moe. Biography
This is a direct message from moe. to you. The band's new record,
Dither , to be released on moe.'s own Fatboy Records, speaks as well
for the band as anyone could. As guitarist/vocalist Al Schnier points
out, "Its so hard, after 9 years, for someone not to have a preconceived
notion of who we are, or attach some other reputation to us. And what we
really want is for people to allow the music to speak to them for
itself."
The band's three frontmen didn't hold back when given the chance to talk about
the process of recording the new album. The most powerful common thread
that ran through the three experiences of Schnier, fellow guitarist/vocalist
Chuck Garvey, and bassist/vocalist Rob Derhak, was that
of "building an album." After releasing two albums on Sony 550,
they worked with co-producer Jon Siket while creating an album that
represents how the band both sounds and operates right now. To do that,
moe. used techniques the band had never tried before.
"A lot of the album was created in the arranging," said Garvey. "We took
songs that we played live, laid down basic tracks, and then really
reorganized them. We would deconstruct them, so much so that in
rebuilding them we would sometimes assign parts to different
instruments, for example. My favorite thing about this album is that
being able to take a long period of time in the studio allowed every
song to distill on its own. Each song came into its unique self more
than on any previous disc we've done, which is what makes the songs so
good."
Derhak agreed. "We took more chances and did more in the studio, in
terms of production techniques, than we ever had before. Things like
stacked vocals, backwards tracks, etc. Yeah, everybody in the band is
their own person, and has different opinions about what we should do
where, but at least we were making compromises with ourselves. It was
like the old days, but our songs are more mature and up to date in terms
of who we are now as musicians and writers."
That reference to the changing nature of the band's songcraft was another thing that
all three commented on. "The songs are the most important aspect
of our work," said Schnier. "Songwriting drives what we do.
We can improvise live on a stage, and encourage the live music experience,
but we need to have material in the first place. The challenge
of songcraft drives us as much as pulling off live things that seem
impossible. You know, sometimes the stars line up, the band
and the audience meld, and you know it cant get any better - but somehow
it does. And that. s how we try to write, too."
"The music is the statement," offers Garvey. "If you come to three different
shows, you're going to have a different experience each time,
and each one will emphasize distinct portions of our music. And a lot of
how that manifests itself depends on the band-audience interaction. Our
shows are organic events, and there is a very real social aspect to
performing that influences what and how we play on any given night."
moe. formed in Buffalo, NY in 1991. The band independently released
several recordings on their own label, Fatboy Records, before signing
with Sony's 550 Music in May 1996. The band then released two albums on
550 Music over the next two years, and left Sony in April of 1999.
Dither, moe.'s first studio recording since leaving 550 Music, will be
released on Fatboy and distributed by Red Ink February 6, 2001.
moe. FAQ
Who is moe.?
Al Schnier - Guitar, Vocals
Rob Derhak - Bass, Vocals
Chuck Garvey - Guitar, Vocals
Vinnie Amico - Drums
Jim Loughlin - Percussion, Acoustic Guitar
When did the band form?
In 1991.
Where is moe. from?
The band formed in Buffalo, moved to Albany, then NYC, & now live
throughout the Northeast.
Where did the name come from?
The old Louis Jordan tune 'Five Guys Named Moe' - the original name of
the band which included a sax player in its FIRST incarnation.
Discography
1. Fatboy - (1992) Independent demo. Re-released on Fatboy Records
(1999), moe.'s own indie label.
2. Headseed - (1993) First full-length release on Fatboy Records, over
20,000 sold to date with NO NATIONAL distribution.
3. Loaf - (1995) Limited edition live album from Wetlands Preserve, NYC,
on Fatboy Records, 5,000 sold, currently out of print.
4. No Doy - (1996) Major label debut on Sony's 550 Music, over 65,000
sold to date.
5. Tin Cans & Car Tires - (1998) 2nd major label release on Sony's 550 Music,
released Sept '98.
6. L - (2000) moe.'s double live CD on Fatboy Records
7. Dither - (2001) moe.'s current release on Fatboy Records due in
stores February 6, 2001.
Where can I find more information about moe.?
The original moe. fan site: http://www.moeLinks.com
and
Kevin Landry's moe. FAQ: http://www.moeLinks.com/faq/
NOTE: moe.'s name is properly spelled in all lowercase characters and ending with a period: "moe."
moe. Quote Sheet
"The secret of great jamming is accomplished songwriting -- melodic
figures and payoff choruses that hold up under the stress of de- and
reconstruction. moe. are among the few whose composing approaches that
kind of focused greatness."
- David Fricke, Rolling Stone
"'New York City,' a new song with a rousing chorus by Derhak, could even
get the band on the radio."
- Ann Powers, The New York Times
"moe. aspires to disciplined pop songwriting...ear-grabbing choruses and
hook phrases proffered by the Red Hot Chili Peppers and others."
- Tom Moon, Philadelphia Inquirer
"Crafting tightly wound rock songs for recording has given crucial form
and foundation to moe.'s live jams."
- Steve Appleford, The Los Angeles Times
"These guys have great songs!"
- The Boston Globe
moe. Images
How to download these images:
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PC: For Netscape users, using your mouse, right click the link "View Hi-Res Image" and choose "Save Image As." IE
users, right click and choose "Save Target As."
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From left to right: Al Schnier, Jim Loughlin, Rob Derhak, Vinnie Amico and Chuck Garvey. |
 | Click here to download:
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top left to right: Vinnie Amico, Jim Loughlin, Chuck Garvey. bottom left to right: Rob Derhak & Al Schnier. |
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top left to right: Vinnie Amico, Jim Loughlin, Chuck Garvey. bottom left to right: Rob Derhak & Al Schnier. |
