Secular Era is an Electronic Rock band from Kirksville, Missouri, founded by Mike Sullivan and Drexl Bowie. Melodic, yet heavy, their style reflects influences from a wide range of genres, including Heavy Metal, Pop Punk, Synthwave, and more. They can be described as a weaving between HIM, My Chemical Romance, and I See Stars, among others. Check out the exclusive Interview below:
1. Did your musical journey begin with formal training, or was it more of a personal exploration? How has that shaped your unique approach to your craft?
DREXL BOWIE: My journey has always been more of a personal exploration, though there was some element of formal training toward the beginning. I first learned guitar from my church lead back when I was twelve and still a Christian. He was only able to teach me basic chords, so I began going to a local music shop that gave lessons. I started under a college-aged guy who’d been playing in a Metal band for years, which was much more my style. Rather than going through much of the technical aspects of playing, he wanted to give me more freedom in choosing what I learned, so I ended up becoming good through learning songs I loved. First it was simple tracks like “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” then it was tracks like “Welcome to the Jungle,” and eventually to the level of “Master of Puppets.” After a year or two he moved away and another guy from the shop took his place. This man was more of an old-timey Blues player, and this is where I began to learn more technical aspects of the craft. I began to learn more scales, more tricks, and how to improvise on my own. Under his guidance, I began to see how songs were crafted and wrote my first few tracks. After another year or so, the shop unfortunately closed down and I felt I’d been given enough training, so I went on to join Secular Era. From then on I learned new things by learning songs I enjoyed. Throughout all of this, I became a singer by singing in my car. With each new influence I learned, and eventually gained the abilities I do now, by emulating my favorite artists and incorporating things I’ve heard them do. The first time I recognized I could be good was when I began imitating Billie Joe Armstrong. After that I made it a point to expand my range by doing the same with other artists I enjoyed, then put all of them together with my own personal style. I’m still doing this to this day as I learn through experience. I do feel I’ve missed out by not taking formal lessons for singing or joining the school band when I was younger, but I also find that the personal exploration is part of what makes me stand out as an artist. I believe that element has given my music a more personal feel. A more emotional stance that comes through in my words and how I express them. In addition, having time to be educated in literature and to explore other avenues has added much to my style, which would be extremely different if I’d pursued formal music training further than I had. Overall, while I do lack many qualities that those musicians have, my experience has provided a plethora of elements that have enriched my music in ways formal training would not have.
2. Who were some of the most influential figures in your early musical life, and how did they inspire your sound? Also, what’s the story behind choosing the name ‘SECULAR ERA & DREXL BOWIE’?
DREXL BOWIE: The name “Secular Era & Drexl Bowie” is a bit of a weird story, as typically we just go by “Secular Era.” That name stemmed from our desire for a more secular society and a hope that things were moving in that direction. I’ve been the guitarist for Era for around a decade now, but I ended up writing a concept album that was near and dear to my heart, so I wanted to perform most of it myself. This is where the “& Drexl Bowie” (me) comes in. With the project being as personal as it is, I wanted to have my name on it and begin another journey where I can express myself more freely. Yet at the same time, I wanted my band mates to have some hand in the recording and I didn’t want them to feel like I was trying to break from them. With this in mind, and with their recording the bass and drums for the record, I felt it would work best to credit us both, so that I could explore my own musical path while making sure to keep us all fulfilled as a band. Hence, “Secular Era & Drexl Bowie.”
As far as influential figures go, originally I looked up to older Rock and Metal bands such as Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, and Guns N’ Roses. Those are the people I can credit for causing me to want to be a musician. Once I began to hit adolescence, however, I began to drift away from that era toward more Punk and Emo styles. The music of Green Day and My Chemical Romance resonated deeply within my teenage self, and they are likely the ones I credit most in shaping my own style. To this day, they are still my favorite two bands. Otherwise, I should mention Slipknot, who, as I grew older and found myself more at odds with society, inspired me to channel my rage into my music. While these antecedents don’t entirely amount to the sum of what I am, they are certainly the musicians that have shaped my taste most.
3. What do you believe sets your music apart? How would you describe your sound to someone discovering you for the first time, and what emotions or experiences do you hope to evoke in your listeners?
DREXL BOWIE: What sets my music apart is my focus on political and social themes, along with my literary and philosophical nature. I do my best to make my songs fun while also giving people an opportunity to learn more about the human experience at its lower levels. I want people to see the flaws at our core so that they can overcome them in themselves and others. To do this, I take a great deal of inspiration from history, literature, and philosophy, among other things. I’m an avid reader and writer, and I take pride in providing an educational experience in addition to basic musicality. I want my listeners to experience the depths of our being, the shadow that plagues us. I want them to accept the existence of the shadow and to learn about it, so they may come to control it rather than it controlling them. I want them to experience sadness and anger, but with an energy and hope that leads them to grow. To face the pain at our core and be better for it. My sound would be described as a weaving of several different Metal genres, including Heavy Metal, Nu Metal, Alternative Metal, Metalcore, Emo, and Post-hardcore. I take hard hitting guitars and put them together with clean vocals and painful screams. It’s hard to find an exact example, but one could call me a blend between My Chemical Romance, Slipknot, Green Day, and Rage Against the Machine.
4. Music often transcends entertainment. What’s your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles – and do you try and affront any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, personal narrative, and entertainment?
DREXL BOWIE: Why can’t it be all of the above? I find the most compelling and powerful works to be those that can hit all or near all of those marks. There are times where art can be purely for entertainment value. However, I find that the best pieces are those that are not only entertaining, but also prove technical skill while commenting on society in some manner, whether it be politically, culturally, spiritually, or otherwise. I do not claim to hold much technical skill, as I’ve met many who are far and away my superiors in this dimension. Despite this, I do view music (and my music especially) as a vehicle to discuss societal issues and effect change. We are in an era that needs a drastic shift in attitude and policy, and art should be a major factor in alerting people to this fact. There is certainly a time for music that is just for fun, but at this point we need more out of our art and artists. We as a society need a reawakening. We need to move out of this state of regression and that starts with education, culture, and high art.
5. Do you feel the rewards of your musical career match the energy and passion you invest in it, or are there different kinds of fulfillment you’re still seeking?
DREXL BOWIE: It depends on the kinds of rewards we’re looking at. When it comes to financial success or the amount of streams I’m getting, I’ve invested much more than I’ve garnered. In those areas, I would love to receive greater rewards for my efforts. However, at the same time, I’m not a musician because I’m looking to be rich and famous. I’m a musician because I need to express myself and love the process of creating songs. I love the act of performing for people and that in itself is fulfilling. If I was doing this for money or attention, I’d likely have quit long ago. Don’t get me wrong, I do want to be recognized for my efforts and to build a large, dedicated audience. I would love to make a living with my music. Yet for me, at the end of the day, this is about artistic expression and putting my word out into the world for better or worse. That is fulfillment enough.
6. Can you walk us through your creative process? From the first spark of an idea to the finished track, what’s the most essential part of your process, and how do collaboration or external influences shape your work?
DREXL BOWIE: Typically my creative process begins with a concept, theme, or piece of the human experience that I want to explore and discuss, which is the most essential step in my work. Once I have that idea and the questions/feelings I want to evoke in the listener, I’ll begin tracking a guitar demo, either beginning with a riff I’d recorded on my phone or going in cold. After a few days of working on the guitar, I’ll sit down for another few days, writing and rewriting the lyrics, then I’ll record vocals and listen to the demo with a drum track. This goes on for a few weeks while I take notes on things I want to add or change. I’ll go to my singer in Secular Era, Mike Sullivan, where I’ll record the final guitars before he adds his own bass track. I’ll do the final vocals there, then add drums by his brother Mark. After another week or two of listening, I’ll go back in and fix anything I don’t like before sending it off to Bret Liber of Young Medicine, who mixes and masters our work. From then on, it’s just a matter of how the mix sounds.
7. What’s been the most challenging hurdle in either your personal life or music career, and how has it shaped you as an artist?
DREXL BOWIE: For both my personal and my music life, I’d have to say my biggest hurdle has been social and marketing skills. I have a great deal of confidence in my work, though I’ve always hated talking to people (especially strangers) and am one who prefers a book in a quiet room to a loud bar or party.
I’m quite insular and have found difficulty in promoting myself because of it. In addition, I have many, many criticisms of advertising, sales, and this society’s capitalistic nature in general. Due to this, I have somewhat of an aversion to promotion, as it makes me feel dirty in a way. It makes me feel sleazy and unethical. This has certainly held me back along my career. Yet these feelings have also contributed to my style and are part of what makes me unique, as I speak on them quite often in my work. It’s a double-edged sword, I suppose.
8. On the flip side, what moment or achievement in your career so far has made you feel the proudest, and why? And let’s talk about your latest release and future plans.
DREXL BOWIE: My proudest achievement actually ties in to my latest release and future plans. The latest release, “While Nero Played,” is the title track to my first full-length album, which drops on November 1st, 2024. Nero is a concept album that delves into the dark side of humanity. It’s a study and an exploration of our shadow. Twelve songs that discuss vices such as greed, war, power, and many others. It’s a critique and condemnation of humanity in general. Of where we’ve been and where we’re going. This is my proudest achievement for many reasons. For one, while I find a great deal of fulfillment playing in Secular Era, there was still a feeling that I could be doing more musically. That I had more to give and more within me I needed to say. I didn’t want to leave the band, but I wanted to get those feelings out and I wanted to prove to myself that I could write an amazing album on my own. I spent a long, long time writing and recording, and while I am biased, I believe I did what I set out to do. I’m extremely proud of how the record turned out. I believe it’s not only fun and entertaining, but that it’s also intelligently made, culturally relevant for both past and contemporary ages, and marrow deep with meaning, symbolism, and purpose. I feel the messages I present are beyond important and need to be heard by all. This isn’t just another cool metal record. This is a piece of art. It’s a timeless social commentary. A microscope upon our worst tendencies. Philosophical in nature. I feel I’ve given something listeners can experience over and over again while continually finding something new to ponder. Now that I’m close to releasing the album in its entirety, I’ve begun to record four new songs for 2025. I’ve made sure to experiment more with these, though I aim to keep the same drive, the same essential spirit behind “While Nero Played.” I’ll continue to delve into darker subjects, in the hopes that I can overcome them within myself and so that others may do the same.
9. With social media having a heavy impact on our lives and the music business in general, how do you handle criticism, haters, and/or naysayers in general? Is it something you pay attention to, or simply ignore?
DREXL BOWIE: I try to handle criticism with a delicate balance. There are times where criticism isn’t worth listening to due to it being ignorant or misunderstanding the point of the work. At such times I typically ignore it, although it can be rather frustrating. There are also points where criticism falls under the umbrella of personal taste, which is entirely subjective. However, there are many instances where it is warranted and I do my best to take it in stride. There may be some disappointment or embarrassment beneath the surface, but that always passes and I’m the better for it. I want to become better with each song I put out, so I always welcome criticism as long as it’s constructive and gives me a perspective I’d not considered prior. For me, one of the chief pursuits in any artistic endeavor is discovery, and discovery cannot be made to its fullest extent without criticism or outside perspectives.
10. Creative work in a studio or home environment, or interaction with a live audience? Which of these two options excites you most, and why?
DREXL BOWIE: Performing for a live audience definitely excites me more, because I enjoy the adrenaline and to show off the work me and my band have created. This may seem odd as I don’t normally like that kind of atmosphere, being around so many people, but the act of performing makes it all worthwhile. Yet, while I wouldn’t call it exciting, working in the studio and in my office has a certain appeal, a certain draw. I find that creation in solitude has its own special enjoyment. To me, it’s peaceful and in many ways like a puzzle, putting my own ideas down and shaping them into a picture of my design. That is extremely satisfying, even when frustrations come up along the way.
11. Do you think is it important for fans of your music to understand the real story and message driving each of your songs, or do you think everyone should be free to interpret your songs in their own personal way?
DREXL BOWIE: I do believe it’s important for listeners to know the backgrounds and messages behind my songs, so that they may get the full experience I’m hoping to present. I personally love to research what drives an artist’s intent, because I learn more not only about them, but about myself, life, and the human experience. I want my listeners to learn more about these things as well, which is why I hope they do research further. However, I also acknowledge that once a piece of art is put out, the author’s intent, to some extent, goes out the window. This can be a good and bad thing. It’s great, because there are surely valid interpretations of my work that I’ve never considered and I’d love to hear them. It creates a discussion that, if all goes well, leads to self-discovery and some form of meaningful change. Yet it can also be harmful, because there is a noticeable lack of media literacy amongst the populace, and I do fear that some may take songs of mine for celebrations where they’re actually warnings or cautionary tales. In the end, it’s a difficult question to answer, though in many ways I find the intent of the creator and the interpretations of the listener to be of equal importance.
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