Local band 3OH!3 reflect on “Two Lame Chodes” and their roots
A drizzle on the Hill did not stop Sean Foreman and Nathaniel Motte from making an appearance at Buchanan’s Coffee Pub last Friday.
Despite two anxious fans awaiting their arrival just inside, the duo made their way to a cramped side table without being mauled. Inside the cocoon composed coffee shop, 3OH!3 explained how their musical magic evolved.
“We started with ballads – acoustic ballads, two and a half years ago,”
Foreman said.
Some time later – a year and a half, to be exact – they formed the band, “Two Lame Chodes,” and have recorded four albums under that band name. The more serious works in the early days, Foreman said, included, “A Long and Winding Chode,” and “Chode to Joy.”
“Our music was primarily focused on partying and beer and dating a lot of
chicks,” Foreman said.
Around the same time, Foreman and Motte began “Eight Hour Orphans,” a second band, which was similar to the first.
Within that same year, Sean had been dabbling in MC-ing on the side and won several MC battles at the Player’s Club, Tulagi and was runner-up at the Boulder Theater.
Later, the two combined their acoustic talents and MC skills to form what is becoming an instant cult-classic: “3OH!3.”
What sets CU grad Motte, and current CU student Foreman apart from other bands is that they consider themselves to be true, “mus-gacians,” or musical magicians, who describe their particular sound as “electro-thug” (electronic/dance music accompanied by hip-hop beats, a little rock and a lot of sweet dance-moves).
“That’s the best one name category we’ve been able to come up with, otherwise we try to avoid categorization,” Motte said. “We love to listen to music of every genre and make diverse music too.”
That harmonious diversity really reflects back to two of their main musical influences.
“Seal – No. 1 influence, definitely,” Foreman said. “No. 2: Kelly Clarkson,” added Motte smiling.
“We’re serious about our music and people having fun listening to it and going to shows. We love making and playing this stuff, and we figure that we might as well have as much fun as we can doing it,” Motte said.
Currently, the pair self-produce and manage the group.
For them, gaining celebrity status and making money are not what matters the most – it’s what comes through when people hear their music.
“We’re just a couple of dudes, with nothin’ to lose,” Motte said.
