What is a Man Man?
"It's the best kind of super hero and the best kind of villain." It's also an eclectic Philadelphia band that's crazy, funky and just a little off kilter. It's rock with a few odd nods towards carny, dirge, polka, gypsy, and jazz and filled with piano, saxophone, trumpet, flute, drums, euphonium, xylophone etc., etc., etc.
Lead singer Honus Honus' voice, framed by his rock moustache, crawls up from the depths and grittily pulls the through the clanking, clattering, stumbling noise. And despite their seemingly jokey facade (band members hold names like Honus Honus, Pow Pow, Sergei Sogay, Alejandro "Cougar" Borg, Chang Wang and Jazz Camel) there is still a sense of genuine appreciation towards the roots of the Frankenstein-ian creation they release during every show.
Maybe it's because they actually enjoy listening to the source material? Everything from Cajun accordion music to African guitar to metal to bossa nova and even plain old pop music.
Live, the band members promise to keep up with the energy their music exudes. They dance, they sweat, they frequently trade instruments, and occasionally try to screw each other up.
Milwaukee seems to be developing itself as a connoisseur of these sort of niche undead revivals of old traditional music. Milwaukee has recently seen Gogol Bordello and DeVotchKa pass through and the local scene has seen the embrace of The Scarring Party, John the Savage and The Candliers.
OnMilwaukee got a chance to talk with Honus Honus from their van on the road where we addressed musical influence, God as a female republican vice-presidential nominee, and winced as their hometown knocked ours out of the playoffs.
OMC: Earlier this year we talked with Gogol Bordello, who hailed from Eastern Europe, and DeVotchKa, who had roots over there. Some of your songs seem to hold a gypsy influence as well. Do you have any direct connection to it?
HH: We don't really have a connection. I guess Pow Pow is Lithuanian. But I feel like any Eastern European influence can be pulled out of our music is just a small part of our music, you know? I feel like especially with DeVotchKa, and especially with Gogol Bordello, that's pretty much the main vibe they're going for, you know? If it's in our music, it's only a thread or two.
OMC: Beyond the typical rock instruments Man Man includes sousaphone, saxophone, trumpet, French horn ... all sorts of different instruments. How long did it take you to learn everything?
HH: Oh, we're still learning how to play our instruments. I think someone who picks up an instrument and doesn't know how to play can probably write something pretty interesting and unique on it. We're not afraid to pick up new instruments that we don't know how to play. I mean, obviously Pow Pow is a sick drummer, and Billy (Dufala, A.K.A. Chang Wang), Russell (Higbee, A.K.A. Alejandro "Cougar" Borg), and Sergei (Sogay) ... they're all pretty amazing musicians. As far as training though, none of us are trained. It's just learning by doing. Billy can't really sight-read, but he can play with anybody and write amazing parts.
OMC: There are lots of instruments on stage. Who specializes in what? How many instruments do you have to master to be a part of Man Man?
HH: Oh, I don't know. Thousands.
OMC: What's the most bizarre breakthrough you had while creating a song?
HH: I saw God. And it was a woman. Who looked like Sarah Palin. But without the fake prescription glasses she is wearing. It was amazing. We all had to take a breather. Have some lemonade. Hang out with Joe Six-Pack.
OMC: And then Man Man was formed?
HH: Yeah, pretty much.
OMC: Most mainstream music is so utterly conventional. Do you ever hear a song on the radio or TV that you want to deconstruct and rebuild Man Man style?
HH: I love listening to the radio! I think I'm the only guy in the band that does. If I'm ever in the front seat and I get a moment to just listen to the radio by myself in the car is 'cause it just blows my mind, the songs that some old men in a room somewhere think is going to be relevant with the kids. And I'm like "Really? Do people really eat this sh*t up?" And the answer is yes. And it makes me happy.
It makes me happy because I don't think we could be -- I don't even really think we're that "out there." It makes me happy when a band like Modest Mouse or a band like Arcade Fire -- when they can break through into the mainstream. It just feels really great. And I feel like "underground" music (and I say "underground" in quotations) is infiltrating more, just 'cause people are tired of crap. It's all equal right now.
OMC: Is the name Man Man and the play on words from your stage names an artistic way of pointing out the need for repetition in pop music? I.E. Your band is instantly more sticky in the audience's mind because it's automatically a step closer to sticking in their heads.
HH: That was a well thought out question. I dunno? Are we really sticking out in peoples' heads?
OMC: You stuck out in mine.
HH: That's 'cause the child inside of you isn't dead.
OMC: Oh, well that's refreshing.
HH: There's still a light in your eyes. Yeah, I mean the idea of a band name is -- you can name your band whatever. Man Man just seemed the most simple name we could come up with. We couldn't just do Man. It's just the best kind of super hero and the best kind of villain.
OMC: Are you aware that your Phillies knocked our Brewers out of their first playoffs since the year I was born?
HH: Absolutely.
OMC: How do you feel about that?
HH: Triumphant. I don't think Bud Selig should own a team. (He doesn't. -ed.) But I like Prince Fielder, rockin' away. You'd think he was eating cheese steaks. We're looking forward to this L.A. series. But you know, we gave you guys one game.
OMC: Well, we appreciate at least that. And finally, you're hitting up the Brew City. What's your drink of choice these days?
HH: I'm a whisky drinker. Although it's occurring to me that it's making me a strange person. I totally forgot about it last night, but I was reminded about how I wanted to leap from car to car. And I did it ... and I ate it really bad. I don't really like drinking beer. It just makes me tired. Whiskey makes me unpredictable.
OMC: What brand do you like?
HH: Kind of a go-to is Maker's (Mark.) I like Knob Creek, but you can't really drink a lot of Knob Creek. (Sarcastically) Ugh, what a great answer. With these answers, you should just take me out to the shed like Old Yeller. Just put me down there. How to blow an interview. Sorry we beat your ass in baseball.
Jason McDowell grew up in central Iowa and moved to Milwaukee in 2000 to attend the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design.
In 2006 he began working with OnMilwaukee as an advertising designer, but has since taken on a variety of rolls as the Creative Director, tackling all kinds of design problems, from digital to print, advertising to branding, icons to programming.
In 2016 he picked up the 414 Digital Star of the Year award.
Most other times he can be found racing bicycles, playing board games, or petting dogs.
