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Jenny Owen Youngs: A mobile museum of delightful chords and bangs
Not too long ago we featured a blurb about talented artist Jenny Owen Youngs and her cover of “Call Me Maybe,” but of course there’s much more to her than her riveting song covers. Born and raised in the woods of New Jersey (yes, contrary to popular belief there is more to the state than Jersey Shore), Youngs’s soft yet commanding voice has taken her through two albums and three EPs since 2005.
Her most recent endeavor EXHIBIT is a “song project with a simple premise: Every Tuesday for 8 weeks I will spend time in a New York City museum. Within one week’s time, I will compose and record a song inspired by the visit.” A stunning intermingling of fine art and melodic vision, this new project (“War Horse” I find especially entrancing) is the perfect example of what we are encouraging at Girls Rock SB!: all beautiful, worthwhile things can be made more beautiful by our seeing, enjoying, and promoting them. Please enjoy this interview with the hilarious and unstoppable force that is Jenny Owen Youngs, and don’t hesitate to stop by her page to check out EXHIBIT and send her some love! We are so lucky to have artists like her rooting on GRSB!’s cause.
1. I first started following your YouTube channel a little over a year ago, when my girlfriend sat me down and showed me your “Hot in Herre” video. Obviously the cover is genius and we can talk about that if you like, but first I have to know: do you see anymore Nelly covers in your future? Perhaps a little “Country Grammar”?
I don’t think I have anything else to add to the great American canon of Nelly interpretations. But I did have a good time with that one!
2. What is your first memory of playing an instrument or singing? At the ripe age of three or four years old, do you remember thinking, “Yeah, I could do this for a living”?
My earliest memory of singing: I was probably 8 years old, it was summertime, I was running around my yard singing at the top of my lungs… I was belting an original composition, something about our family dog Beechnut, though in the song I think I referred to her as “Space Dog.”
3. Is anyone else in your family musically inclined?
Nope. But they’re very supportive!
4. Do you remember the first song or performer you really connected with? How did you feel, if you recall?
My parents used to have a turntable in our dining room, and tons of Beatles and Liza Minnelli LPs. The first time the needle dropped on “Eleanor Rigby” from Revolver was also the first time I ever NEEDED to replay a song I’d just heard. I listened to “Eleanor Rigby” probably ten times in a row right then, before I could listen to the rest of the album.
5. Where would you most like to perform, formal venue or otherwise?
Red Rocks!!
6. Along those same lines, for whom would you most like to open? Or better yet, who would you most like to open for you?
Supporting a modern classic like Jack White, or an enduring classic like Tom Waits, would be a dream.
7. People tend to compare musicians to other musicians; is there someone that people are always comparing you to? Do you love it or hate it?
I have been compared to a range of artists – some who I treasure, some whose work does not move me. I think as people, we use comparisons to organize our minds and to communicate effectively to others (a la “Have you heard this band? They are kind of like that band you like, and that other band you like, so you might like them.”) We all want to feel like individuals, so at times comparisons (especially to those artists we may not expressly adore) can bruise the ego. But they are necessary, so be it!
8. Where is your favorite place to play music? I personally can’t write or paint unless I’m alone in my underwear, but I know all artists are different.
In a cabin in the woods. Any cabin & any woods will do.
9. What hidden talents do you have, besides of course transforming “Call Me Maybe” into a heart-wrenching masterpiece?
I learned to juggle, for a Renaissance-era adaptation of The Wizard of Oz – I played the Scarecrow (or in the case of this imagining, the Jester). Sooo I can probably still juggle. I have changed many flat tires in my day – not as flashy as juggling, but far more useful. And I can play “Stairway To Heaven” behind my head.
10. Besides music, what else do you enjoy? Sushi, Teen Mom, Yoga?
I read quite a bit. Right now I’m way into Karen Russell (St. Lucy’s Home For Girls Raised By Wolves; Swamplandia), Raymond Carver, and Flannery O’Connor. I guess I’ve recently come to really appreciate the short story as a form. I like to bowl and to play racquetball when the opportunities present themselves. I make a lot of breakfast (once a day, anyway). Sushi is delicious! Yoga is something I have been eyeing warily for some time now… I’m hoping to finally take the plunge sometime over the summer.
11. What or who motivated you to become a professional musician?
I’m still really not sure how this happened.
12. What songs are on repeat on your iPod right now?
Kate Bush: “Hounds of Love”
Miranda Lambert: “Mama’s Broken Heart”
The Band: “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down”
Nina Simone: “Go To Hell”
Gregory & the Hawk: “Blue Ribbon Waltz”
13. Where do you look for inspiration if/when you’re just not feeling it some days?
Museums (see: Exhibit series:http://jennyowenyoungs.
Books. Cemeteries. Movies. And of course… records.
14. What musical influences did you grow up with, and did you drive your parents crazy blasting them on your boom-box all day and night?
It started with The Beatles, The Beach Boys, and oldies radio. I moved on to Nirvana and The Cranberries in junior high and high school, then on to Sleater-Kinney and Elliott Smith after that. I have no memories of my parents ever telling me to “turn that dang rock n roll music down”… they even endured a whole lot of band practices in our basement all through high school. Like I said, they were supportive (and possibly deaf).
15. To whom did you sell your soul to get your bangs to sit so perfectly all the time?
Satan. Wait, is anyone else buying? Maybe I should have shopped around.
16. What has been the biggest challenge for you as a musician? How did you, or how do you plan to, overcome it?
The hardest part for me is remembering that business should always come second and music should always come first. It’s a daily battle. Antidotes: Listening to the records that totally destroy me. Playing guitar. Finishing a song.
17. What would you say to a young girl just starting out as a musician?
YOU GOT THIS! Also (per Neil Gaiman): Make good art. *high five*
18. What can we expect from you in the future?
More talk AND more rock, probably. More records, more museum-based songs in the Exhibit series, maybe some collaborative side projects…
19. Where can we send you love letters and/or Nelly-cover requests?
Physically: Jenny Owen Youngs / PO Box 353 / Dingmans Ferry PA 18328
Digitally: @jennyowenyoungs or jennyowenyoungs.tumblr.com/
And now for a recent video of Jenny performing original song “Pirates,” because we cannot, and should not have to, get enough:
Kate Graves: An Inspiration in Music and in Life
Welcome Kate Graves. An amazing singer-songwriter whose passion for music has lifted her spirits and allowed her to find solace, peace, and creativity in this world. Her music is touching and inspiring, and with her album coming out this summer, she’s definitely looking forward to the world’s hearing what she has to offer. We can’t wait for her performance at our benefit concert, Requisition (February 23rd), and for young girls to be inspired by her talent, lyrics, and creativity. Enjoy our interview 
GR: How old were you when you first started to sing/to play music?
KG: I learned to sing in a tiny classroom at the santa barbara middle school, with fifteen other kids gathered around Maureen Hazard’s piano. We sang everything from old Irish ballads to burning down the house by David Byrne. Maureen’s passion for singing and playing her heart out was contagious and we all stood around and just sang our little hearts out alongside her.
GR: What has inspired you to become a musician?
KG: I wrote a couple songs in that time period and I loved it. But I became distracted with the darker roads of life that included depression and drug use. I fell away from my creative side for quite some time. It returned to me in my early twenties.
I was lugging around a broken little heart after a bad breakup. My sister was writing songs at the time and dragged me along to a songwriter’s conference on the St. Vrain river in Lyons, Colorado.
I sat by the river alone for the first two days and cried. On the third day I went to a workshop with Paul Reisler who asked participants to pair up with another person in class. We were asked to tell one another a story and then charged with writing a song using other person’s story as a base to dig into writing. The exercise forced me to get out of my own head and listen to someone else. I wrote a song and shared it with my workshop partner who cried and recorded it. I realized I could take pain/sorrow/suffering and make beautiful and healing work with it. The songwriting took. I haven’t stopped since.
GR: Who do you aspire to be or any musician that you really feel connected to?
KG: I love people like Aimee Mann. I enjoy songwriters who can get into characters and write like fiction writers. I like it when a songwriter takes me into a scene and makes me empathetic to the character in the work just like good prose does. I don’t want to be sympathetic … I want to empathize with. Empathy, meaning “to suffer with.” By giving me the details of a characters surroundings, thoughts, and fears, I get to “suffer with” or “triumph with” the character in the song. It’s beautiful and cathartic.
GR: Where do you find inspiration for your songs?
KG: I love turning to other people’s writing to get inspired. I recently wrote a song “Golden Girl” after reading through letters from F. Scott Fitzgerald to his wife Zelda as she was struggling with a decline into mental illness. They loved each other so thoroughly while experiencing intense struggle. It’s my favorite piece among my works right now…probably because it’s one of my more complex stories.
GR: Besides music, what else do you enjoy?
KG: I like to cook. I also ove to spend time with my sweet husband and our three dogs. I like entertaining in small groups. Oh, and I love reading and discussing and debating media related theory.
GR: What has been your biggest challenge as a musician?
KG: Battling my “ego”… Not listening to the voices of despondency or grandeur. Despondancy yells “you’re never gonna be good enough. just give up now.” Grandeur wastes my precious time by saying “What monologue are you gonna do when you get on Ellen?”
GR: What’s your favorite song on the radio right now?
KG: It’s not on mainstream radio but I’ve been listening to Anais Mitchell’s tune “Young Man in America” on repeat for weeks.
NPR voted her record one of the 10 best folk/Americana albums for 2012
You can read the blog and hear the song at:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/bestmusic2012/2012/12/07/166570064/top-10-folk-americana-albums-of-2012
GR: Who’s your guilty pleasure artist you just can’t get enough of?
KG: I signed up for Massage Envy about 5 months ago so I could get a monthly massage at 50 bucks a pop. They get you though, because after you pay your 50 you can go in for 39 bucks on the second massage… which sounds cheap right!? Let’s just say I’m weaning myself back to one a month. Slowly weaning.
GR: What’s one musical goal you would like to accomplish in your lifetime?
KG: I’d love to have Daniel Lanois produce a record for me.
GR: What can we expect from you in the near future?
KG: Well, I’m putting out an album this summer on Spectra Records. It’s called “Long Night” and I’m really proud of it, so I’m looking forward to getting it out there to the world.
GR: Where can we listen to your music?
KG: You can hear two tracks from the record on my website at:
GR: How can we get in contact with you?
KG: Email me! kategravesmusic@gmail.com
GR: What motivated you to be a part of Girls Rock SB!?
KG: I’ve known Jen since we were teenagers at a summer camp up in the high desert. She’s always advocated and promoted musical advancement for a number of artists. Now she’s taken those promotion/advocating skills, working them into this incredible organization for young women.
I know from my own experiences that tapping into one’s creativity has the power to change one’s life dramatically. It saved mine. And how cool is it. Girls Rock will bring people together to fire up creativity, support one another and make music. It’s rad.
Meg Myers: Performing in “Requisition”
Meg Myers, a newly signed LA artist, will be performing in our benefit concert, “Requisition.” We couldn’t be more excited to see her perform in our show. Her music is very powerful and deep and she really has an energy about her that is exquisite. Her heart and soul is enveloped in her music and she really believes it is important to follow your heart and do what you love. Thanks Meg Myers for supporting Girls Rock SB! We can’t wait to see you perform in our show on February 23, 2013!
GR: How old were you when you first started playing music?
MM: About 12-13
GR: What is your favorite instrument to play?
MM: That’s hard. I go through phases. I love playing bass, piano and guitar.
GR: Is anyone else in your family musical?
MM: Yea, My mom and dad both sing and play guitar and piano and all my siblings play too.
GR: Do you remember the first music you really connected with?
MM: There was so much, but to name a few, early on I really connected with Enya, Sting, The Police, Fleetwood Mac, Dire Straits, Led Zeppelin, Neil Young, James Taylor, Elton John, Van Morrison, Heart, Jewel, Tracy Chapman, Phil Collins, Eric Clapton, Shawn Colvin, Joan Osborn, Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan.
GR: Whom would you most like to open for?
MM: Nine inch Nails, Sting, John Frusciante. That’s hard too…
GR: People are always comparing musicians to other musician’s, is there someone who people are always comparing you to?
MM: Fiona Apple, Alanis Morissette and Sinead O’connor. I also get “the female” Kurt Cobain
GR: Whom would you most like to meet?
MM: Enya or Sting.
GR: Where is your favorite place to play music?
MM: I don’t get out much so I wouldn’t know what its like to play many different places. I’m either at home or in the studio
GR: What hidden talents do you have?
MM: Nunchucks, writing, I draw, paint, and I can shoot a basketball pretty well.
GR: Besides music, what else do you enjoy?
MM: Hiking, animals, painting, boxing, gardening, collecting action figures and weapons, watching movies and documentaries, reading…visiting grave yards.
GR: What motivated you to become a musician?
MM: My older brother and the joy I got from creating music. It’s truly therapy.
GR: What songs are on repeat on your ipod right now?
MM: I don’t have an iPod. I’ve been listening to a lot of Ludovico Einaudi, Alt-J, Kendrick Lamar and Enya these days.
GR: Where do you find inspiration?
MM: Love, death, pain, beauty, sadness, getting older, and sometimes joy.
GR: What musical influences did you grow up with?
MM: Well I guess everyone I named earlier and then as a teen I got into Goo Goo Dolls, Nirvana, Alice In Chains, Nine Inch Nails, Soundgarden, Michael Jackson, Outkast, Beck, Smashing Pumpkins, Depeche Mode, The Cure, Ben Harper, Pearl Jam, RHCP, STP, Marylin Manson, Incubus, Metallica, Tool, Slipknot and Seal. Oh and Pinback.
GR: What has been the biggest challenge for you as a musician?
MM: The business part of it all. I hate it, but I do it, but I hate it. And having to be in Los Angeles. I miss nature, I miss my family and all I want to do is create and be myself 100%. But you know, it is what it is i guess. Oh and the “image” part of it all. Ridiculous. I don’t care about fancy clothes or cars or any of that because I’m going to die one day and I want to feel like I lived a true and beautiful and loving and free life. Material things have nothing to do with love. It’s all a trap. Not many people are in touch these days though.
GR: What is your ultimate dream as a musician?
MM: To live in the mountains and have a studio in my house, tour here and there, write music for movies, and make movies but never have to work an uncreative day job ever again. Just to be able to create wherever and whenever I want. To do what I want when I want.
GR: What would you say to a young girl just starting out as a musician?
MM: If music is what you want to do then do it. If painting is what you want to do then do it. If you want to be a nurse then do it. Sometimes you have to support what you want to do with a crappy day job, yes. Sometimes you don’t make enough money doing what you love. But life passes you by, and I would rather look back on life, poor and unsatisfied, knowing that I spent my life doing what I loved, rather than rich, unsatisfied because I’m wondering what could have happened if I had only followed my heart. Follow your heart. That saying is true.
GR: What can we expect from you in the future?
MM: Music, music videos, shows, an album, craziness.
GR: Where can we listen to your music and get in touch with you?
MM: Meginthedark.com
Rainbow Girls: An Electric All-Lady Stomp-Folk Grand Band
Rainbow Girls are based out of Santa Barbara and can be seen playing at SoHo on January 18th. Rainbow Girls have so much passion and flare in their music that you can’t help but bob your head to their heartfelt music. They are a great inspiration to young girls out there and encourage equality for all women. Their music is electric and has a lot of soul. Rainbow Girls have big dreams and hope to go on a bus tour one day. We are so excited to feature such an amazing group of women this week!
GR: How old were you all when you first started playing music?
RG:
-Erin and Caitlin started on piano before they can remember.
-Cheyenne started on guitar as a young lass, as well as tap dancing at a young age
-Savannah has wanted to play percussion, and only percussion, since she was in diapers.
-Vanessa started playing ukelele last summer, and has since also learned to play a few other instruments. (WOW)
GR: What instrument do you all wish you could play that you don’t already?
RG:
-Caitlin- electric guitar
-Erin- upright bass
-Vanessa- banjo
-Cheyenne- saw
-Savannah- piano
GR: If you all could perform on any TV should what show would you pick?
RG: None of us really watch TV, but it’d be cool to see a parody of us on South Park or Family Guy some day… That’s really our goal as musicians. Haha
GR: Do you all remember the first music you really connected with?
RG: The Beatles and musicals (majority vote)
GR: Where would you all most like to perform?
RG: At festivals and all over Europe!
GR: Who would you all most like to open for?
RG: Gogol Bordello, Devil Makes Three, Monsters of Folk, and Furthur
GR: People are always comparing musicians to other musicians, is there someone who people are always comparing you all to?
RG: CSNY, The Grateful Dead, and The Beatles
We also get stuff like The GoGos, The Roaches, and the Mountain Goats, but probably just cause we’re ladies and there isn’t very many female musicians out there, let alone entire female bands. Our styles aren’t really anything like them.
GR: Whom would you all most like to meet?
RG: Phil Lesh and Bob Weir.… And the Pussy Riot gals
GR: If you all could travel anywhere where would you go?
RG: Europe, India, China, Chile, Africa… actually, if we could travel anywhere, we’d probably get a plane ticket to a central location in Europe and then busk our way around/through those countries til we had enough money to go through Turkey to Russia, and then China, Nepal, India, and Southeast Asia. That actually sounds great… we might just do that….
GR: What hidden talents do you all have?
RG:
-Erin and Caitlin can both play sitar. They took lessons from Scott Marcus, the head of the UCSB Middle Eastern Ensemble, for 2 years. They just don’t own one, so cannot incorporate it into Rainbow Girls… yet!
-Savannah is an herb, mushroom, and tonic tea fanatic. She can brew one hell of a tea, and does so every morning for all us gals when we’re on tour!
-Cheyenne loves surfing, skateboarding, and wind skating. She’ll challenge you before you can even mention you don’t know how!
-Vanessa’s talent is sooth speaking!
GR: Besides music, what else do you all enjoy?
RG: We all like food. Growing food, cooking food, eating food. We like produce, and we like it as local, organic, and seasonal as possible. (Thank you to tom Shepherd of Shepherd Farms for feeding us!) When we’re on tour, we hit up the co-ops in every city we go to. While most bands talk about getting taco bell and burger king on tour, we make tonic teas, green smoothies, and giant salads. One of our favorite secrets is dehydrated soup from the co-op. All you need is hot water, so every time we stop to get gas, we all fill our mason jars with hot water and poof! Free, healthy, filling, and delicious meal in under a minute
GR: What motivated you all to become musicians?
RG: The universe. It just wants us to be musicians. None of us went to college for music, and some of us dropped out of college FOR music. It has only led to good things. Follow your path. It may not be what you expect it to be, but it’s what you wanted all along.
GR: What songs are on repeat on your ipods right now?
RG: In our rainbow girl van, we don’t have an ipod or a CD player… we have a tape player. So we always make a point to check out the tape collections at thrift stores whenever we’re in a new city. Our new favorite is Derek & the Dominos, but our all-time favorite is the Pulp Fiction Soundtrack… that is often on repeat, especially since the tape player just plays the other side once one side is over.
GR: Where do you all find inspiration?
RG: Everywhere. Friends, experiences, adventures, nature, other songs, books, classes… it’s pretty easy to be inspired when you surround yourself with such an incredible world. We are so blessed to know the folks we know. They have so much to share.
GR: What musical influences did you all grow up with?
RG: A lot. More than the people who came before us had. We’ve been writing a lot of new songs lately, and one of our new ones by Caitlin couldn’t explain it better:
“I grew up with David Bowie, I grew up with the Rolling Stones, I grew up with Zeppelin and The Doors, The Beatles and the Ramones. I grew up with Louis Armstrong, I grew up with Radiohead, I grew up with The Who and The Clash, Pink Floyd and The Grateful Dead. There were no women in my favorite bands, no fucking women at all. There were no women in my favorite bands when I was growing up, when I was small.”
That song goes on to say that even though we had people like Joni Mitchell and Joan Baez to look up to, they were still just singer songwriters with an acoustic instrument, and if they ever performed with a band, it was a band of males. The same goes for every female artist we grew up with. We’re hoping that will change someday, and we can feel it shifting. There’s more to music than just singing, and women are totally capable of doing EVERYTHING men are doing. We’re excited to see what the music scene looks like in 50 years
GR: What has been the biggest challenge for you all as a musician?
GR: Not selling out. It’s definitely possible to do everything yourself now, the age of A&R and the label is dying out, which is great, but it is a lot of work to do it all yourself. We don’t have a manager, a booker, a publicist, a roadie- none of that. We book all our own tours, manage all our own money, do all our own sound, and up until this summer when we went into the studio, recorded all our own music. Fortunately we have a big support network of family, friends, fans, and each other to help out. It IS possible to make it big without selling your soul to the pop monster. We’re not trying to get famous and make it big for 5 years and then live off that til we die… we’re doing this as a career. We want to be playing music when we’re 60, not getting botox every year and trying to “relive the good ol’ days.”
GR: What is your ultimate dream as musicians?
RG: To inspire people in a positive way. To show people that if we can do it, it’s possible. To work towards a world where women are seen as equals. We cannot do it alone, but we can do our part. None of this Katy Perry, Rhianna, Ke$ha crap, who are only putting women down more by going along with it all. We are REAL women, REAL girls, and I’m not specifically talking about our bodies. I’m talking about our brains, our words, and our intentions. I don’t want girls to grow up wishing they could be a sexy superstar, I want them to grow up knowing they are capable of doing anything.
If we were ever to make enough money so that we could do something with it, we’d open up a school for alternative learning. Kids aren’t failing school, schools are failing kids. The public education system is corrupt and backwards. It is perpetuating falsehoods and stereotypes and seems to leave EVERYONE behind. If you’re a kid in middle or high school, just get through it. Life begins when you leave the cattle farm and start to figure out what you really want for yourself. It has very little to do with grades and test scores.
GR: What would you say to a young girl just starting out as a musician?
RG: I wish we had started that young! Play every day, play with everyone you can, and learn as many instruments as you can while you’re young. You’ll absorb it much faster. And remember, no one likes to be in the “Kelly Smith Band” but Kelley Smith… Be humble and fair. It’s not about you; it’s about the music 
GR: What can we expect from you all in the future?
RG: More music, more instruments, and more adventures! And hopefully a horn section someday… ahhh….
GR: Where can we listen to your music and get in touch with all of you?
RG: Our music is online for free at www.RainbowGirlsMusic.com. You can find us on facebook as “Rainbow Girls” (no “the”), and we post all our upcoming shows there. If you’re in the SB area, come see us at SoHo on Jan 18th or Cold Spring Tavern on Feb 23rd! We’re playing with awesome bands/friends of ours at both shows! Plus we’ll have new songs
von Grey: The Four Soulful Sisters That Rock
von Grey is unlike any other band I have ever heard. Their beautiful melodies and powerful lyrics really make them exceptional artists. von Grey is an indie/Alternative folk/ rock band from Atlanta composed of four sisters- Kathryn, Annika, Fiona and Petra. Each sister brings something different to the table and when they combine their talents they create unbelievable music. They are truly an inspiration because they use their experiences to motivate others and encourage young women. von Grey really emulates girl power and they are a fine example of girls who can rock! von Grey will be going on tour with Company of Thieves on their 2013 tour. You can find dates and locations here: http://bit.ly/QQ9HQt.We are very honored to have their support and are so excited to have been able to interview them for our Girls Rock Web Series! We hope you love them as much as we do!
GR: How old were you when you first started playing music?
VG: We were all about 5 when we started to play classical instruments. We each studied an orchestral string instrument and piano using the Suzuki method. We didn’t really pick up instruments like guitar and bass until about 4 years ago.
GR: Which instruments do you play?
VG: Kathryn (17) plays mandolin, cello, keys, and bass. She has also incorporated the use of Moog Bass Pedals. Annika (16) plays violin, guitar, banjo, and keys. Fiona (15) plays guitar, violin, and keys. Petra (12) plays keys, lap-steel guitar, and percussion.
GR: Is your family musical?
VG: Our parents are not musical, but they love music! They started us young wanting us to both learn to read and play music and to appreciate music as an important art form. I don’t think they ever envisioned that their daughters would end up pursuing music to this level, but they are very supportive.
GR: Do you remember the first music you really connected with?
VG: Our parents introduced us to a huge variety of music when we were very young, and I think that all of it has influenced us to an extent. Fiona Apple’s “Criminal” was always a favorite, but it would be hard to really pinpoint a specific genre of music as the catalyst.
GR: Where would you most like to perform?
VG: We appreciate all of the venues and audiences that we have been able to experience. It would be a dream to play in an arena type setting, but playing where you can really connect to the audience is incredible. We would love to play in new regions such as Scandinavia, Europe, and eastern Asia.
GR: Who would you most like to open for?
VG: Opening for Grouplove or Foster the People would be rad.
GR: People are always comparing musicians to other musician’s, is there someone who people are always comparing you to?
VG: We get called a “female Mumford & Sons” quite a bit. I think it is because we use quite a bit of banjo. That is a comparison that we are willing to embrace!
GR: If you could dabble in another genre of music, what would it be?
VG: We totally dig electronic music (our favorite band collectively is the Knife). I think that we would all love to collaborate with a DJ or somebody who really knows their way around musical technology and sounds.
GR: Do you enjoy writing music and/or lyrics?
VG: Composing is definitely one of our favorite aspects of being in a band. Nothing is as cool as having a creative medium that allows you to express yourself. The music tends to come easier and often first, which is different than a lot of songwriters we have met. Our compositions often drive the lyrical content. When a song develops in this way, however, the challenge is to make sure there is enough musical space for the lyrics and melody.
GR: What hidden talents do you have?
VG: Kathryn can put her tongue into the shape of a 4 leaved clover and Petra is quite good at making things out of duct tape. Fiona and Annika are both excellent at sleeping and eating.
GR: Besides music, what else do you enjoy?
VG: We all love going to movies and eating Pho. Searching for and shopping at vintage and thrift stores is something we do with any extra time on the road.
GR: What do you do to clear your head before a performance?
VG: We usually just warm up our voices, check each other’s hair, and do some stretches. We’re usually pretty chill before a show.
GR: What songs are on repeat on your ipod right now?
VG: Fitzpleasure by Alt-J. Most dope song. Ever. Anything by Nickel Creek is also always welcome.
GR: Where do you find inspiration?
VG: We love listening to music from different cultures. We also have a lot of fun changing hair colors, doing creative makeup, and buying sweet boots. Feeling like you look cool can be just as inspiring as making cool music. On a more serious note, being young, we write a lot based on observation as our life experiences can be limited. We don’t tend to write about routine teen experiences, but tend to take at a wider view at subject matters. With four of us, we always get varied perspectives. We are very much alike and very different at the same time.
GR: What musical influences did you grow up with?
VG: We listened to everything from the Talking Heads to Ani DiFranco to Bela Fleck. Classical music and symphony music also had a massive influence on our musical upbringing and is still a genre that we feel utmost respect towards.
GR: What has been the biggest challenge for you as a musician?
VG: Being able to write music and lyrics that truly reflect what we are feeling is sometimes difficult, and it is hard to capture the energy of a song perfectly every time you perform it. No concert is perfect, but each one is a learning experience.
GR: How do you feel about an ever growing expectation people have that music should be free?
VG: It definitely makes it harder to make money, and it is sometimes frustrating that people are not willing to pay for something that took a lot of time and effort. But in the end, if they show their support by going to shows, we are just glad that people enjoy the music.
GR: What would you say to a young girl just starting out as a musician?
VG: It takes time to master skills, but it is worth it. And don’t ever let anybody tell you that girls don’t rock. Because they can and they do.
GR: What can we expect from you in the future?
VG: We are actually going in to record a new song in a few days, and are hopefully looking to make a new album in the coming months. We’re totally stoked.
GR: Is there any upcoming show where we can see you perform?
VG: We play all around the southeast region, and are playing increasing amounts of shows in other areas of the US and Canada as well. If you look at our Facebook and/or website, all of our upcoming gigs will be posted there. We expect to be back in the LA area before or by Spring this next year.
GR: Where can we listen to your music and get in touch with you?
VG: Our music is on iTunes and our website www.vongreymusic.com. We have some of our music on youtube. We also have a facebook and twitter and love it when people talk to us there. We love getting to talk to other musicians and music lovers!! And we would love it if we could regularly hear what’s going on with the Girls Rock SB!
https://www.facebook.com/vonGreyMusic?ref=ts&fref=ts
https://twitter.com/vongreymusic
We have not really done any music videos yet, but here is a link to a studio video for “Coming for You.”
Jamey Geston: A Gifted Girl With A Dream
Jamey Geston is a singer/song writer from Santa Barbara who really knows how to draw in a crowd. She is also part of an indie band called, Wha Wha’s. Her music has a lot of passion and energy and she plays a wide variety of instruments, ranging from the electric guitar to the ukulele. She plays multiple genres including, indie, folk, rock, alternative, and she even dabbles in sixties sounds. She loves to perform a mix of covers and original material.Jamey is a finalist for Zoey’s “ONES TO WATCH” contest. She will be performing on Saturday 11/24/12 at Zoey’s Cafe from 7-11pm, so if you’re in the Ventura area, come by Zoey’s Cafe and support Jamey!
Girls Rock: How old were you when you first started playing music?
JG: I’ve been singing most of my life and I started playing guitar at eight.
GR: Which instruments do you play?
JG: Guitar, Bass, Piano, Ukulele & learning Mandolin.
GR: Is your family musical?
JG: My dad plays guitar & bass.
GR: Do you remember the first music you really connected with?
JG: Ever since I was a baby I’ve always been intrigued by music, I was humming at 9 months. However, the first time I really remember connecting with music was at Colorado Springs Music Conservatory when I was three. I started learning violin, piano, vocal lesson, performed in operas and outreach programs for seniors citizens and community events. I went there until I was six and feel this has helped me to be so comfortable on stage and performing in front of crowds.
GR: Where would you most like to perform?
JG: Anywhere in England! The Cavern Club would be cool. But closer to home it would be fun to play Santa Barbara Bowl.
GR: Who would you most like to open for?
JG: ED SHEERAN ALL THE WAY! Or, Ingrid Michelson, Regina Spector, Colby Caillat, or even Of Monsters of Men. (:
GR: People are always comparing musicians to other musician’s, is there someone who people are always comparing you to?
JG: I get a lot of Joni Mitchell, but have also been compared to the music style of Regina Spektor, Laura Nyro and maybe a little Rickie Lee Jones.
GR: If you could dabble in another genre of music, what would it be?
JG: Country or Blue Grass.
GR: Do you enjoy writing music and/or lyrics?
JG: Yes, definitely both!
GR: What hidden talents do you have?
JG: Drawing and Photography! I love going outside and taking pictures of things that I see or even draw things outside.
GR: Besides music, what else do you enjoy?
JG: Basically, all the same things as my “hidden talents!” Photography, Drawing, I love to do Henna on myself. I’ve even been getting into video editing… however, I am just a beginner on that!
GR: What do you do to clear your head before a show?
JG: I never get nervous before shows. The only time I’ve ever been nervous was before I went on stage at The Roxy Theater in Los Angeles with the band I’m in. What I did was just took everything slow so I wouldn’t freak out, but the second I hit the stage I was at ease.
GR: What songs are on repeat on your ipod right now?
JG: Ughh. These questions are always so hard! I have like 10 songs that I repeat. Lately I’ve been listening to a LOT of The Kooks, Of Monsters and Men, Ed Sheeran & Lana Del Rey.
GR: Where do you find inspiration?
JG: On YouTube or TV, I see a lot of singer/songwriters type like me, well maybe a bit older, but I see all that they’ve accomplished in their life and it makes me see what can happen if I work hard on my music.
GR: What musical influences did you grow up with?
JG: I found a lot of music on my own from youtube , but a band that really got me into music was Paramore, but I liked a lot of Taylor Swift and the Beatles, of course!
GR: What has been the biggest challenge for you as a musician?
JG: I struggle with being in a band and having a solo thing going on because it’s so hard to juggle both. My music style is different from what the band’s interest is and sometimes it’s hard to separate my commitment to the band and my true passion within my heart.
GR: How do you feel about an ever growing expectation people have that music should be free?
JG: I get how people think it should be free but I know how hard a musician works to get their music out there. With all the money and time put in to make music for people, they should get the credit and the reward they deserve.
GR: What would you say to a young girl just starting out as a musician?
JG: I’d tell them to take every chance they can get because in the end, it will all pay off. You don’t get anywhere if you don’t try.
GR: What can we expect from you in the future?
JG: Writing and recording, I am working with a producer/musician out of LA and spending time in his studio with my original stuff and hope to go into production soon. Also, I just recently recorded with the band I’m in called The Wha Wha’s, which turned out amazing. We hope to record more songs and release an EP.
GR: Is there any upcoming show where we can see you perform?
JG: I’m a finalist in the Zoey’s “Ones to Watch” emerging singer/songwriter competition on November 24 @ Zoey’s Cafe Ventura, CA
Then I have two acoustic shows in December:
December 12 @ Cafe Cordiale Los Angeles, CA
December 16 @ Sandbox Coffeehouse Ventura CA
GR: Where can we listen to your music and get in touch with you?
JG: You can always visit me on my any of these links:
www.facebook.com/JameyGestonMusic
www.youtube.com/user/JameyGestonMusic
http://www.reverbnation.com/jameygeston
http://soundcloud.com/jamey-geston-music
https://twitter.com/JameysMusic
Marley Quinn: Taking the World By Storm
I officially learned about singer/songwriter, Marley Quinn, through my little brother. He called me up one night and said, ” I just went and saw this really cool band called Lily and Marley. You’ve got to check them out! They’re really good!” Oddly enough, I had already seen Marley perform with Aha! ( not knowing at the time who she was). I remember The first time I saw her sing she lit up the stage and made the room go absolutely quiet. She has a unique pull in her voice that invites you in and holds you right there with her. Her voice is beautifully raw – it’s striking. Girls Rock SB! couldn’t be happier to have Marley kicking off our Girls Rock Web Series. Hope you enjoy!
Girls Rock: How old were you when you first started playing music?
Marley Quinn: Third grade was when I learned how to play an instrument for the first time, but I have been singing (by myself, in the shower, to my cats) for as long as I can remember.
GR: Which instruments do you play?
MQ: Violin, guitar, and a little piano.
GR: Is your family musical?
MQ: Yes, my dad is ridiculously good at piano, he can hear something once and then literally play it without music or anything, just by ear, and my mom sings and plays guitar.
GR: Do you remember the first music you really connected with?
MQ: Motown. I remember hearing it and being like “Oh my God that is the most amazing thing I have ever heard.” Soon after that I started taking swing dancing lessons because I literally couldn’t get enough of the music.
GR: Where would you most like to perform?
MQ: The Santa Barbara Bowl. I went and saw Katy Perry there once and she was talking about growing up here and I was like, “damn, that would be awesome to perform at a big venue where you know that everyone you grew up with and went to school with are probably in the audience watching you.”
GR: Who would you most like to open for?
MQ: That is a hard question. I really don’t know the answer yet.
GR: People are always comparing musicians to other musician’s, is there someone who people are always comparing you to?
MQ: Not that I’m aware of. Someone once called me a young Joni Mitchell and that I think was the greatest compliment I have ever gotten. Ever.
GR: If you could dabble in another genre of music, what would it be?
MQ: Hard core rap!
GR: Do you enjoy writing music and/or lyrics?
MQ: Yes! I love doing both!
GR: What hidden talents do you have?
MQ: I can do the splits…and sing like a chipmunk.
GR: Besides music, what else do you enjoy?
MQ: Eating extra large pizzas by myself just because I can, and on the total opposite end of the spectrum, ridding my bike. I used to have a fixture and I would ride it around town with my friends, until it broke. That was a sad day.
GR: What do you do to clear your head before a performance?
MQ: Normally, I don’t get nervous before a show, but if I do I’ll curl up in my bed for half an hour.
GR: What songs are on repeat on your ipod right now?
MQ: Son of a Preacher Man by Dusty Springfield, Strings by Young the Giant, Skinny Love by Bon Iver, Pack Up by Eliza Doolittle, and Modern Nature by Sondre Lerche
GR:Where do you find inspiration?
MQ: I know this is going to sound totally cliche but I mostly get it from previous pain. Also, I’ll have dreams of songs and wake up and have to write them down immediately or else I’ll forget them. I always have a notebook next to my bed. It used to drive my roommate nuts.
GR: What musical influences did you grow up with?
MQ: When I was little and in the car with my mom, we would listen to stuff like Alanis Morissette, Sheryl Crow and Tracy Chapmen, and when I was with my dad we would listen to the Beattles, CCR, the Doobie Brothers, Led Zepplin…all of that rock and roll stuff thats totally awesome.
GR: What has been the biggest challenge for you as a musician?
MQ: I’m not really sure…I don’t find anything too challenging about it. When I’ve been doing this for a while, I’ll probably have a good answer.
GR: How do you feel about an ever growing expectation people have that music should be free?
MQ: I feel that if people believe that music should be free, then food, clothing and cat food should be free as well.
GR: What would you say to a young girl just starting out as a musician?
MQ: I would tell her to never let anyone tell you how you should be onstage, or off stage, or how you should write your music, or what you should write about (unless your asking). When people come into your life and decide they want to manage you and your music and you don’t like where its all going you’ve gotta know how to say, “hey dude back off” and probably say it more than once. Also, always wear deodorant when performing and never drink too much water before going on stage.
GR: What can we expect from you in the future?
MQ: More of what I’m doing now! After I graduate this year I’m going to go to SBCC and take music theory classes and a pro-tools class so I can learn how to record and produce my own music. I want to be independent in the future and not have to rely on anyone else but myself for what I need to get ahead in my career.
GR: Is there any upcoming show where we can see you perform?
MQ: Not that I know of right now..I have to book some more soon. I have actually started a new band, Reckless Summer. We have played one show at Soho which was totally awesome. We had so much fun. I’m still doing my own thing as well.
GR: Where can we listen to your music and get in touch with you?
MQ: On YouTube, Facebook and Twitter (yes I do tweet the occasional tweet).
http://www.facebook.com/MarleyQuinnMusic?ref=hl
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TT9-ktwUVvw&feature=results_video
https://twitter.com/suckerforsoundz
D5 Creation