Making my way to Silverlake’s  Satellite I was pretty nervous to check out Vancouver’s Mother, Mother- it’s like how exactly do you follow up tracks like “Body of Years” and “Wrecking Ball?”  Well, I don’t exactly know how they managed to do it- but they succeeded with flying colors- and glitter suspenders and sequined shirts.

The Canada-based quintet stormed the stage and aside from serenading Satellite inhabitants with their previously learned and loved classics, they had the eager audience begging for more when they launched their newer stuff with named single “The Stand.”  (Check out the 8 minute vid below to see the contrast from now to yesteryear at the speed of…sound)

Lauren Novik:  So I’m sitting here with Ryan of Mother, Mother- and you guys are getting set to release your third studio album in exactly a month from today- you must be stoked!

Ryan Guldemond:  Yes, yes we are!

LN:  How long did you guys spend recording Eureka!?

RG:  That took about three months!  We took a little break to tour in the U.K.

LN:  Sounds like a nice way to take five

RG:  It WAS nice- kind of fueled the project in some ways!

LN:  Now I have to ask being a lyric fiend and all- who’s responsible for them?

RG:  I am.

LN:  I’m a huge fan of your dark lyrics embedded in such pop-happy tunes!  I heard Eureka is a little more edgy (if possible) what really influenced that?

RG:  I don’t know- it’s hard to say!  It’s never really specific, what influences our records- it’s kind of more abstract.  We definitely wanted to make a record that was little tougher- kind of more in your face.  More electric, less folky.

LN:  Well electric suits it- because the cover art alone is super neon!

RG:  Yeah- I mean, we wanted it to kind of just jump off at you!

 

LN:  You guys are on tour right now- any pre-show vices or rituals you guys always subject yourselves to pre-performance?

RG:  Not entirely- when we can we have a shot of tequila.  And it’s cool when there’s a green room to just kind of hangout, play guitar, warm up the voices a bit- that’s always a luxury to do that.  Pretty standard stuff, ya know?

 

LN:  Now as a band- what would you say your main musical influences are?

RG:  That’s always a tough one!  The Pixies, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin…I actually went to jazz school and sort of got a kick out of the old Dixieland kind of jazz sessions.

 

LN:  Craziest thing that’s happened on the show so far?

RG:  Craziest thing- shit- the tour’s only just begun!  We stayed in a place called Weed, California- that was pretty crazy!

LN:  I can only imagine what went on over there!

RG:  Yeah- it was pretty crazy, that’s for sure.

 

LN:  So now where you guys off to next post Los Angeles?

RG:  We’re headed over to Sacramento.

LN:  Nice, have you all been before?

RG:  Nah, we’re pretty excited!

LN:  Now I think the word on the street is that you guys are headed to SXSW this year!

RG:  It’s TRUE!  Not just a rumor…

LN:  Well I’m pretty amped to see you guys there!  Ever played Southby before?

RG:  Yeah- about two or three times now!

LN:  Damn, you guys are pro status then!

RG:  You know I think it takes a lot to become a pro at SXSW!

LN:  Well it’ll be my second year in a row- any advice?

RG:  Just try and stay alive!

LN:  Stay alive, words of wisdom indeed.  Sugarfree Redbull will be kickstarting my days and nights, too bad they haven’t perfected cloning- I’d be all about the two places at once thing.

 

LN:  Fave fest you guys have played?

RG:  Montreal Jazz Festival was pretty cool!

LN:  Do any of the other bandmates have the same Jazz background as you?

RG:  Yeah actually three of the other guys went to Jazz school with me.

LN:  Sweet- is that how you guys did the whole meet and greet thing?

RG:  Umm, no actually!

LN:  So personal ads?  What’s the deal?

RG:  No, no- I did submit one ad to the paper once, but that didn’t lead to this band.  Molly’s my sister, and our old drummer lived in a house with Jeremy who plays bass, and I played in a band with Ali the drummer, a different band- that’s how I met Ali.  Then Jasmin- she’s most recent, she jumped on board about two years ago- and met her at a festival!

 

LN:  Now I’ve gotta ask- is it ever at all weird working with your sister?  Ever any sibling rivalry going on?

RG:  OH YEAH!  I mean we’re sometimes at each other’s throats-

LN:  But it always pays off it seems!

RG:  Definitely!

 

LN:  So you and your sister founded the band- about what. 6 years ago?

RG:  Yeah!

LN:  Damn, so you guys have been around the block!

RG:  Yeah we can no longer call ourselves newbies- which is kind of a nice thing!  We’ve kind of reached some milestones or whatever!

LN:  Have any advice to new bands out there in that case?

RG:  You know try and figure out why it is you’re struggling and do less of that!  You know there’s always a lot in the presentation that does and does not work I find- and you need to accentuate the good and try and weed away the bad- don’t be stubborn with your “sound”- I always think it’s good to adapt and evolve!  I mean, if you’re doing it for acknowledgement which I think bands sometimes are predominately doing because it equates to a career- you’ve got to change and go with pop music, and rock music, and all kinds of things.

 

LN:  I’ve only been able to hit up a few Canadian music fests- do you have any faves?

RG:  Well, Montreal Jazz Fest is up there!  Also Hillside Festival

Is really special.  It’s like a really small, green, eco-friendly festival!

LN:  Great- similar to Evolve Fest, also in Canada!

 

LN:  Song you’re most stoked to play tonight- aside from all of them…

RG:  Yeah, right?  I guess “The Stand” our single off our latest release- it’ll be great to see how much and if people enjoy it!  (Note to reader- they, and I, absolutely did!)

LN:  I have heard that one and it’s pretty awesome- especially with the dark pseudo cheeky lyrics!  That’s definitely up there with “Body of Years” and the new sound is indeed a little more elctro-noir!

RG:  Yeah, yeah- we got more synth!

 

LN:  Bands you’re looking forward to checking out at SXSW this year?

RG:  You know I haven’t had a chance to cheout the whole lineup- but I think we’re doing a showcase with Shad, a rapper from Canada and I’ve heard a lot of great things, so we’re excited about that!

LN:  Sounds like an insanely intriguing collaboration opportunity!

RG:  Yeah, yeah- do a little CO-LLAB!

LN:  We’re just speaking in acronyms now, eh?

RG:  Pretty much.

LN:  Cliff’s notes style.

 

LN:  Closing remarks to friends, fans and music fiends?

RG:  Be safe- but not too safe I guess!

 

Wonderful words of wisdom from the insanely talented Mother, Mother frontman Ryan Guldemond!  Ryan went off to get ready for his set that was creeping up on us and set to start in just a half hour.  In those thirty minutes Ryan wardrobe changed and got ready to rock the now sardine style packed Silverlake Satellite- and his stage outfit accoutrement suspenders were ever so fitting for his stylish but still ahead of the game music.

The new songs M&M successfully serenaded us with were just what the MD ordered, a little different, a little edgy, and 100% great for you goodness.  To keep updated on the latest & greatest with the band head over to their Facebook- and be sure to check out their Austin set at SXSW in just over a month!  Can’t get over to witness the 6^th street insanity firsthand?  Be sure to check out their upcoming album.  The thought of investing money never sounded so sweet!