The Mofos create a maximum impact with the most minimal of rock’n'roll set-ups: electric guitar, bass, and drums. Self-described as “loud fast badass hot rod instrumental rock & roll,” the Mofos have become a beloved Ithacan entity since they formed nearly ten years ago.
This Saturday night, The Mofos will share a special St. Patrick’s Day double bill with fellow Ithacan Johnny Dowd. The two bands will play the Chapter House simultaneously for a sound that is twice as large and loud.
“The plan is for us to play a couple of songs together,” reveals lead guitarist and songwriter Gary Siperko. “We’re even going to do double drummers together. We’ve done some shows like that before, and actually, it’s probably the most fun we’ve ever had. The first time we did it, was with Brian [Wilson] and Matt [Marano] playing the drums at the same time. It was a drum battle. Every song was a drum battle.”
“It’s going to be an experimental thing,” Dowd elaborates. “We’ll have two drummers, two bass players, two guitar players, keyboard, two or three vocalists. It will be one big mess I would imagine - a bunch of people playing really loudly at the same time, for a long time.” Dowd will be joined by Mike Stark, Brian Wilson (formerly the drummer of the Mofos), and Kim Sherwood-Caso, all of whom participate in other projects.
“The whole Ithaca scene is pretty incestuous, really,” Siperko laughs. “Everyone plays with everyone. Everyone’s friends with everyone.” Johnny Dowd agrees. “There’s a lot of cross collaboration here in Ithaca, but it doesn’t happen much in my band. I don’t know why. Maybe I don’t want to. Maybe they don’t like me!” Dowd laughs heartily.
Upon listening to the Mofos, one thing becomes immediately apparent - they are an instrumental band (or, as they like to call it, “surf-instro-metal”). The Mofos draw upon various rock ‘n’ roll traditions, including (early all-instrumental group) The Ventures and the “King of Surf Guitar” Dick Dale. But they are also fond of the speed and heaviness of metal and punk, 50s hot-rod culture and rockabilly. (Lately, Siperko’s been listening to Japanese doom-metal trio Boris and stoner-rock outfit Monster Magnet, he tells us.) “We employ a totally different way of thinking about music,” says Siperko. “And I don’t think there’s anything missing. We wouldn’t still be doing this or playing in the band if there was something missing. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.”
The Mofos’ instrumental approach is unusual, but not uncommon, and they don’t seem to encounter any more problems finding an audience than do any other band seeking new listeners. “Honestly, it’s really the same process you would take with a band with a vocalist. We’re just more strategic about it,” laughs Siperko. “It can get difficult to market, but, I mean, we can get a label in Germany interested, because they have a great niche market there. But it’s underground, and it’ll always be underground. Of course, you can still be established and somewhat successful if you’re underground - and maybe have more longevity.”
Ultimately, Siperko and the rest of the Mofos just want to play music and forget about the business side of the industry. “I hate talking about it - it drives me crazy!” laughs Siperko. “Johnny [Dowd] is like that, too. I have a lot of respect for him, because we both do what we do. This is what we play. There are no compromises. It’s pure art and pure music. This is what I wrote and this is what we play and that’s it.”
When we spoke, Siperko was recovering from Detroit’s Blowout, one of America’s largest local music fests (250 performances, 20 venues, and four nights - you do the math). “It was exhausting, but great to see something on that scale,” says Siperko. “Everything was sort of spread out, so it completely wiped me out.” And only a few days before, Siperko had just played a show with The Bloody Hollies at the Bug Jar in Rochester. Siperko now resides in Cleveland, although bassist Eric Trichon and drummer Matt Marano both still live in Ithaca.
Despite the geographical distance, the Mofos make it work. “It’s really not that big of a deal,” Siperko insists. “I mean, once a band is established and you learn all the material, it’s common for people to move to different places. And we were really only practicing once a month anyway, so it’s not a big deal for me to come back once a month for a rehearsal. Of course, it’s different when you’re first starting out as a band; you need to practice all the time.”
Indeed, Siperko lived in Ithaca for a good eight or nine years before moving to Cleveland, and during that time, the Mofos released two successful albums, Supercharged on Alcohol (2004) and Six Pack Performance (2006). Both albums were recorded at Ithaca’s Pyramid Studios with producer Alex Perialas, who has also produced Bad Religion and Anthrax.
In February, the Mofos recorded a live set in the studio for free-form radio station WFMU, which was broadcast live on February 13. “It was strange,” recalls Siperko. “It was not a live performance, and not in a recording studio, but kind of both at the same time. You play it like a live set, and you’re waiting to hear the audience reaction. I think we all feed off of the energy of a live crowd, so it was weird. But I think it was good. It was really raw, really aggressive.”
The Mofos will be heading to Chicago this summer to record their next album. “A lot of things have changed with the band, so it’s time to do something different in terms of the recording as well,” explains Siperko. “We have a new drummer now [Matt Marano], instead of Brian Wilson, who was on the first two albums.”
Thanks to the Mofos’ collaborative approach to songwriting, the presence of Marano has also changed The Mofos’ sound. “It’s changed the style, and the songs are just different,” says Siperko, who also plays classical guitar. “Everyone develops their own parts. I’ll write the basic song, but our drummer will come up with a drum part or Eric will work out a bass line.”
Although Wilson is no longer in The Mofos, the former drummer has left his indelible imprint on the band. “Brian Wilson was really influential,” says Siperko. “He also played in Johnny Dowd’s band. He has a very strong personality musically, and he leaves his mark on anyone he plays with. My influence is a lot through Brian, really.”
And as for some of Siperko’s favorite local Ithaca venues, “Early on, it was the Haunt, and then Castaways, and now we play Chapter House a lot,” Siperko reveals. “We played a lot locally when we first started. We were people living in the same area just starting up, but it developed into a sound. But at a certain point, I didn’t think it was necessary to play more than once every couple of months, maybe a few times a year. In any region, you can burn out in a small area like that, playing all the time. That’s why we’re trying to play out of town more, trying to spread it out into different areas.”
Later in the summer, the Mofos will tour Europe, with dates scheduled in Belgium, Holland, and Germany, but their biggest fans are here in Ithaca. “I think for the size of the town, it’s kind of an anomaly to have that many talented musicians in it,” says Siperko. “Percentage-wise, it’s really high for the number of talented musicians in a small area. Part of that is the presence of Ithaca College, which is such a good music school that it draws a lot of talented people to the area.” Trichon and Marano both moved here to study in Ithaca College’s music program, and have not left the area since.
The Mofos have developed a stellar reputation as an energetic, frenzied live act, and their show at the Chapter House this Saturday will be no exception. “It’s going to be really crowded and really loud,” laughs Siperko. “It’s a great venue. And you’ve got to support all the local music!”
The Mofos will play with Johnny Dowd at the Chapter House this Saturday, March 17 at 10pm.