Emerging from the vibrant indie-rock landscape of San Francisco, Mom Cars is turning heads and tuning ears with their fresh sound and quirky moniker. This quartet—Brendon Le (lead vocals/rhythm guitar), AJ Derise (vocals/bass), Cole Winters (lead guitar), and Jacob Thrasher (drums)—is quickly gaining momentum. With recent single releases “Sweaters” and “Artificial” paving the way, Mom Cars is gearing up for a new record and electrifying live performances across Southern California and Nevada.
Mom Cars taps into the nostalgic vein of early 2010s indie, a period celebrated for its bouncy rhythms and enigmatic vibes. As indie-rock-sleaze aesthetics resurge and a yearning for the escapist sounds of the post-recession era grows, Mom Cars’ music slots seamlessly into this wistful atmosphere. To delve deeper into their world, we sat down with Mom Cars to explore their origins, musical influences, upcoming projects, and aspirations for the future.
Vlada: To start, what sparked your journey into music? Was there a defining moment when you knew you wanted to create music, and how did Mom Cars come together?
Cole: It’s interesting, it wasn’t really individual moments, but more of a collective one. We all came together for a high school talent show back in early 2020. We formed specifically for that, and surprisingly, it just clicked. We kept playing shows afterward, and here we are now.
V: Was there something particularly special about that talent show performance that made you decide to continue as a band?
Brendon: Oh, it was electric. Seriously, something special in the air.
Cole: Yeah, I think it was… unique.
Brendon: It felt like everything just came together perfectly. I personally had never experienced that kind of musical chemistry with anyone else before. It was just different.
Cole: And for me, it was my first time ever playing live. I’d been playing guitar since fourth grade, but never in front of an audience. I remember thinking, “Wow, this live thing is actually pretty cool.”
Jacob: Yeah, and it was a talent show, so there were hundreds of people there. That was a major confidence boost, playing for such a big crowd for our first gig. It was like, “Oh, we might actually be onto something here.”
V: Did Mom Cars take home the talent show crown?
Cole: Funny you ask, it wasn’t actually a competition, no winning involved. But if it had been… we definitely would have won. Just kidding! There were other good acts too.
AJ: Yeah, definitely a lot of talented people there.
V: So, the name “Mom Cars” – it’s quite distinctive. What’s the story behind it?
Brendon: It’s a bit of a funny origin story. We were brainstorming for a name, trying to find something we all had in common. And at the time – and even now, actually – [pointing around] Cole was driving a Toyota RAV4, AJ drives a Toyota RAV4, and Jacob had a Lexus SUV. So, “Mom Cars” started as a joke for the talent show. It was just a funny, relatable thing. And then, the joke kind of stuck. We’ve kept it ever since, even though it really did start as a lighthearted gag.
V: I really enjoyed the demo for your single “Sweaters.” What inspired the song, and how did the songwriting process unfold?
Brendon: “Sweaters” started on acoustic guitar. It began very simply, and the inspiration, well… this might sound a bit cliché, but it came after a recent breakup. I was just in my garage, feeling it, and the song kind of poured out. I brought it to the guys, and we collaborated on finishing the lyrics and structure. It came together pretty organically.
Cole: I remember Brendon playing it for me in his car, just acoustic, and I immediately said, “You have to play that again. That’s a really good one.”
Brendon: Yeah, it’s a fun song to play. We wanted something with energy and emotion.
Cole: Definitely. It’s immediate, right in your face. Short, sweet, and impactful.
V: I hear there’s a new record in the works. Can you give us a preview of its energy and overall feel?
Brendon: It’s quite diverse, actually. There are some tracks that are very structured and complex, and others that are more free-flowing and experimental. The energy levels vary quite a bit too; some parts are high-energy, while others are more mellow and introspective. We’re also excited to have our first feature on this record. Working with another artist has been a really cool experience.
V: Would you mind sharing who the featured artist is?
Brendon: It’s Jenny Stenger. She’s also from our hometown, which is pretty small. We thought it would be great to collaborate with another local artist, to connect and create something together. She’s a singer-songwriter doing more in the indie-pop vein, and it’s been a fantastic collaboration.
V: Being from a small town without a defined music scene, do you feel that’s been a hindrance or perhaps even helpful in some way?
AJ: I’d say we’ve found our scene in places outside of our town. Sacramento has been good to us, and we’ve also connected with scenes in Reno and Santa Cruz. It hasn’t really held us back too much. We just have to drive a bit further for shows. But we love playing music, so it’s worth it.
Brendon: In a way, it motivates us more. Being in a place with not much going on musically pushes us to put more effort into our music, to get out there and make things happen. We get bored easily just sitting around.
V: Do you have a favorite show memory from your performances so far?
Cole: The first Santa Cruz show definitely stands out.
Jacob: Yeah, that first Santa Cruz show. It was the furthest we’d ever traveled for a gig, and it was a house show right by the ocean. Really crowded, great energy.
Brendon: Coming from our small town, we’d never experienced anything like it. It was our first show outside our local area, and it was a real eye-opener for us.
V: Is there a particular city or town you’re eager to play in?
AJ: Vegas, honestly. Or San Diego.
V: San Diego? That’s interesting, what draws you to San Diego?
AJ: Southern California in general, really, from LA down to San Diego. Anywhere with a big crowd and a vibrant scene.
Brendon: San Diego specifically because it seems to have a strong indie-rock scene right now. There are a lot of bands playing there that I’d personally love to share a stage with. But yeah, the whole LA to San Diego area is a target for us.
V: Vegas would be great to see you in. It’s becoming more accessible for smaller bands to play here now.
V: Who are some of your prominent musical inspirations? Any bands that define your ‘taste’?
AJ: Backseat Lovers are definitely a huge one for all of us. Big inspiration. Catfish and the Bottlemen too, for sure.
Cole: More recently, I’d add Kings of Leon. Definitely a personal influence for me.
Brendon: For me, I’ve been trying to explore new artists. Beach House is one I’ve been getting into lately, and even though they’re pretty mainstream, their sound is incredible. Cage the Elephant is another big inspiration for us, and Arctic Monkeys, of course.
V: If each of you could recommend one song to our readers, what would it be?
AJ: Just one song… that’s tough. Don’t put me on the spot like that!
Cole: “Panic Like Tom.”
AJ: Okay, yes. “Panic Like Tom” by The Riscas. They might not be playing anymore, they’re from the UK. But that’s a song we all love.
Brendon: I’d recommend “Jenny” by Collins Beach. They’re still pretty under the radar.
Cole: Also “Talk Your Mind” by The Riscas. Another great one.
Jacob: Okay, I’ll go with “Waiver” by Quarter Conscious.
V: Since you’re having your first feature on the upcoming record, do you have any ‘dream’ collaborations in mind for the future?
Cole: If we’re shooting for the stars, I’d say The Backseat Lovers. But more realistically, I’m not sure yet.
Brendon: I need to explore more of the female indie artist scene. I’ve been listening to Wallows lately, and the Clairo feature on their most popular song is a cool idea.
V: Do you have any other artistic pursuits that might influence your music? Many musicians have other creative outlets that feed back into their music.
Brendon: I’ve thought about getting into poetry, but it hasn’t really taken off yet.
V: Poetry and songwriting are quite related though.
AJ: We pretty much channel all our artistic energy into music.
Jacob: Yeah, music is our primary creative outlet.
V: Back to songwriting as poetry, do you have a specific approach to writing lyrics?
Brendon: Usually, a melody comes to me first. The lyrics tend to develop alongside the melody. Then we refine them as a band. It often starts with a personal experience or situation, and then we try to make it more relatable and universal.
AJ: It’s a balance between being authentic and honest, but also not being so specific that it becomes alienating. We aim for lyrics that are truthful but still broadly relatable.
Brendon: Writing about things we personally connect with makes the song more enjoyable for us to perform. The songs always feel stronger when we have a genuine emotional connection to them.
V: You categorize yourselves as indie, but it’s such a broad term now. Where do you see your music heading genre-wise? Are there genres you’d like to explore or incorporate?
AJ: Definitely not jazz.
Brendon: I’d like to incorporate keys and synths into our songs where it fits. Maybe explore some psychedelic elements too. We’re already bordering on that a bit, which is cool.
Cole: For me, a lot of my guitar playing is rooted in 70s rock and blues, even some 50s and 60s doo-wop.
Brendon: Doo-wop? What’s doo-wop?
Cole: Old 50s music, early rock and roll.
V: Your music video was recently released. Was that your first one? What was the filming experience like?
AJ: It was fun. We filmed it at Jacob’s house, in his backyard. Kept it local and DIY.
Brendon: It gives it a genuine feel. It’s where we practice all the time, so it’s authentic to our band. Filming in the backyard adds an intimate, personal touch to the video.
V: Music videos are so integral to how we consume music now, especially in the video age. Do you have aspirations for your future videos? Any ‘dream’ video concepts?
Cole: I’d like to include more B-roll, just random shots of us being ourselves, behind-the-scenes stuff. For a dream video, I’d love to have a stronger narrative, a real plotline.
AJ: A live video, but with the studio track, would be cool. A really well-shot live performance video that captures the energy of our shows. Maybe with some crowd shots too.
V: Last question: Is there a specific milestone you hope to reach that would make you feel truly content with Mom Cars?
Cole: Personally, I don’t think I could ever be fully content. Always striving for more.
Brendon: I’m pretty content right now, actually. It’s a tricky question.
AJ: We’re satisfied with where we are and whatever comes next, but we always want to grow and achieve more.
Brendon: I’d say we are content in the sense that playing music with our high school friends is incredibly fulfilling. That’s the best part. We’ll keep pushing to see how far we can go, but there isn’t a specific, defined goal right now.
Jacob: The goal is to enjoy the process and make music we love.
Brendon: Exactly. As long as people are enjoying our music, that’s the most important thing.
Mom Cars: Instagram | Twitter | TikTok | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music
Article By: Vlada Stark
Photos By: Pru Kessler
