Music: Animal Mother
Lansing rockers ready to bang out first album

Christian Czerwinski | NOISE

"We're loud and fun."

Animal Mother bassist Norm Slep doesn't need to go into a huge description of his Lansing rock band to get his point across.

"We don't want people to hear when they wake-up the next morning," he said from a local coffee shop. "It's a good loud though, it's not a bunch of noise."

The band came together in 2001 when Slep was just learning to play guitar.

In that time, they've changed a few members, grown as songwriters and musicians, and have cultivated a sound akin to Saliva (without the rapping or screaming vocals), Kiss and Alice Cooper.

It's even getting a little progressive said guitarist Jaye Buxton, who's the rare female metal guitarist.

"We tune down to C for that modern tone, because we're trying to be as good as musicians as we can," Buxton said. "We don't have that death vocal thing going. We have a good energy."

Slep formed the band but didn't want to deal with any drama, so you won't find any "rock star attitudes" in Animal Mother. They're just in it for the music. And aside from playing around Michigan, their aspirations go about as far as opening for a national act.

"We talked about the idea of touring regularly, but we're waiting for things to solidify," Buxton said. "I think right now, we'd be a good support act."

Things have already started to solidify as they have a growing fan base in Flint and Lansing and they're getting ready to release their first full-length album, No Rules...2007.

On the eight-song album, you'll find hard-rock bangers like "Wrecked" and "Gone," and songs about relationships, losing friends and the late Dimebag Darrell. Singer Chris Blank said Dimebag created a guitar sound that many artists try to emulate.

"All of our members were influenced by him," Buxton said. "He was the anti-rock star. He was nice to everyone and he was feisty. It was no frills and just balls to the wall."

Although making an album was like "pulling teeth," and took about two years, Buxton said it was worth it. Still, she said the album doesn't capture the energy of the T-shirt-wearing, long-haired rockers' live show.

Animal Mother has shared the stage with some top-drawing local acts. The band members agree that talent is out there, even if there aren't many venues to play.

"It's not like it used to be in Lansing. The talent is still awesome though," Slep said. "As far as places to play, it's limited and people are staying home more and more."