How will a local band adjust to life on the road?
I hadn't been to the Badlander in Missoula since last year's Dead Hipster dance party. It seemed different than I remembered it. Or maybe I was distracted by the dual projectors showing a sex scene from a pulp 70's movie. (It involved a ski lift. That's all I'm going to say.) It was a Tuesday night, and Mesozoic Mafia, a local band and hip-hop collective with a reputation for good vibes, was about to come onstage.
In a word, Mesozoic Mafia was impressive. They have more instruments than I could keep track of, including saxophone, keyboard, cello, drum machine, and melodica.
(That's this thing.) 
Featuring a rotating cast of 20 musicians, some of whom perform in dinosaur masks, their live show is fresh, positive, and distinctly personal. Their team of vocalists and rhymesmiths focuses most of their lyrics around dinosaurs. That night I met Sean Burress, drummer, bassist, and beat master of the group. Burress says, "The dinosaur theme came about mysteriously and perhaps inadvertently." Far from being a visual gag, he believes, "It has inspired the members to write about something they wouldn't normally." He agreed to talk about the band's upcoming Colorado tour and what the future holds for these funky reptiles.
Let me bring you back to that far-off era in which we didn't even have to worry about the polar ice caps melting because there were none. Where coniferous plants spread across Pangaea. Where reptiles roamed, weighing 80 tons. The world of the Mesozoic Mafia.
Ben: How did Mesozoic Mafia come to be? How did you all meet?
Sean: The Mesozoic Mafia was formed gradually over the course of a year or so. It all started with simple hip-hop beats that I created on FL Studio. I began asking my friends to contribute lyrics to the beats. Somewhere along the line, the project began taking on a dinosaur theme. I don't remember who thought of this or why it took hold. Eventually I had a collection of 13 songs, with about 20 people contributing lyrically or instrumentally to one or more tracks each. At this point, we had a full album which we called 'Raptor Rapture.' We wanted to throw a CD release party, and so it only made sense that we would perform the music live. Originally, we hoped to call ourselves 'Band Before Time.' This name was taken, so we went with 'Mesozoic Mafia.' With all the members of Off in the Woods plus more as the core band, we learned how to play the songs live that I had composed digitally. Our first show was the release of 'Raptor Rapture.'
B: Who are your major influences?
S: Each member of the Mafia comes from a different background and brings many influences to the table. From a production standpoint, I have to cite Gorillaz as a major influence. I love the collaborative nature of their music. Deltron 3030 was inspirational as well. It definitely turned me onto the idea of what a concept hip-hop album could be.
B: What role do you believe art has in society?
S: I think that because humans are such emotional creatures, we crave beautiful and moving art. Musicians and painters are artists just as much as people who design cars, software, espresso machines, sidewalks, toys, etc. Basically everything we create is artistic. We create art as a reflection of the beauty we perceive in the world.
B: You celebrated one year of Mesozoic Mafia this April. Looking back over the year, how have you changed and developed as musicians?
S: I would say that we've all learned a lot about working together in large groups, often with people that have never played together before, and making it work. The Mafia has added to a sense of community with the music scene here in Missoula, and been the catalyst for great friendships.
B: What is your favorite venue--either to play at or to go to shows at--in Montana?
S: That's a hard one! We've made a point to keep trying different venues. I'd say our most attended and well received show was at the Palace this past January.
B: You're just about to start a tour in Colorado, the Mafia's first. How did that come about, and what are you most excited for on the road?
S: I wanted to go back to Colorado because my father lives there, and we have a growing number of musical connections in Denver. I'm very excited to play at Bishop's Castle.
B: What comes next for Mesozoic Mafia? Is there another album in the works?
S: We are working on a second album. I cannot say when it will be completed. The future of the band is up in the air. Because it is such a large collective, it is unknown who will be in the performing lineup from one season to the next.
B: What is your favorite dinosaur?
S: Quetzalcoatlus (actually a pterosaur). I'm also a big fan of Spinosaurus, Anklyosaurs, and Brachiosaurs.
You can find their first album, 'Raptor Rapture,' on Bandcamp. If you happen to be in the neighborhood of Wetmore, CO on Aug. 23, check out their fundraiser show at Bishop's Castle. It's a truly incredible building, and the lifetime work of one Jimmy Bishop.
Don't you want to get funky at this place? I know I do.
The evolutionary forecast is dire, but if any local group has the potential to adapt and survive, it is the Mesozoic Mafia. Look out for their next album and be sure to thank all of the dinosaurs in your life.
**Images courtesy of Mesozoic Mafia, Hobgoblin USA, and The Gazette
