This 12 months, long-time buddy of The Stranger and Saint John’s co-owner Mikey Moo (aka Michael Lee) launched his debut full-length, Recent Fool. I needed to do a double take once I learn that this was his debut—Lee has been taking part in round city for years within the Younger Evils, the Unfit, and the joke-loving jingle duo Heavy Steel Marching Band. However Recent Fool is the primary album of Lee’s personal materials. It’s a enjoyable, experimental pop journey by way of the many years, with songs that analyze the place relationships went flawed and determining tips on how to hold transferring ahead. (I swear I hear some late-’90s NSYNC in “Skip the Faux,” please inform me I’m not loopy, Mikey.)
To mark the discharge of Recent Fool on vinyl, Lee can also be releasing a brand new video for the track “Sweetie Pie.” It’s a easy, funk-ridden pop quantity that sounds just a little ’70s, just a little ’80s, but in addition someway modern. Native artist and filmmaker Tara Thomas, who has her personal iconic colourful, mixed-medium aesthetic, directed the video in her dwelling with Heavy Steel Marching Band, making for the proper era-clashing, art-filled, barely surreal backdrop.
Together with the video premiere, Lee was good sufficient to reply some questions on butts, presents, and his plans for the brand new 12 months.
To start with, the album is roofed in butts. WHOSE BUTTS ARE THOSE???
I do not know if I might truly match the butts to their respective house owners, however I do know that they’re the work of native genius Mary Anne Carter. In all probability a decade in the past, I went to Pony (the perfect bar that ever barred) they usually have been internet hosting a sort of swap meet the place all of the patrons made and offered their very own Pony merch. Mary Anne had this T-shirt with all these wonderful tushies on it, and I cherished it a lot I bought my favourite one tattooed on my arm. So when it was time to determine paintings for the album, they butted their method to the entrance of the road, and Mary Anne was type sufficient to grant permission.
How is Mikey Moo completely different out of your earlier tasks? What have you ever been in a position to do something in another way, creatively talking, that you simply’re particularly enthusiastic about?
Mikey Moo is my “debut” within the sense that it is the first album I’ve ever launched of my very own songs, and it has been fairly magical to convey them to life with my buds Nicki Hazard (Pink Components, Glitterbang) on bass/vocals and Scott Helgason (Younger Evils, Frond, Closing Physique) on drums. Heavy Steel Marching Band is a songwriting/manufacturing partnership with my buddy Troy Nelson that is centered on comedy and jingles for native companies. I play guitar within the Unfit, which has a brand new album out on Share It Music. Younger Evils are nearly to start out perhaps eager about contemplating toying with the potential of conceivably releasing some new stuff. [Editor’s note: OMG YES PLEASE!!!]
I like how there’s some pop, disco, dance vibes in “Sweetie Pie”—it’s a journey by way of the genres. It feels sort of classic but in addition modern (or perhaps it’s simply the go well with you’re carrying within the video that jogs my memory of the ‘70s, haha). Did any particular musical period encourage you whereas writing and recording?
That period of the Jacksons within the late-’70s/early-’80s, the place the albums have ridiculous names like Triumph and Future, knowledgeable the groove, however once I recorded the demo, I used to be principally attempting to put in writing a Brittany Howard track. Alex Robert (producer) and I began taking part in with synthesizers and it stored mutating till it was so sonically in every single place I had no selection however to make a music video with the eyeball-searing artwork course of Tara Thomas.
The vacations are proper across the nook, and clearly, a Mikey Moo report makes an excellent present. Do you might have a go-to last-minute vacation current for anybody panicking about what to get somebody proper now? (My go-to is scratch tickets and sweet. Folks LOVE scratch tickets and sweet.)
Megan, it is so humorous you need to ask as a result of beginning at this time, now you can pre-order Recent Fool on vinyl by way of Killroom Information. Because the urgent will likely be coming in early 2025, we’ll be sending vacation playing cards to everybody who pre-orders.
What does 2025 seem like for Mikey Moo?
I am gonna sing a pair tunes on the always-amazing Artist Residence NYE Bash on the Tractor Tavern. Then on New 12 months’s Day, my husband and I’ll keep in mattress and watch an Unsolved Mysteries marathon and binge Taco Bell supply. However after that, we’ll be writing and recording new music, throwing an enormous vinyl launch occasion in early 2025, and taking this present on the highway.
Pre-order Recent Fool on vinyl by way of Bandcamp right here. Observe Mikey Moo on Instagram right here.
