Local 913, Episode 96: Chrome Moses
Chrome Moses at their core are a rock and roll band – formed about ten years ago by childhood friends TJ Connelly and Joe Piacquadio (Pee-yacka-deeyo) and originally called The Wheels. Four years ago, the guys asked drummer Clarence Grant II to join the group, giving them something different in their sound:
“Joey and I grew up together and have been making music since we were 15 or 16 years old in high school. When we started making music it had like Derek and the Dominos and a very '70s blues and rock influence. Clarence has a church background, so he’s a gospel player. That adds a really cool element to [Chrome] Moses. He has a stronger gospel feel on his snare, laid way back in the two. This adds a different element to [Chrome] Moses, I think it makes it more danceable.”
That’s TJ Connelly of the Pittsburgh band, Chrome Moses. When recording in the studio, Chrome Moses prides themselves on not adding any extra effects and recording only to tape. Previously, the band had recorded to tape at Treelady Studios. Their new EP Mother Volt, they went for a new recording location:
“We recorded with our friend Matty Vaughan is seriously committed to an analog sound. He owns a studio in Dormont, Hollywood Studios of Pittsburgh. He has some very nice old gear. It’s actually unbelievable; it’s like rock and roll dream stuff. He’s from the same neighborhood we’re from. It takes a lot of dedication to record on gear like that because it breaks a lot. You have to be ready for something to fail. It’s not like if something breaks, you can run and update and fix something. It’s cool to see people still making music that way.”
For more on Chrome Moses, check out their website.
