In a recent interview with Xpress’ Stuart Gaines, white soul singer JJ Grey expressed surprise that his band’s sudden name augmentation — from just MOFRO to, now, JJ Grey and MOFRO — was giving some fans pause. A “handful” of people, he admitted, found this telling change a big deal, “for God knows what reason … .”
MOFRO’s handsomely orchestrated swamp-funk laments are all directly culled from Grey’s life. And so his plan with the name change is to quit “hiding” behind an anonymous band name and (literally) bring his identity to the fore. Which begs the question: Should a band be “allowed” to do this seven years into its existence? Sure, MOFRO’s songs are Grey’s songs, no question. But then, they always were; none of the band’s fans (including me) had to have Grey’s name grafted on to “MOFRO” to realize this. It’s the 11th-hour aspect that makes it stink: Check out the new promo photo in the Feb. 21 Xpress, wherein the rest of the band’s faces have been blurred like the mugs of johns on a COPS-show prostitution sting, while Grey struts out front in pure cock o’ the walk mode… Who approved this?
— Melanie McGee Bianchi, A&E editor
