Q&A: My Mom Is Here vocalist Sam Seiff on band's name, live show and more ahead of Pittsburgh show

With a name like My Mom Is Here, it seems only natural to wonder which band member’s mother has seen the five-piece rock-fusion band from New York City the most.

“Nick’s mom takes the crown!” singer Sam Seiff said. “She’s NYC-based and rolls up with her crew to nearly every show (shoutout Claudia)! The rest of our moms are scattered across the country — in Vegas, L.A., St. Cloud, and New Jersey — so it’s a bit tougher for them to make it out. But they’ve all seen at least a show or two. We love the moms.”

Seiff and Nick Sare (keys) founded the band, recruiting Columbia University jazz friends Ryan Daar (bass), Stephen Park (guitar) and Aidan Speckhard (drums) two years ago. The band’s name stems from clothing created by Sare’s mother.

“Our keyboard player, Nick, was in another band called Melt for seven years, and his mom made him a bunch of T-shirts that say ‘My Mom Is Here’ for him to wear onstage whenever she came to a show,” Seiff said. “So when we had our first-ever gig on Nick’s old rooftop like two years ago, and we realized that all of our moms were in the audience, we broke out the shirts! The rest is history.”

It’s doubtful, however, that any of the mothers will be in the crowd when the band headlines the Funhouse at Mr. Smalls in Millvale on Aug. 13. (Daar does have family in the area, so he’ll be revisiting some childhood spots while in town.)

The band’s lighthearted nature is evident in their video for “Take Me To Your Leader,” with an appearance from Seiff’s grandmother.

In an email interview, Seiff (with Sare and Park chiming in, as well) discussed the video, the group’s “Baby Steps” EP, their live show and more:

Where did the idea for the music video for “Take Me To Your Leader” come from?

So I was working a job I really hated — super menial tasks, super rude boss. The company had branded itself as a “mom and pop shop” where you’d supposedly work closely with leadership and do meaningful work, but that couldn’t have been further from the truth. That frustration became the heart of the song — wanting to be taken seriously, wanting a seat at the table.

The video kind of spiraled from there. We wanted the band front and center, so we leaned into the absurd — we play martians who kidnap my grandma from the office and medically torture her. (She was a great sport.) Ben Rummans directed it and Piero Basso shot it — they really brought the vision to life.

Did it take a lot of convincing to get your grandmother to act in the video?

Not at all — she’s a professional actor! Totally down to have her brains eaten on camera.

What’s the latest on the “Baby Steps” EP?

We’re so pumped about “Baby Steps”! Four out of five songs are out now, and the final track, “Woman,” drops on Aug. 15. It’s the most pop-leaning of the bunch and it’s easily the fan favorite. We’re selling CDs at our tour stops, and they’ll also be available on our website.

How would you describe the band’s live show?

Our friends (and moms) have expressed relief that our shows are “actually fun,” because they’d have to come either way. Our vibe is high-energy and playful, and our set is a mix of originals and creative covers — people love our mashups.

How important is it for you to have fun while performing? Does modern jazz get a bad rap as being too serious?

Having fun onstage is probably the most important thing to me. It’s 100% the reason I’m pursuing music right now. A lot of our songs are lighthearted, but even our more serious songs are hopefully still stimulating and/or danceable.

I’m tossing the modern jazz question to our guitarist and resident jazzophile, Stephen, who says: “There’s a lot of different music that gets classified as ‘modern jazz.’ I don’t know what sonic characteristics define that, though I wouldn’t consider our music such. I generally consult the Jimmy Lunceford Band, who had a hit recording with “It Ain’t What You Do (It’s The Way You Do It).”

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How has your jazz training at Columbia helped influence this project?

I’d say our jazz training shows up most in how technically skilled the guys are. My songwriting inspirations lean more pop rock — The Beatles, Fiona Apple, Fleetwood Mac, The Rolling Stones — but the band brings in these unexpected harmonies and rhythms that take everything to another level. It ends up being a really cool fusion of influences and perspectives.

I also think our jazz background keeps us open and experimental. We don’t aim for a single “signature sound” — each track feels like its own little world.

What’s been the biggest show you’ve played so far?

Opening for Philly’s brass powerhouse Snacktime at Baby’s All Right in Brooklyn earlier this year! It was our first time playing to a sold-out crowd of people who didn’t know us, which was both thrilling and terrifying.

Does Nick have the most touring experience from his time with Melt? What kind of helpful advice has he shared about touring?

Tossing this question to Nick!

Ahem ahem *cough cough cough* Nick here. When I was touring with Melt, the whole touring party was hitting the road for the first time so it was a big learning experience for everyone. I think keeping extra snacks and water in the van is super important! The vibe goes downhill very quickly when you start getting hangry and you’re stuck in a van together for six hours. Then somebody keeps asking you to move over and you start disagreeing about the AC … before you know it, there’s a whole Fleetwood Mac situation going on. So yeah, bring snacks.