How a made-up music genre has been embraced and celebrated, fostering creativity and connection for a local arts community of DIY music enthusiasts
by J. Rees (March 2021)
At a first glance you’d never know that the crossroads of Hammond, America are a magical hub of creative energy. The local music scene of this small southern town-- the birthplace of musical genre “mopevvave” (pronounced “mope wave”)-- is driven by a group of rowdy, passionate musicians who wait for nothing and no one. Members of this tight-knit community seem to have embraced the phrase “do it yourself” (DIY) as a lifestyle, and when it comes to making music, they're all in. With various community-involved bands calling the area home, this local music scene of this gem is a thriving ecosystem just below the surface.
In this hectic pandemic era, where live music performances have been put on hold, this local community of musicians and listeners have found a unique network in a comical way. Gone are the days of smoking cigarettes outside a dilapidated old warehouse venue while the opening bands play. Now reigns the age of local live stream performances, online community connection, and memes of solidarity; now reigns the age of mopevvave. This “nebulous” musical movement is one creatively situated in between and over many genres, celebrating the freedom of absurdity and the gift of DIY, blurring the lines of definition in the process.
An unexpected musical force uniting bands and listeners from far and wide across the state, mopevvave is the new musical genre you might have never heard of. So what is mopevvave, exactly? The official private mopevvave social media group claims it’s, "...a totally real genre that's pretty much emo with more pedals. Or indie rock with less pedals. Or black metal? Comedy? Visual art? It's a little fast and loose." The “about me” section of the group supports this, noting that mopevvave is “…indivisible, with dank chords and sadness for all.” The vague but impassioned nature of it all seems to the mysterious life force behind mopevvave.
[picture above: mopevvave meme comparing genres/meme by Katie Allen]
To gain a better understanding of what mopevvave actually is, it was necessary to reach out to the most foolproof source available. Connecting with several members of the mopevvave community to get a better understanding of it all (from their perspectives), a series of questions was introduced to the group-- members were openly invited to include any information they thought relevant to this article. The following portion of this piece explores these questions and the various responses given for each.
The starting point in this line of questioning targets the basis: what is mopevvave?
Mopevvave manifestor and online mopevvave community administrator, Nathan Heck (of Wonder Kid) describes the mentality behind mopevvave succinctly, stating,"(it's) an absurd answer to an absurd question...what is life if you can’t joke about it?"
Mopevvave manifestor, guitarist, and singer-songwriter Ryan Church (of Wonder Kid and Incubators) dives deeper into answering this question, describing mopevvave's early days of development with a certain whimsy. “Mopevvave is a tulpa that Kara (Heck), Nathan (Heck), and I created when we worked together that has manifested into a real genre that probably means something different to everyone involved. It was created to describe Wonder Kid's music in a funny, ironic way. Part of the joke about mopevvave at the beginning was putting sad lyrics over vibey music. Other than being drenched in reverb, there isn't a unified sound...it's a more regional communal thing. All its power and legitimacy comes from all these bands/friends claiming the mopevvave title or claiming to be mopevvave adjacent, which gives the feeling of being (in) on an inside joke between all the coolest bands I know. Mopevvave has definitely introduced me to friends and artists, and makes playing music worth all the stress that goes into creating it. I think it's a genre that promotes unity over competition. Philosophically, mopevvave is pro-LGBTQ, anti-racist, and anti-trumpism. We also fucks heavily with effects pedals (laughs).”
[pictured above: Hammond-based mopevvave group, Wonder Kid (from left to right): Ryan Church, Nathan Heck, Andrian Rontondo-Mccord, Max Stratmann/photo by Max Stratmann and Kara Heck]
Given the undefined fluid nature of the genre, it is an unspoken understanding that mopevvave belongs to any and all, give creatives an open invitation to take part. Online mopevvave group admin, Katie Allen describes the growth of mope: “I'm really stuck thinking about if mopevvave is an evolving thing because the definition is pretty nebulous... it's absolutely a growing thing, and there are some cool things in the works!”
Bassist and mopevvave enthusiast, Christian Babin (of Rich Octopus) affirms Allen's ideas, further commenting on the artistic growth being seen throughout the community. “In terms of it evolving, like Katie (Allen) said, there's so much cool stuff that has been released or is coming out in the future, across so many different types of art, that it really feels like it's always becoming something greater every day.”
You heard it, folks, mopevvave is growing; the mopevvave takeover is officially underway. For those of you wondering, how do bands determine if their music is indeed mope? Further questioning posed to the group explores this, asking: what is considered mopevvave, musically? Are there subcategories of mopevvave?
Drummer and audio engineer, Max Stratmann (of Wonder Kid) describes mopevvave as more of a mentality rather than a genre that can be organized into subcategories. “(It’s) funny to think of subcategories of mopevvave. (It's) Kind of like a sub-classification of unicorns. I don’t think of there being subcategories to Mopevvave... Mopevvave, in and of itself, is just a wide cast net and is kind of nebulous in its own right. Even on its own, it’s hardly a real classification. That being said, I do think that Mopevvave is a mentality. I think we’re all just sad and fucked up in our own special ways, and Mopevvave seems to accommodate all types. Sad lyrics wrapped in happy music, straight-up crushing music, self-deprecating memes, but also people who inspire each other and want the best for each other. It kind of covers all the bases in my opinion.”
There are others who have taken creative liberty and run with it, exploring the fun ways sub-categories of the mope genre could expand. Artists like Norb (Norbert Redmond) offer clever sub-options, such as “hopevvave” (pronounced “hope-wave”). Redmond defines hopevvave as “an evolving sub-genre of mope...a second cousin in khakis if you will.”
It's apparent that this newly invented genre has grown out of its early form as a between-band joke, gaining measurable traction as a legitimate genre online. Sites such as Bandcamp now offer a mopevvave tag for bands to add when describing their music to listeners (https://bandcamp.com/tag/mopevvave).
[pictured above: Bandcamp features "mopevvave" tag/photo by Kara Heck]
While perspectives on what classifies as mopevvave (musically) vary, it is a common belief that the "DIY ethos" behind the music plays a significant role in determining whether or not something can be deemed mope. This understanding of the community-driven DIY ethos provides an interesting perspective regarding the question: is mopevvave a mentality?
Nathan Heck (of Wonder Kid) thinks so. “Musically, there’s no definition for mopevvave. Kavyk is as much a mopevvave band as Shipwrecked, yet the two couldn’t be more different. The definition lies in the (DIY) ethos. Members of both groups are champions of the local arts community and actively encourage others. That’s mopevvave.”
With the pandemic dramatically changing, not only the artistic and musical landscape but, the overall social landscape for so many artists overnight, the mopevvave online community has created a much-needed positive outlet of interpersonal connection for so many. Ryan Church (of Wonderkid and Incubators) poetically describes the community-based mentality and ethos that serve as the foundation to mopevvave and the DIY scene. “Ethically, DIY, in regards to the music (mopevvave), is about supporting others, putting the work in to make the scene function, welcoming those who do not fit into the cookie-cutter world we live in, and controlling your own destiny rather than turning it over to the capitalist hellscape. I think one of the base tenets of being DIY, is being plugged into whatever scene is around you and supporting those bands. Before the apocalypse (covid) going to shows was a big part of that but this community has found ways to support the bands in it through the internet."
[pictured above: Baton Rouge-based mopevvave group, Baby in the 90s (from left to right): Genna Paine, Jeremiah Wilson, Mookie Darden, and Reed Dunaway/photo by Ari Ross]
This shift from a reality-based community to an ever-growing online community of #mopefam is something that has been cultivated throughout the pandemic. There is a significant consensus among members of this community that mopevvave is both (i) a means of describing the music of many local artists and (ii) a shared mentality. Babin (of Rich Octopus) highlights the significant role that mopevvave plays for both individual mopevvave enthusiasts amongst the online community and bands in the local community who are trying to begin the process of networking. “Mopevvave means fam, and fam means nobody gets left behind...but for real, I got invited to join this group through a friend and I knew pretty much ZERO people in here. It was mostly memes that I didn't understand in the slightest but was too shy to even ask, so I just observed from a distance for a little while, then slowly started interacting with everyone and realized how truly incredible and inclusive a group of people it was. my band was fairly young, but being a part of the mopefam made it feel like we'd been around forever. I love that anyone who wants to identify as a mopevvave artist can freely do so. There isn't really any sort of barrier in terms of actual sound, and I think that's really fucking dope. You've got bands that lean into stuff like emo and shoegaze, but you've got others who do stuff like folk and pop. It really opened my eyes to all of the incredibly talented and wonderful artists around here. Going to shows and being able to meet these people, in person, really sealed the deal. (for example) I remember the first time I met Ryan Church, he and I talked for like an hour after a Wonder Kid show, like we'd known each other for years. Stuff like that really makes the mopevvave scene feel untouchable, in terms of community. This faction of the local DIY scene is so crucial... mopevvave really brings people from all over the state together, (which is fucking awesome). I'm not sure how my band would've gotten our foot into the Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Hammond (etc.) scenes without mopevvave. We owe a lot to it. Love this whole crew, and truly feel blessed that life put me in a place where I'd end up amongst such rad people.”
[pictured above: New Orleans- based mopevvave group, Rich Octopus (from left to right): Christian Babin, Andre DeRouen (back of the couch), Ian Sareussen, Will Hoffpauir/photo by George Gabb]
This interpersonal relationship-based mentality is what elevates the community of mopevvave to a higher degree felt by all involved. Max Stratmann (of Wonder Kid) notes a significant part of this is feeling like a valued member of the scene.“Mopevvave is a community that I feel not just included in, but valued in...and I hope others feel the same.”
Guitarist and singer-songwriter Connor Lacour (of The Nocturnal Broadcast) is quick to highlight the gift of inclusivity that stems from the lighthearted nature of the genre. (Lacour) “Mopevvave (as I see it) started as a joke genre because musicians are constantly asked to define themselves (not without good reason, but that doesn't make the defining any less difficult). The joke was propped up by memes and fleshed out to embody an aesthetic of absurdism/nihilism/humanism in a way that celebrates DIY art, and fights against corporatism & commercialism. This expanded as other bands & musicians identified with the absurdity of genre-definitions, in addition to loving the juicy memes. The briefly-lived genre that mopevvave jokingly sought to define dropped off as mopevvave quickly became an inclusive space where "anyone who identifies as mopevvave IS mopevvave." In that way, it evolved into what we see today. Still standing for those early core tenets of DIY culture and authenticity of art, it grew to represent a community of like-minded artists who are so celebratory of each other's work that we are empowering and encouraging all involved to express themselves as genuinely as possible!”
[pictured below: Baton Rouge-based mopevvave group, The Nocturnal Broadcast (left to right): Taylor Stoma, Annie Carlson, Drew Brunson, and Connor LaCour/photo by Drew Guillory]
In regards to the process of music production, there are various perspectives of what it means to be DIY. Over time spent recording, guitarist and singer Jarod Hopper (of Modern Healthcare) and bassist, Sean Willard (of Modern Healthcare) have discussed the spectrum of DIY nature, examining recording processes and their relation to DIY production value. Hopper notes that“mopevvave to me is very, very DIY."
[pictured above: Hammond-based mopevvave group Modern Healthcare (from left to right): Jarod Hopper, Sean Willard, Jeremy Stringer, Devin Barnes/photo by Rachel Hopper]
What exactly does it mean for music to be DIY? Mopevvave community suggestions range from anything without a label to anything recorded in someone’s home, but that leaves a lot of music produced, unincluded. Connor Lacour (of The Nocturnal Broadcast) defends the perspective that the DIY ethos includes paid studio processes.“Probably biased, but I definitely don't think studio recording goes against DIY ethos...In my opinion, paying for your own studio time on a budget, and trying to get the best/cleanest representation of your sound without sacrificing artistic integrity or authenticity, is well within the bounds of DIY.”
It is obvious that this genre goes deeper than a basic definition of what kind of music these artists play. Many within the community were connected in person prior to the pandemic but for those who weren't, the mopevvave mentality that has evolved beyond a music genre, growing into an online (and IRL) community where members can share hopes, frustrations, dreams, and memes. Yes, this cultural digital language has become a commonplace form of communication, especially within the mopevvave community. "Juicy memes" are an art form/communication device celebrated amongst mopevvavers for their flexibility and limitless ability to communicate the entire spectrum of human emotion.
[pictured above: example of a mopevvave meme, design by Kara Heck]
Based on the frequency of usage amongst mopevvave enthusiasts operating online, memes also prove to be a vital part of this community's communication process. Members of the online community often announce news (both good and bad) using a common ground language of meme design. For those new to the online mopevvave community, this language may seem like an intricate code to crack, but in reality, it’s a continuous joke amongst a truly brilliant group of creative minds who organically finding new ways of entertaining themselves and one another.
Members of the local mopevvave DIY music community show the degree of their dedication through a variety of ways; musical collaborations, artistic connections, and tattoos. In early 2020, local visual artist and early mopevvave manifestor, Kara Heck, also known as “The Mother of Mope”, rendered a simple artistic linework design of Hammond’s most beloved DIY venue, The Spot, to honor its retirement.
[pictured above: The Spot linework tattoo design by visual artist Kara Heck]
For Heck, mopevvave is “emo-derivative bullshit, making memes with your mopefam, and what everyone else said.” Her simple yet immediately recognizable design proved to be a hit amongst the art-loving group, developing into a personalizable tattoo design that quickly became a shared experience among several members of the mopevvave and DIY community of Hammond, America.
[picture above: a collection of The Spot inspired tattoos/photo collage by Katie Allen]
From a made-up joke genre to a collective of local artists bonded through DIY creativity and inclusivity, mopevvave and the unexpected community it has created seem to be a gift to all involved. Mopevvave enthusiast Katie Allen discusses how the mopevvave community has helped foster connections. “For me, I was definitely not involved in the scene outside of my town for several years until I joined this group. It has exposed me to so many Louisiana bands. I was really missing the connection to local bands that I used to feel when I was younger, and this community has absolutely revitalized that for me. Wholeheartedly supporting my friends' projects has done wonders for my mental health. But more importantly, I have met some strangers in this group who I now consider some of my dearest friends. We've played music together, but it's about so much more than that.”
Ryan Church (of Wonder Kid and Incubators) summarizes the unspoken but understood theme of community amongst the #mopefam in one simple question: “What if mopevvave is just the friends we made along the way?”
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mopevvave artists to check out:
(sourced from the unofficial official mopevvave Facebook page)
WONDER KID - "OG mopevvave." / Hammond, LA - The Original Mopevvave. These bois are the ones who started it all. 4pc. consists of mopevvave manifestors Ryan Church (guitar and vocals), Nathan Heck (bass and vocals), Adrian Rotondo-Mccord (lead guitar), and Max Stratmann (drums). Recently released EP "Pretty Grim".
Kara Heck - "Mother of all mope"/ Hammond, LA - The brilliance behind the mopevvave aesthetic. Kara Heck is a graphic design guru and the patron saint of mope art and the DIY community.
The Nocturnal Broadcast - "Silicon gods of mope" / Baton Rouge, LA - Progressive Indie
Mopevvave. Connor LaCour, Taylor Stoma, Annie Carlson, & Drew Brunson. Upcoming album release late of summer 2021.
Rich Octopus - "Emo/pop-punk mope, with a mascot." / New Orleans, LA - “Inspired by mid-late 00s pop punk and modern emo” 4pc. consists of members Christian Babin (bass), Andre DeRouen (Drums), Ian Sareussen (Guitar, Vocals), Will Hoffpauir (Vocals)
Baby in the 90s - “BR indie gods.” / Baton Rouge, LA - A mopevvave indie rock band that capitalizes on the endless possibilities for changes in dynamics and timing. This math/indie mixture makes Baby in the 90s (BIT90s) a difficult band to categorize. BIT90s has turned their focus to creating a strong independent release for their first full-length album, Rebuilt From Memory. Tracked, produced, and mixed by Grammy Award-nominated engineer Matt Goldman, Rebuilt From Memory is an accurate representation of the heart-felt and hard-hitting sound that BIT90s has been cultivating, rather quietly, for years. The album is set to release in the summer of 2021. 4pc. consists of Mookie Darden (guitar and vocals), Reed Dunaway (drums), Jeremiah Wilson (bass), Genna Paine (guitar)
Other mopevvave and mopevvave adjacent artists:
Modern Healthcare - "Wall of sound mopegaze." / Hammond, LA
Dihyō - “Spacey mopegaze from NOLA.” / New Orleans, LA
Hey Thanks! - “Sweet, sweet, mope-pop.” / Lafayette, LA
Jessica Daye - “Lafayette sweetheart mope.” / Lafayette, LA
Kavyk - "Mope-adjacent black metal." / Hammond, LA
Monika - "Crushing riffs and soundscapes from Charlotte." / Charlotte, NC
Norb - "Hopevvave; “an evolving sub-genre of mope." / Baton Rouge, LA
Poster Child - "Post-hardmope, from Houma." / Houma, LA
Screaming Underwater - "Surf punk mope." / Baton Rouge, LA
Shipwrecked - "Noodley punk mope." / Baton Rouge, LA
Tidus_Band - "They're-Tidus-fuck-mope." / Baton Rouge, LA
Trent Manning - "Comedy mope. BR celebrity." / Baton Rouge, LA
Troy Bennett's Graveyard Lips - "Lyrical, songwriter mope." / Hammond, LA