Morningwood & Burnside Project in NYC | Win Tickets

The NY Times went bicycling with Morningwood. From the Sunday Styles section:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/08/fashion/sundaystyles/08nite.html

Life in the Bike Lane

By MELENA Z. RYZIK

CHANTAL CLARET has a face like a cherub and a mouth like an unedited 30's moll, if a 30's moll wore pigtails and vintage T-shirts.

"I like to consider myself the Mae West of rock 'n' roll," Ms. Claret, the lead singer of the band Morningwood, said one recent evening. "I'm the cat on the prowl. I'm the conquistador."

Her most important catch was her band mate, Pedro Yanowitz. Their union was unlikely.

When they met, five years ago at a birthday party for Sean Lennon, Ms. Claret had never been in a band, though as a teenager growing up in New York she was a promoter for clubs like Coney Island High and Spa. Mr. Yanowitz, the bassist, was a professional musician who had worked with the Wallflowers and Natalie Merchant. He is 38 but seems younger. Ms. Claret is 23 and lives up to it.

"I still consider myself under age," she said. "Whenever I order a drink, I feel like I'm getting away with something."

And she probably is, especially onstage, where Morningwood's energetic brand of pop-inflected, vintage New York rock often inspires nudity among the performers and the audience. (The song "Take Off Your Clothes" is on "Morningwood," the band's major-label debut album, which is to be released on Tuesday.)

If only by comparison, Mr. Yanowitz is more reserved. "I like to give her little assignments," he said, about their songwriting process. "She's a hard worker, teacher's pet, for sure."

And though the age gap is sometimes apparent - a reference to the Fonz's girlfriend got a blank stare from Ms. Claret - they get along so well that it doesn't matter. He calls her babe; she says he's her best friend. They share a taste for tattoos (both have "Love" inked on their bodies) and Chuck Taylor sneakers (pink for her, black for him). And they solve problems the old-fashioned way: physically. "She's a wicked thumb-warer," Mr. Yanowitz said.

Luckily no thumbs were harmed as the two huddled at Pianos on the Lower East Side trying to figure out what to do with the rest of their evening.

"We like to be spontaneous," Mr. Yanowitz said.

The original idea was to ice skate in Central Park, a favorite childhood pastime of Ms. Claret's, though this time she wanted to adultify it somewhat by sneaking in a bottle of whiskey. But that plan was abandoned as too routine and too far north.

The spontaneous alternative? Riding bicycles in Washington Square Park.

Bicycling met the requirements of childhood nostalgia (Ms. Claret fondly recalled trying to buy acid in Washington Square Park as a middle schooler; it didn't work) and convenience. And they could still bring that bottle.

After a stop at his girlfriend's apartment, Mr. Yanowitz emerged with two vintage banana-seat bikes. Ms. Claret got the one with streamers on the handles. She was apprehensive at first - "I'm for safety," she said - but she was soon speeding to the West Village.

"She's nervous, but as soon as I get her on a bike, she loves it," said Mr. Yanowitz, who is a regular rider.

The park was deserted, cold and dark. But the bottle of Maker's Mark really helped.

"This is awesome!" Ms. Claret yelled as she circled past Mr. Yanowitz. "Now let's see if we can find that acid guy."

"CHANTAL CLARET has a face like a cherub and a mouth like an unedited 30's moll, if a 30's moll wore pigtails and vintage T-shirts."

Because your mouth has hair and wears clothes. The writing is almost as awful as the band.

Time for another contest: How much would you pay me to suffer through another Morningwood performance?

HAHAHA, it is so stupid how much people hate this band on this board. they are fucking good. Pop, but very good. Get over yourselves.

HAHAHA, it is so stupid how much people hate this band on this board. they are fucking good. Pop, but very good. Get over yourselves.