Grrl on Grrl: intersectional and trans-inclusive music & interview show: Recent Episodes
June Owatari
Grrl on Grrl Podcast is a trans-inclusive and intersectional feminist show, featuring musicians from different genres. Listeners get to enjoy good convo, insights into the creative mind and community, and some great tunes picked by the guests themselves! Each guest adds their own perspective on the songwriting process and industry, along with personal stories... Plus you get to hear some great tunes, handpicked by the guests!
Welcome to Grrl on Grrl episode 34 with Lys Guillorn, a “solo artist with a band”.
Lys and I recorded this all the way back in last July in 2017. Since then, she has released the split single “How to Move a Mountain” and more recently the song “Tinctoria”. (i’m sorry DID I JUST READ “LICHEN DYE” in the description for the physical release???? be still my heart.))
The majority of our conversation runs the gamut of mental health and chronic illness issues, including depression, fibromyalgia, the mad genius trope, symptoms & self-care routines, and how they affect and inform her songwriting. Near the end, we chat about being a solo songwriter with a band and how collaboration and community work together to build a better Connecticut and music scene.
This episode is the first to be edited by the amazing Sarah Parish who answered my call for help a few months ago. Thank you so much Sarah! She has been amazing help in getting my ass into gear releasing these episodes. Without her hard work and assistance, I’m not sure I would have finished these upcoming episodes! If you want to learn more about her current projects, scroll down to the bottom of the shownotes.
Thanks to The Fresh Brunettes for providing their song “Best of the Worst” as the new Grrl on Grrl theme song! You can find their album Fouled Up Beyond All Recognition on CDBaby. And of course, thank you to Lys Guillorn for her patience and to all of you folks for still checking in.
Listen http://traffic.libsyn.com/grrlongrrl/GRRL034-LysGuillorn.mp3
Download GRRL034 at Libsyn [~51MB; 55 minutes] or stream from these websites [iTunes | Stitcher | TuneIn | Google Play]
Show Notes * Putting out her first album… writing it in 1998, finally putting it out 2003 * Different music industry then and now (no Bandcamp!) * Being in the publishing industry and using that as a guide to self-release album + Hysteria … women’s humor magazine – “Getting in touch with your inner bitch” + Spin Magazine + What did you learn from working at Hysteria? * [12:05] Elisa Flynn – “My Blood” * Content warning: pain/fibromyalgia, depression * Her May 2017 album “I’m a Boy” + Becoming really ill in 2016 + Background on her song “M.K.” written while she was bedridden * Depression symptoms * Self-care routine + Banjo!!!!! + Artist’s Way in the morning + Yoga * Do depression and fibromyalgia affect each other? + Taking breaks during certain months because of fibromyalgia and depression, with a few exceptions * [26:35] Lys Guillorn – “M.K.” * Is music industry better or worse now? * Not being able to tour * “I can’t separate my experience to have regrets” + June talks about health insurance/not taking antidepressants * Mental illness – being in the arts with a mental illness + stereotype of the “male creative genius” vs women, whose mental health problems manifest in less “socially acceptable” ways + what parts of depression get demonized or put on a pedestal + June talks about hiatuses from Grrl on Grrl, for example – how am I supposed to be consistent with depression? + we’re not allowed to take breaks for ourselves * Has stigmatization lessened? – Tumblr, spoonie community + capitalism is the one shaming me into thinking that I need to be productive + to learn how to make something for myself that represents me as my own person + you’re on your OWN schedule, not on anybody else’s schedule * [41:30] Chica Non Grata – “Burning Spark” (Website) * Solo songwriter but with a band & having awesome collaborators * Songwriting style changes? + 4 track as a writing tool * Connecticut music scene – New Haven (and Hartford too) + “we all want each other to succeed” / share resources + Cygnus Radio, WPKN, and other independent and/or local radio + venues: bar, DIY spaces, Neverending Books, Cafe 9 + The power of local mags/entertainment news
Links * Lys Guillorn & Her Band on Bandcamp * Lys Guillorn’s website * Lys Guillorn’s Facebook & Twitter
Sarah Parish Bio More about who helped with Episode 34…
After my frantic call for help to finish the last few interviews of Grrl on Grrl, San Diego freelancer and activist Sarah Parish stepped up to the plate to help with interview editing–cutting out silences, false starts, and in general just making sure the interview flowed together and made sense. The amount of work ahead of me was daunting me enough that I couldn’t get myself started, so thank you Sarah!
As a freelancer, Sarah has done graphic design work creating teachers’ manuals for the organization Kitabna, whose main mission is to create illustrated multi-lingual children’s books for children displaced by war and and violence. “[Kitabna’s] books aim to create pride, learning, fun and dignity in the stigmatized refugee experience“, and the organizations’ 7 books have been translated to Arabic, Kurdish Sorani, Turkish, French, and more.
Sarah also volunteers at Lambda Archives, who collect and document LGBT history and culture in the San Diego County, Tijuana/Baja California region, including recorded audio/video oral accounts (some which are available to stream online), over 40,000 historical photographs (currently in the process of being digitized), and other projects.
THANK YOU SARAH!
Welcome to Grrl on Grrl episode 34 with Lys Guillorn, a “solo artist with a band”. Lys and I recorded this all the way back in last July in 2017. Since then, she has released the split single “How to Move a Mountain” and more recently the song “Tinctoria”. (i’m sorry DID I JUST READ […]
Welcome to Grrl on Grrl episode 33! In this episode, Carina Browder joined me over Skype……….. more than a year ago, to discuss writing about music, especially in the pop punk scene, talking shit about a certain music publication and offering less problematic ways to learn about music and embrace diversity. She is currently on […]
Welcome to Grrl on Grrl episode 33! In this episode, Carina Browder joined me over Skype……….. more than a year ago, to discuss writing about music, especially in the pop punk scene, talking shit about a certain music publication and offering less problematic ways to learn about music and embrace diversity. She is currently on hiatus from freelance writing but has started work for a pop culture convention.
I had planned on smooshing this interview with another one I did with Kika Chatterjee, another music writer, but fuck it. They each deserve their own episode. You’ll hear Kika’s soon(ish?), along with interviews from Boneth Ahaneku and Lys Guillorn, the latter two edited with the amazing Sarah Parish, who answered my call for help.
Thanks to The Fresh Brunettes for providing their song “Best of the Worst” as the new Grrl on Grrl theme song! You can find their album Fouled Up Beyond All Recognition on CDBaby. And of course, thank you to Carina Browder for her patience and to all of you folks for still checking in.
Listen http://traffic.libsyn.com/grrlongrrl/GRRL033-CarinaBrowder.mp3
Download GRRL033 at Libsyn [~38 minutes; 37MB] or stream from these websites [iTunes | Stitcher | TuneIn | Google Play]
Show Notes * Mentioned articles in intro: “Defend Girls Not Pop Punk” at the Tempest and “Your Call for Inclusion Leaves Me Out” * Inspiration for bringing intersectionality into music writing + Atlanta – seeing kids with their parents at shows – reminding Carina of her dad taking her to shows + Social media management/starting a Tumblr community for black girls who liked pop punk and alternative * What drew Carina to write about music? + Opinions on pop culture, moving from FB to WordPress + American Idol – first artist she ever wrote about / in-person interview: Josiah Leming * Why write about music specifically? * [11:00] Staircase Spirits – “Roulette” * Talking about not just gender-based inclusion but racial inclusion as well * Culture shock when moving away from other multiracial military kids to more segregated Atlanta, Georgia + Clinging to representation in pop culture * What kind of issues does Carina want to cover or want to see covered? + People are multi-faceted and have multiple identities + Adia Victoria * June: being referred to as just “the Asian”, being seen as the outsider, “the Othering” * [23:45] No Home – “Suffering for Reputation” * What draws you to cover a certain artist? * Dream publications – wanting to write for teen-oriented magazines * Problematic publications – Alt Press + See list below for alternative sources/writers to follow * Things to keep in mind as a music writer / Advice for a music writer * Writing about diversity/pitching about diversity – actually examine what diversity looks like * What do you think we can do to bring more POC to spotlight? + Paying more attention to local music * [34:20] Kareen Lomax – “Melatonin”
Links * + Carina Browder’s portfolio + Carina and Co-Host Charlie’s podcast Industry Plant (on hiatus) + Carina’s Instagram & Carina’s Twitter
Carina’s Suggested Writers to Follow * Hanif Abdurraqib * Hazel Cills * Megan Seling * Erika Delgado * David Turner * Brittany Spanos * Charlie Joseph
Welcome to Grrl on Grrl episode 32, featuring Lisa Mungo of metal band He Whose Ox is Gored and hardcore band Fucked and Bound.
I met with Lisa in 2016 when He Whose Ox is Gored played in San Diego, and we recorded this interview in February after the first women’s march… yes, it’s taken me a whole year to put this out. Yiiiikes.
Since the interview, Lisa’s other band–who we talk about but not name in this episode–Fucked and Bound, announced the release of their first album Suffrage. You can pre-order (or buy, depending on when you see this) the album via Atomic Action Records. They start shipping February 16, 2018.
We also talk about Lisa’s expectations moving to Seattle and what she ultimately found there, how the city can foster the adventures of a newer band who’s still learning the ropes, and then a bit on her responsibility as a fellow woman to speak against misogyny while also balancing the need to ignore it at times.
Thanks so much to Lisa for chatting with me over Skype and for being my inspiration to stop smoking!
Thanks to The Fresh Brunettes for providing their song “Best of the Worst” as the new Grrl on Grrl theme song! You can find their album Fouled Up Beyond All Recognition on CDBaby.
Listen http://traffic.libsyn.com/grrlongrrl/GRRL032-LisaMungo.mp3
Download GRRL032 at Libsyn [35 minutes; 34MB] or stream from these websites [iTunes | Stitcher | TuneIn | Google Play]
Show Notes * Quitting smoking and changes in Lisa’s screaming voice because of it * The start of He Whose Ox is Gored, 7 (8?) years ago + Meeting at Guitar Center, finding other folks who are just as serious about music as she is + Buying a synth and inviting herself into the band * Moving to Seattle – what were her expectations, and were those expectations met? + Feeling lucky finding the DIY scene there * The need for smaller venues for new and emerging bands + A safe space to learn how to be a band + Seattle has a cooperative, supportive underground music scene + “I fucking love Seattle!” * Will Seattle be able to “contain” He Whose Ox is Gored? + Every band has a different goal and/or path, dependent on lifestyle. + The possibility of over-playing a city or market; does that apply to younger bands too? + What He Whose Ox is Gored did when they were a younger band–“it’s because they were taking a leak somewhere and they saw our name!” * Advice and mistakes of being a younger band + “Do whatever it takes.” Not being afraid to try new things + Using mistakes and failure to grow as a band * Song clip: Fucked and Bound’s “00FUXX” * Talking about her new hardcore band, Fucked and Bound + New record unreleased at time of the interview, but can be ordered via Atomic Action Records * How does Lisa have the time for everything? + Music as her main focus + Making the switch to not drinking/not partying a few years back so she can focus on her projects + Game of Thrones * She reiterates, “I do watch a lot of Game of Thrones.” * DIY merch creation + The Vera Project – take a class and then can use their screenprinting lab + We both grouse about screenprinting and other DIY travails + The pride of making and selling their own merchandise * Can the metal (or more generally the music) scene be more inclusive? If you want to hear Sarah from Spotlights’ answer to that, head to her episode here. + Seattle can feel like an inclusive bubble. + Deciding to “hit the ignore button” vs speaking out against microaggressions (mansplaining, inappropriate questions, etc.) on tour + Responsibility to other women to speak up + Taking it night by night and/or situation by situation * Feeling hopeless in this current political climate + Solidarity, speaking out, not giving up + Using our anger to “hit the pavement” * Song clip: He Whose Ox is Gored’s “Machina“
Links * + Fucked and Bound on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter + He Whose Ox is Gored’s Bandcamp + He Whose Ox is Gored on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
Stream
Welcome to Grrl on Grrl episode 32, featuring Lisa Mungo of metal band He Whose Ox is Gored and hardcore band Fucked and Bound.
Since the interview, Lisa's other band--who we talk about but not name in this episode--Fucked and Bound, announced the release of their first album Suffrage. We also talk about Lisa's expectations moving to Seattle and what she ultimately found there, how the city can foster the adventures of a newer band who's still learning the ropes, and then a bit on her responsibility as a fellow woman to speak against misogyny while also balancing the need to ignore it at times.
Welcome to Grrl on Grrl's very first BONUS EPISODE, featuring deleted clips from Emily Williams' interview (which you can listen to here)! In this bonus episode, we'll talk about Emily's changing psychosexuality pre- and post-transition, how science can help or hinder the exploration of gender and sexuality, and general science talk.
Welcome to Grrl on Grrl’s very first BONUS EPISODE, featuring deleted clips from Emily Williams’ interview (which you can listen to here)! In this bonus episode, we’ll talk about Emily’s changing psychosexuality pre- and post-transition, how science can help or hinder the exploration of gender and sexuality, and general science talk.
Thank you to Emily Williams for getting very personal with me. She continues to get real personal at her blog Genderpunk.net and in her music project Axis Evil, so don’t forget to check those out.
Thanks to The Fresh Brunettes for providing their song “Best of the Worst” as the new Grrl on Grrl theme song! You can find their album Fouled Up Beyond All Recognition on CDBaby.
Listen http://traffic.libsyn.com/grrlongrrl/GRRL031B-EmilyOnScience.mp3
Download GRRL031B at Libsyn [14 minutes; 14MB] or stream from these websites [iTunes | Stitcher | TuneIn | Google Play]
Show Notes * Going public with her blog Genderpunk.net: “Brace yourself!” and exploring her psychosexuality + How does the patriarchy and societal expectation shape our sexuality? + Gynephilic -> bisexual * Estrogen expanding emotional range + June’s initial incredulous reaction to reading about this in Julia Serano’s book Whipping Girl * Gender and sex as a social construct and biological – “And I’ll keep claiming that until I come up with a better idea.” + Riley J. Dennis’ “Trans women are not ‘biologically male'” (YouTube) * Combining scientific approach and personal narrative + “I don’t have the data to write a solely scientific book.” * Science used as validation for experience but then as gatekeeper + “I don’t need a scientist to tell me I’m trans.” * Pitfalls of scientific method and how that will affect researching sex, gender, and sexuality + The differences between scientist (academic) and engineer (making an actual product)
Links * Her blog Genderpunk.net * Axis Evil at genderpunk.net * Buy her albums on Bandcamp
Emily Williams and I talk about her music project Axis Evil--some weird time signature drum stuff, some weird guitar stuff, a sitar she bought in India, along with some very, very personal lyrics; navigating her trans-ness and her woman-ness thru the lenses of her science and engineering background at her blog Genderpunk.net; and being a token minority.
The interview was recorded early 2017, when she had just recently released her album City of God. Since then, she's released a second album Light Me Up and Love the Bomb in September of 2017, and she continues to release new material.
Grrl on Grrl is back again with episode 31 featuring Emily Williams.
We talk about her music project Axis Evil–some weird time signature drum stuff, some weird guitar stuff, a sitar she bought in India, along with some very, very personal lyrics; navigating her trans-ness and her woman-ness thru the lenses of her science and engineering background at her blog Genderpunk.net; and being a token minority.
The interview was recorded early 2017, when she had just recently released her album City of God. Since then, she’s released a second album Light Me Up and Love the Bomb in September of 2017, and she continues to release new material.
Thank you to Emily Williams for taking the time to sit with me and for sharing her thoughts and music.
Thanks to The Fresh Brunettes for providing their song “Best of the Worst” as the new Grrl on Grrl theme song! You can find their album Fouled Up Beyond All Recognition on CDBaby.
Listen http://traffic.libsyn.com/grrlongrrl/GRRL031-EmilyWilliams.mp3
Download GRRL031 at Libsyn [35 minutes; 34MB] or stream from these websites [iTunes | Stitcher | TuneIn | Google Play]
Show Notes * Her music project, Axis Evil – “sophisticated punk rock that borders metal” + Getting her heart broken over two Valentine’s Days: “I was really pissed that I didn’t have a date… so I wrote a song.” + Playing around with algorithms with multiple types of drummers (sounds like GarageBand) + Multiple layers * Learning and playing the sitar / cultural appropriation + A tangent into June wanting to learn the shamisen; fears of it and other “exotic” instruments being used just for musical flavor + Cultural appropriation – how does Emily, a non-Indian white woman, justify learning the sitar and using it in her music – “paying her dues” - A set piece vs. an entire culture/history * “Prim and proper lady-like behavior” – Wrestling with the concept of “being a woman” and further “being a lady” + Being forced into the lady-like behavior vs. choosing it as an exploration of gender + Head over to bonus episode GRRL031B to hear more about her exploration of her psychosexuality * The marginalized being put in a box by the unmarginalized + Having to be the marketable type of minority to be taken serious + Patrisse Kahn-Cullors on Politically Reactive – talks about this way more eloquently than I do + Claudette Colvin as “The Other Rosa Parks” – transcript of story, including an interview with Colvin herself, on Democracy Now - I mistakenly said she was an “unwed mother” in the episode * More information on the model minority myth + Model minority myth goes hand-in-hand with white supremacy + “The Model Minority is Not a Myth: It’s Ajit Pai” by Aditi Natasha Kini (published at The Root) + Placing Asians and Asian Americans in this “model minority” status has been historically used to pit us against other racial minorities – “Why can’t you work hard like the Asians?” + It puts Asian Americans in a monolithic group, which can be dangerous to those who don’t fit the “mold” or don’t come from the right countries * [12:10] Axis Evil – Redshift * Being a woman in science and engineering + Her job and people at work were supportive, but hostile while a student (and pre-transition) + Being transgender as a bribery and blackmail risk; can’t work with the military / get a security clearance * Feeling safe while on the military base vs. out in the city in the Deep South + “Bathroom bill” – attempts to legislate who can and cannot use their bathroom based on their gender and sex + Class & education being more tolerant? Eeeeeeeehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh + “You have to understand… I had to rationalize this to walk out the door.” * [21:10] Axis Evil – You Can Drive the World * Telling the woman she loved that she loved her + “Talk”, “Waste”, “Prayer” on City of God were about her * How has transitioning affected Emily’s music + Changing audiences and marketability + City of God as part of a trans narrative * Facebook marketing in India + Branding as being “selectively famous” * What’s the difference Emily wants to make with her music? + Suicide rate in the trans community + Being an additional voice not just for herself but for future voices + Her voice being one type of voice, but we need different types of voices * [32:15] Axis Evil – Stand
Links * Her blog Genderpunk.net * Axis Evil at genderpunk.net * Buy her albums on Bandcamp
I met Danielle at the SD Women Music Industry night last year and was intrigued with her work running a DIY record label in Savannah, Georgia where she attended SCAD. She now works for San Diego-based Topshelf Records. In this interview we talk about the ups and downs of running a house venue, her DIY label Bomb Shelter Records, and one way to foster safety in the music scene.
A warning in relation to our discussion on a safe scene: we talk about PWR BTTM as one example of a band fighting for safe spaces. Unfortunately, since the interview, Ben Hopkins has been accused of sexual assault. For more info and resources, check further down in the show notes.
Thank you to Danielle Leonard (and Marty!) for chatting with me and to all the artists for permission to use their song on the podcast. And thank you to The Fresh Brunettes, who are providing their song "Best of the Worst" as the new Grrl on Grrl theme song! You can find their album Fouled Up Beyond All Recognition on CDBaby.
After a 6 month hiatus, here is episode 30 featuring Danielle Leonard! I met Danielle at the SD Women Music Industry night last year and was intrigued with her work running a DIY record label in Savannah, Georgia where she attended SCAD. She now works for San Diego-based Topshelf Records. In this interview we talk about the ups and downs of running a house venue, her DIY label Bomb Shelter Records, and one way to foster safety in the music scene.
A warning in relation to our discussion on a safe scene: we talk about PWR BTTM as one example of a band fighting for safe spaces. Unfortunately, since the interview, Ben Hopkins has been accused of sexual assault. For more info and resources, check further down in the show notes.
Apologies for the crackly intro and outro “monologues.” Not sure what happened there!
Thank you to Danielle Leonard (and Marty!) for chatting with me and to all the artists for permission to use their song on the podcast. And thank you to The Fresh Brunettes, who are providing their song “Best of the Worst” as the new Grrl on Grrl theme song! You can find their album Fouled Up Beyond All Recognition on CDBaby.
Listen http://traffic.libsyn.com/grrlongrrl/GRRL030-DanielleLeonard.mp3
Download GRRL030 at Libsyn [42 minutes; 39MB] or stream from these websites [iTunes | Stitcher | TuneIn | Google Play]
Show Notes * Danielle’s work in Savannah, Georgia with Bomb Shelter (the house venue and DIY record label) + Running a house venue: From not knowing what a PA system is to dealing with landlords and BMI + “Label” in air-quotes: Collaborative effort among the bands and the folks behind the label + Using equipment and facilities from SCAD + What they did for the bands * Using that experience to make her way to Topshelf Records (based in San Diego!) + Differences between working on Bomb Shelter and at Topshelf + How supportive Topshelf is – the DIY ethic but in a larger scale * Her role at Topshelf – “There’s only 4 of us.” * [12:30] Rubblebucket – “Raining” (Website) * Missing house shows now that Danielle doesn’t live in Savannah + House show scene sustained by those not old enough for bar shows * Couple of house venues in San Diego + The Habitat – the article I wrote about this in San Diego Jewish Journal * “If any city was made for [house shows], it was Savannah.” + Collaborative effort: everybody worked together to create this all-ages music scene + A few problems: Getting hassled by BMI, landlords, cops * Waiting to find a tight-knit music scene in San Diego + My own experience with the music scene here + Danielle: there’s more opportunity / places for bands to play, maybe? + (Whoa, I was 29 when I did this interview.) + I hate on Soma + “I’m gonna bring the shows to me.” * [26:30] Covet – “Pelagic” (Bandcamp) * WARNING: This is where we talk about PWR BTTM. + Jordan Sargent’s article in SPIN about the aftermath of the accusations against PWR BTTM. What I like particularly about this article is that it discusses the immediate, visceral response against PWR BTTM by the scene, in contrast to other cases of sexual assault accusations + Maria Sherman interviewed Sheridan Allen, founder of Punk Talks, about healing the music community after PWR BTTM, Brand New, and others. - Allen outlines why restorative justice is so important, but it only works if the abuser actually wants to change - Punk Talks’ Accountability workshops based on the restorative justice model (Facebook link) * What’s a label’s responsibility for creating a safe music scene? + Diverse (gender and racial) tour packages and label lineups: No Vacation, Ratboys, Slingshot Dakota + I play a clip of Slingshot Dakota’s “Until the Day I Die” which was featured in this episode with Anastasia Rivera. * Sexual abuse in the pop punk scene & the importance of diversity to create a safe space + Less male-centric shows –> less violence + Women on stage being explicit about + The entitlement of “dancers”; don’t punch people at shows! * [35:45] No Vacation – “Mind Fields” (Bandcamp)
Links * Danielle’s Twitter and Instagram * Topshelf Records on Bandcamp
Hey folks! Thanks for your patience waiting for new interviews. For now, here’s a mini-episode (“Interlude”) with some podcast updates and some rad poetry and music.
Listen Here http://traffic.libsyn.com/grrlongrrl/I005-3.mp3
Download Interlude 005 from Libsyn. [~13mins; 13MB]
Show Notes New theme song? Do you want your song to be the intro/outro music of Grrl on Grrl Podcast for the next year? I’m retiring Polish’s “Drive” and am looking for a new song. Shoot me an email at grrlongrrlpodcast@gmail.com!
Podcast/hiatus update * I have 4 interviews I had done for the end of “year 2” but I’m just moving that over to the beginning of year 3 (aka season 3). I’m getting those all done before releasing them, so there’s a bit more of a wait! * New logo coming soon! Which means stickers, buttons, and maybe tote bags? What do you guys think? What about shirts? * Between all you listeners and Cinema Spartan readers, we raised nearly $250 for Planned Parenthood, and got to giveaway a huge amount of merch from 20+ bands from around the country. THANK YOU ALL for participating. * The Fresh Brunettes, Polish, and Slum Summer played my benefit show in mid-June where we raised $540 for Punk Talks. Yay mental health!
Felicia Williams Her poem “How Many Bodies”, written after yet another shooting of an unarmed black man, music composed by Asher Mendel. You can find her recent work at Madwomanetc.
- Madwomanetc. store – pins and issue 0 available here; message them for issue 1 and stickers! (I have a poem in issue 1.)
- On Twitter
- On Instagram
Songs featured * Polish – “She Said” from their new album Inside Jokes, available on Bandcamp * No Vacation – “Yam Yam”: you can find this and their other recent single “Mind Fields” at the No Vacation Bandcamp page or at Topshelf Records.
Thanks as always to Glenn Greggs of Wait Think Fast Productions, and to Felicia Williams, No Vacation, and Polish.
Hey folks! Thanks for your patience waiting for new interviews. For now, here's a mini-episode ("Interlude") with some podcast updates and some rad poetry from Felicia Williams and music from Polish and No Vacations.
Dee Clement joins me over Skype to talk about her new project Lonely Bones. Why can’t Dee write any love songs? Why does she insist on writing songs while driving? And what’s up with Instagram? We talk about those questions and more!
Previously of Peachy Keene and Sullen Ray, Dee Clement has been playing music and writing songs for a good while. For Lonely Bones, she’s working with Ali Coyle and Javan Slagle who are helping her produce the album.
Thank you to Dee Clement for chatting with me and to all the artists for permission to use their song on the podcast. And as always, thanks to Glenn Greggs of Wait Think Fast Productions–check out his radio show every Tuesday at 9pm EST at WCOM!–and to Polish for use of their song “Drive” as the intro and outro music.
Listen http://traffic.libsyn.com/grrlongrrl/GRRL029__Writing_in_the_car_and_Instagram_marketing_with_Dee_Clement_of_Lonely_Bones.mp3
Download GRRL029 at Libsyn [49 minutes; 45MB] or stream from these websites [iTunes | Stitcher | TuneIn | Google Play]
Show Notes * [1:40] Ramonda Hammer – “Zombie Sweater” (Website) * What’s Lonely Bones? * Dee’s inability write love songs * June posits that her lyrics for Sullen Ray’s “Without You” is the closest to a love song she’s gotten * The sound/aesthetic inspiration for Lonely Bones * Writing “City Where You Sleep”, creating a cinematic experience? * Writing songs in the car – finding inspiration, being James Dean * [13:10] Lonely Bones – “City Where You Sleep” * Working with Ali Coyle and Javan Slagle * Excited to move to solo and what she learned working with Seth of Sullen Ray collab * How to write songs – writing songs can be different each time, whether it’s lyrics first, music first, etc. * Feeling restricted playing happy songs all the time, like for Peachy Keene * [27:00] Cassandra – “So Wild” (Facebook) (Website) * What kind of press Dee’s gotten for “City Where You Sleep” + Monica Mendoza’s review on ListenSD + Girl Underground Music spotlight on Instagram * Tips on Instagram marketing + hashtags and content to find followers + being consistent with posting & forcing herself to play… or not * Sharing her diary via Instagram, pretty much; learning to open up, being less private, be your true self * [36:50] Leo*Leo – “Iowa” (Website) * The difference being a woman in Peachy Keene (mostly women in the band) vs. Sullen Ray (half and half) * Being queer * [43:45] Lauren Ruth Ward – “Make Love to Myself” (Website)
Links * Lonely Bones’ SoundCloud * Instagram * Facebook
Dee Clement joins me over Skype to talk about her new project Lonely Bones. Why can’t Dee write any love songs? Why does she insist on writing songs while driving? And what’s up with Instagram? We talk about those questions and more! Previously of Peachy Keene and Sullen Ray, Dee Clement has been playing music […]
For this episode, Jenna Alonzo joined me over Skype after her tour with her band Frequency Within. Hopefully I’ll be able to get the whole band together for an interview in the future, but this episode is actually about her website SoCal Indie Musicians, which she uses as a platform to help herself and other bands promote themselves and book shows, either through her blog or one-on-one.
After you listen to the interview, scroll down a bit in these here show notes and check out all the blogs Jenna recommends to any DIY musician. You’ll also find links to SoCal Indie Musicians’ social media and her Facebook communities.
Thanks to Jenna Alonzo for joining me for this episode! And as always, thank you to Glenn Greggs of Wait Think Fast Production for being the stalwart financial support for the show. Don’t forget to check out their weekly radio show on WCOM, on Tuesdays at 9pm Eastern Time, for radio plays written by North Carolinian playwrights. The intro and outro song is “Drive” provided by Polish.
Listen Here http://traffic.libsyn.com/grrlongrrl/GRRL028__Pay-to-play_promoting_and_self-respect_with_Jenna_Alonzo_of_SoCal_Indie_Musicians.mp3
Download episode 28 at Libsyn [40 minutes; 36.7MB] or stream from these websites [iTunes | Stitcher | TuneIn | Google Play]
Show Notes * What pay-to-play is, why venues or promoters even do it * Jenna’s experiences with pay-to-play and her thoughts on it as a music fan, and then as a musician * What makes a good partnership between a band and a venue? + Programme in Fullerton * Built-in crowd… or not? And knowing your goals and audience * [9:00] Frequency Within – “Static Ground” * The purpose of SoCal Indie Musicians blog + Lots of tips on marketing and booking so she doesn’t keep repeating herself * Education in music business and reading as many blogs and books as possible (look below for links to her recommended resources) * Learning from mistakes… everything as a new experience. “You can’t really do anything wrong.” + Call back to GRRL022 with Sarah of Spotlights * “You can’t do everything on your own all the time… even if you want to.” + SCIM growing, other people helping * What do you look for in a band to decide you want to work with them? + “I listen to everything.” + “If the song itself is really great, then I’ll check them out further.” * Red flags/pet peeves: seeing symptoms and signs of bands she doesn’t want to work with + June rants a tiny bit about show attendance * [22:00] Black Jacobins – “War is Hell” (Facebook) (CDBaby) * What do women and nonbinary folx need to know about the business of music that’s specific to them? + Stand up for yourself, basically * Some rad venues + 51 West in Arizona – a coffeeshop/venue + The Smell in LA – DIY, completely not-for-profit, and volunteer run * What are steps to make Orange County venues safer/opener? * Putting your safety and feelings above your career + Article mentioned in the episode: “This Is Why Wax Idols and King Woman Dropped Off Their Tour with Pentagram” by Cat Jones + From the article: “I’ve gotten extremely used to being discredited, scoffed at, made fun of, told that I’m a bitch, that I’m crazy, that I’m delusional, that I’m a nobody, that what I think doesn’t matter, that my band doesn’t matter—I’ve been told all of these things by so many people, and I’m used to it. But I don’t believe it. So I refuse to allow myself to be treated that way, no matter what people say to me and how people treat me. And I’m not going to let my bandmates get treated that way. Absolutely not. I’ll never sit back and watch people that I care about get disrespected and treated like shit, and watch them feel bad and uncomfortable, and not do anything to help them. It’s just not going to happen.” — Hether Fortune * [34:30] The Black Heartthrobs – “Everything’s Alright” * Officially announcing the 2017 Grrl on Grrl & Cinema Spartan merch giveaway…
Links * SoCal Indie Musicians Blog/Website & SCIM Facebook * SoCal Female Musicians – closed Facebook group, very active * YouTube channel * Her band Frequency Within
Jenna’s Blog & Book Recommendations * Grassrootsy – Independent Musicians with first-hand experience share insight. * Indie on the Move – Various blog posts & video interviews with industry professionals. * Disc Makers – Major Music Industry Insight; usually related to recording artists. * DIY Musician (CDBaby) – Major Music Industry Insight as an independent musician * The Small Venue Survivalist – Sound Engineering * Music Think Tank – Music Business * SonicBids – Live Performance & Booking * BMI – Major Music Industry – Songwriters * Tom Tom Magazine – Female Drummers * Bitch Media – Female Everything
From an email to me:
As far as books go, they get outdated quickly and a lot of them say the same things about the old music business. Everything relevant & new you can find as Blogs & on YouTube. I did, however, purchase Ari’s book “How to make it in the new music business” which is excellent so far and came out in December 2016. He’s very real and his writing alternates between using “he” and “she” making the reading experience more comfortable.
Jenna Alonzo joined me over Skype to talk about her website SoCal Indie Musicians, which she uses as a platform to help herself and other bands promote themselves and book shows, either through her blog or one-on-one.
Artists featured: Black Jacobins, The Black Heartthrobs, Frequency Within
ANYWAY, HERE’S EPISODE 26.
This episode of Grrl on Grrl features Aleisha and Alexis of San Diego “femme punk” band The Fresh Brunettes. Their bassist Paul was also in the room, but didn’t say much, as bassists are wont to do, and Fresh Brunettes’ dog mascot Cosmo also graced us with his presence.
Besides the amazing songs from Lisa Prank, Soft Lions, the Candelights, you’ll hear Alexis and Aleisha talk about preconceived notions of what a guitarist or drummer should look like, some inspiration for their songs, and what they appreciate when interacting with their audience.
Thank you as always to Glenn Greggs of Wait Think Fast Production for providing hosting costs, to Polish for providing their song “Drive” for the intro and outro music, and for the first time ever, to Adam Goron, producer of Chicago’s “premier” Star Trek podcast Space Lincoln, for helping me remove some crazy noise on one of the interview tracks. A true lifesaver!
Listen Here http://traffic.libsyn.com/grrlongrrl/GRRL026__Femme_punk_and_misconcetions_with_Aleisha_and_Alexis_of_The_Frsh_Brunettes.mp3
Download GRRL026 on Libsyn [31.2MB, 34 minutes] or stream from these websites [iTunes | Stitcher | TuneIn | Google Play]
Show Notes * The who’s who of the Fresh Brunettes * A little bit about the name of their latest album Fouled Up Beyond All Recognition * What does calling themselves “femme punk” mean + Making feminist music; “crass with class” * [4:30] Lisa Prank – “Luv is Dumb“ * Meanings behind new songs not on their latest album: “GPS” and “Miss America” + “Miss America” based off a poem by Alexis + Trigger warning: description of an assault video * Deciding on what songs to play and what to have on the album * [11:40] Soft Lions – “Digital Girls“ * Their interview on San Diego radio station 91x (91.1) * Fans/audience responses and conversations + “That’s probably why I like performing so much. It’s my chance to let loose.” + Being “unexpectedly” loud (and whether that has to do with gender) + Being shy in person but having to perform banter as well * [19:30] The Candelights – “Motel” (Facebook) – formerly known as The End * Misconceptions and assumptions made on what Aleisha plays or sounds like + Counterpoint: Alexis on drums * Without Paul the bassist, the new album would not have been made! * “Would you do anything different?” Book differently, being smarter about booking in 2017 * CD/cassette release – Hoping to release through Weiner Records, but… * [28:30] The Fresh Brunettes – “Friends” * Googling The Fresh Brunettes & Paul’s insightful commentary
Links * The Fresh Brunettes on Facebook * on Instagram * Buy Fouled Up Beyond All Recognition on CDBaby * Their demos
This episode of Grrl on Grrl features Aleisha and Alexis of San Diego "femme punk" band The Fresh Brunettes. Their bassist Paul was also in the room, but didn't say much, as bassists are wont to do, and Fresh Brunettes' dog mascot Cosmo also graced us with his presence.
Besides the amazing songs from Lisa Prank, Soft Lions, the Candelights, you'll hear Alexis and Aleisha talk about preconceived notions of what a guitarist or drummer should look like, some inspiration for their songs, and what they appreciate when interacting with their audience.
For episode 27, I interviewed Oakland-based solo artist Diana Regan, who records and releases her music straight from her home! In the episode, we talk about the stories behind her songs and our process transposing and performing our songs in different instruments--in her case, ukulele to guitar; for me, ukulele to piano. We also touch on the Ghost Ship warehouse fire in Oakland last year, and how DIY spaces and communities like that saved Diana in her younger years.
Not-so-fun fact: I originally interviewed Diana in early 2016 but because of technical difficulties, I had to scrap the interview. Fortunately Diana was willing to sit down with me for a SECOND interview. Thanks to Diana for her patience!
Content Warning: We talk extensively about dealing with depression, and also have mentions of self-harm, addiction, and trauma.
You might be wondering where episode 26 is, but uh, just… it never existed. (It’ll come soon, I promise.)
For episode 27, I interviewed Oakland-based solo artist Diana Regan, who records and releases her music straight from her home! In the episode, we talk about the stories behind her songs and our process transposing and performing our songs in different instruments–in her case, ukulele to guitar; for me, ukulele to piano. We also touch on the Ghost Ship warehouse fire in Oakland last year, and how DIY spaces and communities like that saved Diana in her younger years.
Not-so-fun fact: I originally interviewed Diana in early 2016 but because of technical difficulties, I had to scrap the interview. Fortunately Diana was willing to sit down with me for a SECOND interview. Thanks to Diana for her patience!
Content Warning: We talk extensively about dealing with depression, and also have mentions of self-harm, addiction, and trauma.
Listen Here http://traffic.libsyn.com/grrlongrrl/GRRL027__DIY_spaces__depression_featuring_solo_artist_Diana_Regan.mp3
Download GRRL027 from Libsyn [39min, 36.1MB] or stream from these websites [iTunes | Stitcher | TuneIn | Google Play]
Show Notes * [1:10] Diana Regan – “Rapid Cycles” * Growing up with a family of musicians, playing in punk bands * Considerations when switching off between ukulele and guitar when performing live * Transcribing/transposing music to other instruments (uke to piano, uke to guitar) * What songs absolutely don’t work moving from ukulele to guitar? + “Foggy Highways” and “The Unanswered Question” * [9:30] Diana Regan – “Foggy Highways” * Being depressed the day of the interview * What kind of strategies Diana uses for dealing with depression * Oakland music scene, Ghost Ship fire + Introflirt – their Facebook shares memories of their creativity and passions * Similarity to the artist communityies in Fresno / The difficulties of creating a safe music community + Mention of defunct space “notaflof” (no one turned away for lack of funds) – DIY queer spaces * More Fresno – “Those kinds of DIY spaces… That was like my home” + An active, hostile police presence trying to shut these spaces down * Gentrification / California being too expensive for artists and creative communities + I mention a great episode from The Imposter featuring musician Austra, talking about funding for the arts and gentrification + Needing financial and social capital to get a community going * [22:30] Diana Regan – “Salty Little Tears” * Why hasn’t Diana been playing very much? + Benefit for the Bay Area Queer Zine Fest + Honey Hive Gallery in San Francisco * Feeling like shit for not doing anything creative + (Not) writing songs while depressed — Diana + (Not) working on the podcast — June * “Fake happy face” – faking happiness or normalcy while depressed * The importance of talking about mental illness + June talks about another great podcast episode; in this instance, Angry Grrrl Music’s interview with Punk Talks’ founder Sheridan Allen * [33:30] Diana Regan – “The Secrets That I Keep”
Links * Diana Regan on Bandcamp * On Facebook
Thanks As always, thank you so much to Glenn Greggs of Wait Think Fast Productions for providing audio hosting costs. You can check out Glenn’s show every Tuesday 9pm EST on WCOMFM, a public radio station in North Carolina that features radio plays by local playwrights. You can listen live on the website.
And of course, thank you so much to Diana Regan for sitting down with me (again!) and to Polish for providing the intro and outro music.
Welcome to episode 25 of Grrl on Grrl with Anna Levitt of San Diego folk band Crooked. In this episode we talk about the differences between classical violin and fiddle, gender at Anna's alma mater Smith College and with babies, and the two different faces of her band Crooked.
Disclaimer/corrections on the portion about Smith College: During the interview we talk about how trans men are included in Smith, but it looks like that is not the case any longer. If you look at their gender inclusion policy on their site, they admit women (cis and trans), do not include trans men, and then have a complete non-answer for genderqueer and gender nonconforming individuals.
Don't forget to check the show notes for links to the City Heights Music School, San Diego Folk Heritage Society, and more!
Welcome to episode 25 of Grrl on Grrl with Anna Levitt of San Diego folk band Crooked. In this episode we talk about the differences between classical violin and fiddle, gender at Anna’s alma mater Smith College and with babies, and the two different faces of her band Crooked.
Disclaimer/corrections on the portion about Smith College: During the interview we talk about how trans men are included in Smith, but it looks like that is not the case any longer. If you look at their gender inclusion policy on their site, they admit women (cis and trans), do not include trans men, and then have a complete non-answer for genderqueer and gender nonconforming individuals. This makes me pretty uncomfortable, and honestly, I’m not sure how to express my feelings on this. I’m definitely interested in how their policy will continue to evolve. What are your thoughts? Feel free to shoot me an email! I’d love to hear from you!
I got my first one-star rating on iTunes. I’m assuming it’s some sort of men’s rights activist, but who knows? If you wanna help the podcast rating out at all, please head on over to the podcast on iTunes and leave your thoughts and suggestions. I’m always excited to hear from you!
Listen http://traffic.libsyn.com/grrlongrrl/GRRL025__Gender_inclusion_and_playing_the_fiddle_with_Anna_Levitt_of_Crooked.mp3
Download GRRL025 at Libsyn [43mins, ~60MB] or stream from these websites [iTunes | Stitcher | TuneIn | Google Play]
Show Notes * [2:00] Crooked – “Another Cuppa Joe” * [6:00] The differences between violin and fiddle + “A lot of people ask what the fiddle is relative to the violin.” “Oh my God, I was totally gonna ask that next!” * [7:30] A bit about Anna’s band Crooked + Everybody contributing singing, writing, and playing + Anna branching into writing lyrics * [9:20] One of Anna’s songs making it into the Crooked album (“Mama Put the Frango On“) + Road trip in Mozambique for a music festival + Mbila/Timbila – xylophone-esque * [12:20] Uncle Earl – Willie Taylor (Album) (Website) * [16:40] Training in/playing classical music and then finding where the fun was–Irish bars! * [18:40] Going to a women’s college
+ Gender neutral language in college policy, how the changes came about
- “Having language that said ‘she’ and ‘her’ was really inspiring [in original college policy] but it’s a new age and we were excluding people.”
- Being politic, consulting alumni before making changes
+ The community aspect: having regular, virtual tea parties
+ “GENDER IS DUMB.”
-
[22:30] Having a baby and having to talk about gender
- “What is it?”
- “I don’t want to force [gender] on a two-day old child.”
- Baby X story by Lois Gould, a fictional short story originally published in the 1970s in Ms. Magazine
- From what I can tell, Gould then turned it into a children’s book called X: A Fabulous Child’s Story
- It has also been adapted into a short, 11-minute film
- “Babies have a lot in common. They want to chew on things.”
- [25:00] Rayna Gellert & Friends – Ducks on the Millpond (Website)
- [27:20] Crooked: 1 band, 2 incarnations
- What you hear on the record vs. live contradance band
- Contradance – a partnered dance, originally popular in the Appalachians with a couple of revivals (including now!)
- [30:15] San Diego Contra Dance, associated with the SD Folk Heritage
- Gender neutral one in San Francisco, but not in San Diego
- Learning opportunities in San Diego Contradance by playing in their community band
- [32:00] The differences between square dancing, country line dancing, and contradance
- Starting a “square-volution”
- Learning in elementary school
- Henry Ford?!?!
- [34:15] City Heights Music School – Saturday school, non-profit
- Anna’s involvement with them
- [37:45] The Nields – Keys to the Kingdom (Website)
Links * Crooked’s website and Facebook page * Crooked’s Instagram * Their new album “To the Dancing Ground” on Bandcamp
Thanks Thanks so much to Anna for inviting me into her home and picking some great artists and songs to feature in her episode!
And as always, thank you to everyone who checked in on me the last two weeks to see where the new episodes were, to Gary Hankins who tried his best to get rid of some of that electrical buzz in the recording and put the whole thing together, to Greg Guiliano of Wait Think Fast Productions for hosting costs, and to Polish for their song “Drive.”
Thanks as always to Gary Hankins who tried his best to get rid of some of that electrical buzz in the recording, and to Greg Guiliano of Wait Think Fast Productions for hosting costs.
Stefanie joined me online after Caustic Casanova’s 2016 tour to talk about their almost-comical bad luck streak during the first week of their tour, some tour tips, a bit about their record label Retro Futurist, and the difficult time and plain hard work she put in to recover from breaking both her wrists. I also bust out my trumpet playing story again, but this time to learn about Stefanie’s slight subterfuge when it came to finally playing the drums in high school.
Based in Washington D.C., Caustic Casanova has been described as “heavy metal B-52s” and other crossovers that usually involve the words “hard”, “heavy”, and “psychedelic.” They’ll be recording a new album starting in April, before going on yet another summer tour, so keep an eye out for tour dates. You do NOT want to miss them!
Listen http://traffic.libsyn.com/grrlongrrl/GRRL024__Bad_luck_and_musical_subterfuge_with_Stefanie_Zaenker_of_Caustic_Casanova.mp3
Download episode 24 at Libsyn or stream from these websites [iTunes | Stitcher | TuneIn | Google Play]
Show Notes * Caustic Casanova – “Thundersnow” * Are genres so important nowadays? * Things Stefanie learned from their 2016 tour + Plan for traffic – Giving themselves a 2hr buffer + More off-days to recoup and for equipment malfunctions + Coming across amp trouble and finding a savior in St. Louis at Acme Guitars * Irata – “Lion Slayer” (Website) * Touring – how and why + flexible jobs, being upfront to potential employers + Love traveling and eating interesting food: Check out their list of top food places from their tour on Facebook * How did the tour work out financially? Not quite breaking even + Stefanie wants to emphasize how totally do-able touring is for any band that’s around Caustic Casanova’s level * Emily Danger – “Peace Arch” (Website) * Retro Futurist Records – Savannah, Georgia label – owned by the folks of Kylesa who Caustic Casanova toured with before being asked to join the label * Breaking bones – delays in putting out Breaks + Surgery and moving in with parents + Loss of independence, mental health, and becoming motivated to kick ass at physical therapy * Holly Hunt – “Meano” * Learning trumpet because mom didn’t want her play the drums + “But my heart’s always belonged to the drums.” + Sneaking off to find a drum kit * Heavy music dominated by men, drumming especially, but there are a lot of girl drummers out there + Hit Like a Girl – an annual drumming contest sponsored by Drum! and Tom Tom Magazines.
Links * Caustic Casanova’s Website, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook * Find Caustic Casanova’s album Breaks at Retro Futurist’s Bandcamp (Label website) * Their older album Someday You Will Be Proven Correct
Stefanie joined me online after Caustic Casanova's 2016 tour to talk about their almost-comical bad luck streak during the first week of their tour, some tour tips, a bit about their record label Retro Futurist, and the difficult time and plain hard work she put in to recover from breaking both her wrists. I also bust out my trumpet playing story again, but this time to learn about Stefanie's slight subterfuge when it came to finally playing the drums in high school.
Based in Washington D.C., Caustic Casanova has been described as "heavy metal B-52s" and other crossovers that usually involve the words "hard", "heavy", and "psychedelic." They'll be recording a new album starting in April, before going on yet another summer tour, so keep an eye out for tour dates. You do NOT want to miss them!
Interlude 004 is all about inclusivity/exclusivity: from podcasts that interview with inclusivity in mind to the global women’s march in January. Plus, “Nvr Pass” by previous Grrl on Grrl guest Emma with her band She/Her/Hers, and the poem “A Kind of Dying” by San Diego poet Felicia Williams.
Wanna submit your poetry and flash fiction to be featured in an Interlude episode? Shoot me an email!
Don’t forget to rate & review Grrl on Grrl on iTunes or Stitcher, and you can follow me on Twitter and Instagram @grrlongrrl, or you can like the Grrl on Grrl Podcast page on Facebook.
Listen Here http://traffic.libsyn.com/grrlongrrl/GRRL_Interlude_004__Felicia_Williams_She_Her_Hers_and_trans-exclusion_at_the_January_womens_march.mp3
Download at Libsyn or listen at these websites [iTunes | Stitcher | TuneIn | Google Play]
Links & Notes * She/Her/Hers – “Nvr Pass” + Keep updated on the release of their next album Grrrl Angst by following them on Facebook. * Birthday Loon Studios by Hailey Wojcik – you can hear some more about Hailey’s stop motion animation work on her episode here + So much detail. So much work. + Facebook + All her videos on Vimeo * Angry Grrrl Music of the Indie Rock Persuasion by Amanda Starling – a podcast highlighting women, femmes, LGBTQ, and minority movements in the punk rock & indie rock scenes + Episode 2 with Sheridan Allen of Punk Talks – mental health for musicians + Episode 6 with War on Women – “Music is my activism” * Sooo Many White Guys + “Join comedian Phoebe Robinson as she talks to performers, musicians, authors and artists who are killing it in their fields. Oh, and none of them are white dudes! Whew.” + Episode 17 with Margaret Cho – “Phoebe and Margaret Cho Hope They Die Alone”
Women’s March / Exclusion of Trans Voices * TransEthic interview with Katelyn Burns on Writing, Politics, and Moving Forward * How ‘Pussy Hats’ Made Me Feel Excluded — And Then Welcomed — At The Women’s March by Katelyn Burns
Felicia Williams * Her poem “A Kind of Dying” with backing track by Asher Mendel * Her collaborative poetry zine Madwoman et cetera, which you can buy here + Instagram & Twitter
Thanks! Thank you to Felicia Williams, Asher Mendel, Emma of She/Her/Hers, and Polish for the use of their song “Drive.”
Interlude 004 is all about inclusivity/exclusivity: from podcasts that interview with inclusivity in mind to the global women's march in January. Plus, "Nvr Pass" by previous Grrl on Grrl guest Emma with her band She/Her/Hers, the poem "A Kind of Dying" by San Diego poet Felicia Williams, and a deleted interview clip featuring Liz of The Fictitious Dishes.
Wanna submit your poetry and flash fiction to be featured in an Interlude episode? Shoot me an email!
Don't forget to rate & review Grrl on Grrl on iTunes or Stitcher, and you can follow me on Twitter and Instagram @grrlongrrl, or you can like the Grrl on Grrl Podcast page on Facebook.
All four members of the Fictitious Dishes (Taryn, Liz, Maggie, and Jacquie) join me on this episode of Grrl on Grrl to talk about whether or not to expect people to pay for their music, the possibilities of working with a producer, some conflicting messages from showgoers when Taryn's husband Hugh (of Slum Summer) filled in for Liz, and double standards and confusion in feminism and music.
This is the first time I recorded more than 2 people on separate mics. It needs some work, but I definitely learned a lot and I have some goals to reach the level of quality I really want in the future. For now, I hope I fixed the levels enough in post that you can hear everybody well!
Grrl on Grrl is now back on its biweekly schedule. Are you excited? I'm excited. Relieved and excited. Thanks for listening!
All four members of the Fictitious Dishes (Taryn, Liz, Maggie, and Jacquie) join me on this episode of Grrl on Grrl to talk about whether or not to expect people to pay for their music, the possibilities of working with a producer, some conflicting messages from showgoers when Taryn’s husband Hugh (of Slum Summer) filled in for Liz, and double standards and confusion in feminism and music.
This is the first time I recorded more than 2 people on separate mics. It needs some work, but I definitely learned a lot and I have some goals to reach the level of quality I really want in the future. For now, I hope I fixed the levels enough in post that you can hear everybody well!
Grrl on Grrl is now back on its biweekly schedule. Are you excited? I’m excited. Relieved and excited. Thanks for listening!
Listen Here http://traffic.libsyn.com/grrlongrrl/GRRL023__Paying_for_music_and_double_standards_with_the_Fictitious_Dishes.mp3
Download episode 23 at Libsyn [37min, 36.3MB] or listen at these websites [iTunes | Stitcher | TuneIn | Google Play]
Show Notes * The Fictitious Dishes – “Counting Coup” (demo) * Recording while pregnant * Wanting/needing a producer for the demos * “Why is your music free?” — Paying for music or not * We’ve Got a Fuzzbox and We’re Gonna Use It!! – “Love is the Slug” * Shit for being an all woman band * Implicit biases about women and men’s relationships within a band * Playing in an all-girl band (compared to their previous bands) * “Does it need to be a woman or not?” That’s kind of our thing. / Co-ed bands * Spending time with people you enjoy == your band * Being asked to be a role model for girls just because you’re a woman + Double standard — you wouldn’t ask white guys if they consider themselves a role model * Men Who Rock! and Men Who Rock! II at Seattle alternative magazine The Stranger: a parody of how women are portrayed in music magazines * Amy Klein of Titus Andronicus on not seeing any women with instruments in Rolling Stone – Beautifully written, this article (which was originally a Tumblr post(s)) is about how important it is for girls to see more of themselves in magazines and media, the severe lack of representation of women just doing things, and the exhausting standards of perfection women must face in male-dominated fields. + There are so many good quotes in this, but here’s one: “What we’re doing when we exclude women from rock and roll, and from the sense of rebellion that rock and roll promises, is disallowing women that independent perspective. We’re never giving them the chance to think critically about the world, and about the systems that oppress them. When we take women out of the arts, and take them out of art’s ability to critique the way things are, we’re making sure that women keep swallowing the status quo, day after day, and it’s the status quo that keeps us down.” * Happy Fangs – “Hiya Kaw Kaw” (Website)
Links * The Fictitious Dishes on Facebook * The Fictitious Dishes’ album You Could Never Be Enough on Bandcamp * Jacquie’s other band Dirty Pennies
Thanks! Thank you to Liz, Taryn, Maggie, and Jacquie of the Fictitious Dishes! Taryn and Hugh graciously allowed me and the rest of the band into their home to do the interview.
Thank you as always to Greg Guiliano of Wait Think Fast Productions and to Polish for letting me use their song “Drive” for the intro and outro music.
In this quick episode, I give some updates on past Grrl on Grrl guests, including new albums and award nominations! Plus I plug a great podcast and a couple of articles about journalism and fake news, and a quick update on Backpage.com–which I talked about in Interlude Episode 001–and some organizations to check out in the wake up the shutdown. I also have the pleasure of talking over some ambient music created by Asher Mendel, because I felt weird having just my voice talking with no background. So uh, what do you think? Is it too distracting? Too gloomy? TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK.
Listen Here http://traffic.libsyn.com/grrlongrrl/GRRL_Interlude_003__Fake_news_and_Backpage.com_update_featuring_Asher_Mendel.mp3
Download Interlude 003 on Libsyn [7MB, ~7min] or listen at these websites [iTunes | Stitcher | TuneIn | Google Play]
Music News * Hours’ Different Executions EP (Facebook) – Carrie Gillespie Feller of Hexa’s new band is killing it. If you need a reminder of who she is, check out Grrl on Grrl episode 11. * The Fresh Brunettes’ FUBAR (Facebook) – They had their album release in January with a show at San Diego’s Blonde Bar. You can check out their song FUBAR in the episode I did with Megan Liscomb. * Congratulations and good luck to the San Diego Music Award nominees!
The Rise of Fake News …and how to navigate it.
Paraphrased from the Flash Forward episode “Extra! Extra!”, here are two things you can do before sharing anything on social media.
- Read the article and find its sources. Do the so-called experts quoted in the article even exist? If there are research articles cited, were they published by a legitimate journal? Because apparently there are publications out there where you can just PAY to have your article published. No peer review required.
- Check what website it’s on. Does the rest of the site have an obvious political agenda? Are the other articles on the site bogus as shit?
- The Rise of Progressive ‘Fake News’ by Robinson Meyer: “The disempowered left now faces its own kinds of hoaxes and fables.” (The Atlantic)
- How Viral Fake Election News Stories Outperformed Real News On Facebook by Craig Silverman: “Top fake election news stories generated more total engagement on Facebook than top election stories from 19 major news outlets combined.” (Buzzfeed)
- Objectivity is dead, and I’m okay with it by Lewis Wallace: a radio journalist writes about why a call for journalistic neutrality comes from a place of privilege, journalism as its own form of activism, and other really great bits.
Backpage.com Update It happened, Backpage.com shut down their adult services section, putting many sex workers in dangerous positions.
- The Sex Workers’ Outreach Project: With several chapters around the US, SWOP provides resources, information, outreach, and activism.
- Desiree Alliance: A network of sex worker organizations and communities, health professionals, and supporters working towards productive activism.
- Joint statement about sex workers’ rights (GDocs)
In this quick episode, I give some updates on past Grrl on Grrl guests, including new albums and award nominations! Plus I plug a great podcast and a couple of articles about journalism and fake news, and a quick update on Backpage.com--which I talked about in Interlude Episode 001--and some organizations to check out in the wake up the shutdown. I also have the pleasure of talking over some ambient music created by Asher Mendel, because I felt weird having just my voice talking with no background. So uh, what do you think? Is it too distracting? Too gloomy? TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK.
Happy new year, folks, and welcome to episode #22 of Grrl on Grrl!
In this episode, you'll hear Sarah Quintero of Spotlights, a sludgegaze band from New York. She and Mario, who you heard mentioned in a cut segment I included in one of the previous Interlude episode, met in San Diego, before moving to Brooklyn where they are now based. In summer of 2016, they toured with Refused and Deftones! You'll hear more about that in the interview. We also talk about their goals with growing the band and the supportive music scene in New York.
The first episode of 2017 runs a bit longer at 53 minutes, but it's totally worth it because you'll get to hear not only Spotlights, but San Diego's Sleeping People and Seattle-based band He Whose Ox Is Gored. Enjoy!
Happy new year, folks, and welcome to episode #22 of Grrl on Grrl!
In this episode, you’ll hear Sarah Quintero of Spotlights, a sludgegaze band from New York. She and Mario, who you heard mentioned in a cut segment I included at the end of the last episode, met in San Diego, before moving to Brooklyn where they are now based. In summer of 2016, they toured with Refused and Deftones! You’ll hear more about that in the interview. We also talk about their goals with growing the band and the supportive music scene in New York.
The first episode of 2017 runs a bit longer at 53 minutes, but it’s totally worth it because you’ll get to hear not only Spotlights, but San Diego’s Sleeping People and Seattle-based band He Whose Ox Is Gored. Enjoy!
Listen Here http://traffic.libsyn.com/grrlongrrl/GRRL022__New_York_vs_LA_and_touring_with_Deftones_and_Refused_with_Sarah_Quintero_of_Spotlights.mp3
Download from Libsyn [53 minutes; 50.6MB] or listen at these websites [iTunes | Stitcher | TuneIn | Google Play]
Show Notes * Collaborating with a significant other; the inception of Sleep Lady and Spotlights * Why move to Brooklyn? How is it compared to people’s attitudes in Los Angeles? * “The hustle”: DIY management, getting press, networking (ie making friends) * Finding a home at St. Vitus in New York * Sarah’s zero tolerance to getting flak as a woman in a heavier genre + metal as one of the most supportive music genres + “life’s too short for bullshit” * The tour with Deftones and Refused + Brooklyn Vegan + Super exciting and super terrifying – “what if they’re total assholes?” * Differences between setting up your own tour vs being on tour with an already established band * Crowquill Records – what a record label should do * Mario’s side solo project: Codas * Making connections more easily now – social media – digital distribution + it’s easy enough to move on if something doesn’t work
Song List * Spotlights – Hover from Tidals EP * Sleeping People – Johnny Depp from their self-titled album (Facebook) * He Whose Ox Is Gored – Crusade (HWOIG website)
Thanks! Thank you so much to Sarah for speaking with me and being so inspiring, and to the folks at He Whose Ox Is Gored and Sleeping People for being part of this episode’s playlist.
And as always, thank you to Greg Guiliano of Wait Think Fast Productions and to Polish for letting me use their song “Drive” as the Grrl on Grrl theme song.
In this episode, Angie of Duping the Public and I talk about DTP's songumentary series--which documents their songwriting, production, and recording process, lifting women up in a male-dominated industry, how soul-sucking "going pro" in any industry can be, and the strides women have made in the music scene.
In this episode, Angie of Duping the Public and I talk about DTP’s songumentary series–which documents their songwriting, production, and recording process, lifting women up in a male-dominated industry, how soul-sucking “going pro” in any industry can be, and the strides women have made in the music scene.
Listen Here http://traffic.libsyn.com/grrlongrrl/GRRL021__reverse_sexism__skating_and_going_pro_with_Angie_of_Duping_the_Public.mp3
Download through Libsyn [31 minutes, 30MB]
Find on iTunes | Stitcher | TuneIn | Google Play
Show Notes Links * Website (Find their music and merch store, blog posts and more info on the songumentaries, and news) * Vimeo (actual songumentary videos) * Facebook
Thanks Thank you so much to Angie for inviting me into the Duping the Public practice space for the interview. Thanks as always to Greg Guiliano of Wait Think Fast Productions! Editing, mixing, and mastering was done by me, June, this time, so don’t blame Gary for any mishaps in the episode. (On that note, if you have any comments or suggestions or any glaring errors I missed editing the episode, please let me know!)
I recorded and edited this episode yesterday but got stressed out about the election enough that I didn’t post. It seems pointless and meaningless to even put this up now, but I guess… life… goes on?
In this Interlude, you get to listen to a song off Blackberry Tongues latest EP put out in July, hear about Icelandic women’s protest about the unfair wage gap this past October, and a little bit about the Newsweek story on War on Women, which Grrl on Grrl listener Molly sent me.
Let’s build a Grrl on Grrl community! Start posting cool links, feminist resources, news stories, or anything else you’d think I or other Grrl on Grrl listeners will be interested. You can post them on our Facebook page, shoot me an email, or send a tweet! I might even mention you in future episodes!
Question of the month: How has your gender, class, and race affected your work environment? Shoot me an email at grrlongrrlpodcast@gmail.com or comment on Facebook or Twitter! I may share your thoughts on future episodes.
Listen http://traffic.libsyn.com/grrlongrrl/GRRL_Interlude_002__Unfair_wage_gap_Blackberry_Tongues_War_on_Women_duping_the_public.mp3
Download from Libsyn [9 minutes, 8.6MB]
Find on iTunes | Stitcher | TuneIn | Google Play
Unfair Wage Gap * This segment based on this New York Times blog post: “Women in Iceland protest country’s 14 percent pay gap by leaving work 14 percent early“ * The Date Women Stop Being Paid in Europe (Expert Market) * The Simple Truth about the Gender Pay Gap (Fall 2016) (AAUW)
Blackberry Tongues The Jackals EP * Find The Jackals on Bandcamp * Featured song is “Canine in your goldmine”
War on Women * Thanks to Molly T for sharing this link with me on Facebook! * “War on Women Fuses Feminism and Hardcore Punk” (Newsweek)
Stay safe.
In this Interlude, you get to listen to a song off Blackberry Tongues latest EP put out in July, hear about Icelandic women's protest about the unfair wage gap this past October, and a little bit about the Newsweek story on War on Women, which Grrl on Grrl listener Molly sent me.
Let's build a Grrl on Grrl community! Start posting cool links, feminist resources, news stories, or anything else you'd think I or other Grrl on Grrl listeners will be interested. You can post them on our Facebook page, shoot me an email, or send a tweet! I might even mention you in future episodes!
Question of the month: How has your gender, class, and race affected your work environment? Shoot me an email at grrlongrrlpodcast@gmail.com or comment on Facebook or Twitter! I may share your thoughts on future episodes.
For episode 20, all three members of the self-proclaimed super queer, super slutty Oakland band Spray Tan–Andrea, Dorsey, and Lindsay–joined me online to talk about their experiences touring and staying safe as a queer band. We talk a bit about what came first–the punk or the queer?, how they determine when they play one of their more incendiary songs, and a bit of their songwriting process. (Hint: I wish I could be there.)
Trigger warning for use of queer slurs in reclaimed and un-reclaimed contexts.
Listen/Download http://traffic.libsyn.com/grrlongrrl/GRRL020_Staying_safe_queer_and_slutty_with_Oakland_band_Spray_Tan.mp3
Download directly from Libsyn [23 minutes; ~27.4MB]
Find on iTunes | Stitcher | TuneIn | Google Play
Shownotes * [1:30] Accidentally forming Spray Tan + Wanting to form a “squawky” jazz band + The term “slut rock” – “Maybe we should just write songs about being sluts.” + Thelma and the Sleaze as an influence – “Shreddy rock and roll people” * [3:15] Songwriting process, collaborative and trashy * [5:20] Spray Tan – Str8 H8 + Would you leave the room if you heard this song? + Connects into the following discussion… * [6:30] Feeling safe (or not) playing songs like “Str8 H8” + How do you decide to play the song? Red flags + Will people become violent in response to songs like that? * [9:50] Trap Girl – Dead Men Don’t Rape * [11:15] Spray Tan’s worst tour experience + Backing out on a radio show in Utah (TW: use of slurs) + and accidentally following Built to Spill on tour * [14:00] Great experiences on tour: Identifying with and playing with queer communities, big and small + Oakland: “Everybody’s in a queer band.” “…isn’t that a good thing though?” * [15:00] Sissyfit – BFF * [17:00] Olympia, WA + “It’s a town of punks.” “Or queer.” + Gay New York – the history of the word “punk” from gay history * [17:50] Boner City – Die Young * [20:30] The story behind their laser-etched pins + Laser-etched dildo pins…… coming soon?!?!?!?!?!
Links * Find their album SOLOSLUT on Spray Tan’s Bandcamp (cassettes, tapes, pins, koozies) * Spray Tan Facebook * Spray Tan Instagram
Music Video Thanks Thanks as always to all of you for listening, to Gary Hankins, and to Greg Guiliano of Wait Think Fast Productions.
The intro and outro track is “Drive” by Polish, which you can find on their Bandcamp.
For episode 20, all three members of the self-proclaimed super queer, super slutty Oakland band Spray Tan--Andrea, Dorsey, and Lindsay--joined me online to talk about their experiences touring and staying safe as a queer band. We talk a bit about what came first--the punk or the queer?, how they determine when they play one of their more incendiary songs, and a bit of their songwriting process. (Hint: I wish I could be there.)
I’m trying something new this week, inspired by the fact that uh, episode 20 is delayed. So here’s the very first Grrl on Grrl Interlude episode! In this short episode, I cover Grrl on Grrl news, upcoming album releases in October, and quotes from articles regarding the recent arrest of the Backpage CEO. Listen below, and don’t forget to check out the links to bands and articles mentioned as well.
And to all my listeners, please let me know how I can make this podcast more inclusive for you and for potential guests. Shoot me an email please at grrlongrrlpodcast@gmail.com!
Listen & Download http://traffic.libsyn.com/grrlongrrl/GRRL_Interlude_001_with_music_and_feminist_news_featuring_songs_from_Polish_and_Crooked.mp3
Download here [9 minutes, ~9MB]
Or find on: iTunes | Stitcher | TuneIn | Google Play
Album Releases Featured song is Crooked’s “Black Whiskey Hill / Elzic’s Farewell.”
- San Diego rockers Soft Lions is coming out with XOXO on October 28.
- Preorder the 10″ at Velvet Blue Music; Digital download and CDs will also be available
- Listen to their first single “Freeway”, debuted on Impose Magazine
- Album release show on November 4th at The Hideout
- Folk/bluegrass/contradance band Crooked is releasing To the Dancing Ground on October 29
- Preorder through Bandcamp and get an instant download of their song “Waiting Around for Townes”
- Album release show at Whistlestop Bar
Backpage CEO’s Arrest * Backpage CEO’s arrest hurts free speech and sex workers’ rights, advocates say (The Guardian) * We Deserve Better: Reflections on the War on Backpage (Tits and Sass)
Creating a Safer Podcast * Please let me know how I can make this podcast more inclusive for you and for potential guests. Shoot me an email please at grrlongrrlpodcast@gmail.com. * Realizing that I am shutting out potential guests * “Everybody but Cis Men”: Creating Better Safe Spaces for LGBT People (The Toast) * Excluded: Making Feminist and Queer Movements More Inclusive – The book I am reading for more insight and what I can do to change the podcast for the better
Thanks! As always, the intro and outro music is “Drive” by Polish! Thank you to both Soft Lions and Crooked for giving me sneak peeks at their upcoming albums.
And usual thanks to Greg Guiliano of Wait Think Fast Productions, and even though Gary Hankins had nothing to do with this episode, I’ll thank him anyway as well.
Thanks everybody!
Here's the very first Grrl on Grrl Interlude episode! In this short episode, I cover Grrl on Grrl news, upcoming album releases in October, and quotes from articles regarding the recent arrest of the Backpage CEO. Listen below, and don't forget to check out the links to bands and articles mentioned as well.
Year 2 of Grrl on Grrl continues with episode 19 featuring Megan Liscomb of San Diego band Soft Lions. In this episode, Megan and I talk about working with a record label, insecurities as a live musician, and differences in objectification depending on your role in the band. Soft Lions is also a frequent participant of Monica Mendoza's shows for GRRRL Independent Ladies, which you can hear more about on Monica's episode of Grrl on Grrl.
Keep an ear out for news on their upcoming album to be released on Velvet Blue Records late October.
Year 2 of Grrl on Grrl continues with episode 19 featuring Megan Liscomb of San Diego band Soft Lions. In this episode, Megan and I talk about working with a record label, insecurities as a live musician, and differences in objectification depending on your role in the band. Soft Lions is also a frequent participant of Monica Mendoza’s shows for GRRRL Independent Ladies, which you can hear more about on Monica’s episode of Grrl on Grrl.
Keep an ear out for news on their upcoming album to be released on Velvet Blue Records late October.
Find links to Soft Lions’ website and releases, along with information on the artists featured in the podcast, below. Thanks for listening!
Listen Here http://traffic.libsyn.com/grrlongrrl/GRRL019__Working_with_a_record_label_objectification_and_insecurities_with_Megan_Liscomb_of_Soft_Lions.mp3
Download episode 19 here [~30 minutes, ~37MB]
Show Notes * [1:30] “Phantom” by Soft Lions + Find the song on Soft Lions’ Spellbreaker EP at Velvet Blue Music * [5:00] Past and present goals for playing music as Soft Lions * [7:30] Physical objects (ie vinyl records) as an experience + A memento of a band + A quick rundown of the process of creating a physical record * [9:30] “37th Street” by Horrible/Adorable * [11:15] Working with Orange County record label Velvet Blue Music + Production, management, booking + “It’s sort of a partnership… He’s a true believer!” + How the relationship with the record label started + Why bother looking for record label support? * [15:45] “Chartreuse” by Sharkmuffin + Buy the LP on State Capital Records + Other releases on Bandcamp * [17:30] Megan’s experiences as a woman in the music scene + “The scene has overall gotten better.” + Megan’s phone number is up for sale! (Not!) + Feeling safer (as a fan or as a musician) when you see other women on stage * [20:00] Walking a difficult line between standing your ground and being nice… customer service at its finest * [21:15] A story about Megan teaching a man about boundaries, with a happy ending! * [23:20] “FUBAR” by The Fresh Brunettes + You can find a previously released version of FUBAR on their website, but stay tuned for a new album soon! * [27:15] Changes in the past decade (ish) in the music scene + Treated differently when “just” singing versus also playing an instrument; more objectification + Pop singer culture; being eye candy * [28:45] QUESTION TO LISTENERS: How can I make Grrl on Grrl a safer, more gender-inclusive space? + Since the start of the podcast last year, I’ve made it my mission to make this project as gender-inclusive as possible. But I don’t think I’m doing the best job. How can I make Grrl on Grrl safer for trans men and women, nonbinary folks, and other underrepresented folks to be on the podcast? How can I change my language and mission statement, or anything else, to lift up all of our voices? If you have any ideas, suggestions, or critiques on how to make this podcast safer for guests, listeners, and featured artists, please shoot me an email at grrlongrrlpodcast@gmail.com or message me on Twitter or Facebook.
Links * Soft Lions website and Facebook page * Velvet Blue Music: where you can find their latest EP Spellbreaker and their soon-to-be released full-length * Soft Lions’ Bandcamp for older releases * Boyking Bandcamp: Megan as vocalist
Thank You! Thank you to Megan Liscomb for inviting me into her home!
Thanks as always to Gary Hankins, who had to deal with up and down levels for this episode. (INSIDER INFO: We had to move a couple of times during the interview, mostly to watch Megan’s adorable cat be a cat.)
And to Greg Guiliano of Wait Think Fast Productions for paying for audio hosting costs.
You can find the intro/outro song “Drive”, along with other releases by Polish, on the Polish Bandcamp page.
Grrl on Grrl Year Two officially begins with episode 18 featuring solo artist Hailey Wojcik. Stop-motion animator and pop rock extraordinaire, Hailey is a talented artist and musician, dedicated to improving her crafts.
In this episode, we talk about Hailey's workflow for booking tours, unwanted physical contact at shows (and other male micro-aggressions), how we can address and fix them, along with plans for her upcoming tour and new album currently being recorded.
Grrl on Grrl Year Two officially begins with episode 18 featuring solo artist Hailey Wojcik. Stop-motion animator and pop rock extraordinaire, Hailey is a talented artist and musician, dedicated to improving her crafts.
In this episode, we talk about Hailey’s workflow for booking tours, unwanted physical contact at shows (and other male micro-aggressions), how we can address and fix them, along with plans for her upcoming tour and new album currently being recorded.
Check out how to find Hailey online in the shownotes below.
Grrl on Grrl also has a new intro and outro song! Polish is a San Diego band that features previous guest Lori Sokolowski on bass and vocals. You can find more info at the bottom of this post.
Listen Here! http://traffic.libsyn.com/grrlongrrl/GRRL018__Harassment_and_support_liaisons_at_venues_with_Hailey_Wojcik.mp3
Download here [MP3, 29.5MB]
Shownotes * [2:00] Release of her latest solo EP Book of Beasts and recording an upcoming full-length * [3:00] Booking tours and gauging turnout to shows + How Hailey connects with bands to book with + Facebook as a resource + The Shondes – female-fronted queer band that Hailey toured with * [7:45] Hailey Wojcik – Dog V. Man (Bandcamp) + Official music video: a stop motion animation created by Hailey herself (YouTube) * [10:40] Sexual/physical harassment at shows + Safety issues when touring as a solo artist + Deciding whether to say something or to to ignore harassment + Microaggressions (Trigger Warning for content at the link; examples of “casual” racism, ableism, sexism, etc.), mansplaining * [14:20] How do we fix the common problem of harassment at shows? + “This conversation is a start.” + More discussions, strategizing together * [15:00] Hailey Wojcik – Cigarette * [17:25] Speedy Ortiz/Sadie Dupuis’ harassment hotline: Attendees of their shows can text this hotline in case of harassment or unsafe situations (More info and a Q&A about it here) * [18:15] “A neighborhood watch” in venues, holding people accountable, acknowledgment + Seraphim Collective in Brooklyn, based on the work done by the Feminist Action Support Network in Chicago + “Support liaisons are present at events to prevent harm, provide emotional care, respond to crisis, mediate conflict, and empower others to do the same. We enhance and encourage safer space by our presence and availability” (from the FASN site) * [20:15] Hailey Wojcik – XO, Skeleton + Stop motion and live action lyric video (YouTube)
Find Hailey online * Website * Patreon * Bandcamp * Facebook * YouTube – find her stop motion animation videos!
Special Thanks Thank you so much to Hailey for taking the time to speak with me! We had a few scheduling hiccups, but finally sitting down with her was such a pleasure and totally worth the wait.
As always, thank you to Gary Hankins and Greg Guiliano (of Wait Think Fast Productions) for their continued support with the podcast. Without them, my podcast wouldn’t sound so good nor would it have proper hosting!
Thank you to Lori Sokolowski and the rest of Polish for letting me use their song “Drive” for the intro and outro music. You can follow them on Facebook and download their songs on their Bandcamp.
Grrl on Grrl goes INTERNATIONAL!
Coco Tigler is one part of the German duo The Fever. She joined me over the phone on the last day of their spring US tour. As an American expat, she shares her views on the music scenes in Berlin and in the US, the differences of touring the US versus Europe, censorship (specifically in regards to women), and finances.
Grrl on Grrl goes INTERNATIONAL!
Coco Tigler is one part of the German duo The Fever. She joined me over the phone on the last day of their spring US tour. As an American expat, she shares her views on the music scenes in Berlin and in the US, the differences of touring the US versus Europe, censorship (specifically in regards to women), and finances.
If you liked this episode, please:
- Rate us on iTunes so more people can find the podcast,
- leave a comment,
- email me,
- follow me on Instagram,
- follow me on Twitter,
- or like Grrl on Grrl on Facebook.
Listen Here http://traffic.libsyn.com/grrlongrrl/GRRL017__Spotify_and_nipple_tape_with_Coco_Tigler_of_The_Fever.mp3
Download here. [~27 mins, 31MB]
Shownotes * [1:00] The Fever’s Spring US tour + Coco’s favorite cities to play * [2:00] Wearing and volunteering nipple tape during her shows, nipple censorship in the US + Different attitudes between people from the coastal cities vs. the Midwest and South + Is the nipple tape sexual? + Nipple censorship * [4:45] The Fever – On the Warpath * [7:45] “When we first started making music, we didn’t have any plans.” + Starting with a cheap drum machine and 8-track recorder * [9:15] Why being more than a duo wouldn’t be The Fever anymore + Chemistry and fighting over their musical ideas + “It’s always a surprise how the song’s going to turn out.” * [11:45] The Buglies – People Who Knows (Official music video) (Facebook) * [13:45] Being on Pandora and Spotify + “I just want people to listen to it.” + Why support Spotify even though they don’t pay musicians very well? * [15:00] The right and wrong way to support musicians + Spending money on drinks but refusing to pay the musician * [17:00] Breaking even (or not) while touring + Strategies * [18:00] The Fever – Sixty Stitches from their latest EP * [20:45] Booking shows in Europe vs. booking in the US + Grouped with diverse (or not) musicians at shows * [23:00] Berlin’s art scene and blurring lines of sexuality
Where to Find The Fever * Website * Bandcamp * Their album Stripped Down on Amazon * Facebook
Other Notes & Thanks! Thank you to Coco for joining me over the phone after their spring tour.
Intro and outro music is “Get Up Got It” by Sullen Ray, off their album Blue Minor.
Mixing provided by Gary Hankins.
Audio hosting costs covered by Greg Guiliano of Wait Think Fast Productions.
And to all my friends who have been so supportive of this project, I love you!
In San Diego where I'm based, the question of what "to do" with the southern border is, in turns, ignored by many yet extremely relevant to others. For Mónica, who grew up in Tijuana, the border is a social construct that can bring people together.
In this episode, we talk about using the border to connect musicians and artists from Tijuana, San Diego, and Los Angeles and the importance of listening to music in our own languages. And of course, we talk about her band Le Ra and her frontera organization GRRRL Independent Ladies.
This episode also guests poet Felicia Williams and artist Alison Dunlevy.
In San Diego where I’m based, the question of what “to do” with the southern border is, in turns, ignored by many yet extremely relevant to others. For Mónica, who grew up in Tijuana, the border is a social construct that can bring people together.
In this episode, we talk about using the border to connect musicians and artists from Tijuana, San Diego, and Los Angeles and the importance of listening to music in our own languages. And of course, we talk about her band Le Ra and her frontera organization GRRRL Independent Ladies.
This episode also guests poet Felicia Williams and artist Alison Dunlevy.
If you liked this episode, please:
- Rate us on iTunes so more people can find the podcast,
- leave a comment,
- email me,
- follow me on Instagram,
- follow me on Twitter,
- or like Grrl on Grrl on Facebook.
Listen Here http://traffic.libsyn.com/grrlongrrl/GRRL016__Borders_and_riot_grrrl_featuring_Monica_Mendoza_of_Le_Ra_and_GRRRL_Independent_Ladies.mp3
Download here. [~34 mins, 41MB]
Shownotes * [2:15] How do you know when your project is the way you envisioned it? + Inspiration of the Le Ra name from the artwork of her friend Eddy Miramontes (keep an eye out for news on him!) + Respecting the musicians who join you in your project + “We were traveling on different paths and then met at the right time.” * [5:30] “Do you think you could have gotten the same experience and feel if you had met up earlier?” + Changing/growing as a person and musician before experiencing “the right time” * [6:15] Le Ra – Sin Nombre * [10:15] Tijuana No! as an influence and part of roque en español + Representing latinos in music and talking about topics that relate to them + Globalism/imperialism in music * [13:30] Changes in female representation in music from Mexico (Mexico City and Tijuana) + “It’s not new!” The creation of a new generation of “grrrls” + How do we get more representation? * [15:30] No Girlfriends – Sheets (Unreleased exclusive!) + Facebook + Bandcamp and Soundcloud + My friend Seth Eubanks of Sullen Ray interviewed Janelle of No Girlfriends for his podcast Indie101. * [18:15] GRRRL Independent Ladies as a hub for women to meet and inspire each other + Crossing the border, the border as an influence + Using music and the border to connect rather than divide people + Organizing fests with Los Angeles, San Diego, and Tijuana bands * [20:45] How will GRRRL Independent Ladies grow? + Documentation of this part of the scene + The influence of the 90s riot grrrl movement. “How can we continue to fight for these issues?” * [23:00] GRRRL Independent Ladies going across the border, something that riot grrrl didn’t necessarily do + The problems with the 90s riot grrrl movement when it came to touching on race, class, gender + “Now it’s our turn.” * [24:30] Some Kind of Lizard – Black Rain (Unreleased exclusive!) + Bandcamp + Facebook * [27:30] Being a woman (or even just a man) of color in the music scene + Tijuana vs. San Diego + “Am I not looking hard enough?” + Minority invisibility * [32:00] Art changing culture and society
Where to Find Mónica * Le Ra’s Facebook and Bandcamp * GRRRL Independent Ladies’ Facebook and Instagram
Other Notes & Thanks! Thank you to Mónica for joining me at the house for some tea and chats, and for inspiring me to start putting together the upcoming Grrl on Grrl mini music and art fest.
Intro and outro music is “Get Up Got It” by Sullen Ray, off their album Blue Minor.
Mixing provided by Gary Hankins.
Audio hosting costs covered by Greg Guiliano of Wait Think Fast Productions.
And to all my friends who have been so supportive of this project, I love you!
For episode 15, I interviewed Tracie Loo of Sir Coyler and His Asthmatic Band. Despite being based in Seattle, they recorded their upcoming EP at a San Diego studio, and I had a chance to see them play at local venue Tower Bar. Tracie joined me right before her flight back to Seattle. Good thing I live 5 minutes away from the airport!
Tracie contributes, records, and plays as drummer with Sir Coyler & His Asthmatic Band. In this episode, we talk about the importance of band chemistry when it comes to creating music together, stereotypes we have to deal with as Asian Americans, and how to (theoretically) build a fanbase as an indie band.
Thanks to all of you for sticking around during my unexpected anxiety-induced hiatus!
For episode 15, I interviewed Tracie Loo of Sir Coyler and His Asthmatic Band. Despite being based in Seattle, they recorded their upcoming EP at a San Diego studio, and I had a chance to see them play at local venue Tower Bar. Tracie joined me right before her flight back to Seattle. Good thing I live 5 minutes away from the airport!
Tracie contributes, records, and plays as drummer with Sir Coyler & His Asthmatic Band. In this episode, we talk about the importance of band chemistry when it comes to creating music together, stereotypes we have to deal with as Asian Americans, and how to (theoretically) build a fanbase as an indie band.
If you liked this episode, please:
- Rate us on iTunes so more people can find the podcast,
- leave a comment,
- email me,
- follow me on Instagram,
- follow me on Twitter,
- or like Grrl on Grrl on Facebook.
Listen Here http://traffic.libsyn.com/grrlongrrl/GRRL015__Band_chemistry_fans_and_Asian_American_stereotypes_featuring_Tracie_of_Sir_Coyler__His_Asthmatic_Band.mp3
Download here. [~27 mins, 26MB]
Shownotes * [1:25] Messing up during their sets + “We just look at each other and laugh… We have so much trust.” * [3:15] History of the band leading up to Tracie joining and musician crushes * [5:30] Being vulnerable in a collaborative band environment * [6:45] Sir Coyler & His Asthmatic Band – Invincible Blues – A Grrl on Grrl exclusive from their upcoming EP * [9:15] “How do we take the next step to make non-musicians give a shit?” + Fans listening just for the hits + The importance of word-of-mouth * [11:30] The Gooch Palms – Tiny Insight (Website) (Facebook) * [14:15] Being treated differently (or not) as a person of color + “I’ve had more weird experiences on the street than in a venue or in the scene.” + Asian American stereotypes and comments * [15:30] Tracie’s history in and reasons for choosing percussion over other instruments + A personal choice vs. parental choice * [16:30] Artist and podcast news * [17:00] Being on stage, being proud of music + “I don’t love being the center of attention.” + Bringing other musicians on stage * [18:30] People approaching the “boys” instead of Tracie to ask about her * [19:45] Acapulco Lips – Everything’s Gotta Go (Facebook) (Twitter) * [22:45] Thank you to everybody! * [23:00] Sullen Ray – Get Up Got It + The first time the podcast has played the WHOLE SONG + NEW ALBUM “OUTSIDE THE COLOR WHEEL” OUT NOW
Where to Find Sir Coyler & His Asthmatic Band’s Music * Sir Coyler & His Asthmatic Band (Bandcamp) * Facebook
Other Notes & Thanks! Thank you to Tracie for interviewing with me right before her flight back to Seattle!
Intro and outro music is “Get Up Got It” by Sullen Ray, off their album Blue Minor.
Mixing provided by Gary Hankins.
Audio hosting costs covered by Greg Guiliano of Wait Think Fast Productions.
And to all my friends who have been so supportive of this project, I love you!
If you're listening to this podcast, then you are, at the very least, interested in music and at most, passionate. Grrl on Grrl's next guest is not only passionate, but she finds herself drawn to music, so much so that it would probably hurt without it.
In this episode, I join Dee Ray in her house where we speak about the importance of recording your music as your personal history. We also talk about Dee's strategy for engaging showgoers and fans, and enjoying the hands-on approach to books and letters.
If you’re listening to this podcast, then you are, at the very least, interested in music and at most, passionate. Grrl on Grrl’s next guest is not only passionate, but she finds herself drawn to music, so much so that it would probably hurt without it.
In this episode, I join Dee Ray in her house where we speak about the importance of recording your music as your personal history. We also talk about Dee’s strategy for engaging showgoers and fans, and enjoying the hands-on approach to books and letters.
If you liked this episode, please:
- Rate us on iTunes so more people can find the podcast,
- leave a comment,
- email me,
- follow me on Instagram,
- follow me on Twitter,
- or like Grrl on Grrl on Facebook.
Listen Here http://traffic.libsyn.com/grrlongrrl/GRRL014__Recording_for_posterity_and_engaging_fans_featuring_Dee_Ray.mp3
Download here. [~29 mins, 33MB]
Shownotes * [1:30] Not sure what to do next after her past rock bands + Cover songs: personal or not? + Going in a different musical direction from Dee Ray -> Pretty Boom -> Mr. and Mrs. Ford * [4:00] Putting your actual name on the project: personal, vulnerable + Moving away from Dee Ray to Pretty Boom turned it into a collaborative experience * [5:00] Remembering the very first time performing live + Taking the big step into music + “Letting loose” while singing + “You can’t learn it unless you do it.” * [6:30] Making mistakes while performing * [7:30] How the hell do you write music with other people? * [8:45] Mr. and Mrs. Ford – Red Velvet (live) * [11:45] Handwritten postcards to fans before shows + Another expression of their art + Self-promotion and personalization * [13:00] Adding value and something physical to the musical experience + Is music throwaway? Does it devalue the work? * [15:00] Record, record, record + Live performance is illusory. “You can’t nail it down unless you have the music in your hands.” + “If you don’t record, you don’t have tangible evidence of where you were at that time.” * [15:45] Pretty Boom – Long Way Round * [19:00] Talking up San Diego band G Burns Jug Band + Watching and hearing the vibrancy from their live show be translated to their recordings + Over-producing/recording same part over and over + Being let down by a band’s recording versus their live performances * [21:00] Music as a hobby or a job? (The answer is neither.) + “It’s more important than a hobby.” + Referring to music as a product + “How do you put a price on your emotions and your life?” * [23:00] Dee boosts my ego + Podcast giving her the chance to reflect on things she hasn’t thought about for awhile * [23:45] Dee Ray – “New York”
Where to Find Dee’s Music * Dee Ray – Right Now (CDBaby) * Dee Ray – Still Dreaming (CDBaby) * Pretty Boom – Self-titled album (CDBaby) * Mr. and Mrs. Ford Facebook (videos and news)
Other Notes & Thanks! Thank you to Dee Ray for welcoming me into her home!
Intro and outro music is “Get Up Got It” by Sullen Ray, off their album Blue Minor.
Mixing provided by Gary Hankins.
Audio hosting costs covered by Greg Guiliano of Wait Think Fast Productions.
And to all my friends who have been so supportive of this project, I love you!
Ali Coyle is a Los Angeles and Orange County based musician who has played in countless bands including Sullen Ray--who you'll recognize as our intro song, and her old main project This Time With Feeling. Currently, she plays in NOBLES and Glasz, but her main project is Strangers Inc, which she does with her writing and production partner Javan Slagle.
Ali joined me on Skype from Los Angeles, while we weathered the crazy storm that overtook southern California this past winter. We talk a lot about her current project Strangers Inc and why she's excited about going in a new direction musically, the music scene in Orange County compared to Los Angeles and San Diego--and sorry, I can't help shit talking LA some more, but I like being proven wrong as well-- and music collectives and collaborations.
Ali Coyle is a Los Angeles and Orange County based musician who has played in countless bands including Sullen Ray–who you’ll recognize as our intro song, and her old main project This Time With Feeling. Currently, she plays in NOBLES and Glasz, but her main project is Strangers Inc, which she does with her writing and production partner Javan Slagle.
Ali joined me on Skype from Los Angeles, while we weathered the crazy storm that overtook southern California this past winter. We talk a lot about her current project Strangers Inc and why she’s excited about going in a new direction musically, the music scene in Orange County compared to Los Angeles and San Diego–and sorry, I can’t help shit talking LA some more, but I like being proven wrong as well– and music collectives and collaborations.
Find Strangers Inc at their website or through their frequently updated Instagram account @strangersinc.
If you liked this episode, rate us on iTunes so more people can find the podcast. And as always, feel free to leave a comment, email me, follow me on Twitter, or like Grrl on Grrl on Facebook.
Listen Here http://traffic.libsyn.com/grrlongrrl/GRRL013__Musical_collectives_and_learning_from_playing_in_side_projects_featuring_Ali_Coyle_of_Strangers_Inc.mp3
Download here. [~30 mins, 59MB]
Shownotes * [1:30] Writing and playing in This Time With Feeling + Based in Orange County, great music community + Knowing when projects need to end + Transitioning to Los Angeles from Orange County * [2:30] Being a supporting member in a band versus being the front person * [3:30] Collaborating with long-time friend Javan Slagle to create Strangers Inc + “Secret sneak peek” on their Soundcloud: Uploaded as a way to show This Time With Feeling fans what direction the new project is going * [4:45] What made Ali go from indie pop to electronic? + Javan’s influence with synth and production + Using Ali’s guitar as a sample in the tracks + Dark and sexy, “moody and dark… a rainy night kind of mood.” * [6:15] Musical identity: being known as a bass player in Los Angeles when she doesn’t consider bass as her main instrument * [7:00] Kat Hamilton – Reminders + Official music video for Reminders + Facebook page for Kat Hamilton * [11:00] Does Orange County have a good music scene? + Small, tight-knit, genuine, and supportive + Wayfarer in Costa Mesa, Constellation Room in Santa Ana, Observatory in Santa Ana + “Do you miss Orange County?” * [12:45] After playing those same few venues over and over, where do you go from there if you want to grow? + Moving to LA vs. staying in Orange County + MAPS – collective of musicians that own a studio together (Instagram) - “That happens in LA as well, but you have to find it.” Ali references Laura of Psychic Love as an example of this in LA. * [14:25] Trying to convince Orange County band members to play in Los Angeles + Knowing the right spots to play + “It’s hard to break into… and find your pocket.” + San Diego as a friendly music scene? * [15:30] Psychic Love – Nancy (Soundcloud) * [19:00] Complementary and collaborative skills to create Strangers Inc with her writing partner Javan Slagle + Trusting each other + “Inc” allows Strangers Inc keep the project open-ended and maybe start bringing other people in. It doesn’t have to be all music. * [20:15] The songwriting process for Strangers Inc. + Using their upcoming single as an example of the process + Transformation, learning something new, and getting new ideas + “When you’re too comfortable with something, you get too comfortable.” Taking risks is important. (Call back to episode 10 with Miah Spring.) + Getting out of your comfort zone - Playing fast music (with three-part harmonies!) with NOBLES in Orange County, who will be releasing a live video on on YouTube soon * [24:30] Strangers Inc – Cyclone
Other Notes & Thanks! Thank you again to Ali Coyle for taking the time to Skype with me.
Special thanks to: Sullen Ray who graciously allows me to use their song “Get Up Got It” as the Grrl on Grrl podcast intro and outro–listen to and buy their album Blue Minor on Bandcamp and look out for the upcoming new album Outside the Color Wheel; Greg Guiliano for his financial support; and Gary Hankins for making the episode sound good.
And to all my friends who have been so supportive of this project, I love you!
Anastasia Rivera is vocalist and keyboardist for pop punk/emo band The Weak Days based in Richmond, Virginia. The band describes themselves as "sing-along indie punk/pop... whatever that means." And the name fits, I think, especially with their dual and dueling vocals.
Anastasia joins me over Skype. We talk a lot about being a girl in the DIY punk music scene in Richmond, battling hardcore kids (literally), and her strategy when it comes to avoiding uncomfortable situations at shows.
Anastasia Rivera is vocalist and keyboardist for pop punk/emo band The Weak Days based in Richmond, Virginia. The band describes themselves as “sing-along indie punk/pop… whatever that means.” And the name fits, I think, especially with their dual and dueling vocals.
Anastasia joins me over Skype. We talk a lot about being a girl in the DIY punk music scene in Richmond, battling hardcore kids (literally), and her strategy when it comes to avoiding uncomfortable situations at shows.
You can find The Weak Days on Bandcamp and Facebook, and if you’re on the east coast, you’ll be happy to learn that they play outside of Richmond. In fact, they’ll be doing a short tour this spring.
If you liked this episode, rate us on iTunes so more people can find the podcast. And as always, feel free to leave a comment, email me, follow me on Twitter, or like Grrl on Grrl on Facebook.
Listen Here http://traffic.libsyn.com/grrlongrrl/GRRL012_ft._Anastasia_Rivera_of_The_Weak_Days.mp3
Download here. [~26 mins, 31MB]
Shownotes * [1:00] DIY punk spaces in Richmond, Virginia + Strange Matter: safe venue + More bands means more houses to play in + More open than the hardcore scene * [2:45] Violence at shows vs. riot grrrl/inclusivity + “I had my septum ring punched out. I’m 90% sure that the guy got pissed off that I got purple lipstick on his sleeve.” * [4:00] The Weak Days – Year of the Gnar * [7:30] House venues, especially in Philadelphia + Seeing house shows fill to max capacity + “Let’s just throw shows whenever… and surprise, we’re your favorite band!” + Does San Diego have a space or audience for more house venues? Does gentrification have an affect + Call back to Emma’s episode about creating DIY spaces in San Diego * [9:00] All ages venues + Under-21 people missing cool shows only because of their age * [10:00] Padfoot – Make Way for the Hurt Kid * [14:00] Touring with guys + “The only thing that sucks about being a girl in the band… is being a girl in the band.” + Being put on a pedestal, glorified, or viewed at a higher standard — Damned if you do, damned if you don’t? * [16:30] Slingshot Dakota – Until the Day I Die + Pre-order their upcoming album Break at Top Shelf Records, in different formats * [21:00] Dealing with boys approaching her at shows + How do you respond to inappropriate/uncomfortable comments? + “Problems” with being sober: “I can’t go outside to smoke a cigarette to get out of a conversation.” + Comparisons to working in retail * [23:00] People disrespecting boundaries + During tour life, romance + Re-iterating the need for safe spaces * [23:30] Being in someone’s “favorite band” doesn’t excuse bad behavior + Speedy Ortiz’s sexual assault hotline at their shows + Here’s an interview about that hotline. - “It seems like people have identified a real need for it, and we’re happy that that need hasn’t yet translated into us having to take proactive measures to help someone. I think even just the idea of this existing makes people more inclined to look out for one another, and look out for one another’s safety.”
Other Notes & Thanks! Thank you again to Anastasia Rivera for joining me on Skype.
Special thanks to: Sullen Ray who graciously allows me to use their song “Get Up Got It” as the Grrl on Grrl podcast intro and outro–listen to and buy their album Blue Minor on Bandcamp and look out for the upcoming new album Outside the Color Wheel; Greg Guiliano for his financial support; and Gary Hankins for making the episode sound good.
And to all my friends who have been so supportive of this project, I love you!
For episode 11, Carrie Gillespie Feller invited me into her home for the interview. I have to admit, I would’ve stayed forever if only to cuddle with her cat some more…
This episode is especially exciting for me because we talk a lot about her new project, Hexa and her debut EP Bata Motel that came out only last week. Although the album was recorded with other musicians, her live performance is just her, with a keyboard, loop pedal, microphone, and drum pad. It’s really amazing watching her build layers and layers of sound and harmony… Honestly, it’s a great live experience.
Besides Hexa, Carrie has been in several San Diego bands, the two most recent being ILYA and Lunar Maps, which you’ll also get to hear during the course of the episode. Because of her experiences, we talk about the differences between playing solo versus in a band, and we also touch on creating physical products in an industry run by digital downloads.
For episode 11, Carrie Gillespie Feller invited me into her home for the interview. I have to admit, I would’ve stayed forever if only to cuddle with her cat some more…
This episode is especially exciting for me because we talk a lot about her new project, Hexa and her debut EP Bata Motel that came out only last week. Although the album was recorded with other musicians, her live performance is just her, with a keyboard, loop pedal, microphone, and drum pad. It’s really amazing watching her build layers and layers of sound and harmony… Honestly, it’s a great live experience.
Besides Hexa, Carrie has been in several San Diego bands, the two most recent being ILYA and Lunar Maps, which you’ll also get to hear during the course of the episode. Because of her experiences, we talk about the differences between playing solo versus in a band, and we also touch on creating physical products in an industry run by digital downloads.
If you liked this episode, rate us on iTunes so more people can find the podcast. And as always, feel free to leave a comment, email me, follow me on Twitter, or like Grrl on Grrl on Facebook.
Listen Here http://traffic.libsyn.com/grrlongrrl/GRRL011_ft_Carrie_Gillespie_Feller_of_Hexa.mp3
Download here. [41 mins, 47MB]
Shownotes * [1:00] Hexa, Carrie’s latest project + Finding a creative space + Inspiration for Hexa–moving to a new neighborhood and dealing with her living situation + Challenging herself with the solo project after years in bands * [3:00] Learning to play live as a solo artist + “Things can go very, very wrong.” * [4:00] Differences in songwriting in a solo project versus in bands + Learning to “scale back” lyrically * [6:30] A call back to the episodes featuring Lori and Paloma about extra scrutiny as a woman on stage + Being patronized at the music store + “How I look on stage” versus “the work I’ve put in as a songwriter and musician” * [8:30] Hexa – “Campo” from her new EP, Bata Motel * [12:30] The process of putting out her album + “This was definitely my most favorite recording experience I’ve ever had.” + Making a physical product to go with a download card + Using the skills of creative friends * [14:15] Releasing records independently + Making a “band family” + “You can kind of do everything you need to do…” + Having a supportive community even if you’re doing things on your own * [16:00] Pricing for album + Pay-what-you-want: Is it sustainable? + What are the pros and cons? Depends on your goal, where you are in your career * [18:00] Writing new material + Scaling back from her current songs + Being conscious of how she would perform the new songs live * [19:20] ILYA – “Gomez” * [27:45] Music as its own rewarding experience, not about “making it big” + “Music and writing… not as glamorous as I thought I’d be” (June) + Playing music because it feels good + Challenging yourself * [29:45] Songwriting process + Words first? Arrangement first? + Lyrical inspiration + Creating an impactful performance * [31:00] Haunted house as inspiration for Hexa (CityBeat article) + “I wouldn’t write songs [about it]… I’d get the hell out.” (June) + “I’m going to drive the ghosts out with these songs!” * [33:30] Lunar Maps – “Diamond Seas” * [39:30] Don’t forget, I’m still looking for contributors for the inaugural issue of the Grrl on Grrl zine! Shoot me an email if you’re interested in submitting.
Other Notes & Thanks! Thanks again to Carrie for letting me into her home–June says as creepily as possible–for the interview.
Special thanks to: Sullen Ray who graciously allows me to use their song “Get Up Got It” as the Grrl on Grrl podcast intro and outro–listen to and buy their album Blue Minor on Bandcamp and look out for the upcoming new album Outside the Color Wheel; Greg Guiliano for his financial support; and Gary Hankins for making the episode sound good.
And to all my friends who have been so supportive of this project, I love you!
The first time I met Miah Spring, she came up to me after a show and asked me to be on my podcast. Ah-wahh? Usually finding interviewees is like herding cats! But this is one cat that fell right into my lap purring.
Okay, enough cat analogies. In this episode, you’ll get to hear two songs performed by Miah live at a recent Flim Flam Revue show in San Diego in addition to a song she did in collaboration with Irate Productions. The song, “Sandy Still Speaks,” is about Sandra Bland, who was arrested in 2015 and died a few days later in jail. We’ll also talk about a feminist organization called Af3irm that Miah is involved in, creating music with and without friends, and supporting others when it comes to talking about sexual assault and rape.
I will be issuing a content warning midway through the interview for sexual assault. Please, please, PLEASE feel free to skip past that portion if you need to.
If you liked this episode, rate us on iTunes so more people can find the podcast. And as always, feel free to leave a comment, email me, follow me on Twitter, or like Grrl on Grrl on Facebook.
Listen Here http://traffic.libsyn.com/grrlongrrl/GRRL010_ft._Miah_Spring.mp3
Download here. [~42 mins, 39MB]
Shownotes * [2:00] Miah Spring with Irate Productions – Sandy Still Speaks + CNN article about Sandra Bland’s arrest and death * [6:45] Explanation on Af3irm, self-described as “militant feminist organization” + “Sex-negative” feminism (also known as “anti-porn” feminism, although it is not all about pornography) + Women’s experience in the global context + “Prostitution as the oldest form of oppression and legalized rape.” + Note: I will be writing a blog post about the differences between sex-positive and anti-porn feminism soon. * [10:00] Is all prostitution legalized rape? + Using Amsterdam as an example + “It’s not as glamorous as it sounds.” + Harm reduction; criminalizing johns and pimps, not the women * [11:45] Sex worker co-op or unionization? * [12:45] Miah Spring – Lovely (live) * [17:30] Different types of musicianship and songwriting + Writing lyrics/having a story vs. technically good musicians * [19:45] TRIGGER/CONTENT WARNING FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT + Writing and performing songs about my (June’s) sexual assault - June: “Why am I playing this for people? Do people care? And if they care, do they really want to get that close to me? It’s not something that comes up in a conversation.” - Jung quote: “Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.” + [23:00] “Why are being such a downer?” – Anxiety over rejection when talking about sexual assault - Why aren’t there more voices speaking out about their experiences with sexual assault and rape? - Examples of songs referencing these issues, including “Gratitude” by Ani DiFranco - “There are women who can tell those stories… I don’t want to make you feel silenced.” * [27:00] PODCAST UPDATES! + Gloomsday’s new album “Worst Coast Scenario” + Upcoming blog posts about feminist issues + Call for submissions: I’m looking for bloggers, artists, poets, writers, and other creative peeps to submit to the upcoming Grrl on Grrl collaborative zine. For now, the plan is to have interview transcripts, poetry, how-to’s, and articles targeting feminist women and non-binary folks. Please email me at grrlongrrlpodcast@gmail.com for more details. * [28:00] Learning music through collaboration rather than teaching yourself + “Oh, that’s how it works!” + Working on music in a bubble vs. working with other musicians + “Getting better [in music] is not a destination.” * [31:00] Do you need classical training to be a good musician or songwriting? + Simplicity versus technicality + Connections between songwriter and audience * [34:00] “The process of writing for me is kind of like a grab bag.” * [35:45] Miah Spring – “Anomie” aka “Sweet Preserves” (live) * [40:00] Miah Spring’s Soundcloud
Other Notes & Thanks! Thank you again to Miah Spring for interviewing with me and talking about some tough topics.
Special thanks to: Sullen Ray who graciously allows me to use their song “Get Up Got It” as the Grrl on Grrl podcast intro and outro–listen to and buy their album Blue Minor on Bandcamp and look out for the upcoming new album Outside the Color Wheel; Greg Guiliano for his financial support; and Gary Hankins for making the episode sound good.
And to all my friends who have been so supportive of this project, I love you!
The first time I met Miah Spring, she came up to me after a show and asked me to be on my podcast. Ah-wahh? Usually finding interviewees is like herding cats! But this is one cat that fell right into my lap purring.
Okay, enough cat analogies. In this episode, you'll get to hear two songs performed by Miah live at a recent Flim Flam Revue show in San Diego in addition to a song she did in collaboration with Irate Productions. The song, "Sandy Still Speaks," is about Sandra Bland, who was arrested in 2015 and died a few years later in jail. We'll also talk about a feminist organization called Af3irm that Miah is involved in, creating music with and without friends, and supporting others when it comes to talking about sexual assault and rape.
I will be issuing a content warning midway through the interview for sexual assault. Please, please, PLEASE feel free to skip past that portion if you need to.
Aaaaannnnddd I’m back from our holiday hiatus–it was a little longer than I had anticipated, but, you know, LIFE just has to get in the way. But I’m very excited to share with you an interview that had been in the works since July. In fact, I even mentioned Emma in episode #5.
Emma Grrrl is a trans musician who I contacted when she was still living in Portland. To make things more complicated for the interview process, she decided to pack up her car to play shows across the country. Now she’s back in San Diego, ready to settle down… maybe.
In this episode, we talk about her project She/Her/Hers and the importance of making music accessible to all ages (not just the 21+ crowd). Plus you’ll get to hear some great artists from around the country.
Emma encourages folks to friend her on her personal Facebook.
And please, if you liked this episode, rate us on iTunes. And as always, feel free to leave a comment, email me, follow me on Twitter, or like us on Facebook.
Listen Here http://traffic.libsyn.com/grrlongrrl/GRRL009_ft._Emma_Grrrl_of_She_Her_Hers.mp3
Download the episode. [~31 mins, 36MB]
Shownotes * [1:30] Writing songs about gender and growing from that * [3:00] Pros and cons of touring * [5:00] She/Her/Hers – Sweaters in Summer + Inspiration for her song: Sledding with Tigers – “Not So Body Posi After All” * [7:30] Discussion of a Screaming Females interview and creating a community of musicians that help each other + Do we have a foundation for this kind of community in San Diego and around the country? + Financial concerns + From the interview: “But I think an artists and musicians run network would be a powerful thing, where it was more focused on a collaborative industry where you don’t have promoters and booking agents competing against each other, but rather have people who are also musicians running shows, owning clubs, running collective ventures like music stores and record stores.” * [12:15] Ludlow – “Nacho Job” * [14:30] Why is creating a musical environment for an all ages audience important? + Lack of accessibility for minors who want to play music and go on tour + “I’m saying a lot of the things that I wish someone had said to me when I was that age.” * [18:30] Marissa. – Set in Stone + A previous project: Days in Daze * [20:30] Creating a safe space and inclusive scene at the Che Cafe + “The Space Jam show” is in reference to Sledding with Tigers’ release show for their album “Come on and Slam” all about the movie Space Jam + Gym Standard on Instagram * [22:00] Playing an intimate show and creating a conversation with the audience + Paying attention and being respectful * [23:00] Portland music scene + “Portland is really queer.” + Can we create a trans and queer space in the San Diego music scene? * [25:00] Porchcat – “Bedroom Artist” + Writing about “invisible” issues like ableism and mental health * [28:30] Add Emma Grrrl on her personal Facebook * [30:00] Is your music scene inclusive? How can we, as musicians, create a supportive scene? Shoot me an email or post a comment with your thoughts!
Other Notes & Thanks! Thank you to all the artists who gave me permission to play their songs and to Emma for taking the time to speak with me in my cramped bedroom “studio.”
Special thanks to: Sullen Ray who graciously allows me to use their song “Get Up Got It” as the Grrl on Grrl podcast intro and outro–listen to and buy their album Blue Minor on Bandcamp and look out for the upcoming new album Outside the Color Wheel; Greg Guiliano for his financial support; and Gary Hankins for making the episode sound good.
And to all my friends who have been so supportive of this project, I love you!
Emma Grrrl is a trans musician who I contacted when she was still living in Portland. To make things more complicated for the interview process, she decided to pack up her car to play shows across the country. Now she's back in San Diego, ready to settle down... maybe.
In this episode, we talk about her project She/Her/Hers and the importance of making music accessible to all ages (not just the 21+ crowd). Plus you'll get to hear some great artists from around the country.
Grrl on Grrl is back with episode 8, featuring San Diego musician Lauren DeRose. We talk a lot about feminism, identity, and labels, along with the usual music topics about community and different goals for different musicians. Lauren also picked a few great songs for you to listen to, so I hope you enjoy!
Grrl on Grrl will be back on January 10, 2016.
What do you guys think about the size of this and the last episode? I’m trying to tighten up the editing of the interviews so they are more manageable, especially for those of you listening on your commute! Please let me know what you think!
And please, if you liked this episode, rate us on iTunes. And as always, feel free to leave a comment, email me, follow me on Twitter, or like us on Facebook.
Listen Here http://traffic.libsyn.com/grrlongrrl/GRRL008_ft._Lauren_DeRose.mp3
Download here. [~38min, 46MB]
Shownotes * [1:15] Lauren talks about herself and her solo project, LDR * [4:20] Changing musical goals as she grows + “You have to be selfish” if you want to get things done in music. Or say fuck it and do it for fun. * [8:00] Changes in the San Diego music scene before and after. Lauren’s take? “The community has changed for the better.” * [9:45] Sleeping Ghosts – Colors in Eyes * [13:45] Being a “lesbian with a guitar” before being just a musician + Not allowing others to take your ability to be yourself or create the music you want to * [18:30] Gloomsday – Vacation * [22:50] Women cutting down other women… don’t do it! + Socialized femininity, self-esteem issues, and not being taken seriously for being pretty * [24:20] Objectification of women in the media + June bitches about Mother Earth Brewing’s advertising + We bitch about gendered beer choices * [26:04] “When you see injustices, it’s your duty to tell them what’s up.” + Combating (white/male/etc) privilege, being viewed as “sensitive” * [27:00] Short updates on previous guests: Bakkuda‘s recent show and Fun While You Wait‘s new website * [28:00] June’s pet peeve: When people pick apart her ideas and privileges without picking apart their own privilege + We’re all learning and none of us are perfect. * [30:00] “What’s a good feminist?” + Feminism busting down gender expectations for both men and women + Hypermasculinity + Under-diagnosis of depression and mental illness in men * [32:25] MC Flow – Incredible + Keep an eye out for her upcoming Hannukah song release!
Other Notes & Thanks! Thank you to all the artists who gave me permission to play their songs and to Lauren for taking the time to speak with me.
Special thanks to: Sullen Ray who graciously allows me to use their song “Get Up Got It” as the Grrl on Grrl podcast intro and outro–listen to and buy their album Blue Minor on Bandcamp; Greg Guiliano for his financial support; and Gary Hankins for making the episode sound good.
And to all my friends who have been so supportive of this project, I love you!
Grrl on Grrl is back with episode 8, featuring San Diego musician Lauren DeRose. We talk a lot about feminism, identity, and labels, along with the usual music topics about community and different goals for different musicians. Lauren also picked a few great songs for you to listen to, so I hope you enjoy!
Los Angeles band Blackberry Tongues traveled to San Diego this past summer where they proceeded to blow my mind with their ethereal music. From that night, I kept in contact with Lauren and I finally got the chance to interview her! In this episode, she teaches me what microtonal music is, the supportive and unique art and music scene in Los Angeles, and we play some positively different music than what has been on the podcast before.
We also discuss whether it's better for a band or artist to play more often or occasionally in their local music scene. What do you think? Do you risk oversaturating or tiring out your fans? Or will they lose interest if you don't play often? Leave a comment and tell us what you think!
Los Angeles band Blackberry Tongues traveled to San Diego this past summer where they proceeded to blow my mind with their ethereal music. From that night, I kept in contact with Lauren and I finally got the chance to interview her! In this episode, she teaches me what microtonal music is, the supportive and unique art and music scene in Los Angeles, and we play some positively different music than what has been on the podcast before.
We also discuss whether it’s better for a band or artist to play more often or occasionally in their local music scene. What do you think? Do you risk oversaturating or tiring out your fans? Or will they lose interest if you don’t play often? Leave a comment and tell us what you think!
You can buy Blackberry Tongues’ album We Are Open Mouths and follow them on Instagram.
And please, if you liked this episode, rate us on iTunes. And as always, feel free to leave a comment, email me, follow me on Twitter, or like us on Facebook.
Listen Here http://traffic.libsyn.com/grrlongrrl/GRRL007_ft_Lauren_Davis_of_Blackberry_Tongues.mp3
Download here. [~41 mins, 50MB]
Shownotes * [1:30] Blackberry Tongues “Circular” * [10:30] Considering the length of their songs with seemingly different musical “movements”, what is their songwriting process like? How do they create cohesion? * [15:15] Lauren talks about another project she’s involved in called Ilevens, which she describes as dancey microtonal music. June also learns what microtonal means. * [18:45] Odeya Nini “Tunnels” * [24:00] Lauren explaining why she picked Odeya Nini to feature * [26:00] Lauren explains Madeline Spooner and appreciating “niche and unusual music” that can still be marketable + We digress a bit into Dirty Projectors. “People need to be warmed up.” * [29:00] June goes off about pop punk dialects, as described in this article about Blink-182 * [31:00] Madeline Spooner “Simple as Lavender” (Facebook) * [34:00] Recording a demo to send to record labels * [36:00] What’s the Los Angeles music scene like? + Hopscotch opera: an opera that takes place in CARS. “Shit like THAT is going on LA.”
Other Notes & Thanks! Thank you to all the artists who gave me permission to play their songs and to Lauren for taking the time to speak with me.
Special thanks to: Sullen Ray who graciously allows me to use their song “Get Up Got It” as the Grrl on Grrl podcast intro and outro–listen to and buy their album Blue Minor on Bandcamp and look out for the upcoming new album Outside the Color Wheel; Greg Guiliano for his financial support; and Gary Hankins for making the episode sound good.
And to all my friends who have been so supportive of this project, I love you!
For the latest episode, San Diego singer-songwriter Erin Bower sat with me in my bedroom where we indulged in sake and chatted about our insecurities and tips on playing live. This episode is especially unique because we tried a different format. Instead of featuring songs from other artists, I got a chance to record Erin’s live set at local bar and venue Sycamore Den, so you’ll be getting to hear a few of her songs interspersed throughout the interview.
If you can’t get enough of Erin, you can travel to her Bandcamp to listen to some older songs.
And please, if you liked this episode, rate us on iTunes. And as always, feel free to leave a comment, email me, follow me on Twitter, or like us on Facebook.
Listen Here (Episode temporarily unavailable due to edits. Thanks!)
Shownotes * [3:00] The process of writing lyrics and the insecurities that come with it * [5:45] Erin’s live set: “I Have a Lover” * [9:00] Erin’s live set: an old standard, “Make me Down a Pallet on Your Floor” * [12:30] Bad Behaviors – Erin’s demo EP, 4 songs + Focusing on psychology, self-reflection, and mental health * [15:00] Challenging ourselves and practicing self-discipline – “the shitty songs are inside me” + Erin wrote 26 songs in 26 weeks, inspired by Geoff Gouveia + June wrote 29 minutes of material for NaSoAlMo + Ira Glass quote: “For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you.” * [20:30] Going back to old songs and deciding if she likes them + Recording one of her 26/26 songs at Rarefied Recording * [22:30] Her old band Soda Pants * [27:30] Erin’s live set: Electric Blood * [30:45] Playing in a band vs. playing solo * [34:30] Tips for playing live * [37:15] Erin’s live set: “Enough” * [42:00] Three favorite San Diego musicians + Creature and the Woods - Shelby as Erin’s vocal teacher - “If I go to a show, I can’t hold back.” + Al Howard + Mike Pope/Danica Molenaar (also playing with Erin in a newly minted band called Holy!) * [44:30] Do vocal lessons help? * [48:00] Erin’s live set: “Grateful”
Other Notes & Thanks! Thank you to all the artists who gave me permission to play their songs and to Lori.
Special thanks to: Sullen Ray who graciously allows me to use their song “Get Up Got It” as the Grrl on Grrl podcast intro and outro–listen to and buy their album Blue Minor on Bandcamp; Greg Guiliano for his financial support; and Gary Hankins for making the episode sound good.
And to all my friends who have been so supportive of this project, I love you!
For the latest episode, San Diego singer-songwriter Erin Bower sat with me in my bedroom where we indulged in sake and chatted about our insecurities and tips on playing live. This episode is especially unique because we tried a different format. Instead of featuring songs from other artists, I got a chance to record Erin's live set at local bar and venue Sycamore Den, so you'll be getting to hear a few of her songs interspersed throughout the interview.
For episode 5, Lori and I got together in her living room to chat about the history of her earlier bands, being a woman on stage and being extra scrutinized because of it, and other topics about women in the music industry.
She's a badass drummer for the two-piece band Gloomsday that she plays in with her boyfriend Justin and has always played bass and guitar in several other bands including Ladyparts and the Rosalyns--the latter got to play with The Julie Ruin and other rad women musicians at the Orange County festival Burger-a-go-go.
For episode 5, Lori and I got together in her living room to chat about the history of her earlier bands, being a woman on stage and being extra scrutinized because of it, and other topics about women in the music industry.
She’s a badass drummer for the two-piece band Gloomsday that she plays in with her boyfriend Justin and has always played bass and guitar in several other bands including Ladyparts and the Rosalyns–the latter got to play with The Julie Ruin and other rad women musicians at the Orange County festival Burger-a-go-go.
You can follow Gloomsday on Facebook and listen to some of their tracks on their Bandcamp.
If you liked this episode, please rate us on iTunes. And as always, feel free to leave a comment, email me, follow me on Twitter, or like us on Facebook.
Listen Here http://traffic.libsyn.com/grrlongrrl/GRRL005_ft._Lori_of_Gloomsday.mp3
Download here [~60mins, ~58MB]
Shownotes * [3:30] Burger-a-go-go is a woman oriented music festival put on by Burger Records in Orange County, California. This year, the headliners were The Julie Ruin, Cat Power, and Kate Nash. AND Lori’s band The Rosalyns played as well! * [13:30] Fleetwood Mac controversy: Are you afraid you’ll get into the same situation? * [17:30] Flaggs – “Cheap Life” * [22:30] What the fuck is Shoegaze? * [27:30] A sneak peek into future guest Emma of She/Her/Hers * [30:00] Lori’s experiences as a woman on stage and finding musical role models when growing up * [37:00] Sexualization of women in pop music * [40:00] JJCNV – “Monsoon Years” * [45:00] A frustrating story from the end of the most recent Gloomsday tour * [48:00] News about a previous band Ladyparts, an all-woman punk band * [52:00] Wild Honey – “Stoned”
Other Notes & Thanks! Thank you to all the artists who gave me permission to play their songs and to Lori.
Special thanks to: Sullen Ray who graciously allows me to use their song “Get Up Got It” as the Grrl on Grrl podcast intro and outro–listen to and buy their album Blue Minor on Bandcamp; Greg Guiliano for his financial support; and Gary Hankins for filling in for Lety Beers–who is going on a European tour with her band The Little Richards–and doing a way more awesome job than I could have done.
And to all my friends who have been so supportive of this project, I love you!
Alex Capella of Bakkuda joins me for Grrl on Grrl’s fourth episode! Bakkuda is a solo synth project, self-produced right from her bedroom.
We talk about how her music is a full-time job, taking music classes (both good and bad), and the trendiness of vinyl and cassette.
You can check out the Bakkuda website for links to all her social media, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Personally, I follow her Twitter and Instagram, both of which are a mix of personal and project news. I highly recommend following her!
If you liked this episode, please rate us on iTunes. And as always, feel free to leave a comment, email me, follow me on Twitter, or like us on Facebook.
I hope you enjoy, and thanks for listening!
Listen Here http://traffic.libsyn.com/grrlongrrl/GRRL004_ft._Alex_Capella_of_Bakkuda.mp3
Download Grrl on Grrl episode four [~52MB 54 mins]
Show Notes * [2:00] The meaning behind the name Bakkuda * [4:00] The timeline between her EP releases and the balance of making music and promoting it * [7:00] Bakkuda – Skills * [15:50] Music as a full-time job * [18:00] Is there a physical release coming soon? And “boring” music business stuff. + Is vinyl and cassette just a trend? * [20:00] Netta – Momma Knows Best + Video on YouTube + Soundcloud vs. Bandcamp * [27:30] Learning music production + Dealing with bad teachers * [34:30] I go into a tangent about San Diego band Fistfights with Wolves * [35:30] Purity Ring – Sea Castle * [40:00] Seeing more women musicians self-producing/doing-it-themselves * [42:00] Musical inspiration: Lorde, FKA Twigs, Kanye West * [45:00] Holiday Mountain – My Body + Body positive message + Energetic live show and great stage presence
Other Notes & Thanks! Thank you to all the artists who gave me permission to play their songs and to Alex for agreeing to be uncomfortable in a stool and hot bedroom.
Special thanks to: Sullen Ray who graciously allows me to use their song “Get Up Got It” as the Grrl on Grrl podcast intro and outro–listen to and buy their album Blue Minor on Bandcamp; Greg Guiliano for his financial support; and Gary Hankins for filling in for Lety Beers–who is going on a European tour with her band The Little Richards–and doing a way more awesome job than I could have done.
And to all my friends who have been so supportive of this project, I love you!
Alex Capella of Bakkuda joins me for Grrl on Grrl's fourth episode! Bakkuda is a solo synth project, self-produced right from her bedroom.
We talk about how her music is a full-time job, taking music classes (both good and bad), and the trendiness of vinyl and cassette.
About the Episode For episode 3, Nina of the bicoastal punk band My Own Confusion joined me over Skype to talk about the perils of gentrification, the difficulty of promoting shows in New York City, and whitewashing in the media.
Thank you all in advance for sticking through some of the spotty sections of the interview. Unfortunately, a poor Internet connection on either or both ends of a Skype call definitely creates some turbulence throughout the episode! I tried to clear it up as best as possible before sending the audio over to Lety, so… what I’m trying to say is, blame her if it still sounds bad. (Lety, I love you and thank you!)
You can check out My Own Confusion on their Facebook, Tumblr, and listen to three of their tracks on Bandcamp.
If you liked this episode, please rate us on iTunes. And as always, feel free to leave a comment, email me, follow me on Twitter, or like us on Facebook.
I hope you enjoy, and thanks for listening!
Listen Here http://traffic.libsyn.com/grrlongrrl/GRRL003_ft_Nina_Herrera_Merkur_of_My_Own_Confusion.mp3
Download the podcast [~55MB 57 mins]
Show Notes * [2:10] Songwriting process * [3:50] My Own Confusion – “Truth Be Told” (Bandcamp) * [8:15] Sub/Mission in San Francisco * [9:00] Nina’s involvement in the Queens music scene and learning about bands + Taking Back Queens + Suburban Decay Records * [9:40] Tall Boys – A defunct band of tall boys playing music + Their song “Doing Magic Mushrooms at Cracker Barrel” on Bandcamp * [11:30] Is it true that the NYC music scene is unsupportive of each other? * [13:25] The logistics of having two bands for the same project * [15:25] Our thoughts on Pay-to-play (tl;dr It’s bullshit) * [22:00] Month-related names and Japanese onomatopoeia * [27:40] Freya Wilcox & The Howl – “Bury Me” (Bandcamp) * [38:00] Making snacks in a hot car * [39:40] Gentrification in San Francisco and New York * [41:45] White washing in the media, including Avatar: The Last Airbender + Racebending.com * [44:45] “Hard to find yourself in the media” as Asian Americans and Latinas * [50:00] The beauty of The Room and Rocky Horror Picture Show * [51:30] Cutters – “Young Gods” (Bandcamp)
Other Notes & Thanks! Thank you to all the artists who gave me permission to play their songs and to Nina for joining me early on in the recording process. (She was guest #2, although I decided to release her interview third.)
Special thanks to: Sullen Ray who graciously allows me to use their song “Get Up Got It” as the Grrl on Grrl podcast intro and outro–listen to and buy their album Blue Minor on Bandcamp; Greg Guiliano for his financial support; and Lety Beers for her help with audio editing and knowledge.
And to all my friends who have been so supportive of this project, I love you!
For episode 3, Nina of the bicoastal punk band My Own Confusion joined me over Skype to talk about the perils of gentrification, the difficulty of promoting shows in New York City, and whitewashing in the media.
Thank you all in advance for sticking through some of the spotty sections of the interview. Unfortunately, a poor Internet connection on either or both ends of a Skype call definitely creates some turbulence throughout the episode!
About the Episode Paloma Ceballos writes, sings, and plays guitar for San Diego punk band Cochinas Locas. The trio of girls have been described as “unexpectedly good” (you’ll hear more about that in the interview). With an energetic set and sassy attitude, their shows are always lively. In this episode, Paloma and I talk about our respective mothers’ expectations of what good girls grow up to be, learning the necessary art of schmoozing and social media… and… slut rock?
You can check out Cochinas Locas on their Facebook. You can also watch live footage on YouTube to get a better idea of their face-blowing-off sound.
If you liked this episode, please rate us on iTunes. And as always, feel free to leave a comment, email me, follow me on Twitter, or like us on Facebook.
I hope you enjoy, and thanks for listening!
Listen Here http://traffic.libsyn.com/grrlongrrl/GRRL002_ft._Paloma_Ceballos_of_Cochinas_Locas.mp3
Download the podcast [~48MB 53 mins]
Show Notes * [1:40] The meaning and sound behind “Cochinas Locas” * [3:45] Women supporting each other and themselves, in addition to support from fans, friends and family * [6:00] A show at Tower Bar with all women (except one guy) in the bands: Wild Honey, Is/Is, Gloomsday + Gushing about Lori from Gloomsday, a multi-talented musician * Paloma’s Instagram @dazlicious: You’ll want to follow this for pics of eating pizza in underwear and general sassy attitude. * [14:15] Teenage Burrito – “No Reward” (Soundcloud) * [16:40] Combating being stuck in a “tiny little world” by using social media, meeting new musicians * [19:40] Hey Alvaro! Paloma would like to make you hers. (Listen to some of Piñata Protest’s songs here.) * [21:00] “Do it yourself” patch on Cochinas Locas vests and having matching band tattoos and clothes * [26:00] The difference between guys and gals when it comes to schmoozing and talking up your music * [28:00] Dedication to music, with Paloma’s dad as an example * [33:40] The Loons – “Miss Clara Regrets” (Live video on YouTube) * [39:00] “Raw” music and vocals, using Billie Holiday and Janis Joplin as examples; the acceptability of expressing emotion * [43:00] “Slut rock” and Paloma’s and my differences in viewing the term “slut” * [46:30] The Lumps – “Wake Up” (Bandcamp) * [49:00] Keeping old band shirts “just in case” * [50:45] Body positive inspiration: Tess Holliday (formerly Tess Munster) is a plus-size model who rocks it. Here’s her Instagram.
Other Notes & Thanks! Thank you to all the artists who gave me permission to play their songs and to Paloma for agreeing to come into a hot bedroom to record.
Special thanks to: Sullen Ray who graciously allows me to use their song “Get Up Got It” as the Grrl on Grrl podcast intro and outro–listen to and buy their album Blue Minor on Bandcamp; Greg Guiliano for his financial support; and Lety Beers for her help with audio editing and knowledge.
And to all my friends who have been so supportive of this project, I love you!
Paloma Ceballos writes, sings, and plays guitar for San Diego punk band Cochinas Locas. The trio of girls have been described as "unexpectedly good" (you'll hear more about that in the interview). With an energetic set and sassy attitude, their shows are always lively. In this episode, Paloma and I talk about our respective mothers' expectations of what good girls grow up to be, learning the necessary art of schmoozing and social media... and... slut rock?
Devon Moore sings and plays ukulele for Fun While You Wait, a three-piece out of New Jersey. In our premiere episode, we nerd out about ukuleles, gush excessively about Devon's song picks, and discuss earthquakes and the New Jersey music community.
About the Episode Devon Moore sings and plays ukulele for Fun While You Wait, a three-piece out of New Jersey. In our premiere episode, we nerd out about ukuleles, gush excessively about Devon’s song picks, and discuss earthquakes and the New Jersey music community.
You can check out Fun While You Wait on their Bandcamp, Twitter, and Facebook.
If you liked the episode, please subscribe to the podcast via RSS or iTunes, leave a comment, email me, follow me on Twitter, or like us on Facebook. I hope you enjoy, and thanks for listening!
Listen Here http://traffic.libsyn.com/grrlongrrl/GRRL001_ft._Devon_Moore_of_Fun_While_You_Wait.mp3
Download the podcast [~46MB, 50 minutes]
Show Notes * [1:00] The short history of Fun While You Wait (“I didn’t realize you guys had only been around for a year!”) + Live performance of “Mountain Song” at Trevboozle * [6:30] /r/ukulele and realizing I’ve seen Devon’s videos before * [9:30] Fun While You Wait – “Mountain Song” (Bandcamp) * [13:30] Songwriting process and collaboration * [17:15] Ukulele propaganda: We talk about how we started playing the ukulele * [20:00] Supportive New Jersey music scene (including basement shows!) and why Devon chose local musicians for her song picks * [25:45] Centennials – “Oh My Molly” (Bandcamp) + Comments on the Centennials song was about the demo, not the re-mastered version played in the podcast. + Stay tuned for the official release of their re-mastered songs! + Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a video of acoustic Centennials set! But here, you can watch Devon covering Streetlight Manifesto instead. * [33:45] Ukulele propaganda part 2: Coming from a musical family and picking up the ukulele (so easy! so accessible!) * [37:45] Just a little bit of gushing about Cachabacha * [39:30] Cachabacha – “Pulmoncito” (Bandcamp) * [45:10] Digressing into whether I should cuss on the podcast or not and how difficult it is to keep a clean mouth around kids * [49:10] Side project: Relms
Other Notes & Thanks! Thank you to all the artists who gave me permission to play their songs on Grrl on Grrl and to Greg of Wait Think Fast for helping get this podcast off the ground.
Special thanks to Sullen Ray who graciously allows me to use their song “Get Up Got It” as the Grrl on Grrl podcast intro and outro. Listen to and buy their album Blue Minor on Bandcamp.
And to all my friends who have been so supportive of this project, I love you!