The time is 9:20 in the evening- 10 minutes until the show begins- and we’re sitting in the room of MOBROC Co-President, Connor Gowland. Of course things are a bit rushed. The guitarist just got back from the ER after splitting open his finger in the door, but for the love of music, the show must go on!
MOBROC stands for Musicians Organized for Band Rights on Campus, and tonight one of its bands, Hieronymous Mosh, is performing in the barn, the official home of the organization. A range of genres of music have been played within MOBROC, including progressive rock, alternative, country, and funk. This year’s bands so far include the Jack Beal Quartet, which is a jazz group, Freaky Frogs, and Hieronymous Mosh, who play covers of rock songs. Here’s our very enthusiastic conversation with Hieronymous Mosh:
THE COLLEGE VOICE: Your definition of MOBROC?
CONNOR GOWLAND: A place, a physical and club space, for musicians to come together and make something more of themselves, to, like, make a band and meet other people with similar musical interests and actually doing something with their music ability… doing something that brings more people together, doing something that brings an audience enjoyment. Literally, we’re all just amateur musicians having fun and learning. Last year we had a band called Canopy and they wrote songs, they recorded songs, I recorded songs with them, and it just goes to show that MOBROC’s dope and it allows people to create art together, and I’ve never seen an organization like it. I just get to jam with my friends, and the barn is right there for anyone to use with a drum set and a guitar and a piano and amps and cool lights, it’s really amazing.
TCV: Who’s the other Co-President?
CG: Oh, my twin sister Haley. She was supposed to be here now but she sucks.
TCV: What made you guys decide to stick to covers?
CG: We basically started out trying to please the audience. We wanted to play songs that would really get people going at shows, and I’ve always wanted to play in a pop-punk band. I mean, we literally just started with our set being Blink-182 and our own pop-punk version of Blank Space by Taylor Swift. It was a lot of stuff like that, and we eventually adapted into more of an alternative field, playing stuff like Talking Heads and more classics. And of course we still do some songs for ourselves; for example, we’re learning Foxy Lady for tonight and I had never heard that before today, so I’m still learning the lyrics [laughs nervously] Our lead guitarist is incredible, he’s the best guitarist I’ve ever met, I mean, he’s playing the show tonight with one finger missing because he’s a friggin… but he’s playing without a finger and he’s still the best guitarist I’ll ever meet. But anyway, it’s nice to play some stuff that showcases our own musical talents a little bit more. It’s kind of a combination of selling out and having fun and doing our own thing.
TCV: How’d you guys get started?
MERIDAN: So, Connor, David, and Harry all lived on the same floor last year and they knew each other because of that and Connor and Harry were like, “let’s start a band” and Harry knew David, and Connor knew me and then we were kind of just recruited and that’s how it happened.
TCV: What is it like to play at a show with everyone there?
CG: Oh man, I mean the feeling’s surreal to be on stage with three of my best friends, performing stuff we’ve practiced and crafted together, even if it is just a cover. It’s something that brought the four of us together. I probably wouldn’t be as good friends with Harry and David and Meridan if it weren’t for our band, I mean, tonight’s our band-iversary! They’re, like, my core-four- we even chose to live together this year in, like, Larrabee… Well, I got a bad lottery number and then forced them to join me. Playing with people you love, and playing with an audience- the funny thing about covers is that everyone knows it and everyone sings along- and you’re leading this entire barn of people who are singing and screaming, it’s just all so fun. •
