Amazing vocals, stellar riffs, and dynamic drumming are what Megafauna brings to the table. With their album Maximalist, they portray emotion and attitude in such a superb and effortless way. Not only is their music something to rock out to, but also their lyrics are deep-seated and full of emotion. Megafauna gives off a badass garage rock vibe all while having elements of rawness in their words. Singer and guitarist, Dani Neff, is a woman of many trades. She’s a musician, an artist, a dancer, a painter, a feminist, and a lawyer. If you think her talents are impressive, take a listen to Maximalist. Neff talks to us about the creative process of the album and the concept of their single “Haunted Factory.” By Nelly Martinez
Cliché: What is the meaning behind the album name Maximalist?
Dani Neff: Maximalist refers to the modern world, a world overloaded with information, choices, experiences, and sensations. A Maximalist is someone who can find balance and peace in the madness.
Who came up with the name Megafauna and what does it mean?
Our former bass player came up with the name. It was the name of his friend’s intramural basketball team. [laughs] We thought Megafauna was a great description of our music.
In your opinion, which track is the most carefree, and which one has the deepest lyrics?
The most carefree track is “Time to Go” and the one with the deepest lyrics is probably “Carnie Girl.”
Where was the album’s inspiration drawn from and how was the creative process?
I am inspired by my own life experience and emotions as well as poets, fiction writers, musicians, painters, and filmmakers. The inspiration is broad. The creative process depends on the song. Songs like “Carnie Girl” flowed out of me, almost entirely written. Other songs like “Chromatic Fantasy” took years to complete. Some songs, like “Haunted Factory,” involved more collaboration with bandmates than other songs, like “Eggs,” which I brought to the band essentially finished.
The video for “Haunted Factory” was filmed in Texas’ oldest psychiatric hospital; tell us about the concept, and how was the overall experience?
The concept of the video is that I am trapped in a haunted factory and eventually escape into an idyllic forest. The symbolic meaning of this is that my character in the video has to face her fears head on in order to set herself free. Shooting the video was really fun and exhausting. I danced for about twenty hours straight on a cement floor.
Megafauna Interview: Photographed by Dalton Campbell
