Mao Tse Helen

Mixes it Up

Story & Photo by Phil Ford

Seeing Mao Tse Helen play, you notice a distinct kind of hybrid duality. The straight-forward and raw punk elements from bassist Ron T. Curry and singer/guitarist Chris Bopst contrasts with the tight and shiny coolness of guitarist Brian Murchison and Chris Gallo on skins.

When asked how they would describe their sound, Bopst said with a cackle, "Absurd, redefining absurdity."

"I think we all play out for each other," Murchison offered. "People will come in with ideas."

"It's got a conversational quality," said Curry. "Obviously there are arrangements, but worked to sort of create something fresh every time. Kind of improvised."

Fusing these together in any live experiment could prove disastrous if the balance went too far in one set musical direction.

Gallo laughs: "Sometimes there’s a bond between the slickness of Brian and I and the punk from the front of the stage (Bopst & Curry). Because Chris isn't afraid to say anything to a room full of strangers. He'll find a way to alienate us and the whole rest of the show will be us trying to win the audience back."

They've had fairly nominal success (hey, I liked it!) with their first CD Maize (Shameless Records), which caught rather well their tight and chaotic grooves, ranging from the punky to the jazzy to the goofy. They are currently mixing new recordings for another CD with former Sliang Laos bassist Mark Smoot. All claim the new album will be even more diverse, adding more instruments and more crazy themes.

Bopst said, "I want people to listen to what we put out so that they’ll have to laugh at some point, where it’s just like, 'What is wrong with these guys?'"

Mao Tse Helen will play in New York at the Knitting Factory April 12 and here in Richmond at the Moondance on May 12 with Maureen Tucker (Velvet Underground) and Flip from Atlanta.