Interview with Metal Mouse

Author

Jarod Smith
August 08, 2025

What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today? 

There’s a lot of musical influence in my family, and I believe in fate—so I can’t imagine not having some kind of relationship with music. Before I started singing in bands as a teenager, I was heavily involved in musical theater, so I’d probably still be doing that in some form.

What do you like to do when you are not playing music and how does that influence your creativity?

We’re all a bunch of laid-back dudes from around the Central Coast of California, which probably explains why we have no problem not taking ourselves too seriously.

How long has your band been around? Also, please tell me about the dynamic of the band of what brought you all together.

Metal Mouse is a fairly new entity that we’ve been developing from the remnants of a previous version of the band called Metal Street Boyz, which itself rose from the ashes of a band called Metal Zone back in 2016. We’re now bound by a shared love of 80s Hair, 90s Flare, and the magical music of Disney animation!

Where are you based and how did that influence your music?

We’re all a bunch of laid-back dudes from around the Central Coast of California, which probably explains why we have no problem not taking ourselves too seriously.

How did you come up with the name of your band and what does it mean to you?

Metal Mouse is pretty self-explanatory as “The Only Hard Rockin’ Tribute to the Music of Disney.

Tell me about your most memorable shows.

Every one of them is memorable to me. The top of the heap would be playing at Belly Up Tavern in Solano Beach, CA, where we had a sold-out crowd singing back all the words to Frozen’s “Let It Go,” set to the tune of a mash-up of Bon Jovi’s “Runaway” and Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing.

What is your favorite venue to play at, and do you have any places you want to play that you have not already?

It’s not so much the venue, but the people we get to entertain in each city. We especially love the crowds at Bimbo’s 365 Club in San Francisco and the aforementioned Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach, CA. We’re really looking forward to playing some Disney fan expos and conventions—connecting directly with the biggest fans of the music itself.

If you could play any show with any lineup, who would be on the ticket?

Alan Menken, Van Halen, Cher, Wilson Phillips, DIO, Spice Girls, Whitesnake—and METAL MOUSE, of course.

What is some advice that you would give to someone who is just getting into playing in a band and some advice that you would give to your younger self?

I wouldn’t give my younger self any advice—figuring it out on your own is part of the fun. Wisdom, in my opinion, is life’s greatest resource, and you earn it through experiences—both good and bad. My advice to anyone just starting out is: don’t be afraid to suck at it, because it’s going to suck at first. And remember, there’s really no such thing as a stupid idea—there’s an audience for everything.

Of your songs which one means the most to you and why? 

I personally love singing 'Go The Distance' from Disney’s Hercules. It’s a beautiful arrangement and a song I used to sing along to as a kid. Like Hercules, I always felt I was destined for something greater than what my surroundings expected of me.

Which songs are your favorite to play and which get requested the most?

You never really know what you’re going to get at a METAL MOUSE show—but you’re guaranteed to have a great time. Maybe it’s the Iron Maiden/Little Mermaid mash-up, or an Elton John sing-along led by a man in a lion suit. The request we get most? 'WE WANT MORE!

What is the creative process for the band, and what inspires you to write your music?

I love performing songs that strike a chord with our audience, because I was a boy/girl band fan when I was little, then a Disney fan, and eventually a metalhead—so there’s a lot of inspiration and countless hits to choose from that make the show fun for all of us.

What kinds of messages do you like to get across in your music?

You know that thing you love? We love it too.

Do you have any new singles, videos, or albums out that you would like to tell me and your fans about? 

We film all of our shows and are releasing some great supercuts of our songs on our YouTube channel—check them out here: https://www.youtube.com/@MetalMouseBand

How can your fans best keep up to date with you, any socials you want people to check out?

We look forward to rockin you next time METAL MOUSE comes to town!

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