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Interview with Ryan Guldemond of Mother Mother

Mother Mother has been setting stages (and hearts) afire across North America in support of its third studio album, Eureka. Luckily I was able to rein in front man Ryan Guldemond for a tête-à-tête about producing, blogging and who drives the van on tour. Mother Mother plays at the Paragon in Halifax on Friday.

After playing at Canadian Music Week, SXSW, and leaving a trail of devoted followers up and down the U.S. West Coast, Mother Mother continues gaining momentum with fans and critics. Following on the heels of two critically acclaimed albums, the avante-pop quintet are currently touring the hell out of Canada promoting the third studio album, Eureka. Not only are they getting air time on commercial radio, but they are also currently boasting the number one song on CBC Radio 3 with “The Stand.” Described as “an urban hip hop tinged tale of a ‘misanthrope who corrupts the minds of two young girls’”, how could people not be attracted to it?  In his laissez-faire style, Guldemond says that he wrote most of the song as a “silly rap-style thing to bide time in transit”.

Biding time while traveling across this fair country of ours would be ominous, were it not for the fact that all 5 members plus their tour manager and stage hand travel together.  The vehicle of choice: a 15-passenger van tugging along a little white trailer.  With driving-duty being divided fairly equally between four (Ryan, Jeremy, tour manager and roadie), Guldemond says that they often take the down time to post-mortem shows. It turns out they invest as much in their live shows as in their studio time (as their adoring fans will vehemently confirm). So the off time is spent in “creative retrospect,” figuring out ways to continue to wow the crowds, and to continue to connect with them in different ways.

Guldemond is so conscious of the shared experience that he has taken to writing a tour blog. Post subjects range from their (mostly Ryan’s) impressions of a city’s skyline, to praise for the previous night’s concert-goers. He sees it as a way to “unite the fans with the band,” also labeling it as an “extension of the art.” He admits that he used to be anti-social networking, but more the “over-gratuitous broadcast” sense. So don’t expect to read about what he ate for lunch, or how he’s looking for the sock he lost. These posts are strictly about engaging the listener; ultimately creating a multi-faceted and accessible experience.  He’s thought about this a lot. Guldemond seems keenly aware of the changing landscape of both the music scene, and music industry. We have developed a need to become entrenched in musicians’ lives. It is no longer enough to simply buy the albums, or see them live: we want more.

And for Guldemond, it is also not enough to exist solely as a musician. While Eureka was mixed by powerhouse Mike Fraser (AC/DC, Franz Ferdinand, Elvis Costello) it was surprisingly, produced by Guldemond himself. Although Guldemond is no novice: he has worked with several artists, most notably Hannah Georgas, and newcomers Rococode (who are performing with them on select tour dates).  Guldemond looks at producing as merely another facet of musicianship: an extension of what he already does, as well as a way to stay relevant in a fickle industry. And he does it well.

Perhaps Guldemond’s understanding of the ‘gimme more’ attitude is why Mother Mother continues selling out shows, topping charts, and booking the biggest festivals. It was recently announced that Mother Mother will be playing at Montreal’s indie-showcase heaven, Osheaga Festival in July. But prior to that, they are stopping over in our fine city.  And he can’t say enough about Halifax.  “It’s a bittersweet thing,” he says, referring to our geographical location. And as Haligonians, we’ve heard it before. But he adds in that this stop on the tour is “less about quantity and more about quality.” And I understand what he means: when you come to the East Coast, you are not going to sell as many tickets as say, in Ontario-it’s just a mathematical impossibility. The reason bands come here is because of the people.  “I’m smitten with the general feel of the people in the Maritimes,” he says.  “Halifax is beautiful, really charming.  It’s got a pulse.”

So what have fans got to look forward to on Friday night? “A thorough representation of the band’s musical lineage,” he says.  “It’s a connected, fluid set.  We draw mainly from the new album, but take from the entire catalogue.”  They treat the set as if it’s one long song, always paying attention to the experience of the crowd.  And from what I’ve heard, they regularly hobnob with fans after the show.  So get fancy—see you at the Paragon.

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