Carson Macc sits down for an interview highlighting Mac Saturn’s history and trajectory.
Mac Saturn is a rock band based in Detroit, Michigan, whose style is defined by a funky mix of classic rock and soul that results in a jumpy, dance-inducing groove on every track. They officially formed in the last seven years, although Carson Macc (lead singer) and Nick Barone (lead guitarist) have been writing songs and making music together for the last 13 or 14 years. They recently released a single called “Move,” with much more music promised to be released soon, marking a return to the music scene following a turbulent last two years, after a former band member was convicted of the sexual exploitation of a child and sentenced to 15 years in prison.
According to Macc, the culture and primary driver of the band has always been a collective of people who love making music and being with each other. Macc said that they are “dudes married to each other, non-legal marriage where we’re stuck together for life.” He went on to say that “we all want to be in a band and write and have the band write the songs and be a vehicle for all of us to just, like, do something crazy.” It is the reason why they write everything together, and split everything together — Mac Saturn is a true family of musicians who love making music with each other, in hard times and in good, and there have been some very hard times.
On Dec. 3, 2024, Evan Mercer, the band’s former keyboardist, was arrested on child pornography charges. He eventually pleaded guilty and is currently serving 15 years in federal prison. Macc described how that horrific situation left him and the other members of Mac Saturn “like goo on the floor for a good four months,” which left them unable to even express their disgust and horror at being associated with Mercer, though they knew nothing of his actions. This pushed them, however, to seek out advocacy groups and led to their partnership with Darkness to Light, a group that seeks to prevent child sexual abuse through teaching people how to minimize danger and recognize warning signs of sexual abuse. That partnership has allowed Mac Saturn, in Macc’s view, to put some practical action on what he describes has always been the intended purpose of Mac Saturn’s music: “the betterment of the people.” A little bit later in the interview, Macc added on to that, saying, “We’re always trying to help people. … what gets us going, more than anything, is like getting a message together that’s, like, massive, right? Massive in a sense of, ‘can inspire and captivate.’”
In that mission, Mac Saturn has always tried to “push ourselves to the most possible Mac Saturn level,” and continues to do so especially after the release of their single “Move,” which brought with it a bit more dance and driving rhythm than some previous Mac Saturn songs. Macc revealed that the single is all about “[using] your voice to manifest … it’s really a what’s stopping you song.” Certainly Mac Saturn has taken their own inspiration and run off with it, with much new music to come, according to Macc, very soon. He even revealed that it will feature “some of the newest and some of the most exciting Mac Saturn sounds,” along with some “insane collaborations … and ultimately the best songwriting of our entire history yet.” Within the band, Macc said that there is a “lot of excitement and momentum coming,” and that it all stems from the quality of the music they are working on.
Although they are still very busy trying to release — in Macc’s words — “the greatest story ever told,” they will be sure to visit Tulsa once again in the future to play a concert. In 2023, they opened for The Struts in Cain’s Ballroom, and earlier this year they played at The Vanguard for their own tour. According to Macc, the band loved both concerts “not only because the drinks there are like the best-priced drinks in the country,” but also because “there’s a serious energy in Tulsa” that Mac Saturn really feeds off of on-stage. They are certainly a concert to look forward to because, despite Mercer’s horrific actions seemingly derailing the band’s momentum, Mac Saturn is back to creating great music and putting on amazing shows. Macc ended the interview by saying that he hopes people come to a show and “make some friends, dance a little, have a good time,” which could not sum up better exactly what this band is about: a family of musicians married together that just love to create good music and make people dance.
