Bedford-Pound Ridge Rockers 'Ask Mom'

If you're a married man, deferring your kids with the age-old, "Ask Your Mom," is probably a frequent strategy.

But even with 14 children between the members of the Bedford and Pound Ridge-based band of the same query, the seven rockers transition to an earlier state when permission is needed from their wives to go out and play guitar.  

Still, clearance for these 40-somethings doesn't mean that their wives necessarily revert to mother mode – that would require some feigning of interest, joked keyboard player, Matt Brotmann. "We've already seen you play and we don't want to pay for a babysitter,'" is one such expression of resignation among the wives.

Otherwise, shows at such locales as North Star Restaurant in Pound Ridge and their upcoming appearance at 9 p.m. on Feb. 6 at Route 22 restaurant in Armonk have become raucous events.

"It's gotten bigger and crazier every time," said lead guitar player Rob Cavenagh, including a healthy following of female fans. How does that sit with the wives? "I think they threaten to be jealous," he said, "but they don't because they know we're good husbands."

They are also providers.  Cavenagh is a Web producer, Matt Brotman is special advisor in the New York Attorney General's Office, lead singer Brett Perrine is the vice president of acquisitions at Argent Trading, guitar player Derek Correia is the CEO of Source Marketing, bass player Buz Abrams is a physician at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx and drummer John Trumpbour is the senior director of Media at Sony Music.

All told, "Ask Your Mom" could fly under a banner of "World's Greatest Rock 'n Roll Band" of sound and services. "Anything you need, we can handle, and we're a band," said Cavenagh. 

Steeped in classic rock but unafraid to delve into today's music, they came together from a dinner party in which Perrine had Cavenagh and Correia bring their guitars.

The after-dinner jam led to get together's at Rob's house and the desire to bring it to another level. Pulling in their bass player and drummer from acquaintances, the right opportunity came in March 2006 with Brett's daughter's birthday party.  

We played six songs in the first set, and for the second, played the same six in a different order, Cavenagh said.

They were hooked. A corporate party proceeded their first appearance at North Star, but their wives make sure all the adulation doesn't go too far. "They keep our egos in check," Cavenagh said.

With responsible jobs and deep family lives, the music serves as a release. "It's like therapy for us," Cavenagh said.

The wives get it too, and with all it takes to work around their schedules, "Ask Your Mom" probably won't succumb to the domestic difficulties of another famous band.  

"We don't have any Yokos," quipped Brotmann.