Momu (JD Moyer & Mark Musselman), SF, USA Interview November
Interviewed by Somsay.

Page 2

Your melodies are very breath taking and harmonically hypnotic, did you guys have to know music theory for this skill or did you fellows goto a music school, or its just by ear?
JD= Thanks! I studied music theory a little bit in college but I've always liked to experiment with melodies and harmonies. When I took piano lessons as a kid I was a terrible student - I never practiced and I always changed the melodies and the rhythms. We're not as musically educated as say, BT, but he kind of lords it above everybody else anyway so I'm happy enough being with the majority of electronic music producers who are picking stuff out with one finger.
Mark= Jondi is a genius and I have a good ear. My fiancé is a trained bass player (upright and electric) and she cringes at some of my non-theoretical ideas but sometimes you have to twist the formulas to get a proper crowd reaction.  Collision can work in your advantage.

Where is your favorite place to perform at the moment and why?
JD= Tokyo! Actually we haven't played there yet, I just want to.
Mark= We are dying to play in Japan, we just found out from Kumiko at 19Box that MOMU means "Massage" in Japanese. But places we've played…Qool and Spundae (first 2 places we've done our live PA!)

Is Momu afraid of anything?
JD= Computer crashing during a show. Recently I almost stepped on our power strip during a show which would have brought down our whole rig.
Mark= bad Mo-Ments?

What was your most memorable performance and why?
JD= Spundae in SF ... the 1015 sound system is unparalleled Mark= As a DJ…opening for Adam Freeland in the main room at Spundae SF, December 2001.  As MOMU, playing before James Zabiela in the main room at Spundae SF this last October.  The bass in that room is so nice deeeeeep.

Any funny stories at a gig?
JD= Yeah, we got Guiv to dance during our Spundae show. He's the promoter ... he never dances. OK that's not that funny, but it was definitely unusual.
Mark= Accidentally stopping the CD while it was playing at Qool (during the peak of Spoon Wizard's mix of Kitty Hawk, ouch I still cringe about that one).

Do you think the vinyl production in the US is as good as the UK's?
JD= UK records are often a bit louder. Mastering in the US is as good or better depending on the engineer.
Mark= entirely depends on the cut and cutter as well as the mastering engineer I would say, rather than the locale.

What’s up with the candy ravers in SF...are they down with furry-fluffy pants and white gloves?
JD= I've only seen this type once ... a whole busload of them showed up at a Loöq Records party.
Mark= they are nothing like the booty shaking, block rocking ravers in Baltimore (Go UltraWorld and Buzz!!!) Much respect out to Lonnie Fisher and Scott Henry for showing me the way back in the Day and being true innovators of underground promotion. Some of my fondest memories of the electronic music scene come from the time spent at their events in B-more and DC. Not sure how that scene is ?going right now since I've been in SF for a long time now but those halcyon days in Baltimore will live forever. I'm still very influenced by the music I  heard from those local DJ's like Who, Scott Henry, Charles Feelgood, Sun, Lonnie, Onionz (often a guest) and many many others they pulled in....who at the time were unafraid to mix all types of *good* music whether it be booty house, prog, funky breaks, drum and bass, whatever it they wanted. I miss that eclectic style.

Would you like to touch their pants?
JD= Yes, I like to touch everybody's pants.
Mark= ok, that’s enough now, Stop giving me flashbacks!

Your words of wisdom to aspiring producers:
JD= Keep trying stuff until something works. Mix it up as much as possible. Listen to as much music as possible. Keep pushing incredibly hard and try to avoid mediocrity.
Mark= Stay with the sound you like and would play. If you can't listen to it 50 times and still like it, don't send it out.  Although its close to impossible, be patient. It can take a super long time to get your "voice" heard through all the noise.

Momu Shout outs:
JD= I'll let Mark do the shout-outs.
Mark= Jen Springer, Mama Musselman, B-Real Musselman in Kitty Hawk North Carolina, Pa-Diddy McMahon, Rich Keen, Gerald and Jenny Penny, Jay and Christine, the Qoöl diehards, everyone who was at the Halloween 2003 party in Burlingame, Cuz Joel in Toronto and all the folks feeling the funk in their own way.

Please visit:
www.nu-republic.com
Send records, demos and trinkets to:

Label affiliations:
www.looq.com
www.spundae.com
www.kubist.co.uk
www.bedrock.org.uk

MOMU/ Kung Fu Army
182 Howard St. PMB 250
San Francisco, CA 94105
tel: 415.264.3031
fax: 510.594.9792
www.thisismomu.com
 

Momu, SF, US

Momu (JD Moyer & Mark Musselman)