Of Mice & Men | Interview

Interview by Brooke Gibbs

FUTUREMAG MUSIC: It’s been a while since you’ve been back in Australia, and you’ve described it as feeling a bit like coming home. What is it about Australia that resonates so much with you?

OF MICE & MEN: Australia reminds us a lot of California — lots of sunshine, friendly people, great music culture, and people who genuinely love hanging out and having a good time. It feels like a twin country to our home state in a lot of ways.

There’s such a positive energy there, incredible food and culture, and fans who are always excited to see us. We don’t get to tour Australia that often — usually once per album cycle — so every visit feels really special. Honestly, it does feel like coming home.

FUTUREMAG MUSIC: Australian crowds are definitely known for going hard. How do Australian shows compare to touring in other parts of the world?

OF MICE & MEN: Australia absolutely goes hard. We toured there with Limp Bizkit once and a few barricades definitely got broken.

Every country has its own energy, but whenever we lock in an Australian tour, we immediately get excited. The fans out there always bring this huge response from the second a tour is announced, and there’s just something really special about the atmosphere.

FUTUREMAG MUSIC: You’re bringing Crystal Lake along for the tour. Why were they the perfect fit?

OF MICE & MEN: Their music is super heavy and we’ve wanted to tour with them for a long time. We’d never actually managed to make it happen before, but since we’re label mates on Century Media, we were finally able to lock it in.

They bring such an incredible energy live, and we love the culture and passion they bring from Japan. Their music is killer, and we’re excited for people to experience that live and in-your-face.

For us, tours are about more than just playing songs — we want people to come out, feel entertained, have fun with friends, make new friends, and create memories.

FUTUREMAG MUSIC: Your shows are intense, but in the best possible way. How do you balance that heaviness with genuine connection to the crowd?

OF MICE & MEN: A lot of it comes down to balancing the setlist — creating peaks and valleys so there are moments to breathe and reset. You don’t want people to feel barraged for an hour and a half straight.

Our songs also come from a really genuine emotional place. There’s vulnerability in performing them, and there’s vulnerability from the audience when they sing those songs back to us. Sharing that energy together creates a really special connection.

As we’ve gotten older, we’ve also become more intentional and theatrical with how we build a live show. Earlier in our career, it was all “go, go, go” and cram in as many songs as possible. Now we think more about pacing, atmosphere, and making the experience feel balanced and rewarding — for us physically and for the audience emotionally.

FUTUREMAG MUSIC: Rock and metal have exploded again recently. How do you feel the scene has evolved over the last few years?

OF MICE & MEN: Rock and metal have definitely been on the rise. For a while it felt like things were bubbling underground, but now it feels like it’s erupting to the surface.

You’ve got bands like Sleep Token, Bad Omens, and Pierce the Veil selling out arenas and topping charts. It’s exciting because a rising tide lifts all ships.

We’ve toured with some of the biggest bands in the world, and they all say the same thing: music scenes ebb and flow. You just stay in the water, keep creating, and be ready for the next wave.

We’re supporting our ninth album now, which is honestly insane to think about. The only reason we’re still able to do this is because of the fans. Millions of people still listen to our music every month, and that’s something we’ll never take for granted.

FUTUREMAG MUSIC: You’ve built such a huge legacy already, with millions of streams behind you. What keeps pushing you creatively?

OF MICE & MEN: We genuinely just love making music. It’s more about the journey than the destination for us.

Writing songs gives us a creative outlet, but it’s also a healthy emotional outlet. It lets us talk about thoughts and feelings we might not otherwise express in everyday life.

We still love the process of getting together, writing, creating, and chasing inspiration. That passion hasn’t gone away.

FUTUREMAG MUSIC: It’s really obvious that this still feels fun for you guys — not just like a job.

OF MICE & MEN: Absolutely. The fans are what make all of this possible, and we take that responsibility seriously.

At the end of the day, we’re just humans talking about the human experience through music. That’s why it connects. We’re fans too — we still go to concerts, support our favourite artists, and love being part of this community.

Music can be an escape, a safe place, or a way for people to feel understood. That’s something we always keep close to our hearts when we write and perform.

FUTUREMAG MUSIC: You released a new album last year. How does the newer material translate live compared to the older songs?

OF MICE & MEN: A lot of longtime fans have told us the newer material feels connected to our earlier records, especially Restoring Force.

At its core, the new music comes from a very emotional and honest place, and we think that’s what people are connecting with. Sonically it sits in a similar lane, but emotionally it carries that same kind of intensity and vulnerability.

FUTUREMAG MUSIC: Lastly, for anyone coming to the Australian tour — what’s next for the band, and how can fans continue supporting you?

OF MICE & MEN: There’s always new music on the horizon. We’re also working on expanding the web store and bringing some really killer new merch designs out for this run.

Honestly though, the biggest thing is just: come out and have a good time. Bring friends, or even come solo. Some of the best experiences happen that way.

We’ve always felt like our shows are a community space. If you come to an Of Mice & Men show, you’re family. Our fans are incredibly welcoming, supportive, and positive with each other, and we love seeing that.

You never know what saying “yes” to a show might lead to. We’ve literally seen people meet at our gigs, start relationships, get married, and now have kids together.

FUTUREMAG MUSIC: I love that encouragement to go solo to shows. You shouldn’t miss seeing a band you love just because your friends don’t want to go.

OF MICE & MEN: Exactly. Going solo can actually open the door to amazing experiences and new friendships. People at our shows are genuinely kind and complimentary to each other because the environment feels honest and welcoming.

We don’t really create that ourselves — we’re just up there playing the music — but because the music comes from a meaningful place, fans turn it into a meaningful community experience.

So if your friends bail, still come. You never know who you’ll meet or how it might change your life.

And hey, apparently there are already a handful of marriages in our fanbase that started at shows.

FUTUREMAG MUSIC: So you’re saying people could find the love of their life at an Of Mice & Men show?

OF MICE & MEN: No guarantees… but we’re not saying it can’t happen.

“Of Mice & Men guarantees you’ll find love or your money back.” That’s the headline right there.

FUTUREMAG MUSIC:

Thank you so much for your time, guys. We’ll catch you on the Australian tour.

OF MICE & MEN: Thank you — see you soon, Australia. Cheers.