Massy Ferguson I Interview

On the Road Between Roots and Reinvention I Interview

Massy Ferguson from Seattle, USA are currently on their first European tour, and we had the chance to speak with frontman Ethan Anderson about life on the road, songwriting, and the band’s evolution after nearly two decades together.

Before diving into the interview, it’s worth taking a closer look at Massy Ferguson’s sonic identity. Rooted in Americana but shaped by their Pacific Northwest origins, the band’s Twang-rock sound balances warm, ringing guitar tones with rock-driven dynamics and narrative depth. Their latest single “Lights Get Low” captures this perfectly: an intimate opening riff sets the tone before drums and layered instrumentation gradually build tension. The track feels handmade and honest, a road-trip companion that’s both comforting and quietly powerful. Nearly 20 years into their career, Massy Ferguson haven’t just defined a sound - they’ve continued to expand it.

The band is currently presenting their latest album “You Can’t Tell Me I’m Not What I Used To Be” to European audiences, and if you get the chance to see them live, we highly recommend it.

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Remaining Tour Dates

12/15 Vienna, Austria | Cafe Carina

12/17 Graz, Austria | Aporon 21

12/19 Jena, Germany | Irish Pub

12/20 Bamberg, Germany | Live Club

(Tickets available at all official presale points.)

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Now, let’s take a closer look at what Ethan told us about touring, songwriting, and why Massy Ferguson’s current chapter feels like a long journey still unfolding.

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INDIENOXZINE: Your first European tour is officially underway. How does it feel to finally bring your music across the Atlantic?

ETHAN ANDERSON: We’ve actually toured quite a bit in Spain and the UK, but this is definitely new territory for us being in Central Europe. Anytime you get a chance to test your music in a different situation with a different audience, it’s a mixture of exciting and terrifying. So far, it’s been very exciting. The great audiences have kept it from being terrifying.

INDIENOXZINE: You’ve been a band for nearly 20 years. How has this long history shaped who Massy Ferguson are today?

ETHAN: I think at the end of the day, we know each other really well. We know each each other‘s strengths and weaknesses musically, and personally. We have a particular bond as a group that only happens when you’ve been together a really long time and we also have a tremendous amount of respect for each other. It’s hard when you know people really well, but it also brings a really tight brotherhood, so to speak.

I: Coming from Seattle, a city known for grunge and alternative rock - how did you end up finding your own niche in Twang-Rock?

ETHAN: Where we live, it feels very much like the frontier. The northwest of the US is still pretty wild and for some reason, country and twangy music makes sense in that context too. The thing is, we were all influenced by the grunge era, so that’s probably why our music is a combination of twangy and also dark and distorted sometimes.

I: Your sound blends narrative songwriting with rock energy and that recognizable “twang.” When you write, what usually comes first: the story, the riff, or a feeling from the road?

ETHAN: With us, it usually starts with our guitar player Adam playing some lick or chords and sometimes he’ll even have a line for a song. Then I usually work to build the story around that with lyrics and contribute small changes. Our drummer Dave and our keys player Fred also help on the finishing touches but it all starts usually with some interesting thing on guitar that Adam is doing.

I: Twang-Rock isn’t a genre people encounter every day. What does “twang” mean to you personally?

ETHAN: I think twang is just another way to say Americana music. And I would say that the way we play is just an authentic expression of where we came from in a specific pocket of the United States, growing up with the music around us plus the influence of classic country and blues. And grunge. I always thought Kurt Cobain was a bit twangy by the way. Our twang is really just an outpouring of where we come from and who we are.

I: Many of your songs feel rooted in real life: home, distance, work, movement. Which themes resonate most strongly with you right now?

ETHAN: Right now, personally, I’ve been doing this for a long time and so as you get older, you start thinking about the meaning of life so I would say a lot of the songs and lyrical content I’m playing with right now are exploring existentialism and what it is to be alive. I also am drawn to stories of people who have made bad choices, and the reasons. In that way, it’s about empathy in songwriting for the human condition.

I: “Lights Get Low” feels intimate yet spacious, almost like a road-trip soundtrack. What inspired the song musically and lyrically?

ETHAN: It came, again, from a guitar lick that Adam was doing, and he had a line he was playing with about the lights getting low. I tried to build a song around it, which lyrically is just about the idea of “performance”, whether you’re playing a show, or in the bedroom. “Show out on the stage or by the flickering flame” for example.

I: Now that you’ve played your very first show in Europe, what was your first impression of the audience?

ETHAN: So far the audiences have been great! We’ve had some amazing experiences already with some very appreciative audiences. I think that’s what we really enjoy, playing a show and meeting the people.

I: Touring can be both energizing and exhausting. What’s something about life on the road that fans rarely see?

ETHAN: Touring is very difficult for people that are into comfort. A van is not very comfortable, usually you have to stay in different places every night, which isn’t that comfortable. You have to really be adaptable. I think sleeping in a different bed every night is probablysomething that most fans don’t realize is a bit challenging. The main thing is, you sleep when you can and you sleep where you can.

I: Any rituals or habits that help you stay grounded and connected as a band while traveling?

ETHAN: I enjoy reading on the road as a way to stay grounded, and as a distraction. I recently for the first time broke down and bought a Kindle so I’ve got all sorts of books that way, and it doesn’t take up a bunch of room in my bag. Another kind of funny ritual we have is making sure we get a good lunch before a gig and one or two beers at lunch. Then usually the driver drives and we take a nap :)

I: After this first European run, what’s next for Massy Ferguson? New releases, collaborations, or maybe even a return to Europe?

ETHAN: After this tour, we are thinking it’s time to get back in the studio. We’ve had some really good experiences in Mexico City and so we are thinking about maybe recording an album down there and collaborating with some of the musicians there that we know, including the drummer who’s with us on this tour. As long as you’re still writing new music and creating, a band is still alive. Right now we’re in a very creative place where we are writing a ton of stuff almost daily.

I: If your current phase as a band were a road movie, what would the title be?

ETHAN: That’s a great question! Since we’ve been around so long, maybe “the long, long road to somewhere”.

Thanks to Ethan Anderson for taking the time to speak with us while on tour. We’re excited to see where this road leads next and if Massy Ferguson’s past is any indication, it’s a journey well worth following.

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"Lights Get Low" is now featured on the INDIENOXZINE Playlist - follow the playlist to stay updated on new highlights.

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🎧 Listen to Massy Ferguson here: Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube

📱 Follow Massy Ferguson here: Facebook / Website / Bandcamp

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Photos by Niffer Calderwell

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The video to "Lights Get Low" is also featured on our INDIENOXZINE YouTube Playlist. Check it out for more great videos!