Metrolites turn on to 'evil' sound

The Metrolites will perform at 8 tonight at the Blackthorn Pub, Moline. Cover is $3.

By Sean Leary, Entertainment editor

"It's not like I'm taking the Lord's name in vain -- I actually do want him to damn this instrument," lead vocalist/MalletKat/theremin player Scott Morschhauser said at a recent practice, joking as he cursed a tortured percussion piece that wouldn't bleat the sound he was after. "Like everything else relating to this band, this is done with the utmost sincerity."

Those familiar with Mr. Morschhauser's musical career know that he's only half-kidding. For while groups he's fronted such as The Kabalas and The Anachronistics have thrived on the humor permeating their live performances, they've also had a strong foundation in elaborate tunes played with sterling chops by a talented patchwork of musicians.

The Metrolites boast such an all-star lineup of players. Mr. Morschhauser is accompanied by "the man of 1,000 bands," "Nervous" Neal Smith on horns, Catseye's Kathleen Gallagher on guitar, former Scary Tweezers' Elaine Morschhauser on bass and the "multi-banded" Josh Duffee on drums.

"The whole idea was, what if I get all these people together, what kind of sound can we create?" Mr. Morschhauser said.

"We've pretty much all played with Scott before in various bands and I think we all share the same kind of attitude about what we want to do with music," Mr. Smith said.

"This is a mix of surf, spy, lounge, grimy jazz, rock -- it's hard to describe in one word," Ms. Gallagher added.

"I think we came up with the concept first -- we thought, 'wouldn't it be cool to be the band from 'Twin Peaks?' " Mr. Morschhauser said. "Kind of a really soft, ominous sound and a weird band. I think this band is incredibly weird, but commercial in a way. It rides the fence really well.

"Then again, after all the hype and the waiting, I guess all I can hope for is that it doesn't suck," Mr. Morschhauser added with a laugh.

So far, so good. The group's sound is certainly atypical but hypnotic with an eclectic charm. It's got the ambiance of a lost David Lynch film, but with a tongue-in-cheek "Son of Svengoolie" cheese to it. If The Kabalas had an evil twin band, it would be The Metrolites.

The fivesome has already worked up about a dozen originals, interspersed with the typical oddball covers -- "The Theme From 'The Planet of the Apes,' " for example -- for which Mr. Morschhauser and his compatriots are well known. With two hours of material all ready to go, the act is striving to expand to four hours by early next year. By next fall, it's hoping to get into the studio to record its first album.

Until then, it's out to make a name -- and an image -- for itself in the area.

"Both visually and sonically the music is very coherent in its influences," Mr. Morschhauser said. "But also really diverse. Everybody's got their own style of playing and their own look. You've got me with the Japanese kimonos and lounge jackets, Kathleen with the Catholic schoolgirl outfit, Neal with the German scientist look, Josh with the kind of Gothic thing and Elaine with a kitschy retro, bizarro June Cleaver thing. Above all though, I think it fits the music.

"The show is going to be a lot of fun," he added. "It's going to be an evil sound, but playfully evil. It's different. I think people that liked The Kabalas are going to like this. I think they'll `get it.' "

One of the most striking visual and aural aspects to the show involves Mr. Morschhauser "playing" a light-activated theremin that will have sounds milked from it by the flashing lamp of a miner's hat on top of his head.

"That's going to be interesting," Mr. Morschhauser said. "It could be really cool or it could be a total failure."

He laughed. "Of course, you could say that about this entire band."

Copyright 2001, Moline Dispatch Publishing Co.