.Mutt musicians make multiverse rock

Oakland band plays every sound from everywhere all at once

music in the park, psychedelic furs

The musicians in Mutt chose the name of their band because, like a dog with a genealogy formed from multiple breeds, the trio embraces any style that catches their fancy.  

“I always think I’m writing country songs,” says Lisa Weaklim, Mutt’s primary lyricist, guitarist and lead vocalist. She says that drummer Chris Maneri has played drums since he was six, and performed in musical theater productions. Maneri’s father was a session player, so the band’s sound benefited from his professional expertise. Juli Sherry is a longtime bassist as well.

“We all listen to every kind of music, so our sound isn’t straight-up punk,” Weaklim says. “It’s more loud rock, or whatever you want to call it.”

On the band’s last album, A Real Cool Head, the arrangements dip into rock, prog-rock, metal, country, reggae, punk and pop balladry. It’s a strong collection, but it was released a few weeks before the pandemic lockdown.

“We didn’t get to play the songs live until 2023,” Weaklim says. “It put a damper on the promotion. We worked on writing, arranging and recording that album for two years. We still play the shit out of it, but it was a long, hard slog.

“Luckily, we all had day jobs,” she continues. “There were times in my life I wished I could be a full-time musician, but I’m glad it didn’t work out that way. I like making art on my own schedule.”

Weaklim and Sherry also have other projects in the works. 

“Juli moved out to Chicago and is starting a record label,” Weaklim says. “I have a film project going into production in the spring. I had a feature called The We Should Game come out last year. I produced it, acted in it and wrote the songs. Mutt did the soundtrack.” 

Mutt’s currently working on a new album, still without a name, but the songs continue to balance the personal and the political. 

“There are always songs about the patriarchy in some form, but a lot of them are lighter,” Weaklim says. “We’re also recording on tape. That adds constraints we didn’t have in the past. Chris is mixing from the board, trying not to use computers. What you’ll hear is what we did—no covering it up.”

One of the new tunes is called “Quitter.” “It’s about giving up your career to have children, then complaining about losing your creative perspective,” Weaklim says. “‘Before I Disappear’ is shoegaze and guitar-heavy. I wrote it after the first difference of opinion I had at the beginning of a new relationship.

“‘Waste Farm’ is a rocker about some loud, obnoxious guy coming into a bar where you’re enjoying some down time with your friends, and sucking all the air out of the room,” Weaklim adds.

While the members of Mutt continue working on the new album, they’ll play a few live shows.

“Onstage, there’s a lot of improvisation,” Weaklim says. “I don’t like the limitations of recording. If we could play live any time someone wanted to hear us, that would be great.”

Mutt will soon play their first show of the year—a birthday celebration for Steve Moriarty, the drummer of TV1984.

“We’re big fans of their sound,” Weaklim says. “They’re a duo, just Steve and Sammy [Salazar, bass player], but they get a lot of music out of two instruments. We’ll be opening for them, playing songs from A Real Cool Head and four or five new songs from the album we’ll be releasing later this year.”

Weaklim hopes people enjoy Mutt’s music as much as she enjoys the music she loves. “I always find music that’s an accessory to my mood,” she says, “so we’d like to help other people gain access to their feelings. Like if they’re sad and need to get tears out, or angry and need to throw some paint at a canvas.

“One of the biggest changes for me was realizing that if I wanted to be a musician, I could do it,” Weaklim adds. “I’m self-taught and found friends better at playing than I was. That helped me grow as a musician. If I can do it, you can do it. Pick up a guitar, put your fingers on it and see what happens.”

Mutt plays a free show with TV1984 and Vertacyn Arc Materializer at 8pm Saturday, Feb. 8, at Baltic Kiss, 135 Park Place, Point Richmond. For more info visit instagram.com/mutt_music and muttmusic.bandcamp.com.

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