Meen in Beirut

Meen first came to the attention of triplew.me when we were looking for regional talent to showcase as part of our launch, and we were instantly taken with their catchy, and fun, melodies blended with off-the-wall lyrics, we knew we had to get in touch with them.  Meen, currently preparing for a summer of shows across Lebanon, are led by two brothers, Toni and Fouad Yammine and have a reputation as a fantastic live act.

Surviving so long, for any band no matter what the circumstance, requires dedication, creativity and respect. Meen has all the above, and more.  As Toni puts it "Inspiration is not as complicated as what “artists” make it seem" he goes on to add "you just need the will to keep on working, and inspiration will take care of itself, and when your work is so much fun, then you don’t even need a motivation!". In fact, it seems like Meen and OK Go could swap notes on online promotion, because both 'get' it and how important it is to the music industry in the online age.

If you haven't heard Meen - check out Makshoof Music and be sure to visit their web pages to understand exactly what they are. We've said enough! Continuing our theme of discovery, triplew.me talked to Meen about the online world, their fans and what makes Meen their quirky selves. Oh, and the future...

Firstly, tell us what’s happening in the world of Meen right now?

We are currently preparing a new tour for the summer festivals in Lebanon. We will be having concerts all around the country, and we might be traveling for some events abroad. We are also working on our new album.

Your songs blend clever lyrics with infectious melodies and very cool grooves (rhythm section very tight!) – How do you keep your writing so fresh?

That’s what real pop music is about! Catchy melodies, quirky lyrics, tight and groovy rhythm section, and great energy on stage! If you have all that, then you got yourself a hit! Talent is surely essential, but it is not enough! You need to keep your visions wide, really understand your tools, the production process, songwriting techniques, and know how to select the right doses.

How important to you is it to make your music accessible online?

It is essential! Sharing music is so important, and that’s how music works. You only buy CDs because you know a band and you already like the music. You only go to concerts because you adore the band, and you already have a favorite song. That’s why we do release all our music under the CC (Creative Commons) license. Anyone can take our songs, copy them and share them with friends, family, online, etc… and not only it is ok with us, but we want you to do so. You don’t even need to ask for permission!

Also, as a band that’s very good at online promotion of your music, what’s your opinion on the worldwide music downloading and piracy issue?

I think musicians and production companies have to get real and start to understand what is happening. People do share the music online because they like it, isn’t it great? There are so many alternatives for making money than by selling cds in the traditional way. Look at what Radiohead did with their “In Rainbows” album, they were so cool, they rocked, and they made billions!

You’ve probably played hundreds of them, but what is your favorite concert that Meen has played and why?

Woo that is a hard question! This will sound so lame but each one of them is kind of unique. A concert in Alay where you see ragheb alameh fans jumping all over on your music is really cool, but is a bit different then playing for rock fans in downtown (Beirut). And both are great! But if I have to select one concert, that would probably be the one of our LIVE album, and because it is self-produced, we were able to include all our twisted and sick ideas.

Do you think there’s a big future for original music in the region?

That’s a sure thing! And it was always the case in the region and worldwide, and I can’t see any reason why that would change now.

Any advice for young bands who might look up to you about how to get seen, heard and noticed (aside from triplew.me of course!)?

I would say the most important thing is to be authentic, be yourself, and do what you love! Follow your passions, ignore everyone, and work hard. But also work smartly, being in the wrong jungle, even if you are working really hard, won’t get you anywhere.

I know it was only December since your release of the live album, but any plans for Meen to release anything else soon?

We already started working on the new album. We have all the songs almost ready as lyrics and melody and basic arrangements, we just need to record them, but this takes lots of time. We believe it should be available in December, hopefully.