic artists to create the perfect artwork, and then we produced the music to complement the story and bring it even more to life! We decided that the project would benefit from episodes in which each episode would include a uniquely constructed soundtrack of fantasy pop music and graphic art.

Twist Online: Why you chose the name Hurr and Madd is there any reason or influence behind it?
Hurr and Madd: Hurr and Madd are the main characters within our story line. As you’ll find out when you read the story, Hurr is short for Hurriah and Madd is a nickname for a prominent citizen from the 1800’s. The story is very elaborate and fitting to their personalities.

Twist Online : Tell us about your song “Maybe we can”? .
Hurr and Madd : “Maybe We Can” is a song that describes a moment within the story in which Hurr and Madd have found themselves in an extremely foreign and perilous situation. The two protagonists are trying to survive their placement of being alienated in a world that is unfamiliar and haunting. “Maybe We Can” is a song that specifically expresses their loneliness and desire to return back to their normal lives as they know it and the song articulates their hopes to make it out of that situation. This part of the soundtrack and story is influenced by the hard times we experienced within our personal lives. Like when we had to live out of our car because we had not place to call home. It was a hard time for us but we kept hope alive and made it out of the situation by staying positive and loving and depending on each other.

Twist Online : Do you work according to plans to achieve your goals?
Hurr and Madd : Yes, we have plans but most of it is constructed out as we go from one step to the next. We believe that once people read our story and hear our music, they will be able to feel our passion and fall in love with the characters just as we have. Our plan is to continue to keep exposing ourselves, creating, and offering quality music and stories to our fans.

Twist Online : Your group also writes. Is it limited to songs or you also write about other things?
Hurr and Madd : Yes, we enjoy writing music and stories mainly. We have both been through a lot in our life and writing is what has saved us. It’s served as an escape for us and we can’t have one without the other! We enjoy writing about real life events as well and fantasy fiction which allows us to be unlimited in our creativity.

Twist Online : What would you name your music genre? Any specific genre you follow or its combination of different?
Hurr and Madd : So far, we have defined ourselves as “fantasy pop” because we have so many musical influences and elements within our music and the feeling is dreamy yet the sounds and writing style we use is extremely familiar but different. Also, our graphics within our book is very fantasy so we wanted to make sure our music brought the characters we created to life.

Twist Online : Tell us more about your songs. Which one is your favorite?
Hurr and Madd : We have a five cryptic song EP soundtrack to go along with Hurr and Madd Episode 1 the unknown. Each of the song describes certain moods and feelings within the story. The first song “Oppressed” describes the harsh reality of the mentally enslaved Artwurlians. It has a dark and theatrical overtone with a low bass line and poetic lyrics that takes listeners on ride as they begin the journey through the story. “Bad but Beautiful” describes the emotion that one of the rebellious Artwurlians feels when she runs across an intimate encounter that is spellbinding and potentially toxic. The song has a modern R&B feel with sensual lyrics. “The Unknown” defines the mystery and lonesome feeling behind one of the main characters Hurr. She is lost in a world that she’s never been in and this song describes her desire to find her way out. The dark duet “Just an Ant” introduces the second main character Madd. The two protagonists engage in a meeting of the minds as they look around at their surroundings in a graveyard where the dead is buried in dirt piles that make them feel small. With both wanting to find their way home, the song “Maybe we can” describes the possibility of them getting back to reality as long as they work together. We love them all but we find ourselves enjoying “Bad But Beautiful” in our most intimate moments.

Twist Online : Any new project you are working on? When it will be released?
Hurr and Madd : Every 6 months we will release another episode and we are looking forward to releasing Episode 2, which will be in December 2016 with new parts of storyline, new music, and new graphic art! We also have an audio chronicle (epic audio book) which will be released episodically as well, with more unique songs and readings by us J.P. Turner. You’ll hear our voice and experience a movie in your mind!

Twist Online : Are you on Social Media? Your fans would love to follow you.
Hurr and Madd : We would love to stay in contact with our fans on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/hurrandmadd and our twitter @Hurr_and_Madd also you can find us on YouTube for more songs posted! Or they can stay updated on our website www.hurrandmadd.com We are looking to connect with people who see our vision and enjoy our work!