MosesMo of Mothers Finest

As the guitarist and a founding member of Mother’s Finest, the funk rock band that helped propel Atlanta into the national spotlight as a viable music scene in the mid-’70s, Moses Mo doesn’t need to prove himself these days. He’s done his time in rock ’n’ roll Babylon, toured the world, and shared stages with a veritable who’s who of performers.

Nevertheless, he’s always been a bit restless over the years, finding his way onto Atlanta stages with local and touring bands remember Illusion?), always expressing a side of himself that’s certainly a part of his Mother’s Finest oeuvre, but also pushing the boundaries of what his followers expect.

Almost two years ago, Atlantans were fortunate enough to see Mo sit in with Bobby Whitlock and CoCo Carmel at Eddie’s Attic. Whitlock, known for his contributions to Derek & the Dominos’ Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs (Eric Clapton’s attempt at forming a band after his first solo album), not to mention George Harrison’s first solo venture, All Things Must Pass, had invited Mo to join them as the singer/keyboardist/guitarist took the audience on a musical journey through the songs he’d recorded with his stellar friends. Mo was the perfect compliment to Whitlock’s work. Not attempting to replicate the guitar parts as on record, Mo instead added his own soulful and stirring slide and fret work to every song.

After the show, Mo handed me a CD as I headed to my car. A six-song EP, Two Ton Message, it was an impressively heavy offering of rock from a power trio, but sounded like Mo was still searching, rather than having found his groove.

This Thursday, Mo returns to Eddie’s Attic with Moses Mo and the Real Cool Band ( Mo; Kerry Denton, drums; Mikey Long, bass; ZeroBasement, rap verses; and PoiZen EV, percussion and background vocals) to celebrate the band’s debut release, Drive In. A mixture of rock with rap accents, there’s also a Southern-inspired grittiness to the music that makes this third “solo” album from Mo his most realized yet.

Solo, as used above, is in quotes, because, while most of the songs are his compositions, Mo prefers to work in a band setting. “Bands have always been used as promotional tools for the music,” he observes. “I realize the need to perform the songs for them to be heard, but I'm not comfortable as a solo performer. Also, I didn’t really want a group of highly skilled performers, often high-strung, and needing a different kind of attention, than I was willing to provide for them. I wanted a group I was comfortable with, made up of people skilled, talented, but still needing polish, as I see myself. People who lived close to me, so we could work together and grow a sound together. Knowing these things take time, I was also looking for a friendly, like-minded group; each person with an artistic passion for music, wanting to grow. Most exciting is watching and listening to how far we have come! We're making it together. It's not just about me; there is a lot of personality and artistic expression going on here. I’m feeling it, they're feeling it, the audience is beginning to feel it — and it's fun. We look forward to sharing what we have with all who show up on Thursday.” - Tony Paris - Creative Loafing Atlanta

Caroline Aiken Inside Out (Aiken/Mo)
ATLANTA- Caroline Aiken has established herself as one of the finest voices on Southern music. Independent to the bone with seven CDs, and a Grammy nomination for a Contemporary Folk CD in 2006, Caroline Aiken has done numerous performances to benefit thousands of causes, and has recorded with and shared stages with artists like The Indigo Girls and Bonnie Raitt. On this song, Caroline performs with the Atlanta based band Doghouse. This song was co-written with Moses Mo of Mother's Finest. http://www.carolineaiken.com/ - Swampland.com

What an incredible sounding solo record from the legendary guitarist Moses Mo, who has been funkin' the world with Mother's Finest for the last 4 decades. This album has been eagerly awaited for and well worth the wait. A heart felt record that's equally beautiful as it is rockin', the album is filled with Blues, Rock, Funk and Americana hooks all wrapped up into fantastic music.

Packed full of guest artist, this record includes Kerry Denton (drums), Caroline Aiken (vocals), jamie Russell (harp), Mark Hogan (bass), John Kovach (keys, cello, synthesizer, strings), Carl Carlton (slide guitar), Harold Seay (percussion), Steve Stone (mandolin), Glenn Murdock and Joyce Kennedy (harm vocals), Wyzard (bass), Andrew Black (scat vocals, harm vocals), Johnnita Johnson (vocals), Eric Frampton (keys), Bertram Engel (drums).

All I can say is "We Want Mo"... - Audiostar

Moses Mo, the lead guitarist, is one of the original members. His performance is nothing short
of awesome. Just like the entire band, Mo puts on a show for the fans so entertaining that if you're
sitting still when he's rockin' out on stage - well you must be dead. Mo takes care of business on
lead guitar and leaves nothing on the table when he's done. He's certainly one of the great
guitarists.


RON : We're here with James Gary “Moses Mo” Moore, original member & lead guitarist for
Mothers Finest and still kicking some s-e-e-rious butt on stage. Hi Mo. Thanks for being
with us. It’s great to be chatting with you.

MO : Nice to be here, Ron, thanks for the support and appreciate the opportunity!



RON : After 40 years, Mother's Finest continues to pack venues around the world. One thing
that stands out with everyone is the energy and enthusiasm that the band has with
every show. That's a cool testament to how much ya'll love what you're doing and how
dedicated you are to the fans to always give them an awesome show.

MO : We do love what we do and the fans give it right back. To me playing live is the one
place you get an instant payoff. There’s a connection between us and our fans, a
hunger, it’s a lot like sex, the more you get the more you want. We’ve always been a
live band first, so the stage is like food to us and we come as hungry as our fans are!



RON : Who were the original members of Mothers Finest and when did the band form?

MO : The core of the group, as far as original goes, formed as far back as 1970. Joyce and
Glenn were already working professionally as a duet when I met them, we wanted to form
a group that just “Rocked”, no rules, I followed them as the guitar player to Miami, FL
where we met Wyzard (Jerry Seay) who became our bass guitar player thru his brother
and what followed became history. When we headed to Atlanta, GA, there were
different members in the group than the ones that became known with the group’s
success. Members came and went but the 4 of us continued working together as
Mothers Finest.



RON : Now, obviously you're still a member, then there's Joyce "Baby Jean" Kennedy..there's Glen
"Doc" Murdock..Jerry "Wyzard" Seay. Who are the other current members?

MO : Dion Murdock (Drums/percussion/programming) has been with us off and on since he
could hold sticks in his hands and John Hayes is the “New” kid on guitar for the last 20 or
so years. Both became members of Mothers Finest, a version formed in the 90s, and
recorded an album called “Black Radio Won’t Play This”, which was extremely successful
in Europe.



RON : The majority of the original members are still with the band. Sticking together all these
years is awesome, but unusual for the music industry. What's been the magic to that?

MO : Just Karma I guess, it is unusual but over time you build relationships outside of
work, we became a band of brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers, friends and
lovers, we fight, we make up, we’ve always supported one another, basically, we still
feel it, we still want it, we still need it!



RON : I can remember when y’all played at Alex Cooley's Electric Ballroom in Atlanta. That was
a long time ago....what year was that when Tom Werman, producer with Epic Records,
saw the band there and landed a record deal for the band. Talk about that and the results
of signing with Epic.

MO : Yeah, that was a long time ago but it still feels like yesterday, don’t know where the
time goes and it’s even harder to remember specifics but that was a great time. Our
management at the time was key in pulling all that together, I remember Tom coming
to check us out and having a great big smile, we loved Tom, it was cool working with
him. He did a great job of getting the MF sound on tape and we had a lot of fun
doing it. He was a pretty patient guy and we wanted to try everything, it was an
extremely creative progress, we were both just getting started and in 1976, the
music scene did not have a band like us and Epic Records was just a little bit nervous
about how to promote such a group. It felt like, to me, Tom joined right in with our fight
to show people what we did was a good idea!



RON : Tom produced a couple of albums for Mothers Fines - Georgia Music Channel

Mother's Finest issued their debut album Mother's Finest in 1972 on RCA; a second album for RCA remained unreleased until it surfaced as bonus tracks on the 2010 re-issue of Mother's Finest. The group signed a new contract with Epic Records and released their sophomore effort, also titled Mother's Finest, in 1976, stirring up controversy with the ironic "Niggizz Can't Sang Rock'n'Roll." Riding a wave of success, the band's next three albums, Another Mother Further (1977), Mother Factor (1978) and Mother’s Finest Live (1979), all went gold,[1] helped along by heavy touring opening for the likes of Ted Nugent, Black Sabbath, The Who, Aerosmith and AC/DC.[2]

In 1978, the band set out for Europe and took part in the Rockpalast concert series at the Grugahalle in Essen, produced by Germany's WDR television and broadcast to various countries. With only one concert Mother's Finest put themselves on the map all over Europe where the band has cultivated a dedicated following to this day. The legendary 1978 show was finally released on CD and DVD in 2012 as Mother's Finest - Live At Rockpalast 1978 & 2003, also including the band's 2003 "Rockpalast" appearance at Satzvey Castle.

After four albums for Epic/CBS in the 70's, the band signed with Atlantic Records for their heaviest album to date, 1981's Iron Age.[3] That same year Joyce Kennedy guested with Molly Hatchet on the song "Respect Me In the Morning" from the Take No Prisoners album. Mother's Finest went on hiatus after 1983's One Mother to Another, with vocalist Joyce Kennedy pursuing a solo career, releasing the soul/R&B-styled Looking For Love album on A&M Records in 1984. She scored a Billboard Top 40 hit with "The First Time I Made Love", a duet with Jeffrey Osborne. Drummer Barry Borden, who had joined Molly Hatchet on the No Guts...No Glory album, teamed up with guitarist Gary Moore in the band Illusion, releasing a pair of albums, Illusion (1985) and I Like It Loud (1986), on Geffen Records. Meanwhile, bassist Jerry Seay toured with Fleetwood Mac's Stevie Nicks behind her 1983 album, The Wild Heart, including an appearance on Saturday Night Live. Eventually, he and brother/drummer Harold Seay, who had replaced Barry Borden on One Mother to Another, joined Rick Medlocke in a revamped Blackfoot line-up and appeared on 1987's Rick Medlocke and Blackfoot album.[4]

Mother's Finest reformed for 1989's If Looks Could Kill on Capitol/EMI Records, with only drummer Barry Borden missing from the classic line-up. He was replaced by Joyce Kennedy and Glenn Murdock's son, Dion Derek. In 1990, the band released their second live album, Subluxation, on RCA/BMG, albeit only in Europe. It was the first album to feature guitarist John "Red Devil" Hayes, formerly of Atlanta's PG-13, hired in place of the departing Gary Moore.[5]

The band moved over to Scotti Bros. for 1992's Black Radio Won't Play This Record, a heavy funk metal album, which was recorded with the help of former Sound Barrier member Tracey "Spacey T" Singleton on guitar. The band continued to tour heavily, especially in Europe, but did not release another studio CD until 2004's Meta-Funk'n-Physical, an experimental, hip hop- and electronic beats-oriented effort.

Beginning in 2004, Joyce Kennedy was seen on the international Daughters Of Soul tour along with Sandra St. Victor, Nona Hendryx, Lalah Hathaway (daughter of Donny Hathaway), Indira Khan (daughter of Chaka Khan), and Simone (daughter of Nina Simone).[6]

In 2010, fellow Georgia rockers Jackyl, feat. Darryl McDaniels from Run-D.M.C., paid homage to Mother's Finest with a cover of "Like A Negro" from Black Radio Won't Play This Record and also shot a video.[1]. Jackyl frontman Jesse James Dupree had previously been in PG-13 with John Hayes in the late 1980's; Dupree, Hayes, Dion Derek and Jerry Seay also played together under the name Dent. The band recorded an album for Sony Music which was ultimately shelved by the label and remains unreleased to this day.[7]

On September 16, 2011 Mother's Finest was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.[8]

In July 2013, Mother's Finest launched a Kickstarter campaign in order to raise funds for a new studio album.[9][10] - Wikipedia

Meet Moses "Mo" lead guitarist for Mother's Finest since 1972 joins us as we talk about his current CD
"CARTOON YOU"
This is a MUST HAVE CD...
Be listening weeknights to "Sit & Spin" epsiodes in September to hear his work.

Show is on Sat Oct 6 with Moses "Mo" about the music and the making of "CARTOON YOU" now available!
http://www.MothersFinest.com - BTRKatPat

MOSES MO – DECATUR, GA GIG
December 2, 2016 – Decatur, GA – The Vista Room

This was the third time seeing Moses Mo’s solo project live. First off, the venue sucked! First and last time I went there. Just like Terminal West, beer in cans, which I absolutely despise. Then there was confusion with the tab. No clue why I gave that girl a tip (I’m just too nice at times).

But back to topic, Moses Mo delivered (again). With his red guitar and his bandmates Mikey Long, Zero Basement and Gabe Frankel, he rocked the roof off of the joint with his bluesy funky rockstyle. I deliberately missed the opening act, Liz Brasher, after I had looked her up online. Her slow blues was just not my musical taste, but feel free to check her out http://www.lizbrasher.com/

Moses Mo started the evening with an old Mothers Finest song “Dis Go Dis Way, Dis Go Dat Way” and followed with this:



Next came “Try Me” and the bass player seemed to be having some issues. It was quite the sight seeing him continue to play while a technician was working on his bass guitar. True showmanship.

“Round and Round” was next, not really one of my favorite songs, followed by “Better Hurry” and “Come On Over”, a song, that according to Moses Mo, is as close to blues as they come. The only song where the crowd stopped dancing and on this evening not really a favorite of mine either, although it’s actually not a bad song.



With “All the Time” some serious foot stomping set in. Another Mothers Finest original followed, “Truth’ll Set You Free”.



Up next was “Can’t Have Nothin'”, a song about ‘not being able to have nothing’ (obviously, lol) followed by “Sometimes I Feel”. No clue what came after this as I was having my tab issues with the bartender, but then it was “Soul Wrecker”, a song I really like a lot. Unfortunately, I think the audience differed because the venue started to empty more and more (I think it was the venue and it’s location, people in this area tend to listen to a different style of music).



Next up a song about coffee, my kinda song. Unfortunately I was annoyed most of the evening by some people near me taking pictures (with flash) all night and disturbing my enjoyment, not the fault of Moses Mo. Again, the geography and it’s population.



“Talk To Me” got us back rocking.



“Call Me Baby” was a good jam, but the venue still kept getting emptier. A short birthday song for someone in the audience and then the last song of the evening. This is where Moses Mo shows off his guitar talent, playing with his teeth and such.



Although the venue wasn’t the best choice, Moses Mo did once again show us how a professional musician rocks. I had the feeling Zero Basement didn’t rap as much as usual. The mix of guitar and rap was unusual when I first heard them, but it fits and makes the band unique. They should build more on. Way to go Mo! Even with my complaints about the venue, you managed to once again entertain me. Can’t wait to see this band again.

You can download their songs here: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/mosesmo3 - Project Metal Music

Moving on in the evening, after a short break it was time for Moses Mo and his 2 Ton Message Solo Project. As I had mentioned, I was lucky to have experienced this band two weeks earlier. If you know Moses Mo from Mother’s Finest, you know what a great guitarist he is. I would describe 2 Ton Message as a MF meets Linkin Park, although that doesn’t quite do them the honor they deserve for this musical artwork.

I am pretty sure they turned the volume up because it was louder than The Marquis (incase you remember my Lacuna Coil concert revue). But this only heated up the energy. After Round and Round, All the Time and Can’t Have Nothing the crowd gave a standing ovation. When Sometimes I Feel was over the mood in the bar was very good. Moses shredded the guitar and the mostly middle aged crowd were rocking their asses off. Soulwrecker, Don’t Talk To Me and yes, a song about coffee even (yay) had the crowd on their feet.

Definitely, if Moses Mo comes to your town, check them out, you will not be disappointed.

You can find Moses Mo on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MosesMoMF and be sure to listen in to his music here: https://www.reverbnation.com/garymosesmomoore

And again 3 short clips from the evening. - Project Metal Music

Guitarist Gary “Moses Mo” Moore takes a solo flight from iconic Mother’s Finest
BRENDA STEPPAUGUST 28, 2019
Mother’s Finest has one of the most familiar concert introductions in rock — “Ladies and gentlemen, from Funk Rock, Georgia, please welcome Mother’s Finest!” — and the band pioneered a hard-driving blend of funk and rock ‘n’ roll long before Prince brought it home with Purple Rain.

Nearly 50 years after Mother’s Finest moved to Atlanta and became known for their scorching live shows, the band is still a fixture on the concert circuit and a 2011 inductee into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.

A key ingredient to their sound is the guitar work of Gary “Moses Mo” Moore. A native of Dayton, Moore’s father was a bluegrass musician. Moore released his first solo album in 2010 and also has his own solo group — The Real Cool Band — which will take the stage Saturday night at Eddie’s Attic.

Moore sat down with ArtsATL to discuss the evolution and staying power of Mother’s Finest and why it’s important for him to step out of that legendary group and pursue different musical styles.

ArtsATL: How long did it take Mother’s Finest to form as a band, and what were the circumstances surrounding the union?

Gary “Moses Mo” Moore: It took maybe three to four years to become the band that is now known as Mother’s Finest. When I was still in high school, in Dayton, Ohio, I was playing in a band called the Raspberry Blues Band. We played at a club called The Golden Lion. As fate would have it, Joyce [“Baby Jean” Kennedy] and Glenn [“Doc” Murdock] were also playing there. They played the hell out of “I Want To Take You Higher” by Sly [and the Family] Stone. The musical connection with us was immediate and strong, and, from that point, it was on.


Mother’s Finest remains one of the hottest live bands in existence.

Joyce and Glenn went on to perform in Miami. Shortly after I graduated in the summer of 1970, they called to ask if I’d be interested in forming a band with them. So I drove to Miami to join them. One of our first bass players told us he would no longer be able to be in the band but said he had a brother who could play bass. “Wyzard” (Jerry Seay) then took his place, and the core of the group was formed. We had several drummers over a two-to-three year period but really solidified becoming a band after we moved to Atlanta. We found Barry Borden performing with a group called Motion in Underground Atlanta and asked him to join the band. When he said yes, that became the Mother’s Finest that most people are familiar with, and the rest became history.

ArtsATL: Why the name “Mother’s Finest,” and who came up with it?

Moore: We all wanted to be called The Mother F***ers but knew that would only be a problem. So, instead, we went with Mother’s Finest so we could slip “MF” past the record companies. Glenn Murdock came up with our very first logo, using his graphic artist skills to create the image we used exclusively for many years. The record label artists came up with quite a few variations for the records we released, and we hired some artists to create artwork which included the MF letters for various items and merchandise made for our tours.

ArtsATL: Mother’s Finest has endured and survived several decades of change. Name three things for which you’d like the band to be remembered.

Moore: First, the music. It still remains the most important thing to us. Secondly, our performance as a band/group. We’re all in love with the stage and the connection we’re able to make with the audience and each other. I still get excited and energized by the people who I play with. Thirdly, the longevity that’s been provided to us by our fans and friends. Who knew we would have lasted this long as a group and have a catalog of songs people would remember or discover for the first time, over a 50-year span. We’ve grown as songwriters and performers, but we’ve also grown up together — we’ve become family. We’ve made a lot of friends along the way by just staying together over the years.


Moore brings a rock edge to the funk of Mother’s Finest, and also performs with his solo band.

ArtsATL: Tell us about your solo project and your upcoming show at Eddie’s Attic.

Moore: Performing and writing new music with The Real Cool Band allows me to reach deep into my own creative self for more musical ideas. In a short time, we’ve become friends, family and writing partners who inspire each other to push through the veil that separates what is known from the vast universe of the unknown. We’re always trying different ideas, mashing up different genres and merging different styles and techniques. For instance, by adding my son-in-law, ZeroBasement — who is by nature a rap artist — I’ve discovered how to blend an art form unfamiliar to me into songs with rhythms and melodies using beats that are new for me. Each member who has helped me to record these songs has added a special sound by being who they are and by the way they perform. Kerry Denton has a jazz/classical flair for drums; Mikey Long has a strong southern, soulful approach to playing the bass; PoiZen EV brings a certain sass and excitement with her percussion instruments and vocals. There’s nothing but musical pleasure to be found in the 2000s.

Our performance at Eddie’s Attic this Saturday will be a musical smorgasbord from a variety of talented Atlanta artists. As a smaller venue, there’s an emphasis on the music and songs performed there. That is, there’s less production, with more for the music and vocals — closer to the audience for an intimate, honest connection. It gets real when it’s right in your face. Musicians have to exercise control over their instruments, vocalists can show their mastery over just singing into a microphone, and the acoustics are awesome in this room.

ArtsATL: How have your musical goals and desires changed with your solo project?

Moore: Goals are the same: hunting for a new melody, weaving words into stories with a rhythm. But I’m also using all that’s been learned by writing for Mother’s Finest as a group, and learning to sing and play the guitar — something I’ve never done for Mother’s Finest. My desire is to continue to have an outlet for the songs which I write for myself, or others. It’s all I have ever wanted to do. My solo project is just another avenue to express myself. I’m fortunate to have others who wish to do this with me and join me on my journey. Though, for where this journey may go, I don’t know.




"MOSES MO"BRENDA STEPP GARY "MOSES MO" MOORE MOTHER'S FINEST - ARTSATL

MOSES MO AND THE REAL COOL BAND
Funk It!
12 October 2019 by Liselotte `Lilo' Hegt
It was in 1970 that guitarist Gary “Moses Mo” Moore co-founded the very successful American funk rock band Mother’s Finest. For almost 5 decades now the successful band is active and with an upcoming tour they are not saying their goodbyes yet. Although Moses Mo has a full schedule he also loves to work on other musical projects. In 2010 the guitarist released his debut solo album `Cartoon You’, which he recorded with the help of many friends. In 2015 he released his next solo project `Two Ton Message’ and there was no doubt that Moses Mo would leave it at that. Moses Mo found himself some local cool people and formed the 5-piece band Moses Mo and The Real Cool Band. Recently they launched their debut `Drive In’, which displays a funky, bluesy rock guitar sound with a classic hip hop style. HeadBangers LifeStyle’s Lilo decided it was about time to ask Moses Mo some questions.



First of all, what made you start up Moses Mo and The RCB?
,,Starting up The RCB was a natural course of events. As a songwriter there was a need, a desire, to allow myself the personal freedom to explore all aspects of song writing, not always with a group in mind. For many years I wrote songs only for a group, more or less writing songs motivated by being a part of a group, for others to sing, often working out arrangements which suited the whole band. A time came when I realized that I had a huge catalogue of songs that no one was singing or using in a group in which I was involved. The songs needed to be heard and so, I decided to sing the songs myself, give them a voice.’’

,,The songs are not just rap or hip-hop songs, there is a blending of genres and writing styles.’’-Moses Mo

How different is the music from Mother’s Finest, the band most people know you from?
,,Very different and also, not at all since I still perform and write with the other members of Mother’s Finest. What I bring to MF is the same in my own writing, I just approach song writing on my solo releases in a more selfish way, I write more for myself these days than with others in mind. The guitar leads and rhythms are still me, as the guitarist of Mother’s Finest and one of the founding members, there is naturally an overlap. The lyrics are often co-written now with Zero because he brings something different to the song, something more than just the melody. The songs are not just rap or hip-hop songs, there is a blending of genres and writing styles. Sometimes I write the song with verses, chorus, bridge and he’ll then write the rap, which expands the story and sometimes, he’ll share a rap to a beat he has written and I will work it into a songlike melody with other instruments.’’



How different is `Drive In’ from your two earlier released solo albums `Cartoon You’ and `Two Ton Message’?
,,On my debut release `Cartoon You’, I wrote all the songs, played all the instruments, and recorded all the songs in my home studio. I had guest artists, perform vocals, recording parts on instruments and vocal styles I had not mastered, like the mandolin by Steve Stone of A.R.S. on ,,Can You Tell Me’’, keyboards by Eric Frampton on several songs, slide guitar by Carl Carlton and harmonica by Jamie Russell on ,,Dollar In My Pocket’’. I added bass tracks from players like Wyzard from MF and Mark Hogan, a local session artist. Kerry Denton performed most of the drum tracks and I added strong vocalists like Joyce Kennedy, Glenn Murdock, Andrew Black, Johnnetta Johnson and Caroline Aiken. On my next release `Two Ton Message’ I was looking for a really different sound. I used a lot of different drummers, each having a strong suit but unable to satisfy me on all the tracks, until I ran into an old friend of mine, Kenny Soule who was free to record and was actually building a studio in his home, learning how to transfer files and drop tracks into different recording software. Every song I sent him came back perfectly suited for the song and he inspired me to complete the project. I used the strongest drum tracks for the songs on `Two Ton Message’ and wrote a lot of new ones that Kenny performed on. I had a similar situation with the bass tracks. I had recorded all the bass tracks but was still not satisfied with the outcome, so I sent the tracks to Kenny and he suggested I give Ivan “Funkboy” Bodley a try. Ivan performed on Broadway, did weddings, and worked for a lot of classic artists as their musical director, he had a wide variety of styles that he had mastered. I sent the songs to him that I had been working on and he blew my mind with his tracks! The project was released soon afterwards but I felt I needed to perform the songs to be heard. The main problem that existed was the fact that Kenny and Ivan both lived in NYC and I lived in Atlanta, very hard to rehearse and book live performances, so, I began to explore my options locally, to build a band which could perform the songs and build a performance set to debut the songs live.’’

,,I needed an outlet for my creativeness in song writing that wasn’t available through any of the bands that I worked with.’’-Moses Mo

Who were the musicians you found for TRCB?
,,I recruited Kerry Denton on drums. Kerry and I have worked for many years together and lived close by, so for mat that was a natural choice. Mike Long is a local bass player that has worked with many local bands, including The Producers, members of 38 Special and had a laid back southern style I just fell in love with the first time I heard him in a band fronted by The Producers guitarist Van Temple. My son-in-law, Zero Basement had performed on ,,Can’t Have Nothing’’, he’s an excellent writer and has a natural rhythm when he raps that just gave the songs something the melody alone could not. I asked him to write a few more raps and included those on many of the other songs on `Two Ton Message’ such at ,,All The Time’’, ,,Flyin Machine’’, and ,,Soul Wrecker’’. The last person to be added was PoiZen EV, she did not provide any tracks on the `Two Ton Message’ release but I felt the live band needed a little somethin’ somethin’. She has a sassy spirit like Ruby from Jim Dandy, she uses a tambourine to create a rhythmic accompaniment, and other percussion type instruments which add a richness to the songs when performed live. I did all of this because I needed an outlet for my creativeness in song writing that wasn’t available through any of the bands that I worked with.’’



Did you experience a different writing process with `Cartoon You’ and `Two Ton Message’?
,,With `Cartoon You’, those songs came out of years of touring and working with others, musicians, recording technicians, producers and major labels. The songs were solely mine own as I had imagined them to sound and be heard by others, only afterward having recorded them in my studio did I look for little nuisances that could be added to make each song stand on its own. The project was entirely supported by family and friends.
With `Two Ton Message’ many of the songs had been written for Mother’s Finest to perform on their next record that we crowd funded and produced ourselves. They were the songs that didn’t make it. So I decided to fundraise to produce this solo project. There were not enough songs for a complete release so many songs were written and then, given to Kenny and Ivan to write their own tracks and we dropped those into the songs that had been written with a beat and they just grew legs of their own. I used a studio for mixing and that’s studio’s technician to put the finishing touches on the songs. I took more time on my guitar tracks and on my vocals, reaching for something new that I may not have used before or something I could do differently, I was always comfortable with my guitar tracks but I pushed my vocals a little harder to try things I had not done before.’’

,,There was definitely a more creative vision for `Drive In’.-Moses Mo

Did you have a clear creative vision of where you wanted to go with Moses Mo and The RCB?
,,By time I was ready to record `Drive In’ there was a Real Cool Band, it’s what the band named themselves, people were always telling us what a Real Cool Band we were and the name won out. Many of the songs came from weekly rehearsals while working on the songs from `Cartoon You’ and `Two Ton Message’. Sometimes, I would bring an idea or a song that I had completed to rehearsal and we would just jam it out. The ones that felt really good to everyone stayed and then we recorded them in my home studio. Sometimes, Zero would bring in a rap with a beat or some of the raps he had written before joining us and we would develop into songs, again, the ones that felt good to everyone stayed and were eventually recorded. With this new release, I wanted it to include everyone that had become a member of the band to record their own parts for the songs, I still used Kenny and Ivan, and a couple of guest artist like Martin Huch on slide guitar. I liked the sound of double drums like in the Allman Brothers and I liked what Mikey and Ivan came up with to have multiple bass tracks. I’m not a big fan of multiplying tracks but like building orchestration within the song with different instruments much like building harmonies with vocals. There was definitely a more creative vision for `Drive In’ and everyone was including in all aspects of creating the project. `Drive In’ was much more like working with a band.’’



,,I stopped listening to people a long time ago, I look for people who respect what I do and who are experts in their own right.’’-Moses Mo

What did the other musicians bring to the table to finalize the sound of Moses Mo and The RCB?
,,When I decided to have a band to perform the songs I looked for several things, one is that the members had to live close to me and wanted to rehearse regularly, be interested not only in the songs I had written or bands that I had performed with but also in discovering something new that we could create together, which led to number two – I looked for people I could stand to be around for long periods of time, like minded folk with interests that I also enjoyed but also with strong personalities that interested me. Lastly, they had to have a talent that inspired me. I could have recorded with anyone, but I am better with people that I can get to know along the journey. I’ve never enjoyed session work and I did not want session players to play a part for me. I wanted the artist performing on my songs or writing them with me to believe in them as much as I did. I wanted the songs to mean as much to them as they do to me, it is not always about the pay check. I’m more of a porch player, it has to feel right in the moment. What these players bring to the table is their heart and soul, along with skill.’’

What was the biggest challenge and fun part for you writing and recording `Drive In’?
,,All of the recording are done in my home studio and the biggest challenge was making time in everyone’s schedule to record. Kerry and Kenny are set up to record at home and have become really good at creating files and sending them to me to drop in to the software I use to create the song tracks, Mikey comes early before rehearsal or stays afterwards to record his tracks, Ivan is also set up in his home and is also very proficient at creating files that I can drop into a session. Zero and EV have different types of recording needs, I usually do private sessions with them until we get just what we’re looking for, as for me, the fun part are my parts, except maybe for the vocals, those are sometimes very taxing. The most fun is the listening to the playback and saying “YaH” that’s it!’’

What did you want to accomplish with the album from a producer’s point of view?
,,As a producer, you listen with an open mind and share your experiences as a songwriter or one who is interested in the songs themselves. I stopped listening to people a long time ago, I look for people who respect what I do and who are experts in their own right. I know what I want to hear or what pleases me in the music or in a song. I look at producers as someone who polishes the project and makes it shine. Someone who can suggest that one thing that I had not thought of and make the whole sound better. I learn a little bit more about the process of recording, the equipment, and the software you can use with every song I write. I try to keep the whole process simple, not too many effects, not too many machines, just pure skill coupled with the best the equipment you have to get the best song for the performer.’’



What audience are you aiming for or do you want to rely on your current fan base?
,,It’s something we all think of in different ways, personally, I am out to please myself and I’m always looking for others who are also pleased with what I do. I may be an integral part of the music of Mother’s Finest but I’m not the only reason for the group’s success or popularity. I do not think that the fan base of Mother’s Finest will necessarily support all of my music. Some of the Mother’s Finest fan base is interested in what I do when I’m not with the group, some really like what I do, but they will not hear Joyce or Glenn’s voice, they will not see or hear Wyzard on bass, they may hear a few Mother’s Finest songs but mostly the songs are mine, done as I feel they should be done. We are looking for an audience like any other band out there, one who enjoys what we do and will support what we produce.’’

Where can people buy the album?
,,All 3 releases are available worldwide on all digital streaming platforms like Spotify, AppleMusic, Shazam, Deezer, Amazon, YouTube, Soundcloud, etc. You can find all the links on our website (HERE) or you can go to CD Baby, iTunes, Amazon to purchase digital downloads of singles or the albums:
https://store.cdbaby.com/Artist/MosesMo

https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/mosesmoandthercb1

https://music.apple.com/us/artist/moses-mo/38589414

https://music.apple.com/us/artist/moses-mo-and-the-real-cool-band/1445356378

https://www.amazon.com/Cartoon-You-Moses-Mo/dp/B003Z82KIY

https://www.amazon.com/Two-Ton-Message-Moses-Mo/dp/B015NLKP00

https://www.amazon.com/Drive-Moses-Real-Cool-Band/dp/B07L4B23Y8

Hard copies are sold only at live performances or by ordering through our website (HERE) (foreign postage has to be added)



What can people expect from Moses Mo and The Real Cool Band
,,Well, I’m not really sure what I expect, except that I am enjoying the journey and the self-discovery we are all experiencing. We have about half of the next project written and the music continues to excite us all. We are also hoping the people will continue to join us on this musical journey and discover new things about the music with us. What you can expect is that there is a lot more that we want to say, to express and experience. We will continue to blend genres and merge our musical interests to develop songs that excite use and in return, will excite others.’’

,,I am who I am because this is the path that God has chosen for me.’’-Moses Mo

Having an almost 50 year career as a musician, how would you like to define yourself as a guitarist and a songwriter and what do you think you have contributed to the music scene?
,,First of all, I want everyone to know how grateful I am to have had the career that I have had, who knew it was going to last this long? I have been afforded the opportunity by having been a part of a group that broke new ground and developed an entire genre for ourselves, I am not sure what others have seen in me but I am humbled by the experience. There are many, many great guitar players famous, well-known or not, that are better at their craft than I but I am who I am because this is the path that God has chosen for me. I’ve had a lot of help along the way but as a person, I work very hard just to please myself and I have much to learn, there are many genres and writing styles that I am still a novice at but I am constantly looking to improve myself, acquire new skills and tell my stories better through my song writing.’’



What is the most important lesson you have learnt over the years?
,,There have been many lessons, be true to yourself, you cannot be someone who you are not. Learn to become comfortable in your own skin. Relax, listen to everyone but most importantly, listen to yourself. Take the time to quiet the world outside you so that you can hear your voice. Build relationships with people who will support you for no other reason than you are important to them and they want to see you succeed. Practice every day, write every day, learn something new every day but realize there is more to life and that you need to take time to be in the moment.’’

You go on tour with Mother’s Finest soon, will this be a farewell tour?
,,It could be for someone, who knows what will come next, as the band ages, you never know, I intend to go out with my boots on, pursuing a solo career gives me plenty to do, making music as long as I can, continuing to write and release songs, experience more opportunities to express myself, I’m not good at goodbyes.’’

What can the fans expect?
,,From Mother’s Finest, there is the discussion of a documentary, with a new merchandise package and a tour to support to it. Possibly, as a 50th Anniversary Tour, the band continues to explore their musical options, last year background singers were added to the line-up, more production added to tour dates. For my solo work, I’ve been recording new songs for 2020 and pursuing distribution options, increasing my solo performance dates and audience through articles and interviews such as yours, building my YouTube channel, always looking for new opportunities to share my art with others.’’



What gives you the adrenaline rush on stage after all these years of constant touring?
,,The opportunity to interact with the audience, your whole day is based on that one performance and you look forward to a positive response from the audience, when the lights come up, I’m still amazed that there is an audience and when that audience is large, that’s the BIG ONE. Never gets old.’’

What do you consider as the highlights of your career with Mother’s Finest?
,,We toured with The Who, AC/DC, Aerosmith, Ted Nugent, KISS, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Earth, Wind, And Fire, The Commodores, BB King, and many more, performed at some of the most unique venues, and most importantly all the fans who have shown us so much support from the days of playing high school gyms to College Fraternities, to Clubhouses and Festivals, to some of the largest stadiums and smallest of towns, the TV shows like Midnight Special, Arsenio Hall, TopPop, and Rockpalast, always showing up with their stories, right up to the present.’’

Is there anything you regret?
,,I’ve never lived my life like that, no regrets, may have made a few mistakes but I am always grateful for all the experiences that I have lived through.’’

What would you like to say to your fans?
,,Give my music a listen, support the independent artist, buy their products, attend their shows, support your local venues who support live original music, and that I thank you very much for every FOLLOW, LIKE, CONNECTION that you make because you like what you hear, share with others, the links, the events, the website. These numbers are extremely important, join us on social media, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube.Google Moses Mo, Moses Mo and The Real Cool Band, MosesMo, Moses-Mo, go to the website (HERE) and watch for more from us! Thank you!’’
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All photos taken from MMATRCB social media with permission of MM.

MMATRCB HBLS Bandpage here
Moses Mo Website here
Mother's Finest Website here



#mosesmo #therealcoolband #mothersfinest #headbangerslifestyle #hbls #awayoflife

Liselotte `Lilo' Hegt

I am editor-In-chief of HeadBangers Lifestyle, as well as one of the owners and co-founders of HeadBangers LifeStyle. I am born and living in The Netherlands and a passionate music lover since a very young age, when it all started after hearing the debut release `The Kick Inside’ of Kate Bush. As a teenager I grew up in the eighties with the rise of heavy metal and I was hooked right away. As a sweet sixteen I started playing bass guitar and have been in various rock and metal bands for many years, performing live and releasing albums (Cirrha Niva, Dial, Ayreon, Epysode & Robby Valentine). Since 1997 I work as a music journalist for the Dutch rock & metal magazine Aardschok Magazine. You also might know me as the host (and producer) of the weekly rock & metal radio show Arrow High Voltage! on Dutch National radio station Arrow Classic Rock (from February 2011 until September 2016). Rock on! - Headbangerslifestyle