MonoNeon: MonoMorphosis!

The colorful bassist uncovers new horizons on Quilted Stereo

Jon D'Auria / Sep 3, 2024

Photos provided by artist

The colorful bassist uncovers new horizons on Quilted Stereo

What began as YouTube stardom has now elevated into high demand, as MonoNeon continues to carve a unique path to the top, thanks to his prolific catalog fueled by a wild sound that is distinctly his own. Known for commanding the use of the atonal and microtonal intertwined with his funky virtuosity, outlandish lyrics, over-the-top neon and quilted wardrobe, and playing his bass upside down, norms mean nothing to the 34-year-old Memphian, socially or musically. But on his newest album, Quilted Stereo, we get a look into a new side of Mono that he’s never revealed before.

Trading bass-centric riffing for melodically and harmonically rich movements and tapping into heartfelt lyrics that depart from his comedic musings, MonoNeon’s latest nine-song journey shows depth and maturity while embracing his persona. With legends like George Clinton and Mavis Staples stepping in for cameos, the album morphs stylistically through shades of ’70s funk, ’60s soul, traditional gospel, modern hip-hop, and everything in between. But don’t think that this new song-first approach is leaving anything lacking from Mono’s bass playing, as he picks and chooses his moments to unleash fret-firing runs and rewindable fingerboard moments on each track.

According to the multiple Grammy winner, this shift wasn’t conceived, but was merely part of his natural evolution. A shy and highly reserved person by nature, Mono has done his best to embrace his role as a frontman. And while it may not come naturally, his time working with Prince, Ghost-Note, and Mac Miller has helped in priming him to step out. Now that he’s completed successful sold-out tours, his desire to be a sideman has dissolved, and he is ready for this next chapter. Anointing this new era with Quilted Stereo, the quilted one is ready for the spotlight.

As someone who has covered you since early on, I feel Quilted Stereo is your best work to date. You must have been eager to release it to the world.

I was being patient. I’m usually not patient, but because this is a big album for me, I was chill about it. I wanted to put it out the right way. I have people I look up to on it, like George Clinton and Mavis Staples, so I couldn’t just put it out like I usually do with no warning. I was trying to do it the right way.

As with your recent albums, your bass playing is superb, but the focus is more on the songs. How would you describe the record stylistically?

Along with my co-producer and co-writer, Davy Nathan (Mary J Blige, Usher, Jennifer Hudson, Babyface), we just wrote some songs together for the sake of writing. We weren’t thinking stylistically. As we’ve done in the past, we didn’t have a concept going in, but then we take the songs we wrote and create a storyline afterwards. Here, what’s a little different is I’m rapping and covering some styles that are new for me.

When do you feel the focus shifted from your playing to your songwriting?

It was natural over time. My run with Prince influenced that — being around somebody like him made me realize that I couldn’t be just a bass player, because I had so much more inside of me. Prince saw that in me, and I wasn’t aware of what he saw at the time, but that’s my catalyst now. I don’t want to be only a good bass player. I want to create my own music and vibe.

I don’t want to go back to being a sideman. I don’t mind playing with other people, but there’s something about being up front where you have to sound like yourself. There’s no time to sound like anybody else.

What was the writing and recording process like for this album?

I flew out and stayed with Davy at his L.A. home. Each day, we’d head into his home studio, where he as all his keyboards, and just vibe. Nothing was forced. Sometimes he’d take the wheel, sometimes I did. I’m letting my ego go right now because I’m so used to writing my own songs by myself in my room. But because I trust him, it works. He’s the only person I write songs with right now. He knows my vision and he understands my quirkiness and my being impatient. So, the majority of the record was cut in Davy’s home studio — all of my vocals, the keyboards, drum programming, and the bass, which was my signature Fender 5-string into a Universal Audio interface. But we also went to Tallahassee, Florida, to do George Clinton’s vocals, and then we went to Chicago to record Mavis Staples’ vocals in her studio.

There’s a lot of lyrical development on the record.

It comes from growing up a little and realizing some things. My grandma is dealing with dementia, and it’s heavy seeing how that’s affecting not only me, but also my mom and my family. Overall, life just takes its course, and I’m getting older, I guess. I’m not trying to sound like an old man or nothing, but life makes you start feeling and seeing things differently, so that’s where the lyrics come from. With Davy knowing me so well, he understands the depression and sadness I go through. He’s very tapped into that, and he helps me express it.

You’ve emerged as a singer and front person, although I know you’re a typically reserved person. Has it been a natural evolution?

I’m still working on being a front person. I love it and I don’t want to go back to being a sideman. I don’t mind playing with other people, but there’s something about being up front where you have to sound like yourself. There’s no time to sound like anybody else. Of course you can hear my influences, but you’d better show your original shit. I’m still very shy and I can be hard on myself, but as long as I keep growing, learning, and developing, I’ll become more comfortable with the spotlight on me.

“Segreghetto,” the first single from the album, features a mesmerizing ostinato groove and your rapping.

I remember that day, because I really didn’t feel like writing anything. Davy programmed some drums and told me to pick up the bass. I began playing that groove, and we started writing lyrics to it. I would say a word or a phrase, and he would throw something in there and we’d go back and forth. It was very natural. I just wanted to rap. I’m from Memphis, so I’m influenced by 8Ball & MJG and all those rappers.

What was it like working with George Clinton on “Quilted”?

That was another situation where, while I was there, I was very quiet and bashful. I kept thinking, this dude is a genius. At one point I was like, WTF, this is George Clinton! His whole family vibrates on another level. I had butterflies the entire time, but luckily Davy took over the situation. My approach to the track was just trying to get in when I fit in. That’s how I am around OGs: I know I have a lot to learn, and I’m just a student.

“Full Circle” has Mavis Staples’ amazing vocals and a swung funk groove that sounds specific to Memphis.

Davy wrote that for us, and originally I was going to sing the second verse. I really wanted to do a song with Mavis because she reminds me of my grandmother, and I grew up listening to her. My dad used to play bass with Mavis and her father, Pops Staples, so it truly was a full-circle moment. I’m playing bass and guitar and singing with her. And that Memphis feel definitely came out in the song. It had to — I studied my daddy and all the bassists I grew up listening to, like Jackie Clark. So it comes from absorbing all of that. It’s something in the water around here, as they say. I know it’s in me.

“Church of Your Heart” and “Another Man’s Treasure” are so soulful and dip into the great pop production of the ’80s and ’90s, with some synth bass going on.

With Davy, it’s limitless and we can go anywhere when it comes to production. He’s such a great songwriter and has worked with heavy hitters and he knows what he’s doing, so that lets us take the songs wherever we want to go. And these songs just went there.

It’s not only about bass for me anymore. That’s why I’m so influenced by Bootsy: It wasn’t just about the bass with him, it was his entire personality. He created a whole culture outside of being a bass player, and that’s important to me.

You have some ear-grabbing bass moments, like the fills on “Jelly Roll” and “Full Circle.” How did you pick and choose the places to let loose?

I used my ears and my intuition, and I made sure that I showed my little MonoNeon-esque stuff, even though I don’t care about that as much anymore. I mean, I care about it, but I care more about songwriting and creating a culture. It’s not only about bass for me anymore. That’s why I’m so influenced by Bootsy: It wasn’t just about the bass with him, it was his entire personality. He created a whole culture outside of being a bass player, and that’s important to me. That’s what keeps me going and makes me keep wanting to do this.

“Jelly Roll” has a Prince vibe to it. Was that an intentional nod to him?

After I recorded it I realized I was channeling some Morris Day and Donald Fagan shit, and I hear the Prince vibe in it, too. That naturally comes out of me now.

“Crown and Coke” blends vintage R&B, like Earth, Wind & Fire, with a new jack swing vibe.

I don’t drink too much, every now and then, but I told Davy that my favorite drink is Crown and Coke, and the whole song came from writing about that. He programmed some drumbeats that weren’t quite right, and then he pulled up the one on the track and I liked it, and I started grooving some bass on it. Next came the lyrics and melody, and he plays the lead keyboard part. That’s a fun song.

As cliché as it may sound, I want to be remembered for being free and having freedom to literally do whatever I wanted. It’s a hard road to have any type of freedom in this world, but if you have the right people around you, you can keep your freedom.

Last year you unveiled your signature bass from Fender.

When the offer came I said yes, because I knew it would be a good move for me — not only in terms of marketing, but also to have an instrument where I could be hands-on with the design and colors and everything. I’m very grateful that Fender even took the time to check me out and wanted to be involved with whatever the hell I’m doing. And it’s one of the best instruments I’ve ever played. I feel so connected to it, not just because it’s a Fender but because it feels like me. It’s the only bass I play anymore.

How did the quilted wardrobe come about for you?

I always want to be comfortable. Even when it’s hot outside, I wear it because I like being covered up. I love the designs. I’m on Etsy every single day looking at quilts to have made up into outfits for me. I have pages and pages saved. I don’t know why I’m the way I am. I just like feeling secure, and I think it came from having social anxiety. I used to carry a security blanket around with me when I was young, so this is kind of like that. Now being a frontman and letting people see who I am has helped ease the anxiety a bit.

What’s it like being praised by celebrities and having the level of notoriety that you do now?

I guess it’s cool, but I don’t know why they like me. I was just asking my manager why people like me so much. I really embrace it and I’m thankful for any kind of recognition — who doesn’t want to be recognized for all of the hard work and practice that you put in that nobody sees? I just want to keep getting better and getting in tune with my vision and my frequency on Earth.

What was it like performing on Black Music Honors Bootsy Collins?

I was nervous like I always am, but once that first note hits, I’m good and I turn it on. And that show has cameras on you and people watching, so I can’t get away with anything or cover anything up. I loved doing it for Bootsy, and he loved it, himself. After the performance he came up onstage and said to me, “If MonoNeon is up there, it’s gonna be some funk.” That meant the world to me. It was an emotional night. It’s hard for me to explain what it means to me when those OGs show me love like that.

Why bass? How does it resonate with your personality?

I would have to go back to my love for Anthony Jackson. Of course, he was a bass player and of course he put the music first, but everything you hear with him on it, you know it’s him. So he’s an artist in any ensemble he’s playing with. He’s not just a bass player or just a sideman; he’s always Anthony Jackson with his sound, with his note choices, with his touch. That’s where I stem bass within a band from. I want to be an artist with any band. When I play with Ghost Note, it’s MonoNeon playing with Ghost Note. I want to be MonoNeon with John Scofield, I want to be MonoNeon with anybody. And it’s all rooted in my love of Anthony Jackson.

When it’s all said and done, what do you want your legacy to be?

As cliché as it may sound, I want to be remembered for being free and having freedom to literally do whatever I wanted. It’s a hard road to have any type of freedom in this world, but if you have the right people around you, you can keep your freedom. Be determined and love this shit, and always have an imagination.