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.
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!)
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.
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!
[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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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’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.
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.
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.
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.
“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.
[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!
