The bride wore a bass

When the Moto-Litas’ bassist, Leggy Limbeaux, recently married the Penetrators’ drummer, Sticks Stechkin, wedding guests expected a rock ‘n’ roll reception. What they didn’t anticipate, however, was that Limbeaux would perform with both bands — while still dressed in her gown. ?In this case, the bride’s “something borrowed, something blue” was a Fender bass guitar, loaned by Trace Luger of the Penetrators after Limbeaux’s own instrument went out of tune. “I play a five-string, and Trace plays a four-string. Neither of us much likes to play the other’s instruments because the string thing throws us both off. That fifth string makes a great farting noise when the amp is set just right.”
There were no such awkward sounds, however, once Limbeaux tuned up her preferred axe and performed with her own group. First conceived as an all-girl, instrumental surf-band, the Moto-Litas have since added vocals. They trace their origin to the night Limbeaux met guitarist Trixie Riptide at a dinner honoring Dusty Watson, the drummer for Agent Orange and Dick Dale. Riptide already knew lead guitarist Kitty Kowabunga, and a tip from Limbeaux’s future husband led them to drummer Betty Boomskins. The foursome began rehearsing in 1999 and made their live debut earlier this year.
Although their name suggests the early surf-rock classic “Mr. Moto” merged with “Mona Lisa,” the group actually took it straight from Moto-Lita, the brand of steering wheel on the Aston-Martin DB5, which James Bond used in Goldfinger. “We are all very interested in classic cars,” says Limbeaux, “and the name stuck. I think it worked for us because it was more nondescript. It didn’t have anything to do with the music or the sound specifically, but rather a feeling.
“And,” she adds, “it was irresistibly cute.”
The Moto-Litas perform at the Star Bar every Wednesday in October.