{image1}You read about The Mustn'ts here not long ago, but as the band gets ready to launch its EP, we decided it was time to get current on Milwaukee's best new band.
But don't let the "new band" tag fool you, the members of The Mustn'ts are no newcomers. Guitarist Damian Strigens, for example, has played with The Frogs, Nerve Twins and The Lovelies, and Mark Waldoch is a respected solo performer here. They are joined by keyboardists Tegan Kaske and Betty Blexrud, bassist Paul Hancock and drummer Dan Hanke. (Note: Strigens and Blexrud were the drummers on the EP, however. Hanke joined after recording was complete.)
With a quirky sound that is impossible to categorize, but that possesses a rare combination of intelligence and fun, The Mustn'ts have fast become the band to watch in Milwaukee, whether they know it or not.
As such, OnMilwaukee.com is excited that the band has included an as-yet unreleased track to the upcoming "OMC-D v. 1.0," due out in late May.
In the meantime, we asked the band about the progress on its first EP and more.
OMC: The Mustn'ts are something of a Milwaukee "supergroup" -- yes, it's true, don't fight it. How did the band decide to combine its talents for good and not evil?
Dan Hanke: While many of us have played in successful bands prior to The Mustn'ts, I think the label Supergroup does not apply here. I'd like to think that we're looking ahead to our future or creating a space for ourselves, instead of attaching our name to past bands. I've never really understood the value in say, putting up flyers where underneath your band name you have "ex-members of X bands." It just feels like the new or current project is resting on past laurels or achievements when it should be looking ahead and wanting to blister all prior paths unrecognizable.
Betty Blexrud: We each try and bring something special to the table, more like the Super Friends. We have a vast array of skills, whereas evil-doers are kind of a one-trick pony.
Damian Strigens: It's interesting because the fact that many of us play different instruments means there's no limit to the ideas or possibilities. For instance, I might say "What about a trombone on that part?" and Mark will pick up the horn and add a really cool part. Betty will play organ on one song, play guitar on another and have a drum part for something else. Tegan will play accordion on one song, and piano on the next. Indeed, a super group as opposed to ... supergroup.
Tegan Kaske: Mark, Dan and Damian have been playing music incessantly for years, since before I was in high school, and they're damn good at it. It's wonderful to have such a well of experience there at the practice space three or four times a week.
OMC: Are any of the members still involved in solo projects or other bands, too?
DS: I know Dan also plays in a band called Dutch Courage and every so often I'll do a show with Nerve Twins, but it's not a regular thing. We've all been focused on this for the past six months or so.
OMC: You've got a pretty strong frontman in Mark, but the music definitely seems like a collaboration. Is that true? Do you write collaboratively?
BB: We should mention that Mark's material was kind of the impetus behind our forming a band. We were already fans of his from seeing his solo shows. He made it pretty clear that he wasn't looking for a backing band, though. We encourage -- require? -- each other to contribute ideas, parts, even whole songs.
TK: I'd love to say that we have an innovative new process of songwriting involving electronic ballots and/or telepathy, but truth is we write songs like almost every other band on the planet: we play some music together, go home and think about it, then go back to practice and play it again and again until nobody hates it anymore. I think almost everyone does it like that, don't they?
DS: Some of the songs are re-interpretations from the past. There are some songs of Mark's that made it into our repertoire that I vaguely recognize from his solo shows. We all add different shades to make it Mustn'tesque. Wow, what an ugly word.
OMC: What's the status on the band's first CD?
DS: It's a six-song EP and it comes out next week. It will be available for sale at our show on April 22 and then at Atomic and Rush-Mor. Our original intent was to do a demo and that's how we view it, but we also look at it as a release, locally anyway. We wanted to record the material right away while the songs were fresh so I contacted Ed Ackerson from Flowers Studio in Minneapolis, who I knew from my days touring with The Frogs. He plays in Polara and we shared a few bills together. I told him about The Mustn'ts and he was into it. Making this record was a musical high point for me. We learned a lot but we've got a bunch of new material that we're excited to record as well.
OMC: The name says we shouldn't, but the music says please do. What's the story behind the name?
BB: I think the name Mustn'ts means that we make an effort to avoid familiar formulas of how a band must look and must sound. Some people like it when they can predict where the structure of a song is going and wait for a solo, etc. And then there are some people who say "surprise me."
DS: The actual name comes from a Shel Silverstein poem called "Listen To The Mustn'ts." We couldn't agree more.
The Mustn'ts play a CD release show with Chicago's Midstates and Liquid Meets Land, from Minneapolis, at the Cactus Club, Friday, April 22 at 10 p.m.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
