Mother Mother frontman Ryan Guldemond has been reluctant about his band's dive into the social networking world.
While it's becoming the norm for bands to keep in constant contact with fans via the Internet, Guldemond cherishes a certain distance from his listeners.
"You see some bands out there that are just networking machines, tweeting and Facebooking, and are just so accessible," he says.
"We don't go to quite those limits, and in some people's opinion, at our detriment -- our managers and people around us will be like, 'You've got to engage more.' "
Mother Mother brings its off-kilter pop-rock to the Sonic Boom festival at Northlands Grounds tomorrow, joining Weezer, Bad Religion, Rise Against, City and Colour, and others.
With sizeable followings on Twitter and Facebook already -- more than 1,750 and 7,300 followers, respectively -- Guldemond is wary about pushing things further.
"You don't want to engage too much. Everyone's on this big trip about making yourself totally available. I'm a bit more of a supporter of the traditional dynamic between fan and artist, a certain mystique and untouchability to some extent," he says.
"You don't want to come off unreachable, but there's a beauty there."
The singer/guitarist has always had a thing for more mysterious bands. Led Zeppelin and Tool are two he loved growing up, and the Pixies are his all-time favourite.
"People go to shows and exercise their fanship because it takes them a little bit out of the mundane, it takes them out of their ordinary routine," he says. "If you're publicizing your mundanity as an artist, I think it takes away from the magic of the music and the whole aesthetic of your art."
While the Vancouver quintet might not hold the same aura as Tool, Mother Mother is turning heads with its quirky brand of rock, brandishing clever lyrics that are penned by Guldemond and sung in contagious harmonies with sister Molly Guldemond and Jasmin Parkin.
The band's sophomore album O My Heart has spawned alternative radio hits with the title track and, more recently, Hayloft -- a biting number with a flashy video and a hook that will stick in your head for days.
Its success has come thanks in no small part to the Internet. iTunes Canada named O My Heart the No. 3 Indie Album of 2008, and the band's Myspace page was flooded with hits after American celebrity blogger Perez Hilton mentioned Mother Mother in a blog entry.
Guldemond is grateful to see his fanbase spread south of the border.
"It's always a bit of a wonder. You never really think anyone's going to listen to you," he says. "It's sobering in a way. And very exciting."
After its North American trek, which starts in Edmonton, Mother Mother will begin promoting its just-completed third album, written and produced by Guldemond.
Saying the new disc is the "most colossal of the three," Guldemond hopes the band can eventually shed its indie tag as it makes a bigger push for pop radio acceptance.
"We don't want to tailor what we do to fit into some frankly s---ty model, which the mainstream seems to resemble these days. But at the same time, we don't give up hope. We like to remain optimistic and fight the good fight to try and get on the bigger radio stations and to put our best foot forward into that realm," he says.
"I think it's possible. I think you can cross over and still be a bit of a freakshow."
Mother Mother takes the stage at 1:55 p.m.
