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AN INTERVIEW WITH LOVE SEED MAMA JUMP
ORIGINALLY FEATURED IN 1996-
by Andrew Goletz & Steve Wozny
Love Seed
Mama Jump was formed in 1992 at a beach in Sussex County, Delaware. All of
Love Seed’s ideas and creative endeavors are based on the premise of
having as much fun as possible in everything they do. Love Seed does not
believe that music needs to be a serious experience. In late 1993, Love
Seed released a live compilation of their nine most requested songs on a
CD entitled Drunk at the Stone Balloon. The CD, a compilation of nine
covers, also includes two original songs: ‘She Likes the Dead’ and
‘Free’. July of 1995 saw the release of Baked Fresh Daily. This new CD
consisted of eight original songs.
Love Seed
Mama Jump is destined for bigger and better things. Their tapes and CDs
are priced low and the music is fantastic. To get a copy of either,
contact Elvin Steinberg (302-368-9622).
I arrived
at the club at 10pm, exactly, but there was no sign of Steve. Deciding
that it would be an insult to keep the band waiting, I went over to greet
them myself. The man I talk to is Pete Wiedmann; bass player, background
vocalist and all around nice guy. We met months ago at one of Love
Seed’s shows and I had been trying to get them down for an interview
ever since.
Pete
led me to the bar and we did a shot together before trying to begin the
interview. The overplayed, cranked up hip hop music was blaring through
the club’s speakers at a more obnoxious rate than usual, so we decided
to move the interview to the downstairs quarters.
It’s what I imagine it’d
be like to enter the Bat-Cave for the first time, that feeling of awe and
wonderment to be in the band’s secret lair. To be honest, it was pretty
much a converted basement with a couple of chairs, a table and a freezer
full of Rolling Rock. Steve
eventually showed up, and we wasted no time in getting down to business.
AG: How did you guys first get together?
BG (Brian
Gore, lead guitar): 4 years ago. We started out in Rehoboth and we used to
just play around there.
AG: Was music always a big part of your lives?
Something you always wanted to do?
DJ (Dave James,
percussion): Not really.
PW: I wanted
to be a doctor. No, I mean,
everyone dreams about it, but no one expects it to happen. I was out
playing in bands previous to Love Seed and nothing ever really came of it.
BG: When we
started out, we were just a total cover band having a good time, you know.
We would just play anything we knew.
SW: When did you get around to doing your own material?
PW: It took
about a year and a half. It was always just a fun thing that we did to go
out and have a good time.
BG: But
after doing the same thing for so long, you want to move onto something
else.
PW: We
figured the worst thing that would happen would be that we’d play some
of our originals and they would suck so we’d just go back to doing cover
songs. But the audience dug it.
AG: I remember a concert incident where Rich was
taking an audience poll: Love Seed original
or Pearl Jam cover. I was curious to hear your version of Pearl Jam, so I
was shouting, ‘Pearl Jam, Pearl Jam’. Rick pointed to me, called me an
ass and I proceeded to get pummeled by the fans.
PW: That’ll learn ya!
BG: We have
to mix it up. We do three sets a night and there are people who just
don’t like original music and people who hate cover songs. We have to do
both to appeal to everyone.
AG: Is the next CD going to be more originals or continue to be a mix?
PW: I think
it’s going to be all originals, actually.
BG: We’re
local fucking heroes!
PW: Ahh,
yes. They’re so proud of us back home.
SW: How do you choose which songs to cover?
BG: Someone
will bring up a song and everyone has a chance to shoot it down. If it’s
left standing, we take it on.
SW: Most bands will cover current hits, while you guys go for a more unique blend.
PW: We like
the classic rock; usually because it’s very, very easy.
SW: And then you add the Love Seed twist to it?
PW: Yeah.
Usually that happens because no matter how easy the song is, we always
manage to learn it wrong.
AG: Is money more important than fame?
PW: Yes.
We’re drug addicts, remember? We met in rehab. Pay attention. That’s
why we’re doing non local shows, to stay away from the Philly dealers.
SW: What are some of your best and worst
experiences since forming Love Seed?
BG: Being really, really
fucked up for a show. And that covers both questions.
PW: Again,
being fucked up on stage, but then videotaped.
BG: The best
was when we were recording the live CD.
PW: Everyone
wanted to be on it, so they were screaming like mad. Unfortunately we
thought they were screaming because they liked us.
BG: Boy were
we wrong.
PW: The
Phillies were playing in the World Series and the game was being shown
while we were playing. When we realized that basically nobody gave a damn
about the music, we just shut off the amps, put the equipment down and
drank until the game was over.
AG: So do you use your new found fame to take
advantage of naïve women?
DJ: Only one at a time.
SW: If you
had any advice to give, what would it be?
PW: If you
see a truck coming at you, move!
PW: We
don’t have any advice. Lord knows how we manage to get through the day.
Copyright©2000 Andrew Goletz and Steve Wozny