The Modey Lemon with Shonen Knife at the Horseshoe (370 Queen West), Thursday (October 30). $10. 416-598-4753. Rating: NNNNN
despite past comments about despising bass players, bass-free Pittsburgh garage/metal/rock ‘n’ roll outfit Modey Lemon say these accusations of bass-ism are totally bass-less. (Oh god, I slay me.) Rhythm guitarist, vocalist and keyboardist Phil Boyd says, “We like bass players. The Doors didn’t have a bass player. Nobody ever talks about that.”
The Doors aren’t the first band to spring to mind when listening to the Modey Lemon. A more frequent comparison is to the White Stripes. But Modey Lemon are more metal-edged, nastier and grimier. And they seek methods of filling out the two-piece sound rather than revelling in minimalism. That’s why they have a third member, Jason Kirker, to add more guitars and Moog.
“We were watching other two-piece bands do their thing and starting to think, ‘Gee, I hope we don’t sound like that. ‘
Look for backflips and equipment-smashing at their live show. And Boyd’s apparently totally gorgeous. “We played what we thought were some really good shows,” he groans. “But the British media chose to write about how hot I am.”
The band started as a joke. They were busking in (Pittsburgh’s) Strip District beside a crate of mouldy lemons and told people they were the Mouldy Lemon, but with an accent. The name stuck
Ironically, Boyd hopes the garage rock revival is a flash in the pan.
“People are changing their dress and trying to play this music when they’ve never played it before.”
How righteous, I observe.
“I am righteous,” he agrees. “And I’m hot, too.”
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