Anson Obvious and the Uncomfortable Moments play acoustic rock and post-apocalyptic folk. Featuring a rotating cast of musicians, their music has shock value sure to make you double-take, often themed around awkward social encounters. The band’s latest single “Stan At The Office” came out earlier this year. Arale Berberich fronts the band.
ME: First things first; how did you get involved with Wisconsin Music Ventures?
ARALE: It was their open mic at Bottle House 42. I didn’t know anybody there the first time so I started introducing myself to people; one of them was Allison. We got to talking and found out she was doing Wisconsin Music Ventures. Then she interviewed me on her podcast.
ME: She interviewed me too; The Musician’s Venture is a good time.
ME: Anson Obvious and the Uncomfortable Moments has been your band for a while and you’ve played with a lot of musicians. I feel like every time I either see you or see what you’re doing on social media, it’s different musicians each time. I’m curious; how do you find and select musicians to play with?
ARALE: I think they kind of find me. Just recently, our drummer Chente got in a bad car accident and can’t really play drums so we got a fill-in drummer named Matt who Mouse recruited into the band. Matt is actually the first blind musician I’ve ever worked with so it’s learning something new. I’m so used to giving physical cues but when I cue Matt it’s all sound; not only that but he’s having hearing issues right now so I have to make loud and obvious noises or count out loud or something. He’s still amazing, I mean we had him join the band without practicing when we were featured artists at Mezcalero a few months ago so he’s come a long way with the band. Chente will return but we’ll still figure out something for Matt to do because he deserves to be in it.
ME: That’s awesome.
ME: It’s crazy that it’s already Christmas next week. Do you and your kid have fun Christmas plans?
ARALE: We’re going to go to his aunt’s house to do Christmas there. Usually we do a tradition every year of Belgian waffles so I’m excited for Christmas waffles. I’ve been really busy this month advocating for Dressember. My goal is to do a song a day so definitely Christmas day I’ll be doing that as well. My goal is $500 this month; right now I’m just a few bucks away from $200.
ME: It’s great that you’re doing that. I did Dressember with Ali J last year; mad respect to her for giving such a voice to the movement here in our music scene.
ME: Tell me about your most recent song “Stan At The Office.”
ARALE: It started as a clever rhyme scheme that I was trying to figure out. It took me a couple years to figure out the perfect rhyme and of course it just came by accident one day when I was just thinking of Myles Standish sandwich, and then once I got a few wordplays going on, I just kept adding to it until it ended up telling this weird story.
ME: What are you up to now?
ARALE: We’re going to record something similar to “Stan At The Office” soon. I’m working on the “Anson Obvious Does Her Friends” EP still and doing some rearranging and adding new musicians to that. That’ll be out next year for sure because that’s almost done. Our goal is to do a music video for “American Parents” so we’ll be doing that when I’m done with the EP.
ME: Do you have any shows coming up?
ARALE: Yes! Our next show is at Linneman’s in Riverwest on January 22nd with Loud Library and Bryon Cherry. Then we’re playing the following Saturday at Mad Steintist in Waukesha.
Visit Anson Obvious and the Uncomfortable Moments’ Facebook page here.