REPLAY Podcast Episode XXVIII: JOHN ELLIS from MOKOMOKAI

Growing up, nothing had a grip on me like metal.  It would be thrash metal that would make me want to be a musician myself.  I went from learning to play the drums to figuring out I could belt out vocals with the best of them.  The aggression of this music, mixed with the complexity of the riffage, fueled my need to be part of it.  Hours were spent wearing down records on my old man’s turntable.  I learned all about collecting records and taking care of them; I took care of them better than I took care of myself – I fucking love my records.  There was a time when I thought it had all died.  My heros has fallen, making a mockery of what they once ruled, and although I did quite enjoy some of the heavier music coming out of the 90s, the 1980s style thrash metal had just about ceases to exist.  I was sad, to say the least.

Well, fuck that.  Metal is back with a vengeance, and this week’s guest on the show is doing his part keep it alive.  A pal of mine who loves metal so much it’s kind of gross first told me about Mokomokai.  He told me of this crazy fucking trio from Peterborough that quaked bowels with thick fuzznastic riffage, but also set the stage ablaze with piercing 80s-style screeching operatic vocals a la Rob Halford of Judas Priest.  Well, I had to check that shit out.  Sure as fuck, guitarist and vocalist John Ellis lets loose the demons when he belts out those screams, and it is sweet fucking music to my ears.  Although, you might not know these guys just yet, they are working right fucking hard to get their sound out there, as they hit the road constantly.  Dan talks with John about everything from what jobs touring musicians need to have while off the road, to gear, to singing in the church choir (yeah, that’s right) to how he keeps that scream healthy and powerful.  If metal is your thing, you need to learn about John and Mokomokai – these guys fucking rule.

Podcast Episode XXVIII: JOHN ELLIS from MOKOMOKAI

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