Band has a new name, new album
Have you grown weary of bands with bland names like “Bread”? Meet Team Mom, a Logan band who has been, er, making a name for themselves lately. The Utah Statesman recently had the opportunity to catch them right as they were putting the finishing touches on their debut album. As it turns out, there is more to them than just a cool name.
Utah Statesman: So here we have Riley Holgate, Clint Holgate, Seth Graves and Tony Lake (via speakerphone). First of all, compliments on your name. How did you come up with it?Riley Holgate: Well, we were going by a different band name – Harold and the Two Tones. Harold is Tony’s middle name.Tony Lake: Yay!RH: Our name is a joke because they used to call me “Team Mom”.TL: For providing picks and stuff.RH: And setting up equipment.CH: And other mom-ly duties.RH: We didn’t want to keep our old name ’cause it was too long. So we said, how about Team Mom? So we did it. And we thought it was funny.Seth Graves: We thought it was chant-able. People can yell it.US: What does everyone do in the band?TL: Besides live the dream? I play guitar. And sing.RH: He’s also the main songwriter.TL: I get a lot of help, though.RH: That’s a lie.US: Riley, what do you do?RH: I play bass.US: Seth?SG: I play rhythm guitar.US: And Clint – drums?CH: Yes.SG: And we all do backing yells and choruses.US: When was Team Mom formed?SG: The beginning of last semester, in September.US: How would you describe your music?RH: Fun?SG: It’s mostly based in rock ‘n’ roll.RH: Yeah, fun rock ‘n’ roll. Folkish.SG: Yeah, sometimes. Pop-ish.CH: Sometimes psychedelic.SG: I don’t think it’s that we’re not a genre – it’s that we’re a lot of genres.RH: Creed is one of our number one influences, actually!TL: Absolutely!US: Other influences besides Creed?TL: Money Brother’s huge. Also, Phantom Planet.RH: Elliot Smith.TL: Oh, and Bob Seger is probably number one. I’m not kidding.US: Any more influences?SG: All music in general. The Beatles.RH: Folk music. The Avett Brothers.US: Do you play shows a lot?RH: Yeah.SG: We played more when Tony was in Logan.RH: There was a time when we were playing three or four times a month. This month we’re playing five times.US: Impressive.RH: But we’re going to be playing 15 shows in August. We’re going on tour.US: Where are you touring?RH: We’re going to Detroit, Cincinatti, Chicago, Kansas City.SG: Missouri. Colorado.TL: And Omaha!US: Do you mostly play in Logan?SG: Yeah, we’ve had the most shows in Logan.RH: We play house shows a lot. But we also play Independent Music Club shows, which are very cool!CH: We love Ben Hibshman.RH: Ben Hibshman of the IMC actually played trumpet on our CD.RH: And The Shuttles are touring with us.US: Aren’t you in The Shuttles?RH: Yeah, Clint and I play with The Shuttles.US: So you’re touring with yourselves?RH: Yes. It’s easier that way ’cause we only have to bring one set of equipment.US: And you’re working on recording your album?RH: We’re nearly finished.SG: We’re working on packaging the album.US: So the album is coming out on Friday. What’s it called?RH: It’s self-titled. It was going to be called “Pants”.CH: But that looked silly on the cover ’cause the cover looks semi-serious.RH: We put our friends on the cover instead of us. And my dog.CH: Actually, Seth and Tony are on it, but you can’t see them.US: Did you start recording when you first got together?CH: About two months into it.SG: We did an 18-hour session over the (Christmas) break.US: Tony, what do you usually write songs about?TL: I guess more cliché topics, like girls. There’s one about Europe, when my friend left me in a hostel by myself, smoking cigarettes with a homeless guy.SG: The human experience, man.US: Tell us about your shows coming up.RH: We’re releasing our CD on Friday (April 11) at Kilby Court. And we’ll be playing on the 18th at the White House with Drew Danburry, Ashley House and The Awful Truth.CH: And on the 26th with Joshua James, The Shuttles and Code Hero.RH: And the Drew Danburry show is our CD release for Logan. And we also have t-shirts with cowboy boots on them!
For more info on Team Mom, go to www.myspace.com/teammompants, where you can listen to their songs. Don’t forget to watch for their CD, which is selling for $7, and for their hip band t-shirts. All shows are at 8 p.m.
-kelly.green@aggiemail.usu.edu