Obscure Music For Uppity Gormandizers. One look at its unique name and you’ll know instantly that this isn’t just your average Arizona State University organization. And true to its name, O.M.F.U.G. doesn’t just focus on your average music. In fact, its goal is to do the exact opposite. It’s new, it’s up and coming, and under its founder’s passionate dedication, it’s steadily working toward an impressive goal. And though it’s only in its second semester, O.M.F.U.G. is starting to make a name for itself at ASU … a very obscure name.
“O.M.F.U.G. began when I had the idea to create a place where people could listen to music and talk about artists,” says sophomore psychology major and club founder Jason Hawthorne. “Most mainstream music is easy to access – on the radio, on TV. But good, obscure music is hard to find.”
And so O.M.F.U.G. was brought to ASU. And though the inspiration was his own, O.M.F.U.G. has actually existed before Hawthorne brought it to ASU – just under a slightly different title. According to Hawthorne, the club first originated in Manhattan, modeled after the famous C.B.G.B & O.M.F.U.G (Country, Blue Grass, and Blues and Other Music For Uplifting Gormandizers) music club in New York City. Though the club originally featured mainly country, blue grass and blues, it later featured bands that ended up changing the course of music history, such as Blondie and The Sex Pistols. And so in the wake of its New York spirit, Hawthorne began ASU’s very own Obscure Music For Uppity Gormandizers club.
“About a year ago Jason suggested we start a club to share music with friends,” says sophomore biological science major and O.M.F.U.G. vice president Greg Mcinnes. “The goal would be to promote music that was not mainstream. I am very interested in finding new music that inspires me and I felt like being a part of an organization where sharing unheard music is the main objective would lead me to new sounds.”
And though O.M.F.U.G. was founded just last semester, it’s already gained some impressive momentum. At the end of last year, Hawthorne, Mcinnes and the other club officers filed for a monetary appropriation for O.M.F.U.G. from ASU and received a sizable grant from the Associated Students of Arizona State University (ASASU). On top of that, the club has been collecting uppity gormandizers since its inception, racking up members on both Orgsync and their Facebook group page – a key location for sharing links and websites belonging to obscure bands and music artists. In addition to Facebook, O.M.F.U.G. also relies on its own Wordpress blog, another online sharing network for its musically involved members. In the words of Mcinnes, “It’s a great place to find music you didn’t even know you liked.”
And along with their various online resources, the members of O.M.F.U.G. also meet in person once a month to share band names, talk about the budget, and plan group concert trips.
But the new organization’s objectives don’t just end there. According to Hawthorne, O.M.F.U.G. is working toward an even bigger goal for the club’s future.
“We want to bring new and different bands to play for students at ASU,” says Hawthorne. “Our goal is to start hosting outdoor concerts in order to support local bands and get people musically involved in the community.”
And with the dedication of his club officers, Hawthorne plans to make it happen – and soon.
So the next time you pass Hayden Lawn, don’t be surprised if you hear the beats and bass of a band you’ve never heard before. If you like what you hear, make sure you make a detour and check out that local band. Chances are, you’ll probably see Hawthorne there, supporting his club and introducing the campus to an amazing and very obscure new artist. And if you do decide to stop and take a listen, you might just realize you, too, have a little uppity gormandizer in you after all.
Interested in attending an uplifting meeting? Check out the club’s Facebook group page for more information.
Contact the reporter at christina.arregoces@asu.edu
