If you heard a band on campus jamming in 2003, it was probably the newly formed band, More Cowbell.
Nowadays, they have developed a more polished sound, combining their backgrounds in classical music, bluegrass, funk and jazz to form their distinctive music.
I sat down with three of the band members, seniors Mike Gorelik and Dave Ladon and Take Five Scholar Matt Ling – senior John Dashkoff was MIA, but I’m told he has not been kidnapped and ransomed – for a discussion of their music, the band’s future and what would happen if space monkeys invaded planet earth.
CT: How do you come up with your songs?
Matt Ling: Dave does all the lyrics. Mike has written a lot of stuff also.
Dave Ladon: I’ll come in with a song I’ve written on guitar. [Then] picking up the bass changes how I feel about the music. But also there’s really no clear leader in the band – everyone leaves their fingerprint on it.
Mike Gorelik: We’re always changing songs that we write.
CT: Would you ever consider going out there to try and make it as a band?
MG: If we were three or four times better than we are now.
ML: School definitely comes first for all of us.
CT: Not for Dave?
DL: I mean, I do well in school, but I figure that if there’s any time to play music, now is the time.
I’ve invested a lot of time and money into my academics, but I’ve also invested a lot time and money into my music – it’s something that I love doing.
ML: The investment into music is emotional.
CT: The stereotype of bands is that in every one, you’ve got the different types. Do you guys have that?
DL: Yeah, John is the dreamy one.
CT: Does he have sparkly eyes?
DL: He’s got curly, dirty blond hair.
MG: Dave is the goofy one. I’m dark and mysterious.
CT: If space monkeys with guns were to invade tomorrow at 9 a.m., would you be for or against nuclear proliferation?
DL: Wait, if space monkeys were –
CT: Yes, with guns. Very big guns.
MG: Are they nice monkeys?
CT: No, they’re very, very antagonistic.
DL: Did we like, overthrow their democratically elected government on their planet?
CT: No, they just decided to come in.
MG: I don’t know. I think we could find some means of reasoning.
DL: I think we could find some sort of peaceful resolution.
CT: With the space monkeys?
DL: Well, if they’re from space and they fly in, they clearly have some like – they have opposable thumbs anyway. I don’t know. I don’t like nuclear weapons. Well it’s not going to happen.
CT: Well that’s why I asked, because I’m really concerned about whether or not it’s going to happen. So, Mike, are you for it?
MG: I think I’d go swimming.
DL: I’d walk out.
CT: Mike would go swimming, Dave would walk out and Matt just couldn’t fathom the question.
ML: I’d shoot them out of the sky.
CT: This is the most important question in the interview – in an ultimate battle of the brawn, who would win – a bunny hepped up on cocaine and equipped with a lightsaber, or a T-rex in a wheelchair with a hatchet and a buzz cut?
DL: Well, is he just in a wheelchair or can he –
CT: He can still claw and stuff but you know, he’s disabled.
DL: Isn’t the T-rex a hundred times bigger?
CT: Well that’s why the T-rex is disabled, he’s in a wheelchair.
ML: Yeah, but the most the bunny could do is like, cut off a toenail or something like that.
DL: Is he a small bunny?
CT: He’s a small bunny.
DL: But with a big lightsaber.
MG: I think the bunny would have a chance.
ML: But it would need to hit a vital organ to kill the T-rex.
DL: I pick the rex. That’s just because I think T-rex is one of the greatest creatures ever.
MG: I like the bunny.
CT: Alright, Dave likes the Rex, Mike likes the bunny – Matt?
ML: It’s a small bunny?
CT: It’s a small bunny.
ML: I don’t know, I wouldn’t want the bunny to die.
DL: This is the most important question?
CT: Yes.
You can learn more about More Cowbell by visiting their Web site at www.morecowbellmusic.net
Kaminsky can be reached at lkaminsky@campustimes.org.
