Brian Barber: Drums/Vocals
Aaron Likens: Bass/Vocals
Chad McNaughton: Keys/Noises/Vocals
Mark Moad: Guitar/Vocals
Michael Stone: Guitars/Sexing
Influences
We all like a lot of the same stuff. Melody/Harmony/Sticks/Licks/Weirdness/Goodness...
Sounds Like
There are two guitars doing crazy things. Sometimes one of them has a slide, and the other sounds like an X-Wing in attack position. There is a 5-string bass. There are fantastic beats and fills. There are the sounds of synthesized vintage keyboards brought back from the future, crashing into one another. At times there are 3-5 guys singing at once, often in harmony, often in direct juxtaposition to each other. There are lots of good original songs, and cover songs by the likes of Wilco, The Beatles, Beck, Rolling Stones, Dylan, Ginuwine, and others that none of us has heard of before. We are old enough to know that this is just about having fun.
The Moons are an Oklahoma City-based quintet specializing in original melodic rock & pop songs that never seem to be typical rock or pop. Having played all over OKC for the better part of the early 21st century as a guitar/bass/drums trio, The Moons were just making a name for themselves locally when it was decided that a hiatus was necessary. After being reduced to a two-piece, guitarist/singer/songwriter Mark Moad and drummer/engineer Brian Barber decided it was time to expand their sound. While participating in the successful Mix Tape Club shows, they met bassist/singer/songwriter Aaron Likens. While this ensured great energy and bottom-end sound for the songs, there was still something missing. It was then that Likens brought in long-time friend and collaborator, and co-member of two recently defunct outfits (The Plurals, Ghost of Gravy), keyboardist/guitarist/songwriter Chad McNaughton. With four guys laughing their asses off all night, new songs and songwriters, and one entire corner of the room full of synthesizers, a new version of The Moons was off and running. After playing a few select shows around town in 2005-06, the quartet decided to get some of the great things they were hearing in practices recorded for posterity. Once their private practice space and recording home, “Rockwood Studios”, was up to speed, recording began in earnest. Now in possession of three songwriting members, The Moons had more songs and writing styles than they could count. Some great older tunes were revisited and reinvented (“Betsy”, “So Tired”), and new compositions were given the full treatment, such as the synth-bass rock of “Anytime” and the woozy pop weirdness of “I’ll Never Make It”. It was barely March in 2008 when The Moons decided to take in displaced friend/guitar master, and former Likens/McNaughton collaborator (The Plurals), Michael Stone after the untimely demise of his former band, long-time OKC favorites, The Rounders. Naturally, things changed...but only for the better. Now with FOUR songwriting band members, two full time guitarists multiplying the band's already infinite possibilities, and with the “Six Impossible Things EP” ready for outside ears, The Moons are getting geared up to once again bring their original music to the great live audiences of Oklahoma City and elsewhere.
So... Today is the big day we've been working toward for about 3 months now. The Fine Print is hosting the first ever Collide! art/music show at The 51st Street Speakeasy. Doors open at 3:00pm. Music starts at 4:00pm. The entire upstairs is filled with amazing artwork on display, exclusively from artists right here in Oklahoma. Coop Works will have some beer to try out, and The Speakeasy will have free food available throughout the day. Come stop by and have some fun with us tonight. Let's start something new for OKC together... Collide!
Hello there. Just wanted to let you know that we're playing at Conservatory on December 20 w/ The Electric Primadonnas and The Mocha Band. We'll be playing new music and showcasing the new direction of our band. Hope you can come!
well we still love ya. im gonna give that guy the mini dvd that i have and he'll put it on a full size dvd for ya. The only thing is that you wont be able to skip from song to song it'll just be one big vid wit no chapters. hope thats ok. i should have it by monday so get a hold of me.