Bite Me! Mower Interview

Brian Sheerin of MOWER -By Nikki Neil

Mower, comprised of vocalists Brian Sheerin & Dominic Moscatello, guitarist Matt Wannamaker, bassist Chris McCredie, and drummer Ryan Toth, are hell bent on establishing themselves as the most intense live act to emerge from Southern California. Since inception, the band has built a reputation for their insane live performances. This explosive energy is what fuels the group’s recent release - aptly titled Not For You. If you like your metal coated in a heaping dose of sugar this disc is not for you but, if you don’t mind a good head bashing and solid ear ringing then Mower is right up your alley.

What did you enjoy most about making Not For You?

Working with a member of Snot on the production of Not For You was very fitting because of the record we were trying to make and the raw and ferocious styles we wanted to assemble together for this recording. It was a lot of fun and a great omen to be recording with Mikey Doling.

Was there a central point of inspiration for this album?

There was a central theme throughout the album which was, “These songs are for us, Mower, first and foremost”. Once we were satisfied with the way things were sounding and the energy level we were transmitting we felt that our fans would appreciate the record the same way we did. We are very happy with the way these very different songs came together to form Not For You.

In your opinion, what are the essential elements for making a good album?

Remembering that music is a live art form and that it begins with people, sound, energy, honesty, and effort. Recordings can only attempt to recreate those moments, so you need to show up in the studio with strong, multi-faceted material that is going to keep a listener interested.

How does Mower’s music benefit from having two vocalists?

With two vocalists we are able to do things other bands can’t do. We actually had three on this record, as Chris (McCredie) got in there and did some singing as well. A good vocalist has several different voices to choose from when he sings, and with two singers our cast of characters reaches even further than most.

Tell me about the video for “Road Rage”.

Road rage is a feeling that anyone who has ever driven a vehicle can relate to. It is not a profound song lyrically, but that works so well in this instance because everyone has an emotional reaction to it. The video was a lot of fun to shoot. We shot it on location in Los Angeles with Dale Restighini, who has worked with some great bands including Hatebreed and Trivium. We basically tore through the streets of L.A. We spent all day filming a chase scene while our friends got drunk between takes. It was a cool time, and we asked a few of our friends to make cameos, including our producer Mikey.

What can one expect from your live show?

Mower is brutal live. We play a lot of different types of music and it isn’t all hard and deafening but live all bets are off. We may be singing “California Dreaming,” an old DEVO song, or one of our own tracks that is a little less aggressive but the vibe onstage is always very powerful. Mower built its reputation on intense live shows and that is what you can expect.

I heard the band appeared on the dating game. What was that about?

That was about Dominic’s Mohawk catching some casting person’s eye on Venice Beach several years ago while we were out flyering for a show. The guy asked Dom if he wanted to be on the show and before Dom could tell him to beat it I asked if our whole band could be on. The guy went for it. We auditioned and cracked everybody up and did an episode. It’s basically Chris, Dom, and I cutting up like a bunch of idiots on national television, but it was fun. It got us some more exposure. We learned from it and every once in a while someone brings it up and it’s good for a laugh.

What is the most valuable lesson you have learned so far?

To be patient with yourself and with other people. When it comes to staying true to yourself and your band sometimes you need to pull together and tune everyone else out. No one knows with a hundred percent accuracy what makes a good song or a great band. Sometimes you are rewarded just for sticking with an idea and letting the rest of the world chase trends.

When all is said and done what do you hope to give back to the music community?

Mower wanted to begin by paying tribute to those great bands that never needed to get overblown in the mainstream yet influenced everything that came after, i.e. Slayer, Jane’s Addiction, Snot, Helmet, NOFX, Quicksand, Deftones, Dead Boys, and so on. Now that we have an opportunity to do that the goal is to become a band that influences the next wave of people making rock and roll music.

What is in store for Mower in the next couple of months?

“Not For You” drops May 16, 2006, and we go out on tour with (hed) pe this spring. Then we’ll go from there depending on which tours we confirm for summer. Our fans truly have an opportunity to influence things by requesting Mower at radio stations and on the video music channels as well. We’ve got some pretty intense people out there who are down for Mower so we should do well.

What would you like to say to your fans?

We look forward to getting out there this year and seeing you live and face-to-face. Until then, grab the new CD and get into it. There are a lot of different styles in there for everyone to get down with every day.

Check out: www.mowermusic.com