The music trade and the bartending world may not be all that completely different, as Mo Herms found by way of a whole bunch of interviews over greater than half a decade. A former radio DJ and a longtime marketing consultant within the music enterprise, Herms launched the podcast Music and Booze with Mo, chatting with bartenders and musicians each new and seasoned as they talk about life on stage and behind the stick. We sat down with Herms to speak in regards to the by way of strains she’s discovered between the 2 worlds, which bartenders go away her starstruck, and what sort of music can be on her vacation occasion playlist. (Learn her tips about create the final word vacation playlist right here.)
Your background is within the music trade—have you ever ever labored in hospitality?
I’m the epitome of my podcast. I began in radio within the ’90s within the Bay Space after which left for Los Angeles and labored in a document retailer, received into music publishing, and began working extra on the digital aspect. I labored for a cellphone firm that was doing iPhone earlier than iPhone, and I used to be creating radio stations that will solely be out there to people who had the cellphone. This was the mid-2000s, and when the iPhone launched we had been like, “I suppose we’re achieved.” However I continued in curation. I used to be creating playlists for bars and eating places and gymnasiums, and touring all around the nation doing that. Then I began doing consulting—much more behind-the-scenes work by way of music suggestions and curation.
So I’m very deeply within the realm of digital music and digital music advertising and marketing now. However 4 years in the past, I invested in a bar—The Mermaid in downtown LA. It’s one of many few female-owned-and-operated bars in all of LA County, and I’m so proud to be part of that. So now I work in music and have a hand in hospitality. So I am my podcast.
What drew you into the world of cocktails and impressed the podcast?
I moved forwards and backwards from LA to the Bay Space a pair occasions. On the second time again within the Bay, among the actual craft cocktail–sort bars had been opening up, and I used to be getting actually into these good cocktails. On the similar time, I used to be noticing that my musician buddies had been beginning to age out; they realized they wanted to pay the payments. They’d received married and had youngsters, and a variety of them made their technique to hospitality and began working as bartenders.
So all these individuals who had been my musician buddies had been now my bartender buddies. It was like seeing this motion, with these artistic folks placing their creativity into one other place, and feeling that very same form of camaraderie being behind the bar with others, collaborating with others like they did in a band. They’re collaborating with different creatives to make cocktails and discovering a way of delight in that. It was actually attention-grabbing to see this shift.
I’ve since discovered loads of youthful bartenders who’re nonetheless lively musicians as a result of they like that versatile schedule. It’s fascinating to see how the 2 fields mesh so effectively collectively. I simply hold discovering individuals who play music and make drinks, and do it effectively and have a good time. And I missed my radio days. This manner, I can nonetheless discuss with folks about music and booze. All people in hospitality has some facet to them the place they like speaking to folks, even when they hate folks. And I’ve at all times beloved speaking to folks and interviewing musicians. Throughout my travels for work, I might sit at a bar and simply discuss to the bartender. So I really discovered it very simple to begin doing this podcast.
You’ve had so many conversations now with each musicians and bartenders; what kind of by way of strains have you ever seen emerge between the 2 worlds?
The band collaboration comparability isn’t one thing I got here up with—it saved developing after I would discuss with folks. They’d say being behind the bar is like being in a band, as a result of it’s a must to work with a staff and know one another’s strengths and weaknesses. And that was one thing I knew very effectively—the band relationship within the music world. It’s like being married; you discuss to musicians and it’s such a deep and intense relationship as a result of they’re working collectively on a deep emotional degree and placing themselves on the market with their creativity. I don’t suppose it’s fairly as deep behind the bar, but it surely’s nonetheless very sturdy—very a lot a household. That was attention-grabbing to study. Additionally how musicians discover that making a cocktail is like writing a music; it’s simply making an attempt and making an attempt till you get it proper, after which it’s magic.
Do you could have an episode that stands out as your favourite, or a dialog that was essentially the most memorable?
I’ve an excellent pal who’s a musician of observe within the different/indie world, and he’s somebody I’ve identified for over 20 years, who I met as a musician, after which he began shopping for bars. And he’s now a really profitable bar proprietor—I feel it’s 4 bars in Los Angeles and two bars in New Orleans. His identify is Greg Dulli; he fronts the band the Afghan Whigs. I assumed, he’s received to be my first interview. After I requested him, he was completely down, however we didn’t even get round to it till final yr, when he was my one hundredth episode.
It was a lot enjoyable, and for me it was additionally a enjoyable technique to showcase somebody who’s been interviewed 1,000,000 occasions, however to do one thing utterly completely different with them. We talked about why he purchased bars, and nobody talks to him about that, and he’s very pleased with it.
Brian Miller was one other one that, after I interviewed him, it felt like a extremely nice first date, and we turned superb buddies. Josh Davis, out of Chicago, is an excellent inspirational man, and we had such a motivating chat. He simply made me need to change the world, however he’s the one really doing it. Lynnette Marrero I actually beloved speaking to, and she or he’s positively a rock star on this scene. However she really began out making an attempt to be a musical stage actress! I actually am a Broadway nerd, regardless of my indie rock cred, and we simply dorked out over West Facet Story. However I simply beloved assembly this one that’s achieved actually unimaginable issues for girls within the trade. She wields her energy correctly, and I respect that lots.
Considering again to your playlist curation days, how would you make the proper vacation cocktail occasion playlist?
I used to be chargeable for upwards of 75 vacation playlists for a number of years. For vacation entertaining, we had stuff of all stripes. You possibly can have “crooner holidays”—that was in all probability one of the widespread ones, with the old-school classics. However for myself, I like to combine it up. If it’s my very own occasion, I’m going to place some cocktail classics on there—, the Dean Martin and Julie London sort issues—however I’m additionally going to throw in some indie rock stuff as a result of I adore it, and likewise in all probability some digital and a few Latin music. That’s what my combine can be. If I’m doing it for my bar, I’m additionally gonna throw in ’90s hip-hop—there may be nice ’90s hip-hop vacation stuff, and that’s at all times actually enjoyable.
What drinks would you serve?
I’m actually lucky to know all these bartenders who share secret recipes (or not-so-secret recipes) with me. At our bar, The Mermaid, we serve a Chilly Buttered Rum. We make a buttered fats wash on the rum we use. There’s a legendary bar out right here known as the Tiki-Ti, and yearly for one week they serve a Scorching Buttered Rum. However for particular patrons, of which I’m one, they gives you the batter, so I can serve that at house. After which girlfriend of mine, Marie King, is the beverage director on the Tonga Hut. She has a scrumptious Coquito that she additionally gave me the recipe for. So my vacation occasion can be these Coquitos, and a Scorching and Chilly Buttered Rum. And if we’re feeling frivolous, possibly a sizzling chocolate with inexperienced Chartreuse in it. It’s the vacations: You’re presupposed to be indulging!
