Maybe it’s Mikey

(Editor’s note: Here’s a preview of Mikey Maybe’s latest release, written by Joe Gurba. But wait, you might ask, Joe Gurba is THE Joe, and he’s running the label Mikey’s on. Yeah, but when The Joe says he’ll write for you, you say “Yes, sir.” And then put in an editor’s note to satisfy everyone’s bias radar.)

By Joe Gurba

Michael Hamm is an exceptional individual. He is handsome, intelligent, charming, and soaks up skills with his mere presence, leaving him to exude an atmosphere of intimidating talent. His endeavors include, but are not limited to, Mikey Maybe, Racoon Suit, Rappers Are People, Rap Club, and The CBT.

As well as being a creative and professional writing student, Mikey Hamm has managed to give voice to his multi-dimensional inventiveness time and time again. But what is odd is that, despite the staggering output of these collected projects, the hundreds of shows over the last four years, and the hundreds of songs he has written, he has not yet released any official recordings. On Wednesday, April 28th, Mikey Maybe is finally presenting his loyal fans with something to take home.

In anticipation of a full length album appearing this summer, Mikey Maybe presents Chips and Pop, a tape cassette/digital download of 8-bit rap recordings.

I sat down with Mikey Maybe and managed to extract some juicy bits of truth concerning his new cassette, his rare recordings, and his nightmares, amongst other things.

Joe: Explain your obsession with 8-bit music

Mikey Maybe: I am fascinated by 8-bit music for the same reason that most of the scene is: nostalgia. I think most people have some sort of fascination with nostalgia. Maybe it’s because I had a good childhood that I am so nostalgic myself — and a big part of my childhood was video games. Those colours just stick in your mind. [He stares into the distance for a minute.] Those sounds just stick in your mind. [He regains his composure.] 8-bit music seems inspiring for some reason. Perhaps it’s playing on these points in your brain that were created in a time when you had the most imagination. It seems as though 8-bit is tapped right into the core of your imagination.

J: Alright, let’s do some music math. What do you think this new tape sounds like?

MM: The genre version of that equation would be Indie, you know, Indie, that’s the overarching [laughing] — you know, you just slap that on anything. So let’s say indie + 8-bit + hip hop/rap -  not divided by, I know we’re doing a math thing here, just slash rap -  + dub-step. There’s a lot of bass warble in there. That’s just the tip I’m on right now.

Going back to nostalgia, I somehow convinced Mikey to relate to me a childhood anecdote. He went on to describe a hunting trip when he was eight-years-old. After his uncle killed a beaver, Mikey asked for the teeth as a souvenir.

He was then subjected to the sight of a full grown man trying to hammer out a beaver’s teeth with a hatchet. But the teeth wouldn’t break free.

“Uncle Gary, please please, I don’t need them.”

He didn’t hear me. He just kept going.

“Uncle Gary. Uncle Gary!”

“Huh, what? What?”

“I don’t need the teeth.”

“Oh, good. I don’t think they’re coming out.”

[Awkward silence ensues.]

J: Who are your inspirations on this new record?

MM: Camp Lo, Ludacris, The Joe.

J: And what label is Chips and Pop coming out on?

MM: OLD UGLY, the blood when you brush. We are the litres and litres of blood that we have donated to the blood bank. OLD UGLY has donated more blood than any other Edmonton based charity [Old Ugly is not a charity]. 47 litres of blood and 37 litres of plasma last year alone. That’s like 23-and-a-half milk cartons full of blood. You go to pour milk? No. It’s blood. Just imagine all that plasma in ice cream buckets! Thick goopy plasma.

J: OK, that’s enough. Tell me about your nightmares.

MM: I am in bed and something is learing over me, something is above my head, and I am trying to yell, but the words won’t come out. I’m yelling ‘Jesus, help me!’ but the words won’t come out. One time, it was centipede. An obsidian black centipede with hundreds of squirming legs lurching over me. Demonic dreams.

[Awkward silence ensues.]

J: You think there’s any room for newcomers in the 16-bit genre?

MM: Yeah, my next album is a 16-bit minidisc!

J: Is that on-the-record?

MM: Yes, that’s sarcastically on the record.

When prodded, Mikey promised a full length album for 2010 and a long awaited Rappers Are People EP for the fall, legitimizing the group’s lengthy tenure and live performance infamy. (He went on to deflect blame for everything that has transpired to delay these recordings from appearing. He then wished his fans a good day.)

The Chips and Pop tape release is on Wednesday night at the Hydeaway, located at 10209 100 Avenue at 8pm, for $8, with fellow OLD UGLIANS The Joe, Mitchmatic, and Rappers Are People. The album will be available as a digital download as well from OLD UGLY Recording Co.

You can listen to Mikey Maybe’s Mazda, Mazda at mikeymaybe.bandcamp.com.