13 Questions with Mondo Trasho

Mondo Trasho are a 4 piece Liverpool band who describe themselves as “Surf Garage Rock”

Inspired more by the 60’s garage rock and surf, Mondo Trasho have played a few gigs, mostly the GoGo Cage around Liverpool with Mark Sultan and the Wilderbeests.

Mondo Trasho looks toward the history of the darker Liverpool bands, taking influence from Scouse odd balls of the past. Getting a cinematic sound influence from Echo and the Bunnymen and the garage side of The LA’s and The Coral and the getting further influences from Dead Kennedys and The Cramps.

Mondo Trasho released That’s Trash after only playing 3 gigs, but have since moved more into recording to respond to lockdown. That’s Trash track Running Scared was recorded and mixed with Yammerer guitarist Gajo Pacos.

The band plans to release a series of 3 track EPs over the course of the year.

Sun 13 managed to catch up with the band and subject them to our tricky 13 Questions. Read on to find out more about keeping busy, idolising Joe Strummer and watching Soulwax fight.

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1. Where are you and what are you doing? How is that working out?

Jay: In Aigburth Liverpool, working for the NHS at the moment, going pretty well.

Moz: Right now, I’m on a break working at Liverpool Philharmonic clearing out the roof space, I’ve been finding a good balance of doing band stuff and promotions for the EPs and doing my job, so it’s working out well.

Kingy: I’m in Liverpool right now and I clean for a living for the NHS, just trying to keep a little change in my pocket. It’s working out okay.

Luke: I’m just sitting in the house most days trying to learn all Mondo Trasho songs. I only joined the band this month and it’s going pretty well.

2. How have you been coping with the lockdown?

Luke: Yeah, I’ve been coping alright joining the band has kept me busy. Just trying not to totally lose my mind while on Furlough, can’t wait to get back to work.

Jay: I was on furlough last year in my previous job an found it hard to be honest being at home all the time, so I just tried to keep myself occupied by playing guitar & watching a lot of stuff like movies and classic tv, but even that gets a bit boring after a while.

Moz: I’ve been coping well. I moved house, which kept me very busy. Also spent a lot of time searching through old public domain films to find interesting stuff to cut up to and use on our videos. I’ve also been finishing off mastering tracks for the EPs.

Kingy: Like everyone else, it’s a bumpy ride but I have been working a lot so that helps. Writing and recording with Mondo is what’s really keeping us getting through it.

3. Who is the nicest ‘celebrity’ you’ve met?

Moz: Henry Winkler when I worked at the Empire.

Kingy: Sam Coomes from Quasi.

Luke: I met Brian Welch and Ray Luzier from Korn, they were pretty cool, they gave me a CD.

Jay: Neil Ruddock when I was a kid in Wade Smith.

4. When did you last get into an argument?

Moz: Trying to remember so long ago but probably at work, with some lazy Tour manager.

Luke: I don’t know really, funny when you try to remember it’s like the mind hides it and doesn’t want to get into that negative thinking.

Jay: Pass.

5. What’s your favourite food?

Moz: Dim Sum.

Kingy: Vegetable Lasagne.

Jay: Dime Cake or Terry’s Chocolate Orange.

Luke: Yellow snow.

6. When did you last consider quitting social media?

Moz: New Year’s day I planned to delete it all but it was hard going cold turkey. Apart from promoting the band I’ve tried to avoid Facebook this year.

Exclusive: Yammerer release new single, ‘The Beachgoer’ – listen here.

Kingy: I don’t really use it to be honest.

Jay: About a year or two ago.

Luke: Everyday.

7. What’s the best night out you’ve ever had?

Kingy: A gig I played in Domodossola, Italy.

Luke: Last summer on New Brighton beach.

Jay: Had loads of crazy nights out when I was younger. Watching Soulwax
fighting security guards was a mad night.

Moz: Probably at Liquation when it was Le Bateau especially the nights when I was under 18. Had So many good nights there.

8. How would you describe yourself?

Luke: I wouldn’t

Moz: Easy going, friendly, bald.

Kingy: An energetic chap who has courage in his convictions. Jokes round often but doesn’t mess when it’s time to get shit done.

Jay: Chilled pothead muso.

9. What words of warning would you give your younger self?

Kingy: Watch out for those dastardly drugs.

Moz: Look after your ears and get that chip off your shoulder.

Jay: Don’t follow others, do you own thing fella.

Luke: Don’t eat yellow snow.

10. When were you last told off?

Kingy: Last rehearsal by Jay probably.

Luke: Last Week by my mum for being too loud.

Moz: When I talk over important plot points of films.

Jay: probably a couple of weeks ago in work by my boss.

Stereolab: Electrically Possessed: Switched On Vol. 4 – “pristine and almost hallucinogenic”

11. What has been your favourite decade for music?

Moz: 1960, I’m always discovering new and rare songs and bands from the 60’s. The pop music was great but the lesser known stuff is better.

Kingy: A few years ago I would’ve said it was the 90’s but now I really have a new appreciation for the 2000’s all those English/Irish bands who’d come on MTV 2 like Jet Plane Landing, Kill Kenada, 80’s Matchbox, etc…

Jay: 60s or 80s could listen to either all day

Luke: I’d say at the minute 50/60s, I’ve been listening to a lot of surf rock from that era. but it could change next week.

12.What band or record changed the course of your life?

Moz: The Clash‘s Combat Rock. It opened my young mind to what a band could do. I love how The Clash did whatever they wanted. I used to idolise Joe Strummer as a teenager and try to dress like  the Scouse version of him. I always go back to The Clash, their discography is so
varied and everything (apart from Cut the Crap) sounds great.

Kingy: Probably the Self titled Blur album from 1997. The versatility and dynamics of that album is something I always come back to and has probably had the most influence on me. It’s a masterpiece.

Luke: Demon Days by Gorillaz. I listened to it when I was about 8 years old and it was so different to what I was used to hearing as an 8 year old it made me want to find similar stuff.

Jay: probably hearing Nevermind by Nirvana when I was about 12, like most kids it made me wanna play guitar an make noise, probably still one of my favourite albums.

13. Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions.  Is there anything else you’d like to say?

Luke: Anytime, just not all the time.

Jay: No worries, not really, cheers.

Moz: Anyone got any old farfisa organ or Leslie speakers get in touch, thanks for the interview and for supporting the band.

Kingy: No problem answering the questions. Keep on rockin’ in the free world and Doot Dootle Doo Doo…….