Interview: Rosali Middleman (Monocot)
Monocot creates music that makes you think of faraway places; desolate, untidy spaces with little regard for society’s rules or conventions. Likewise, during a Monocot song, time is discarded as another uselessly quaint convention. Yet the band isn’t seeking oblivion — the duo's instrumental soundscapes are also wildly human, swinging between the poles of melancholy and ecstasy, suitable for both the dark of midnight and the first rays of dawn.
The partnership fuses the talents of Cleveland-based Cloud Nothings percussionist Jayson Gerycz and Durham (by way of Philadelphia) guitarist Rosali Middleman, the latter of whom releases creative singer/songwriter tunes under her first name. Rosali’s breakout album Bite Down was one of the best albums of 2024, composed of 10 tracks of joy, sorrow, beautiful melodies, and insurgent playing. Additionally, she has put out one fiery and exploratory solo-guitar album under the name Edsel Axle. (Last year, Asheville Stages’ Jay Moye interviewed Rosali in advance of her solo performance to benefit local artists impacted by Tropical Storm Helene.)
While Monocot has issued two albums to date — 2020’s Direction We Know and Leave To Cool in 2023 — the duo has never performed live. But that changes on Thursday, Oct. 1, as Ayruprana Listening Room will host Monocot’s debut performance. To mark the occasion, Stages once again spoke with Rosali about the genesis of Monocot, the duo’s process, and the decision to start playing live.
Scott Bunn: How did you first meet Jayson Gerycz?
Rosali Middleman: I was on a long tour and played a few shows with my good friends, Purling Hiss, back in 2018. One of those shows was in Cleveland at a bowling alley bar. One of Jayson's bands played; he may have also put the show on. I just fell in love with his drumming and he's an incredibly kind, fun person. We all crashed at his house, hanging out late into the night.
SB: How did what would become Monocot begin?
RM: I can't really remember the timeline, but maybe six months after the first meeting I was working on some solo guitar stuff and I asked if he'd want to add drums to the tracks. He one-upped me and said we should jam and record something new. He drove to Philly with his drums and recording gear. We played for a few days straight in our friends’ Heavenly Bodies' rehearsal space at Jerry's on Front. There were no windows in the studio and our sense of time totally dissolved, emerging from the building around 3 a.m. Those sessions became our first record.
SB: I know with Edsel Axle you use multiple loops to create a composite guitar sound. Do you do the same with Monocot?
RM: It is similar — maybe not as intricate of looping since Jayson is adding his textures and creating half the momentum. We play off of each other, and sometimes loops can get in the way of the organic nature of it. His ear and sensibilities are top tier, and improvising with him is a true joy.
SB: Is the music on the Monocot albums entirely improvised?
RM: Entirely improvised.
SB: This is the live debut of Monocot. It’s very exciting to have that happen in Asheville. It’s been six years since Monocot first put out an album. What sparked the decision to perform now?
RM: We've been talking for years about trying to do Monocot shows but both of us are so busy with our various other projects and our schedules have never aligned in a way that was possible. We were asked to play a little homegrown festival near where I live, called Feast (happening outside Durham on Saturday, Oct. 3). We had been asked the prior year, but we couldn't do it then, but it worked this year. We figured we should do a mini tour while Jayson is here.
SB: Will the live set be entirely improvised, or will you use riffs and motifs from the band’s recorded material?
RM: Improvised.
SB: Is the Asheville performance a test to see how a live Monocot show would work?
RM: I guess so? Not explicitly but there is always that added level of nervousness and being perceived by a group of strangers while you're trying to be completely open to chance that affects what happens.
SB: Is there a new Monocot album coming?
RM: We just finished our third and are trying to figure out what we're doing with it.
SB: What's next for you? A follow-up to Bite Down? A new Edsel Axle record? Something else?
RM: All of it.
IF YOU GO
Who: Monocot with special guests Thom Nguyên, Brett W. Nauke, Zach Cooper, Tashi Dorji, and Sarah Louise
When: Thursday, Oct. 1, 7 p.m.
Where: AyurPrana Listening Room, 312 Haywood Rd., ayurpranalisteningroom.com
Tickets: $21.49
