MAY 6, 2016, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A5
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KEIZERTIMES.COM
Wire Monkey Mama makes Keizer debut
Band is
fronted by
two MHS
teachers
By ERIC A. HOWALD.
Of the Keizertimes
Ryan Somerville and Paul
Shuirman have taught along-
side each other at McNary
High School for more than a
decade, but it took a Joe Satri-
ani concert to bring them to-
gether as bandmates.
“We were laughing hysteri-
cally,” said Shuirman, a math
teacher. “There were all these
people going nuts and he’s
looking at them and playing as
if he’s a god. We realized that we
had a similar idea about what
makes for good performances.”
Somerville was more to the
pointed in his review.
“He basically has two songs
and six licks that he’s run
through the wringer for de-
cades,” the English teacher said.
“That’s when we discovered
that we’re both equally icono-
clastic. If someone needs to be
chopped down a bit, we’re will-
ing to be the ones swinging the
axe – it’s just we’d rather do it
musically.”
Shuirman played in bands
for years after teaching himself
how to play by ear as a teen-
ager. One of his more note-
worthy gigs was playing at Los
Angeles’ Whiskey a Go Go in
the heyday of Sunset Boule-
vard. Somerville taught himself
to play as a teen by poring over
guitar magazines, but had never
played in public until last year
when the band Wire Monkey
Mama debuted at Salem’s The
Governor’s Cup.
The founding of what
Why Wire Monkey Mama?
One of Ryan Somerville’s hobbies, in addition to
writing and making music, is coming up with band
names.
The Seven Deadly Sinatras is one of his personal fa-
vorites, but Wire Monkey Mama is one he’s been kick-
ing around for several years.
“Our eponymous song is Don’t Be a Wire Monkey
Mama,” said Somerville.
The name comes from a series of experiments con-
ducted by psychologist Harry Harlow in the 1950s.
Harlow put rhesus macaques that had been raised in
isolation into cages with one “mother” made of wire
and another made of cloth to see which the macaques
would gravitate to.
Even when the wire monkey mamas were placed in
the cages with food bottle and the cloth mothers had
none, the macaques preferred the cloth mothers.
“The conclusion he made was that primates sought
comfort even more than food,” Somerville said.
Despite the somewhat endearing tale, Somerville
embraced chilliness of the wire monkey concept when
naming the band.
“Essentially, we’re the cold, heartless maternal fi gures
that only offer you gruel and tell you to shut up,” he said.
Somerville said it works
because both of them are at a
point where they are willing to
give over some of the creative
control in the process, and be-
cause both of them approach it
with an all-or-nothing sense of
Submitted
Ryan Somerville, Eric Bruce and Paul Shuirman play a living room set as Wire Monkey Mama.
humor.
In the midst of conversation,
okay. That’s the whole point,” Somerville will whip out his
would become Wire Monkey Facebook,” Shuirman said.
It’s now something like a said Somerville.
Mama was relatively innocent.
phone and start typing lyrics or
Shuirman sent Somerville well-oiled machine:
Step 3. Shuirman gets the song titles. In the course of the
Step 1. Shuirman comes up lyrics, gives them a pinch and interview, this happens at least
a list of possible song titles,
Somerville picked one out and with a list of potentially hilari- twist and sets them to music, four times. The pair gets into
wrote a poem while the pair ous song titles.
sometimes with his son provid- a joking argument about the
Step 2. Somerville picks one ing backing vocals.
sat in Somerville’s room after
musical merits of Ted Nugent
school. He sent the nascent lyr- out, say Freddy’s Phoenix Freak-
“My only rule for Ryan is and soon Somerville is typ-
ics to Shuirman who excised out, inserts “Fabulous” between that he can’t give me melodies ing Wango Tango Suite into his
some of the words, rearranged “Freddy’s” and “Phoenix” and to work from,” Shuirman said. phone.
others and created a demo tape. then starts writing a poem
Step 4. Somerville gets the
“We’re going to redo Wan-
Those fi rst steps gave birth about a guy named Freddy song back, grieves for the shat- go Tango, and get it right this
to what’s become their creative who checks into a Best Western tered brilliance of his word- time,” he said.
in Phoenix, proceeds to fi ll the crafting and then comes to
process.
Somerville wrote a song
“It was really organic after pool with shampoo and gets in- grips with it having evolved titled Quinoa after he found an
that fi rst time. We just started stitutionalized.
into a better song.
article on Buzzfeed about it be-
“But Freddy’s going to be
sending stuff back and forth via
Step 5. The pair gets togeth- ing the top name for babies of
er with drummer Eric Bruce hipsters. The pair is now trying
to fl esh out the musical com- to enlist friends and offspring
ponents.
to dress up as boxes of quinoa
at Wire Monkey Mama’s Keiz-
er debut Saturday, May 7, at
Keizer Village Shopping Cen-
ter. The group is performing at
11:30 a.m. as part of the festivi-
ties surrounding Free Comic
Book Day at Tony’s Kingdom
of Comics.
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“For me, what’s fun is seeing
some of Ryan’s ideas for a song
and thinking, ‘That is so stupid.’
Then I realize that’s why I have
to go with it. It’s the challenge
of taking something like that
and turning it into something
cool,” Shuirman said.
Despite his math proclivi-
ties, Shuirman approaches per-
forming with the mindset of a
sociologist. He’s just as inter-
ested in the interplay between
performer and audience as he
is the music.
“There’s a challenge in play-
ing in front of a new group,
I’d rather do that than play in
front of a bunch of friends who
won’t tell me I suck,” he said.
It might seem like they’re
trying to play a joke on the
audience, but Somerville and
Shuirman are hoping the audi-
ence sees it more as an invita-
tion.
“I fi gured 49 years old
wasn’t too late to start a punk
band – better late than never.
I love it, my students love the
idea of it. I have no delusions
of being a polished performer,
but we are seriously trying to
create good songs,” Somerville
said. “We just want people to
come and have fun. Laugh with
us or laugh at us, but have fun.”
Free Comic Book Day and
more at Keizer Village May 7
Wire Monkey Mama takes the stage at Keizer Village as part
of Free Comic Book Day at Tony’s Kingdom of Comics, 3856
River Road N., Saturday, May 7.
The Wire Monkey Mama’s set begins at 11:30 a.m., but they
are only part of a slew of activities planned for that day at Keizer
Village Shopping Center.
Musical acts include Captain Wails and the Harpoons and
Coot & Codger in addition to Wire Monkey Mama. Tony’s will
have visiting artists in addition to free comics (two per custom-
er). El Patron will be offering $1 tacos. Birdie’s Bistro will have
free samples. Ireland’s ATA and Karate for Kids will be running
board-breaking demonstrations. Costumed heroes and pop cul-
ture icons will be in attendance for photos and the Rockabilly
Rust-O-Rama Car Show will be set up in the parking lot.
Donations to Keizer Community Food Bank will net visitors
an extra free comic and there will be a silent auction and raffl e
in support of Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. Tony Grove,
owner of the comic shop, said he’s already raised more than
$1,000 for Doernbecher and the event has yet to begin.
The fun begins at 11 a.m. and runs to 8 p.m.
WorshipDirectory
These Salem-Keizer houses of worship invite you to visit.
Call to list your church in our Worship Directory: (503) 390-1051
John Knox Presbyterian Church
JOIN US FOR
SUNDAY WORSHIP
452 Cummings Lane North • 393-0404
8:30 am • 10 am • 11:30 am • 6 pm
PEOPLESCHURCH
4500 LANCASTER DR NE | SALEM
503.304.4000 • www.peopleschurch.com
Celebration
Services
Saturday Evening
1755 Lockhaven Dr. NE Keizer
503-390-3900
www.dayspringfellowship.com
Rev. Dr. John Neal, Pastor
Worship - 10:30 a.m.
Education Hour - 9:15 a.m.
Nursery Care Available
www.keizerjkpres.org
Jason Lee UMC
820 Jeff erson St. NE
Salem OR 97301
9:00 am
Dr. Jon F. Langenwalter, Pastor
The church with the purple doors
10:45 am
Worship at 9:30 am • Child Care Available
6:00 pm
Children’s Programs, Student and Adult Ministries
Father Gary L. Zerr, Pastor
Saturday Vigil Liturgy: 5:30 p.m.
Sundays: 8:15 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.
La Misa en Español: 12:30 p.m.
Sunday Morning
and
503-364-2844
Faith Lutheran Church
4505 River Rd N • 393-4507
Sunday Schedule:
9:00 a.m. Children’s Church
9:15 a.m. Adult Bible Study
9:30 a.m. Children’s Activities
Pastor
Virginia Eggert 10:30 a.m. Worship with Communion