What are the circumstances surrounding the departure of Mike Wofchuck from the Mother Hips?
The split with former drummer Mike Wofchuck is something of a sore subject with the band. One they are understandably reluctant to discuss. Conversations with both Tim and Greg lead me to believe that, at the core, the decision for the Hips and Mike Wofchuck to part ways was based on musical differences. This explanation makes sense in the context of what was going on in late ’96, early ’97. This was a time period of much musical change for the band. “Shootout” only hinted at the the more countryish, stripped down style of “Later Days”. Clearly there was a shift in the type of music being played by the band. Speculation on the “real” reasons for Mike’s departure has always been a point of contention on the Grotto. Search the message boards and you will find many a discussion devoted to just this topic. No matter what the reason, Mike Wofchuck and the Mother Hips were simply unable to continue making music together. John Hofer permanently filled the drummer’s seat somewhere in March/Apr
