Hilary talks to Ava Mendoza about sedans, music store paranoia, and the nuances of being “you go girl”-ed.

AVA’S BIO

AVA MENDOZA is a Brooklyn-based guitarist, singer, songwriter and composer. Born in 1983, she started performing her own music, and as a sidewoman and collaborator in many different projects, as soon as she was legally allowed into clubs. As a guitarist, Mendoza has received acclaim for her technique and viscerality. Her most ongoing work is as leader of experimental rock band Unnatural Ways, and as a solo performer on guitar/voice. In any context she is committed to bringing expressivity, energy and a wide sonic range to the music. Mendoza has toured throughout the U.S. and Europe and recorded/performed with musicians including Carla Bozulich, Fred Frith, Adele Bertei, Malcolm Mooney, Steve Shelley, Mike Watt, Ikue Mori, Mick Barr, William Hooker, Nels Cline, John Zorn, Jamaaladeen Tacuma, William Parker, Hamid Drake, Matt Mitchell, Jon Irabagon, Matana Roberts, members of Caroliner, ROVA, Negativland, the Violent Femmes, and more. Recordings are available on labels Tzadik, Astral Spirits, Weird Forest, Clean Feed, Resipiscent, and New Atlantis.

Friendly critics have quoted: “It’s… Ava Mendoza’s deconstructing of blues and punk into brutal shredfests that’s causing a ruckus in NYC’s DIY hubs” (Brad Cohan, Noisey.Vice). “A wizard on a semi-circle of effects pedals, but… equally adept with FX-less technique," (Lars Gotrich, NPR). "Mendoza plays these songs. She makes them sing. Her technique is impeccable, but her playing is astonishingly expressive. She doesn't just bend blue notes; she wads them up into a ball and throws them up against a wall... Mendoza knows what she does better than almost anyone else on the planet, which is tell stories with her guitar." (Aiding & Abetting). She was featured as one of Guitar World‘s “10 Female Guitarists You Should Know”.

BRANDS/SHOPS MENTIONED

Peavey / Fender / Radack Guitars / Seymour Duncan / Brooklyn Lutherie / Line 6 / Boss / Boomerang

BANDS/ARTISTS AVA’S PLAYED WITH or COLLABORATED WITH/MENTIONED

Devin Hoff / Trevor Dunn / Malcolm Mooney / Steve Shelley / Devin Brahja Waldman / Peter Conheim / Alex Marcelo / Unnatural Ways / Tatsuyo Yoshido / Daniel Moreno

OTHER BANDS/ARTISTS MENTIONED

Minutemen / Mike Watt / Nels Cline / Carla Bozulich / Mr. Bungle / Fantomas / CAN / Negativland / Ruins / Violent Femmes / Echo & the Bunnymen / Fred Frith / Shellshag / Jennifer Shagawat / Jessica Pavone / Jessica Ackerley / Sally Gates

OTHER MENTIONS

Astral Spirits Records / Relative Pitch Records / RIOT RI / Seizure’s Palace Studio / Gowanus Sound / Monheim Triennale

AVA’S HOT TIPS

-Make sure to test everything the repair person does before you leave the shop

-To prevent string breakage, wind your strings around the peg as much as possible

-Graphite on nut and saddles keeps your guitar in tune with heavy tremolo use 

AVA’S LINKS

Website

Instagram

Facebook

MID-RIFF LINKS

Website

Instagram

Facebook

Gender and Music Gear Survey

CREDITS

Ava’s Bumper Track: “Dogbodies" by Unnatural Ways

Theme Music: "Hedonism" by Towanda

Artwork by Julia Gualtieri