ECHOBRAIN TOUR REVIEW
From echobrain.com

First off...a little advice about the Moss Bros, if they are going to be opening for the boys, and yes I call it OPENING now, GET THERE EARLY ENOUGH TO CATCH THEIR SHOW!! I will be the first to admit I was not really looking forward to seeing them, had never heard any of their music. But I figured I would support them if for no other reason than because Jason dug them so much. When I saw them come on stage it was like OMG they are so small and so cute! Especially Reuben, he is just the littlest thing and yes maybe a bit nerdy looking. It's almost laughable. You can hear people behind you saying, oh, they're JUST little kids. Soon everyone would be eating those words though. As soon as they started playing I was blown away, I could hardly believe what I was hearing, it was amazing! And I wasn't the only one, there were jaws on the floor and eyes wide open, incredulous stares, THAT sound is coming from THOSE little kids??? It was just awesome, powerful, the skill of these kids is just not to be believed! By the time the second show came around I wanted to get to the show early enough, not just to get front stage for EB, but front stage for the Moss Bros and was really looking forward to hearing them again! I cannot even say enough about them, you wouldn't believe me anyway, they're just kids right??? NOT!!! You MUST see it for yourself!!! I'm almost afraid to think what they will be like even 5 years down the road!! During the Moss Bros., we looked to stage right where you go backstage and there was Jason standing watching them like a proud papa, it was so cool. The sound wasn't as good the second night, and Reuben broke a string on the very last song! They (MB) were so good! I know you told me that but until you actually see that little guy up there and hear that stuff coming out of him you just can't believe it.

Moss boys set to rock your world
Contra Costa Times
Friday, August 24, 2001

by TONY HICKS

It was a defining moment -- an event adult male musicians dream about for years. And all it did was make Reuben Moss giggle like the 12-year-old he is. "It was really cool," Reuben says, sitting in the VIP lounge at the Fillmore in San Francisco last week, after finishing an interview with true-life video show "Real TV." "What's cool?" asks 15-year-old brother and drummer Evan Moss, sliding over to join the conversation. "The underwear," Reuben says, smiling. "Yeah, there was this random underwear flying on stage." "I didn't know that," Evan says, with a bit of awe. It was such a natural for these guys, because it seemed so unlikely. Reuben -- who looks like a hip Harry Potter with his glasses and guitar -- is smiling, but by no means is he overwhelmed. He looked the same way 20 minutes earlier leading his trio the Moss Brothers through the opening set of the annual four-day local music fiesta, Nadine's Wild Weekend. Opening a big club showcase at the storied Fillmore, girls screaming and peeling off their unmentionables to fire at Reuben, an endorsement from a major guitar manufacturer by the time he was 10 -- do these kids from Piedmont even get how big this is?

"It's very abstract," says Lisa Braver Moss, officially approached by reporters as "the Moss Mom." She stood next to one of the two "Moss Grandmoms," who came to the show -- an interesting picture when juxtaposed with psychedelic posters of past Grateful Dead shows in the background. "I don't think I want them to (understand)," Lisa says with a laugh. Both boys have an uncanny sense of what sounds good in a song for musicians so young. The material gets right to the chorus, has well-defined parts, and is extremely catchy in a basic rock way.

Reuben, who doesn't look a guitar pick over 5 feet tall on-stage, has the composure of someone three times his age. He sings determinedly in a voice that's still on the young side of puberty, and plays excellent rhythm guitar. The transition from rhythm to lead is smooth, and those leads are first-rate. Especially for someone who has to reach all over a guitar that seemsat least as tall as he is.

Evan is a solid drummer, with some impressive chops that he doesn't overuse. He also sings backup, which isn't the easiest thing for any drummer to handle. Bassist Kyle Wilson, a 14-year-old Oakland resident, just joined the band about a month ago. Kyle is as unfazed as the brothers -- especially considering the shoes he has to fill on some songs from the brothers' first two CDs. The boys got their first national exposure when "discovered" by former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted, who was so impressed by the boys that he brought them to jam at his home studio and later recorded with them at the Plant in Sausalito.

Newsted even went and played a couple of local club gigs with the boys, his first post-Metallica public appearances that made news on MTV, among other places. Despite being the veteran helping the young kids, Newsted only played the notes the brothers wanted him to play. "You have to see these kids," Newsted said a day before the show. "They're amazing." But enough of the young-guy talk. Sure, it's an angle that all the press guys like, and it makes everyone in the crowd take notice and smile quite a bit. But the band itself really seems to have unlimited potential. The lyrics tell stories, like show-opener "Heaven Is Overpopulated," "Frustration," and "Psychomonkey," during which Reuben worked the crowd by getting them to clap along. Thankfully, the lyrics don't deal with love, something that generally seems misplaced in young musicians. Reuben also showed off a little human beat-box skill, and can play the violin.

"They were always musical," says Moss-Mom Lisa, who laughs when asked if she's the pushy stage-mom type. "They were born that way." The music ranges from pop to borderline punk to "Pipeline"-type surf stuff, and even shows some maturity with some early '70s country-rock flavor. Reuben is a good enough player to score an endorsement with Fender-- reportedly making him the guitar manufacturer's youngest endorsee. Sometimes it all does sound a bit weird, though. "Mom, when did we open for Spinal Tap?" asks Reuben, while trying to remember all the shows they've played so far. Mom has to stop and think for a second. And they're still polite with the press, which will probably change as their fame grows. But for now, it all seems to be more fun than anyone should be able to stand.

Radio Disney Concert Review - Santa Cruz, CA 8/12/01
From Jasonites.com
by: jib and Dustbuster

What better way to end the summer than an awesome concert on the beach? The weather: typical Santa Cruz sun, not to hot, not to cold.. Located on the Boardwalk @ Santa Cruz, The Moss Brothers performed on Radio Disney AM 1310 "End Of Summer Beach Party." They were the first to perform, and I must say, I didn't know what to expect. I had heard a few tracks from the "On the north side of the tree" and was pretty impressed then. This is now, and the talents of these 3 kids is just inspiring. You've got Reuben, age 12, no bigger than the guitar he's playing up on stage rocking away - and I emphasize the rocking part! Evan age 15, back there banging on drums like there's no tomorrow, and Kyle frozen in time with excitement on bass. Jason laid down the tracks for this album "Electricitation", but Kyle was the one playing bass that day. And this kid is good! Never mind he's got to follow in Jason's footsteps, he proved himself quite well. Now if he'd just move a bit more ;-) I think nerves were at hand, but his parents who were sitting next to us, looked on with the utmost pride and half way through the set, he started smiling. The set lasted only about a half hour with the boys playing 4 tracks off their latest album. One moment I recall happened right in front of us. A young girl, 11 years old, heard my friend and I talking about the kids. She looked back and said, "He's my age? WOW!" Yes, Wow. Most kids their age focus on "the latest trends", and these kids focus on their latest trend: their music. And it shows. They have something to be very proud of and thankful for. Meeting them after the show for autographs, it's not hard to see, they really are normal everyday kids with a extraordinary talent. Guided in the right direction, I'm sure they'll make it far.

Dustbuster, age 5 adds:
I liked the Moss Brothers A LOT! I can headbang to the music and I like it. I got a CD and t-shirt signed by the Moss brothers And the best part was, they know Jason! I want to see them again soon. I'm not allowed to wear my shirt and I don't like that, but it was really really cool to see them on stage. I got to meet them afterwards (jib adds: and that's the quietest I've seen that boy when he's awake! The only major movement he made was when my friend with us told him: "They know Jason" and his jaw dropped. The boys started laughing and I think D was a little less freaked out. That's my little Metal head for ya :-) ) I listen to the CD everyday now and want to learn how to play like that on my guitar.

East Bay Express Interview

When you boil it down, there are two types of talent: the fictional kind where artists interpret someone else's stuff, and nonfiction, where artists create and perform their own work. Both have their place. Most children fall into the former category, since they haven't had time to cultivate much else. Then there's Oakland's Moss Brothers. If you haven't heard of them yet, the Moss Brothers are Reuben, twelve, and Evan, fifteen. Reuben plays guitar and Evan plays drums,though both are adept at other instruments as well. They have recorded two albums, the last of which included basslines by Metallica's Jason Newsted, who also has been appearing with them at various gigs around the bay. He's not doing it as a gimmick -- the Moss Brothers are making music that's truly catchy, eccentric, and real.

"Jason is amazing. He really just loves their music and wanted to help out however he could. He didn't do any of the writing but only played what Reuben suggested to him," says Dad in the Moss' Piedmont kitchen. When we meet up, the pair is fresh off playing a private party in the City with Spinal Tap the evening before. Pictures show Evan and the sweetly myopic Reuben knee-deep in fans. The younger brother is all smiles, with lipstick traces on his cheek. Reuben is the Little Man Tate of the pair, a polite yet fidgety genius who, toward the end of the interview, periodically lolls his head back and yawns as if bored at church. "What are some things that people have said about you guys that you hate?" Reuben sums it up in one word: "Simple." "They think that just because we are young, our music is simple," adds Evan. Their songs seem blues-based, though neither really listens to the blues. (Reuben once cited Trent Reznor as his main influence.) The subject matter is seemingly simple, but their approach is not. They are talented in the nonfiction sense -- everything's created and performed by them, and it's good. "Reuben didn't want to write love songs like everyone else," says their mom. "And no songs about destruction," adds Reuben. "No love songs or songs about destruction. What else is there?" Reuben perks up a bit, and says decidedly, "Fiction."

East Bay Express By Katy St. Clair
07/04/2001

SUITE 101 ON-LINE REVIEW:
CHOICE CUTS/ALBUM REVIEWS
Artist: THE MOSS BROTHERS
Featured Track: "A Promise Is A Promise"
From The Album: Electricitation

The Scoop: 12-year-old Reuben Moss is the youngest musician endorsed by Fender. His voice and his lyrics (songs about earthquakes, songs about homework) are perhaps standard pre-teen fare, but his licks & riffs would dazzle regardless of age. Reuben can play. Speaking of which, if the opening bass line of "A Promise Is A Promise" sounds suspiciously like the bass solo from, say, a Metallica concert, it's because it really is recently departed, mega-talented Metalli-bassist Jason Newsted on the track...and all but one of the others. Evan Moss (the band's old man at 15) even closes "Promise" with a Lars-like battering on the drums. Probably the best song ever written about cheating on a test. Expect a bright future from these two. Honorable Mention: Still doubting their chops? Check out the instrumentals "Psychomonkey" and "Electricitation".

Jason @ the Moss Brothers

I went to go see the above show at their second CD release party at The Ashkenaz, an all ages club in Berkeley, Ca. These kids could straight up rock. And this was before their friend Jason got to the stage.

The bad news, for today, is their ages. Rueben, the lead guitarist, is 12. Evan, the drummer, is 15. They have both been playing since they were 5. Now, granted, this was a local show of about 250 in the audience comprised of friends, family members, and Metaliheads (the spellchecker wants to replace with meatheads, how appropriate, LOL). Someone in line asked me why I was there. I was too embarrassed to say I was there to see Jason. They reminded me to keep an open mind. "Yeah right," I thought. "What can these kids show me?" They showed the beginnings of true rock superstars, not Hansen wannabes.

The Ashkenaz was an eclectic little venue. Walking into a building that looks like it was built in the 1920's near a harbor fishing village, with it's open beams and trusses and plenty of skylights, one is quickly reminded that you are in Berkeley, home of the student protest. Nixon, Reagan, and Bush era protest signs cover the walls. No Shrub signs yet, but they will be there soon (off the soapbox now). As a prerequisite to getting their club to be located in Berkeley, the menu states, "No Animals Killed for Food". A wide variety of different beers and soft drinks and light snacks were available.

The stage was small and cramped, even for a trio, with amplifiers, instruments, and other hardware all over the stage. The lighting came from individual orange spots clamped to the beams.

Most of the audience stood on the wooden dance floor for the better part of an hour before the band entered. In waiting, I noticed that there were many small children in attendance. Most people brought children as young as two or three to the event. I guess all ages means all ages. I thought that the younger children would become unruly waiting without really anything to do. I was surprised that there was only one incident where children were openly disciplined by their parents. Most children, and some adults, had ear plugs.

After missing the starting time by at least a half an hour, the two came on stage. Rueben had to be no taller than 4'-9", very short for 12. Only two take the stage, and I'm beginning to feel disappointed to doubt whether this will be worthwhile. The Metaliheads become edgy. Once set up with his 3/4 black Fender guitar, this kid lays into Dire Straights' "Money for Nothing" and pretty much nails it. A few muffled lead notes but pretty much rips it. This was the only cover song of the afternoon.

The Metaliheads, as well as most of the rest of the audience, stood slack-jawed. An air of disbelief and awe settles over the crowd. There is nobody in the back playing for this boy. He rockin' like a seasoned veteran. And Evan on the drums plays loud and confidently. These are not kids; they are professionals.

They play two songs with just the two on the stage to begin their first set. For a 12-year-old, the singing was good, but a bit monotonic and a little high for my taste. I can't wait to hear what this boy will sound like after puberty.

Their friend Jason was introduced and he took the stage. There was a distinctive roar. It appeared from his stage presence and demeanor that his only reason for being there was to support these young professionals. After his first song, the Metaliheads cheered and looked toward Jason. In a polite but firm way, he reminded those fans that their attention should be paid to the boys. By the fifth song, I barely noticed him. My attention was constantly brought back to this budding virtuoso along the lines of Carlos Santana or Jimmy Page on lead. Occasionally, I would look toward Jason and notice his total commitment to this band by playing with Metallica passion, and bring my attention back to the boys where it belonged.

It would be easy to categorize these boys into Teen Sensations. After 20 minutes or so, one can't help but believe there is much more substance to this band. They played a mix of blues, fusion and rock. But, the trio killed when they played punk. Hard, fast, finger-shearing, gotta move because you gotta move punk reminiscent of the Ramones or the Sex Pistols. No Metallica influences were noted. "All he needs are a few "grinder" or "big" pedals and he will have arrived," I said out loud to my companion.

The songs were about suburban living and the stresses of being a preteen. Songs of football, baseball, and school pressures abound. Refreshingly, there were no songs of interaction with the opposite sex. Of note was the song "A Promise is a Promise", about cheating on tests. Many adult heads shook as Rueben explained the premise of the song. I thought, "Son, you give yourself too little credit about human nature."

They played two sets of twenty-five minutes. By the end, more than a few Metaliheads were banging to the music. By the second set, the crowd was loud and raucous. To put it mildly, this Metalihead was blown away. I left with swelling hands and no voice, the sign of a truly great show.

After the show, the boys signed their new release for anybody and everybody. We departed 15 minutes after the show, with no sign of the boy's friend. I give Jason credit for not coming out of the dressing room to the three dozen or so Metaliheads waiting for his autograph. These people seem to have missed the point of the show entirely.

The torch of rock is being passed. I think it's being passed to very competent and very entertaining hands.

THE MOSS BROTHERS HIT BERKELEY (With their special friend: Jason Newsted)

Review by MoshPitGoddess
from Wanna Play Music

While checking out the upcoming concert listings on KSJO's web site, I saw that The Moss Brothers would be playing with Jason Newsted right down the street from my house on Sunday April first. Okay, I admit it....I went to Ashkenaz in Berkeley because I couldn't pass up the chance to see Metallica's former bassist Jason Newsted in such a small personal arena. Before last week, I had never even heard of The Moss Brothers. Apparently, I wasn't the only one who was clueless. I had mentioned the show to a few people and one person told me that she thought The Moss Brothers was Jason Newsted's old band and another person told me that he had heard of them and that they play the same type of music as Metallica. It wasn't until Friday when I read an article in the newspaper that I found out who The Moss Brothers were. For those of you still in the dark, The Moss Brothers consist of two real life brothers: Evan (15) plays the drums and Reuben (12) performs lead vocals and plays guitar. I was torn between wanting to keep this little secret to myself, and wanting to tell everyone I came across to check out this show! Of course, I was also a little cautious as it was scheduled for April Fools Day. It turned out to be no joke at all, Those Moss Brothers can really play! That older guy playing bass in the corner wasn't bad either!

The show scheduled to start at 2:00 in the afternoon-started around 2:30. Lucky for me as I fell victim to daylight savings and ended up just barely arriving in time. One look around at the crowd and I knew that I was not at my typical show. Ashkenaz is very much an "open to all ages" venue, but this was ridiculous! There were little kids that only came up to my knee (The MoshPitGoddess is only 5'3 mind you) running around like it was recess time. Others were squatting in front of the stage with earplugs (handed out at the door) intact. Of course with kids that age, the parents and even grandparents were there as well. I did not feel out of place however as there were some obvious fellow Metallica fans in the house. It was quite amusing however, knowing that you could look down one row of people and see: A grandmother /grandfather, a mom/dad, an 8-10 year old boy or girl, and bringing up the rear, a guy with bulging biceps and numerous tattoos standing next to a girl with neon hair and multiple piercings.

When the brothers Moss appeared on the stage the crowd went wild. They performed the first two songs without the assistance of "their friend" Jason. They opened the show with Money for Nothing and followed it with Nobody Knows You. Both fine performances, but still so early in the show that you find yourself still stuck on the cute factor of it all. Then Jason entered the stage. He joined the brothers on the stage for a song written by Reuben (the younger Moss) titled: Heaven Got Overpopulated. In the song, Reuben sings about everyone from dead presidents such as Washington and Lincoln to the infamous rockers: Hendrix, Joplin, and Cobain. This is the first song off of their new CD: Electricitation. If you check out the liner notes for the CD, you'll see that Reuben explains the song as "All fiction. I wrote this to amuse myself, like writing a comic strip."

The next couple songs were Football All The Way and Earthquakes. It was interesting to note that Jason Newsted was definitely doing his best to stay out of the spotlight. He wore all black and completely avoided drawing any attention away from the boys. While Reuben was introducing the fifth song, Jason stepped up to the mike. Rather than addressing the crowd however, he whispered in Reuben's ear. Turns out he was prompting him to tell the audience that the song "Calls for a little crowd participation". While Reuben turned himself into a human beat box, Jason got the crowd to clap along (even if quite a few of us were a bit off tempo). The next song titled Three Hour Day (also off their new CD) has lyrics that would interest any child psychiatrist, including: "Sometimes, sometimes I wish the choice was always mine. Then there would be no busywork, and life would be divine. Swamped with things to do, there is no time to play. If you think about it, we only have a three hour day." Followed by a song titled: Frustration, you really begin to wonder/worry about these young musicians-until you listen to the lyrics in which Reuben reminds himself to "Just experiment, try different ways and Just have fun."

During the majority of the show, Jason stayed in the background only coming forward to help the guys with their setups as needed. He definitely made sure that the show belonged to the brothers, even assisting by means of bellowing for the crowd to "Hey shut-up" before the boys began their second of three instrumentals that they performed that day.

Near the end of the day, The Moss Brothers played a really cute number titled A Promise Is A Promise. How can you not fall in love with lyrics such as, "You told me that you'd tell me the answers to the test, You said you'd do it, just for me. But when I got stuck a lot, you didn't tell me squat, So it's your fault I got a D." During the show, Reuben made it very clear that the song was strictly fictional and he does so in the CD liner notes as well even adding the warning of "Do Not get any ideas"!

At the end of their set, the boys remembered to thank their parents and Jason (who whispered to Reuben reminding him to thank their producer Marshall). After ending the set, the guys were prodded back on the stage for an encore. The encore song (Sorry, I didn't catch the name of that one) really seemed to display the drumming talents of the seemingly quieter brother Evan. The show came to a final close around four in the afternoon and the crowd was in great spirits. The brothers even came out to sign CDs and tee shirts after the show! I admit, I couldn't pass up the chance to have my newly purchased CD autographed by the boys!

This was a great show. The boys are really talented and they seem to be having a great time with their music. The Moss Brothers will entertain you and their talent will surprise you. Even if you miss a chance to see them perform with their "friend Jason", I would still highly recommend checking these guys out!

He may have logged 14 years of arena gigs during his days with Metallica, but bassist Jason Newsted's first public appearance since his split with the metal perennials saw him jamming alongside a 12-year-old guitarist at a small Berekley, California, club on Sunday.

Newsted, who left Metallica in January (see "Bassist Jason Newsted Leaves Metallica"), joined the Moss Brothers at the Ashkenaz club for the release party of the young pop-rock duo's second album, Electricitation. Jamming with guitarist Reuben Moss and his 15-year-old brother, drummer Evan Moss, wasn't exactly spontaneous, since Newsted contributed bass lines to all but one song on the 12-track Electricitation.

The group's manager, who's also a publicist for Oakland jazz club Yoshi's, said he gave Newsted a copy of the Moss's debut album, On the North Side of the Tree, in December 1999, when Newsted was attending the club.

Liking what he heard, Newsted invited the boys over to his house for a jam session that eventually led to the three musicians playing together a total of seven times, including a gig at San Francisco's Last Day Saloon in April 2000 and several promotional appearances in Dallas last August.

While basking in Newsted's star power has certainly helped raise the band's profile, Evan and Reuben were actually doing just fine on their own. Two songs from their 1999 debut, "Football All the Way" and "Baseball," were regularly used by sports radio shows, and at 10 years old, Reuben became the youngest guitarist endorsed by Fender Guitars, their manager said.

- Joe D'Angelo

Growing up has never held much appeal for rock 'n' rollers, of course, but young rockers Reuben and Evan Moss don't have any say in the matter. Actually, they're handling it quite nicely. Just barely in their teens, Piedmont's Moss Brothers are releasing their second album, "Electricitation." The record features the bass playing of grown- up admirer Jason Newsted, who recently left his longtime gig with Metallica. Not just for the kids, but he does seem to be enjoying himself. They make him feel taller. The new Moss Brothers album deals with adult themes, from morality to mortality. True, there are several songs about school and teachers, and one instrumental begins with fart noises, but still: These kids are well on their way to musical maturity.
- James Sullivan

GIG REPORT: THE MOSS BROTHERS WITH JASON
Where: Ashkenaz, San Pablo Avenue, Berkeley
When: 1 April 2001
Attendence: 350+

The Moss brothers, Reuben and Evan are just 12 and 15 years old but good friends of Jason Newsted and he is playing bass on their latest album out soon. He has also played several gigs with them, the latest on April the 1st. encycmet.com visitor Ninette Freitas was at the concert and reports:

Excellent gig. I was surprised and impressed with the talent of these kids. There were approx. 350+ people there. Small venue it was a local bar in Berkley Ca. The Moss bothers Reuben and Evan took the stage first and played one song. Then Reuben introduced Jason... (by just his first name) ..there were many other metallifolks there some wearing 'tallica t-shirts and other tallica items.

But it was obvious from the start that Jason wanted it to be all about the kids. There were several "individuals" up front that after the first song were yelling his name and trying to talk to him. He just pointed at them and then at the kids (moss brothers)... as if to say "Hey it is about them not me" ..

I will say I was impressed with the skill of these kids... some of the songs were a little corny ( after all they are written by a 12 year old and his world) but the MUSIC was OUTSTANDING.. the drumming excellent and complex and the Guitar work by 12 year old Reuben was just damn impressive. I mean some of the licks were truly heavy and carried an awesome beat. In talking with the kids dad..Jason did not give the kids any slack.. he gave them a list of things that need to be done before and after the concert and what to do on stage.. make sure that they were as professional as possible.

And well what can I say.. JASON ROCKED.. as always you can tell that the man loves music. He was very much into what he was doing and the bass line was well AWESOME.. you could feel it in your chest taking over the beat or your heart. He prompted the kids on a few things and even at one point when the crowd would not die down he yelled "SHUT-UP" which got everyone's attention. But mostly he just played and played hard and heavy .. Yes I said heavy .. Over all it was great to see Jason on stage again. When someone loves something that much it shows and it showed today. To the best of my knowledge Jason did not come out after the gig. We waited for quiet awhile afterwards, but my best bet was that he wanted the kids to get the attention not him. I am sure he came out eventually just not while I was there.

So there you have it. Over all good concert, I enjoyed the music very much. Enjoyed the crowd everyone was really friendly and a good since of camaraderie. It was AWESOME to see Jason with a bass in hand and head banging. Excellent job to everyone.

Rock in a Hard Place

Reuben Moss is a little guy. In "Off the Charts," a track on the Moss Brothers' new CD Electricitation, he sings, "I weigh 62, I stand at four foot six / But I still play the guitar, and Evan plays his sticks." But on that same song, he plays such brawny grunge guitar-with little squeaks of surf-that it's easy to forget that Reuben Moss is twelve years old, and his brother Evan is fifteen.

It's hard to overlook the Moss Brothers, small as they may be. The Piedmont lads dazzled their elders with their 1999 album On the North Side of the Tree, with some strong blues covers and rocking originals about football, grandpa, and having to clean their rooms. Since then they've had their hands full with school-and with breaking in Jason Newsted, late of some band called Metallica, on bass-but somehow managed to whip up another batch of songs about summer vacation, overcrowded Heaven, Satan on holiday, and watching TV until the brain rots. They'll unveil Electricitation Sunday afternoon at Ashkenaz, with Newsted in tow.

Listening to "Heaven Got Overpopulated," the first track, you're bobbing your head to the chugging guitar and tapping traps before you hear Reuben's juvenile pipes rattle off a list of departed heroes and you remember it's a kid tossing off those fiery solos. Newsted's sinister bass line, Reuben's pounding guitar, and Evan's crashing cymbals turn a song about a friend failing to help cheat on a test, "A Promise Is a Promise," into a scorching rocker. I wondered which local musician they'd charmed into providing the sawing violin on "Whiner," but it turns out that's Reuben, too. In "Frustration," Reuben gets a little creative with pronounciation to make the chorus scan better: "Don't get frust-er-ate-ed-it's very, very pointless. Just remember that it's not the end of the world."

Rock In A Hard Place - Sam Hurwitt, East Bay Express, 3/20/01

Rasputin Manifesto May 2000
by Tom Chandler

If you follow these pages at all, then you will already be familiar with the Moss Brothers. If you like good old-fashioned rock and roll, then you need to be familiar with the Moss Brothers. If you like to have a good time, then...well, you know the story.

Reuben and Evan Moss play guitar and drums, respectively and they recently had their debut club performance, at the Last Day Saloon in San Francisco. It was a big deal too: the Bros were opening for the recently reunited Holy Modal Rounders, guaranteeing them both a crowd and many new fans. Oh, and they had a special guest lined up. It turned out to be Jason Newsted, the bass player from Metallica. Maybe you've heard of them.

And the Mosses didn't disappoint! No, they brought the house down, playing songs from their CD On The North Side of the Tree, as well as a few choice covers and new songs, including a prog-rockish instrumental co-written, or at least helped along by Newsted.

At first it didn't seem a little like the Holy Modal Rounder fans didn't know what to make of these two talented kids, but after the first song, the whole place was converted. The kids know how to have fun, and you can't help but have fun when they play. It's downright contagious. And if they were at all awed or nervous because of the slew of Metallica-related photographers, screaming fans, or the fact that they were playing in a bar, they did not show it. Reuben was charming in his asides, telling about how he decided to write a song for a class project instead of making a diarama, talking about how he played his new song for Jason.

It was a great night, for everyone. You should have been there.

Published Thursday, April 13, 2000, in the San Jose Mercury News

Young musicians add credits
Moss Brothers fit gigs around busy schedule of school, music

BY YOSHI KATO Special to the Mercury News OAKLAND

AT FIRST glance, it's what could probably pass as a typical afternoon at Shark Bite Studios near Jack London Square. Empty pizza boxes and open soda cans can be found throughout the observation and break areas, and well-wishing observers are made to feel welcome by professional associates and family members alike.

What sets this session apart from most is that it's a 10-year-old musician, Reuben Moss, trying to nail down a vocal recording on the other side of the engineering booth. A bit tired but still enthusiastic, he starts on another take as brother Evan, 13, looks on in support. The Moss Brothers, now both a year older, continue their already impressive musical journey tonight with a gig at the Last Day Saloon in San Francisco, opening for the Holy Modal Rounders.

That July recording session produced the Brothers' CD, ``On the North Side of the Tree.'' They've performed on radio (KFOG, KGO) and have played outdoor gigs such as the Port Fest in Oakland.

Reuben writes the songs, sings lead vocals and plays guitar (and occasional violin). Evan drums and sings. Blending pop and rock elements with a youthful perspective, the two create a type of music that is innocent and raw. The hooks are often quite catchy, and the beat is always irresistibly foot-tapping, at the very least.

Song topics range from sports (``Football All the Way,'' ``Baseball'') and family (``Grandpa Turns 80'') to chores (``Hot Water'') and escapism vs. responsibility (``Flying Today''). There's even a number, ``It's Just Too Bad,'' about the California Gold Rush, which started as a fourth grade final project.

On their debut CD, which was released by the fledgling local MLPR label, the Brothers also pay their respect to the blues classics by covering Jimmy Cox's ``Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out'' and Robert Johnson's ``Ramblin' on My Mind.''

``My brother's songs are usually quite different from our (blues) covers,'' says Evan, also at home on the phone. ``His songs are kind of alternative but a little softer, and the blues have just a totally different way to play and a different groove and everything.''

It's not just the blues that receive Moss Brothers treatment. The pair has been known to pull out a Sugar Ray or Tom Petty tune in concert -- which is not surprising, given some of their musical influences.

``Actually, this is kind of weird to say, but the lead singer of Nine Inch Nails, Trent Reznor, he's my main musical inspiration,'' says Reuben. ``Also, I like the band Metallica. They're really good.'' Evan, in turn, is a fan of Nirvana and the Police.

From early on, it was apparent that both brothers had music running through them. Moss mother Lisa is an author and an amateur pianist, while father Mark, a real estate developer, plays clarinet. ``They're big fans of music, so we hear it all the time,'' says Evan.

``I started playing guitar when I was 4 3/4. But I was air guitaring since I was 2,'' says Reuben. ``I don't remember any of that, but my mom says I was playing on napkins and all that stuff.'' On the songwriting end, he wrote his first tunes before hitting his grade school years. ``My first songs were a couple of comic things. There's one song that I wrote called `Poo' and another song I wrote called `Baby Papay,' he says. ``They weren't exactly real songs, but they actually did have words. Kind of disgusting, though.''

``I've always been banging on stuff,'' says Evan. ``It drives everybody crazy -- that's what my mom told me to say. ``When I was 5, I started piano. I was really kind of serious about it until I quit in third grade, when I was 9,'' he continues. ``I just took a little break for a year, and then I took up the clarinet. At the end of fourth grade, I took my first drum lesson, and I really liked it.''

Balancing a life between school, music and the occasional Moss Brothers concert every few months, Evan and Reuben live busy lives. The key to keeping it all together and maintaining a balanced life?

``We don't schedule gigs when there's other things going on -- a violin concert or a big school project,'' says Lisa. ``And the premise of the whole thing is that it's a creative outlet for both the boys.''

From the East Bay Express
October 22 - 28, 1999

Rock in a Hard Place

IT'S ALMOST SCARY how rad the Moss Brothers are. Scary, that is, considering that drummer Evan Moss is a lad of thirteen, and songwriter/guitarist Reuben is only ten. The Piedmont grade schoolers wowed the crowd when they played at Jerry Brown's inaugural shindig, and they bowled me over when I first heard a cut on KALX. Their songs are simple but catchy, the mix of buzzing guitar and clattering drums rough-cut but strong, and some of the guitar riffs pretty darn deft. It's only when they sing, with that scarcely comprehensible slurring diction of the very young (who aren't used to anyone really listening to them), that you think: wait a minute, these are little kids!

Produced and released by Marshall Lamm, the Moss Brothers' debut CD On the North Side of the Tree may not sound like it was cut by two fellas who weren't even born the last time Dire Straits had a Top 20 hit, but on closer inspection it's packed full of gritty kid stuff. There are two sports songs: the peppy pop-funk "Football All the Way" (which, to my embarrassment, I found myself singing on my way to lunch the other day, though I've never liked sports, and football least of all) and the punky, fuzz-laden, and somewhat fickle "Baseball," which snorts, "Now football isn't that bad/ But baseball's better." There's an electric birthday blues for Grandpa ("Grandpa Turns 80") and a rebellious rock rant ("Hot Water") that sounds like Buddy Holly joined a garage band: "When Mom tells me to clean my room/ It really makes me wanna fume/ It's my room, it can be dirty or clean/ It don't matter to me, but my mom is just mean." I think we all can relate.

"Guitar and Drums" gives sage advice to those who wanna be just like the Moss Brothers when they grow up ("To write a song, be calm is the rule/ Don't write dumb pieces. Don't be a fool."), and the one-minute surf instrumental, "I Live in France" (composed by Reuben at age five) is a hoot and only gets tangled up in itself once.

The brothers render a delightful harmony singalong version of Jimmy Cox's "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out," with delicate ringing guitar and reassuringly cheery juvenile voices. It's sort of funny to hear a ten-year-old sing about his baby treatin' him unkind on "Ramblin' on My Mind," but Reuben's blues guitar is impressive enough to nip nascent giggles in the bud.

My favorite, though, is the world-weary sigh of a sad lad. A bittersweet li'l '50s-rock-style lament with janging guitar, "Flying Today" bemoans the choices (which elementary school to go to, in this case) one wishes one could just avoid forever. "I wish I could," Reuben pipes, "but I can't go flying today."

From the Contra Costa Times

Moss Brothers Music Growing in Piedmont

by Andy Gilbert
November 13, 1999

The Moss Brothers are keeping it real.

Riding a wave of publicity since the release last summer of their debut CD, 10-year-old Reuben Moss (guitar and lead vocals) and 13-year-old Evan Moss (drums and vocals) are taking their notoriety in stride. Billboard recently featured the duo in their kids section, and Fender is courting Reuben for a deal that would make him the youngest musician to endorse their guitars.

"People are pretty enthusiastic about us," Evan says during an afterschool snack at the Moss family's Piedmont home. "When we practice, our neighbors seem to enjoy it, or at least they don't beg for mercy."

While they've been compared to that other pop music sibling outfit Hanson, the Moss Brothers are less polished and a lot more interesting. Their debut CD, "The North Side of the Tree" (where moss grows,get it?) is as fun as it is musically rewarding. Reuben writes all the tunes and sings lead, while Evan keeps the beat steady and firm.

Part of what makes the Moss Brothers irresistible is that Reuben follows the adage to write about what you know. While his songs are built around catchy riffs and clever pop hooks, the lyrics explore themes that are in keeping with a bright, self-possessed kid.

With his piping voice, Reuben sings about the stuff of everyday life, from his ode to his favorite sport "Baseball" and "Grandpa Turns 80" to "Hot Water" ("When mom tells me to do the dishes/I always make my very last wishes") and the hard-charging opening track "Guitar and Drums" that serves as their calling card: Jam with my brother on the guitar A lot of songs we've written so far How do we do this? I don't know But I don't think about that, I just go.

"I have so many song ideas stored up in my pocket," Reuben says. "But sometimes I just don't have lyric ideas. I was sort of afraid of having to make a CD and write all the songs, that my ideas wouldn't kick in under pressure."

Evan is the off-stage leader who introduced Reuben to his favorite bands Nirvana, Sublime and Nine Inch Nails. Reuben is the more voluble of the two and often takes over answering questions, though Evan maintains his older sibling prerogative with the occasional shoulder whack (which Reuben receives with a younger brother's practiced indifference).

Raised in a musical household, where mom, Lisa Braver Moss, plays classical piano and dad, Mark Moss, plays clarinet, the brothers grew up surrounded by music. Evan started piano lessons at 5 and put in four years on the ivories. He picked up the clarinet in the fourth grade, but the next year he discovered the drums, "and I've been drumming ever since," he says.

Reuben has been playing guitar since he was 4 and studies violin at the Crowden School in Berkeley. The brothers' musical partnership was born during a Wildwood Elementary School talent show.

"I played in the talent show for first grade, and I sort of made my reputation there," Reuben says. "Then in second grade, I really wanted to play for the talent show, and my mom sort of brought us together. We played Rocky Raccoon,' and it was really cool."

They got their first taste of fame during a performance at Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown's inaugural party. The Mosses received favorable mention in the Rasputin Manifesto, the Berkeley record store's newsletter, and the item caught the eye of Marshall Lamm, the publicist at Yoshi's in Oakland. Lamm booked the duo to perform under the club's awning before a Sunday matinee in March, and the concert generated so much pre-event publicity, it had to be moved to the plaza across the street, where 600 people showed up to hear them. The brothers approached Lamm to produce their CD, which is available at Tower and through Amazon.com and has sold about 1,400 copies, Lamm says.

"It's eclectic, it's not uptempo bubble gum pop," Lamm says. "I mean, they're covering Ramblin' On My Mind.' It's not kid music like you think of kid music."

But the Moss Brothers know that the kid image works in their favor. They often have surprise on their side when facing a new audience, because they know they can take care of business.

"Whenever people see us they think, Oh, some guy who just started the drums and some guy who can barely play the guitar," Evan says. "But we can play."

Click here to find out how you can get your copy of
ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE TREE.

© 2001 MLPR

all photos by stu brinin