Desert Mambas is the nom-de-plume of Foxx Bodies guitarist Bailey Moses.The name Desert Mambas was bestowed upon the artist by a forgotten stranger in the booth of a Waffle House. From that cosmic point of origin, Desert Mambas has emerged as a refreshing voice ushering in the promise and courage of trans joy, singing haunting, beautiful and unforgettable songs steeped in the classic of country, roots and generations of singer-songwriters.
How did the band form?
I started recording Desert Mambas tracks in my bedroom back in 2015, but I was always too nervous to sing in front of people or show anyone my songs. I was more comfortable as a guitar player or in a supporting role. As I came to terms with my own gender identity and transness, I finally started to feel emboldened to share my music and use my voice.
I also play guitar in a punk band called Foxx Bodies (also on Kill Rock Stars) –– which was actually my first band! I've been playing music for as long as I can remember, but I started playing in bands when I got to college. My friend Bella (lead singer of Foxx Bodies) was turning in her abuser and needed to scream about it. We started playing cathartic punk music and accidentally formed a band. The rest is history!
LeAnn Rimes and Billy Gilman at the Arizona State Fair! I think I was in like the 1st or 2nd grade? My sister and I were big fans of the movie Coyote Ugly (featuring Ms. Rimes of course), so this was VERY exciting to us.
It varies quite a bit for me! Sometimes a vocal melody comes first, sometimes guitar. Sometimes I'll write a fragment of a song and work on it for a while. Other times an entire song comes out of me in like 15 minutes!
One of my favorite bands of all time is Shannon and the Clams! I just love the way they combine oldies with punk and more modern influences. Hearing their records as a teenager really showed me the kind of music I wanted to make.Another major influence is Jonathan Richman (of The Modern Lovers). I just love how his lyrics are so clever and funny without totally being parody. I like to incorporate humor into my songwriting, but you have to walk a fine line in order to not accidentally go off the deep end and write a Weird Al song (who I do also love).
I personally like to make the live show its own thing! I play in different configurations quite frequently with a varying number of folks in my band, so I feel like that inherently makes it feel different each time. I always enjoy artists that keep it fresh and make it feel like you're seeing something new each time –– even if it's the same songs.
I love touring! Hard to say a best and worst show? I recently got to dress up as Elvis and do an entire "Hot Trans Elvis" impersonator set with my partner –– probably one of my favorite shows to date. The goofier the show, the better.
Touring, recording some more tunes, and lots more music coming out!!
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