Photo Ladies 11/9/20 Photo Ladies 11/9/20

INTERVIEW: Ruby Mack

Ruby Mack_Photo Credit Gianna Colson_4.jpg — Ruby Mack

The Photo Ladies Interview

Feminist folk group Ruby Mack, comprised of Emma Ayers (vocals/guitar), Abbie Duquette (bass ukelele), Zoe Young (guitar/vocals), and Abs Kahler (fiddle), explore a unique perspective on the story of Adam and Eve for their recently released debut album Devil Told Me. On the album, they imagine themselves as direct descendants of Eve in a timeline in which she unashamedly bites into the apple in the Garden of Eden, sharing the knowledge she learns with the rest of the world. Hailing from Pioneer Valley, MA, the group was formerly called the Emma June Band but recently changed their name to Ruby Mack, taking their name from their areas Ruby McIntosh apple. Proud of their deep New England Roots, all 4 members feeling deep ties to different parts of the New England landscape. With their new album, the quartet question what it means to be a woman, offering new perspectives through old stories and present their own brand of folk that casts the genre in a different light than folk songs of the past. They give credit to their time spent in Pioneer Valley, MA, a place full of magical energy, inspiration and a cooperative spirit that fueled their music and shaped who they wanted to be as musicians. The band recorded their album in an old church with engineer Andrew Oedel of Ghost Hit Recording, giving the album a decidedly live feel. “We really wanted it to have that special magic of a collaborative performance, and the energy we get from singing together,” explains Young. The result is a group of confessional and uplifting songs. Their goal is to question what society expects of them, embody and express their true identities, and inspire others to do the same...to be themselves in a world that wants to dictate how it feels people should be and the roles they should play, especially womxn. With plan to write and release more singles until they can safely tour again, Ruby Mack is definitely a band to keep on your radar. You can connect with the band and purchase their album via the following links:

You all met through the Massachusetts folk scene after each making your own music prior. What led you to want to form a band together and what other projects are you a part of outside of Ruby Mack? What can you tell me about your goal as a band of pushing aside societal norms and boundaries?

ZOE YOUNG: Emma and I actually grew up together as family friends (we’ve always called ourselves sisters) and have been singing together our whole lives, so I guess that is where our band story really begins. Then Emma, Abs, and I attended the University of Massachusetts, Amherst where we started playing music together with a few other folks. Abs and I teach at the Kid’s Academy at Greyfox Bluegrass Music Festival and we made Emma come one year. The three of us started playing on some tunes that Emma had written and things just fell into place. When Emma introduced us to Abbie in 2018, we began playing as a foursome- she was the missing piece we had been needing. The four of us all share the same sense of humor which definitely holds us together in both the tough moments and the happy moments and helped create a space for us to experiment musically. We never set out to be a band that pushed aside societal norms. I think it’s just in our nature to push the boundaries of what society expects from us as women and nonbinary people. Individually, we all have big personalities and we don’t like being told what we can and cannot do in the world of music. Singing together feeds us, fuels us, and inspires us to show up authentically in the world. And we quickly learned that others felt held and fed by our music. So that’s what we set out to do- feed our own hearts and in turn, the hearts of others. Outside of Ruby Mack, Emma has her own solo project under the name Emma Ayres.

You will be releasing your new album Devil Told Me on October 23rd on which you reclaim the story of Adam and Eve and question why Eve shouldn't be able to bite into knowledge. What led you to want to explore this concept for your album? What can you tell me about the recording process, which took place in an old church and gives the album a live sound?

ZOE YOUNG: The theme that runs through this collection of songs is about being brave enough to show up as yourself, and to ask for what you want. Without curiosity and being willing to try things, what is there? Without accepting the good and the bad in life as it comes, as Eve did, what is the point? To us, there is no good without the bad, and there is no bad without the good, both must exist at once.

We decided we wanted to record most of our album live, meaning instead of tracking out each instrument and vocal part separately, we recorded each song all together in a full live take. We wanted our spontaneity and the energy we get from one another to be captured in the recordings. The only song that we did not record live was “Milktooth”, which really came together the day we recorded it in the studio. Abs wrote their fiddle lines live in the studio, making us all cry in the control room as they recorded it. The harmonies were also arranged that day in the studio, and the recording reflects the live collaboration we all value so much.

ABBIE DUQUETTE: It was the icing on the cake that we recorded in an old converted church — not intentional, but damn does it really make the concept of the album come full circle.

What can you tell me about your mission to push social boundaries aside with this album, exploring feminism and social justice through the lenses of religion and mythology? Emma-what can you tell me about your love for oral tradition and storytelling and how that influenced the album?

EMMA AYRES: In the wise words of Pete Seeger: “This machine kills fascists.” Seeger was blacklisted in the 50’s after being accused of being communist by the House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC). His songs were a vehicle for social justice organizing. When you can get a room full of energized people singing your lyrics, it becomes a powerful and memorable way to spread a message. The weapon of a song, when yielded by queer folk musicians, is dangerous to the white cis hetero capitalist patriarchy. A song can challenge the status quo and put hatred and other forms of oppression “on notice.” This specific lineage of folk music has always been a source of inspiration for me. When I wrote the lyrics to most of the songs on the album, I employed the lens of Greek mythology to amplify, illuminate, and celebrate the working class. Working class folks make the world go round and it is vital that they/our stories go down in history like Homer’s Odyssey. I see a song as an opportunity to shed a holy light on marginalized identities and a church where a bigoted listener can worship a queer god without realizing it. Music is a powerful force of unity and a way to humanize across identities, political beliefs, and religious values. A melody can be the messenger of an urgent message even if the listener doesn’t understand the words. The message subconsciously becomes one with the listener.

With this album, you dig deeper into what it means to be a woman or even to reject this label. What does being a woman or gender non-conforming mean to you? Do you see womxn pushing back more and more in today's society against the societal norms that they have been taught to accept?

ABBIE DUQUETTE: Hell yeah — I think we saw that with the Women’s March in Jan 2017, we saw that over the midterm elections by electing a record number of BIPOC womxn, we have seen it over social media with the 'Me Too' movement, etc. I’m a firm believer that until our most unrepresented humans in this country are treated with the respect and humanity that is their right, we ALL have work to do. I think the collective “we” of non-cis white males are building strength and understanding that we don’t just deserve a seat at the table, but that we can run the table — and we should look around and not see only people that look like ourselves.

For me, what it means to be a “woman” changes every day. I’m sitting here thinking about what it means and how I feel right now when I hear the word, and I just feel power and strength. I think of all of the badass womxn over the course of history across the world, and am so happy we’re part of that giant community. Womxn = Power.

ABS KAHLER: For starters let me say that we could probably spend hours, days, a lifetime talking about gender (I wish we could!). I view gender as more of a journey than a destination. I have a gorgeous print hanging on my wall from Kah Yangni, a Black trans Philly based illustrator, that reads “Trans is freedom, is adventure, is endless!” which I think sums this up perfectly. The gender binary is largely a tool of colonization, and I am learning how to define my identity outside of this false binary. I believe there is a softness, a strength, and a beauty to femininity that is incomparable to anything else in this world. I view claiming femininity in a society that tells me that being feminine is the worst thing I can be as the ultimate display of courage. It’s important to me that I actively choose my femininity and it’s not something I let society decide for me. I embody masculinity in a host of other ways that I’m still learning how to convey and embody, and very much feel my femininity and masculinity inform one another. Being able to present exactly how I feel on any given day gives me a sense of great freedom and gender euphoria, and I hope that everyone, whether cis or trans gets to experience this to their fullest potential. I do very much see womxn are pushing back more and more against societal norms and fighting against patriarchy and the gender norms that harm not only women but greatly harm men as well.

Pioneer Valley, MA has been especially inspiring for you and has been a main inspiration for the new album. What can you tell me about Pioneer Valley and the inspiration it has had on you and your music? How do you feel that the music culture of Massachusetts has helped you to find your identity as musicians?

ABS KAHLER: I’m wildly grateful that fate placed me in The Valley for four formative years in my early adulthood. There were many queer folk artists I met in the folk scene out in western Massachusetts who I was able to collaborate with and fiddle for who are still some of my favorite artists to this day. I recognized at the time how privileged I was to play with such talented artists, and remember the joy of doing so, but what I didn’t recognize back then was how big a part of my identity my queerness would become. Looking back I think that seeing these artists live their lives authentically and hearing their music reflect that authenticity really drew me in and allowed me to explore my own identity in a unique way. Nowadays it’s really important to me to use the platform that Ruby Mack gives me to create a safe space for other queer folks and send all of the love out into the world I possibly can, whether that’s through words or through fiddle melodies.

ZOE YOUNG: I’m not sure what it is about the Pioneer Valley, but the energy here is just magical. Compared to the bustling city life in Boston, life out here feels slower, and more intentional. The folk music scene is vibrant, and people really show up for their communities, and value the local agriculture, music, and art. There are so many local, community organized events, some favorites include the Garlic & Arts Festival and Green River Music Festival, which all highlight local vendors and talent, and value folks coming together to experience all things beautiful together. The music scene in western Massachusetts has absolutely held us and encouraged us throughout our journey as a band these past few years and inspired us to write and play from our hearts, knowing that it will be received with love and support.

You have said that, with regards to changing your name from Emma June Band to Ruby Mack, that your new name grounds you to your New England Roots. Why is that connection important to you?

ABBIE DUQUETTE: New England is our home! It’s where we grew up, and where we learned to be human beings. We all have strong ties to different parts of NE, and through that, have found so much love and support across this area. Venues that have taken chances on us, hometowns have nurtured us, and our family and friends have been our loudest cheerleaders. We are all very connected to our families — birth and chosen — and have nurtured a huge community here. Maintaining our relationships and holding these spaces close are vital parts of our identity as a band.

Two of the songs on the new album, "Jane", a love song for those who feel that they can't exist as their true selves in the world and "Milktooth", a queer coming of age song that you've described as letting go of all of the stories about who you were as a child. What can you tell me about your own journeys of self-discovery and acceptance and using your platform as a way to amplify LGBTQIA voices and issues?

EMMA AYRES: I came out to myself through my lyrics when I was a teenager as it was the most comfortable way for me to share myself at the time. I liked to conceal my identity in metaphors and hoped that maybe someone would crack the code. I would avidly listen to the music of Ani DiFranco and Tegan and Sara, who were my only visible icons of queerness. I hope in using my platform as a musician to talk about and celebrate queerness that one day I can be that social mirror for a young high schooler to see themselves in and smile and take comfort that there are other people out there like them and everything is going to be ok.

I wrote this song in the aftermath of the Pulse Night Club shooting and it is an ode to those who lost their lives on that tragic night and anyone out there reading this post who cannot safely be who they are or is afraid to be who they are. You are not alone. To all straight folks out there—Take a moment of silence for the trans, gay, lesbian, bisexual, non-binary, queer, intersex, asexual and questioning lives that are lost every day on this earth as a result of hate, suppression, misunderstanding, suicide, police brutality, domestic violence etc. Specifically, BIPOC lives. Allies—educate yourselves. Say no to bigotry and hatred. Say no in big ways and little ways. Say no to the white cis patriarchal corporatization of LGBTQIA culture. Fill in the missing colors of the commodified rainbow and reclaim it in the name of we the people. We can do better than THIS.

Your music reflects topics not typically covered in folk music and you have talked about existing in an industry that was not made for you? What can you tell me about your journey into folk music and your journey as musicians in that genre and in the music industry in general?

EMMA AYRES: I think that when you are true to yourself and in your performance, it doesn’t matter what topic you are singing about. People connect with the universality of authenticity and open heartedness. I think that we are unique in that we are unabashedly ourselves and perform from the heart. We are thrilled to continue to work with the industry and push it to continue to evolve into a market that elevates and compensates marginalized voices. The music industry is a state of mind and we can all shape it into what we believe it can be if we work together.

What can you tell me about your love for improvisation, which you have said is where the magic is made for your music?

ABBIE DUQUETTE: Improvisation is what keeps us on our toes and interesting! I personally think it’s how we all grow and learn as musicians. The best part is when one of us tries something new and it inspires another person to do something and then all of a sudden you have this avalanche of new ideas and energy. Another huge part of our work is vocal harmony. We’re at our best when we’re not focused on our individual parts, but rather listening to how we blend and communicate with each other while singing. There’s intimacy and trust that is built through this process.

Emma- You are also the program coordinator and marketing director for Shea Theater. What can you tell me about your work with them and the "Shea Away" concert series that is being held every Wednesday in October, in conjunction with the Great Falls Farmer's Market?

EMMA AYRES: The Shea is the beating heart of the Franklin County arts scene. As the program coordinator I work tirelessly to prioritize the representation of queer local artists and BIPOC artists. The Shea Away concert series is an effort to bring the inside out in partnership with the Garlic and Arts Festival and the Great Falls Farmers Market. I am committed to creating meaningful paid performance opportunities for local musicians. Paying artists and advocating for artists is an intrinsic facet of my political ethos as both a musician and program coordinator.

What's next for Ruby Mack?

ABBIE DUQUETTE: Fabulous question! We finally merged our bubbles after 7-ish months apart, and are itching to write together. Making music makes us happy and even though we can’t perform live, we want to release more tunes into the streaming world. The goal will be to stay connected to our listeners by releasing singles and hit the road again when the time is right and it’s safe for everyone to do so.

Photo Ladies 10/19/20 Photo Ladies 10/19/20

INTERVIEW: Keeana Kee

KeeanaKee Photo Credit Arkady Gluhih.jpg — Keeana Kee

The Photo Ladies Interview

Although she loved music as a child, it wasn't until a modeling career exposed her to the world and gave her the confidence and income to pursue her dreams that Latvian-born artist Keeana Kee decided to pursue a career as a singer.

Having written her first song in Latvia at the age of 10, she grew up idolizing artists such as Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Beyonce, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles and later on, Rhianna and Sia. She spent her teen years in London, pursuing her modeling career and honing her singing and songwriting skills as part of a cover band. Her modeling career then took her to Milan and Paris before she relocated to New York in 2016. With a breezy, tropical vibe the radiates throughout her music, Kee's first hit came in 2016. A collaboration in Miami with famed Latin Grammy Award-winning producer Maffio resulted in her tropical, breezy hit "Coconut Rum and Coke". Although she was discouraged to do so, Kee came out as gay and emphasized the importance of staying true to herself. Her video for "Coconut Rum and Coke" showcased a woman as her love interest and established her passionate support for the LGBTQI community. Her indomitable spirit to empower others to be their true selves, even if it goes against the expectations of others, is a mission for her. Kee has also worked with some of the leading DJs, remixers and producers in the world, including Dirty Disco (“Shoot Me Up”), Yence500 (“Genius”) and Luca Bisori (Deep Vibes remix of “Coconut Rum and Coke”) as well as featuring Latin rapper Kid G on “Open Arms.” “I have great relationships with producers and DJs, so we keep on working on new projects together. It’s like a family,” she says. Just as important to Keeana as her music is giving back to the community, especially her membership in ISINA, Inc., a music talent search and mentoring program with producer Walter Afanasieff, Kenny G., Humberto Garcia and Paul Oakenfold. Turns out Afanasieff, who famously worked with Mariah Carey, heard her song, “Let’s Make Love” and wanted to be introduced to Kee. “Meeting Walter was unbelievable. He’s a legend and I was so honored to be part of it. I may not be a great example right now, but I hope my determination and hard work, never giving up, is inspiring to anyone who wants to make it in this business,” says Kee. Recently we saw the premiere of Kee's latest single and video for "Sweet Heaven", which offers a veiled critique of the US's harsh immigration border policy. Shot in the beautiful and serene desert of Joshua Tree, CA, the video portrays a Latin American father who is deported but finds a way to get back across the border to reunite with his daughter, offering spirituality in the guise of three tribesman – one woman and two men -- accompanying Keeana’s guardian angel, who provides guidance as she oversees those making the pilgrimage. With plans to release more songs and music videos, Kee is definitely an artist to keep on your radar. You can connect with Keeana Key via the following links:

You were born in Latvia and have said that you loved music as a child but never really had the luxury of pursuing it when you were younger. What was it like for you when you were finally able to pursue that dream and why do you feel you were more drawn to more heartbreaking and emotional music rather than happy and uplifting music?

It was a long journey for me, actually, to accept the fact that I was really going to go for it. Nobody in my family was really encouraging, and even when I went for it they were like "Oh, it's just a hobby and she just loves music". It was up to, I don't know, just a few years ago only when they actually were like "Oh, she's actually going for it". I don't know...it was on and off. I was really feeling like I wanted to become a singer, a professional singer, and then something would just discourage me. Like, I don't know...someone would say something. Even my first vocal coach, a lady I went to in Latvia when I was still in Latvia, said "You know how long the journey is. You need to be prepared...". She was saying a lot of things, perhaps just Russian mentality. She was saying all of this stuff to me, like "Oh my god. You have no idea. It's such a long journey. Don't think it's just one year and you're going to become a star." It was like that. I was listening to this and was afraid and thought maybe I should stop, because it was also very expensive. I would always support myself with my own earnings. I would wake up a week later saying that I couldn't live without the music. I really wanted to sing and was going to go for it, and then it would continue like for, I don't know, maybe a couple of years, that something would not happen for me. I would try to sing a song and it would not work and it would be very discouraging. But because of my love for music, I would always wake up one day and say "No, I can't live without it."

You have said that where you are from, people don't really have those aspirations to dream big and pursue those dreams. What do you think gave you the courage to do so? Did you always have that mentality of pushing forward or was there a particular person in your life that gave you that confidence to dream big?

I think, honestly, that it was when I started traveling for my modeling. I started traveling for modeling and went to Paris and Milan. I think because I was so independent at that moment already, I really already knew that I had to take it into my own hands. Nobody was going to help me. Maybe meeting new people that were outside of Latvia helped. Latvia is like a closed box where you can't believe in anything and you have to do what everyone is doing. It's very grey, you know? Everyone is the same color, you know what I mean? I think I started coming out of this box and feeling like there was life outside of it and I could dream and actually do it all myself. I don't need some person helping me. I could actually pay for it myself. The first money I earned, it went to my family...I was helping my mother...and then I also had some money to support myself in my achievements and so I went for it. I guess it's because I was traveling. That's what opened the doors in my path, you know, believing in myself.

How did the opportunity to model come about for you and how do you feel that it has helped you to pursue your dream of music? Do you see them as separate careers or do you see them as connected in your life?

Yes, well the first dream I had, actually, was modeling. I remember sitting with my grandmother a long, long time ago and watching a catwalk on the tv. I remember it really, really well. I said "I wanna walk like that. I wanna be there." And even with that, my mother did not believe in all of that. It was not taken seriously, this profession...entertainment and modeling and all of that is not taken seriously, at least in my family and circles. She actually gave me...she signed me up with a modeling school so I could feel more confident about myself. That's what she was thinking. Not to actually pursue it as my career. She was just thinking it would help me to become a woman and mentally be more confident and, I don't know, grow up. That was my first career target, if I can say that. If you can call it that. The singing was just something in me all of the time. It was there all the time and I was writing my songs. I wrote my first song in English when I was young. I didn't really speak English but I did write it somehow. I always loved it and that has withstood my modeling career.

You spent your teen years in London studying and working as a model while also performing live in a cover band, before moving to the US. What were those early years of performing like for you and what do you feel that you learned during that time that has helped you in your career now?

Oh my gosh! I learned so much and I was so shy. It was very funny, because I would do the catwalk and modeling and I would not be shy at all or be nervous coming out on the floor and walking. But then I would take singing so seriously and be like "Oh my god! I have to sing well", and was actually covering Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston and those kinds of songs. Even people that know me were like "Oh my god! What are you doing?". Even some music/singing teachers, when I would say "Here's a song I want to learn" and they were like "What? Whitney Houston? Let's try something else first". I would leave the teacher and wouldn't stay with the vocal coach, because I would only go to the vocal coach that would work on big songs with me. I was going for it and didn't want to sing anything, like, little and easy. It was always my target to go for very, like, top notch music, you know? My inspirations and my idols. So I was changing vocal coaches and all of that was in London already, when I moved to London, and just changing these vocal coaches taught me a lot. People already didn't believe in me, or themselves, because that was their mentality, right? For me, it taught me to believe in myself, I guess. And then I started performing and I was, of course, really nervous. It took a lot for me to just overcome that stage fear, and it's a different stage fear, you know? As I have said, when I was modeling, I was not afraid of it. It was a different side of me, I guess. It was a lot of experience and I'm still getting experience. I'm still not where I want to be, so I still have a lot to do and to work on.

Your music has a very fun, tropical vibe to it and you have said that style of music is more popular in Florida and the West Coast. What led you to move to New York instead of California and Florida?

I don't know. I'm always traveling. Yes, I'm based in New York but am always traveling to Florida and LA, so it's three of my homes. I don't really feel that I am just in New York. My home is in New York, but sometimes I spend more than half of the year in LA.

Your first big hit came in 2016 when you collaborated with Latin artist Maffio on "Coconut Rum and Coke".

That was in Florida, and it's a very sunshine and tropical song and that's how it all started for me. I spent a lot of time in Florida and wrote a lot of songs there after "Coconut Rum and Coke" and then I moved to LA, which is where "Let's Make Love" came to life. All of those tropical, sunshine vibes were an inspiration for me, with the ocean and palm trees, I guess.

Having that experience of collaborating with Maffio, what kinds of opportunities do you feel like that opened up for you? You have since done a lot of collaborations with DJs and producers, so what can you tell me about the opportunities that opened up for you and what you enjoy about the collaborative process?

I absolutely love Maffio and am so grateful to have done that song with him. I love it. It's my favorite song and it taught me a lot as well. It was my first song recorded in the US and everything here is going a very different way. Maffio's style of recording and all of that was crazy. We would only record at night. We would only go to the studio and work there at night, so it was very different for me but was also very much like me. I have more inspiration at night. Most of my songs were written at night, actually. I don't know why. In the studio, working with him, everyone was having so much fun and it was very easy. We were all enjoying it. It was like going to a party and you are actually just having fun. You're never going there to work. It doesn't feel like that. It taught me that you can be very relaxed and just go to the studio and have fun and dancing. There was always dancing. There was so much positivity there and fun. It taught me to relax more, I guess, in the studio and we came up with several songs on the spot right there. It was so amazing. I really loved it and the people I worked with were so professional and so talented. It was incredible. I'm extremely grateful for that cooperation.

You have talked about facing discrimination in the music industry for being gay but have stayed true to yourself regardless. Having been told that it would be a risk to present yourself as non-traditional and that it could be fatal to an artist's career, what has it been like to be your true self in the face of that discrimination?

It was very hard in the beginning, because I was new here in the US and everyone was telling me their opinions about that and we were filming a music video. I was kind of listening to them and would be scared because I was new here and thought maybe they were right. I thought maybe I shouldn't and maybe I should, I don't know, film a straight music video and actually have a guy there. In the end, I was just...it's my music. Even if it won't go around as well as some commercial agencies think it should go, at least I'd be true to myself and will not regret not being what I want. I was just listening to my heart, I guess, and that's my life. That video, especially, for "Coconut Rum and Coke", is the story of my life. How can you go wrong with what's real, you know? This is a true reality, so how I regret what's actually happened in my life? It was my first song in the US, my first single, and I thought I should be true to myself and show people who I really am. If people love me, they love me and if not, sorry. Someone else will love me.

You have said that the industry has gotten better for gay artists. What role do you feel that social media and the internet have played in the changing attitudes and musical landscapes? How do you feel that being an independent artist has allowed you the freedom to pursue your music on your own terms?

I think social media gives people full power to choose their own podium. People can choose. If they don't like you, they don't have to follow you. If they like you, they'll be the real people that were not forced to like you. They will genuinely love you for who you are and for what you show on your social media, or how you present yourself. It's real fans. People that like me are like "Oh my god. You actually helped me to come out. I actually came out and feel more comfortable". For me to hear something like this is like "Oh my god! Wow!". I changed somebody's, at least, one day in life, and maybe their whole life. It means a lot and staying true to yourself is my target goal, to help people just believe in themselves. So yeah, people follow you and love you for who you are and for who you want to be and you don't have to force anyone to believe in something else. And on social media, it's your real life and you share the reality of your being and people can live with you. It's like living with you. You know, it's like a reality show, if you think about it.

You had the opportunity to perform at last year's Pride Festival in London. What was that experience like for you and how did you celebrate Pride this year?

Oh my god! That experience was absolutely incredible! That Pride I think was the most amazing Pride in Europe that I ever went to. There were so many people and everyone was so, I don't know. You know what I love about it? There were so many straight people. It's not only gay people there. There are so many straight people supporting the LGBTQI community. It was a great experience. I was with DIVA Magazine and it was amazing. And then I was performing on the DIVA stage with some other amazing LGBTQI artists and it was one of the most incredible experiences for me. But this year, it wasn't fun for me because I was literally staying home. Unfortunately, it was the wrong timing this year. I wasn't able to actually go somewhere. I was supposed to perform in Texas this year and it was delayed. The person who was organizing the event, she was really hoping it would still happen and it didn't, so I'm very upset. But as long as we are safe and everyone can overcome this pandemic. I hope it will end as soon as it can end. It is what it is.

What can you tell me about your song "Sweet Heaven", which you have said offers a veiled critique of this country's increasingly harsh border policies? Also, what has it been like for you to witness the attitude of this administration towards immigrants, being an immigrant yourself?

So the song wasn't written as a critique to these immigration policies here. It wasn't written like that. When I just wrote the song, I came up with the chorus-with the melody for the chorus-and literally heard the choir singing with me in my soul. I knew it had to be something very inspirational or something spiritual or encouraging. Also, it was written, like, half a year ago or maybe more already at that time...well, before the pandemic, so it will be a year already. It was just something spiritual. There is this person...it can be God...it's not any particular religion that I am referring to. It's just something spiritual. It can be a universe force, your guardian angel looking after you all the time and helping you to overcome the obstacles in your life...your mother, your kids, whoever that person is in your life. The video was inspired by the crazy story of undocumented immigrants, even living all of their life here in the US, and are separated from their families and their children and the children are being locked up at the border alone in cages. It's ridiculous. I get chills just talking about it. That really touched me and I was like "These are the people I want to dedicate this song to". These kids and families, they need this right now, somebody or something that can help them to go through this situation. That's my dedication to this subject and to these kids and these families. And that's why I filmed the video in California, in the desert, showing the father that was deported and trying to escape and go beyond all of that and still coming back and crossing the border and coming back for his daughter and reuniting with her. And she's sad waiting for him, still here in the US. So it's just my dedication to these kids and families that are separated. But the song wasn't written exactly about this subject. It's a love song, of having that something or someone overcoming obstacles with you, I guess. Like a guardian angel.

You also strive to give back to the community. What can you tell me about ISINA, Inc, the music talent search and mentoring program and how you came to be involved with them?

For me, it was meeting Walter Afanasieff, who is a legend! I still can't believe I met him and worked in the studio with him. It means a lot and I don't know...it makes me believe I'm a great artist. Like, am I already at the level of Mariah Carey and Leona Lewis? She was literally in the studio right before me, with him working. Like, Leona Lewis was working on a song with him. So for me, knowing that I am going into the studio with him after Leona Lewis, was making me, I don't know...really believe in myself even more. Like "Oh my god. Am I actually working with a person at that level?". It's also different, the way of recording in the studio and working with musicians, live musicians, and different levels of people in the industry. It was great to meet him and I'm so grateful. I'm hoping that I'll still be able to work more and more with him, because I'm still in contact with him.

You have talked about getting to travel the world with your modeling career. What are some of your favorite places that you have been able to visit through your modeling?

Oh my god! Actually, one of the most unusual places for me was Beirut, Lebanon. I worked with a company over there and at first I actually cancelled the trip because I was nervous to go there. I had never been to that side of the world and wondered if it would be dangerous. I was going alone which might be kind of dangerous. But then I came there and a group of people from the company met me and showed me the city and I saw it from a different angle. Everything I had heard about it was lies and not what it actually was, so I fell in love with Beirut. And then it was Israel, South Africa, all of these places. But I was all around Europe. I didn't get to Asia, which I really want to go and see. And Australia. I haven't been to Australia yet. I've heard it is so beautiful. It's on by bucket list. And New Zealand and Bali and of these tropical places, because there's just something inside of me that always carries me to these tropical places.

What's next for you? What do you have coming up?

"Sweet Heaven" is coming up next and then I was lucky to be able to film another 4 music videos, right before the pandemic, which is crazy. Right now it is very hard to shoot a music video, even though the day before yesterday we finished another one in New York, which I'm very, very excited about. Even though I am living and based in New York, this will be the first video I have actually shot in New York, which is kind of weird (laughs)! I'm super excited for that one. Right now, I'm going to be concentrating on music that is already done and recorded and the music videos that we have already shot, we will be releasing those. I have so much material to share with my friends and people and fans, so yes, I have a lot up my sleeve that I can't wait to share with all of you guys!

Carolyn Lederach 9/25/20 Carolyn Lederach 9/25/20

INTERVIEW: Agent Envy

Alejandra Jiménez, who goes by the moniker Agent Envy, recently released her debut single, a haunting cover of Deftone's "My Own Summer". Infusing sultrier vocals and a heavier emphasis on synth and industrial elements, she creates her own unique spin on the classic Deftone's hit. Born in San Diego, Jiménez has been singing for as long as she can remember and was immersed in musical theatre since she was a small child. She learned guitar in middle school and discovered her love for rock music, later fronting her high school rock band. She counts Tool, Massive Attack and Nine Inch Nails as a few of her musical inspirations. Having since relocated to Brooklyn, NY, she aims to express the darker side of life through music and art, with her Agent Envy persona drawing from her experiences as a freelancer in the graphic novel industry and her career as an international private investigator. Having worked and traveled continuously over the past few years, music had taken a backseat for Jiménez until this past year. Determined to make music and art a priority, she has created an in-home studio and made time each day for music, resulting in her debut single and impending EP. With plans to release more singles, music videos and behind-the-scenes looks at the making of her music videos, Agent Envy has given us plenty to look forward to. You can connect with Agent Envy via the following links and check out her latest single “Spiral”:

You recently released your cover of the Deftones song "My Own Summer". What can you tell me about the inspiration behind your rendition of the song, as well as why you chose that particular song as your debut single?

I’m a huge 90’s rock and metal fan, so many bands from that era have influenced me as a musician, and the Deftones are no exception. My Own Summer is probably one of their most well-known tracks, and I knew that I wanted to go for a real classic like that. In my rendition, I opted for a more sultry vocal approach with a heavier emphasis on synth and industrial elements, which are a recurring theme in my sound.

What can you tell me the idea behind the video and why you chose to shoot parts of it in red lighting?

To me, this song is about isolation from the rest of the world, whether self-imposed or not. I wanted to create a visual that matched that feeling, something a little dream-like and cyclical, maybe even unsettling at times. The “red section” as we were referring to it during production, represents sinking further into that isolation and the twisting of reality that goes with it. Red neon is also a bit of a running theme in my branding imagery as well.

Your persona of agent envy is described as being born from a desire to express the darker side of life through music and art. In what ways do you feel music and art have been catalysts for this expression?

I’ve always gravitated towards things that are a little dark. Books, movies, and music on dark topics, edgy fashion, dark imagery, etc. I just feel the most comfortable and excited by these things. Music and art are the best ways to express any range of emotions, I just tend to focus on topics that aren’t quite as sunny.

I read that you have drawn significant inspiration from film scores. What can you tell me about your love for film scores and how they've inspired you? What would you count as your favorites?

I’m very visually-oriented and whenever I’m writing music, I’m always thinking about what kind of scene in a movie it would be played in. I feel like this helps me to create a consistent mood around each song that transports the listener. I love action movies, sci-fi and fantasy, so these are usually the types of film scores and sound tracks that I’ll reach for. My all-time favorite movie is the Matrix, which had a really significant impact on me as a kid. The concept, the characters, the music, the aesthetic, were unlike anything I’d ever experienced at the time and it really stuck with me. So many of the artists featured on that sound track have become my favorites over the years.

What can you tell me about your life as an international private investigator, as well as a freelancer in the graphic novel industry? How did you become involved in those lines of work and how have they influenced your music?

I can’t disclose much about my career in investigation, and I prefer to keep my music and my job as separate as possible. The graphic novel work was something I did throughout college and for a little while after. I worked closely with one of DC Comic’s top colorists prepping pages for him in a process known in the industry as “flatting.” It was tons of fun and I got to work on just about every major DC character out there, and always made point of attending Comic Con in either San Diego or New York. There was a point in time when I wanted to make a full time career out of it, and I’d still love to write and illustrate my own graphic novel one day.

You grew up in San Diego and have been performing since you were young and were immersed in the musical theatre scene as both a performer and spectator. What can you tell me about your childhood and growing up in the theatre? Did you grow up in a musical/artistic family?

I’ve been singing for as long as I can remember. My parents actually used to get complaints from my pre-school because I would routinely sing during class. After a few school plays, I ended up auditioning for larger-scale productions locally, started formal voice lessons and continued to act, sing and dance in various shows through my senior year of high school. I started learning to play the guitar in middle school and ended up as the lead singer in my high school’s rock band (which is what we had instead of a marching band), and that was when I realized I really loved being the front woman in a band. That in particular for me was a real milestone because it’s tough as an alto to land leading roles in musical theater, where soprano voices are the most sought after. Rock music is another world, and I started to really come into my own.

My mom is an artist. She’s got degrees in illustration and ceramics, she makes jewelry, she cooks fantastic meals and decorates incredible desserts, and she’s where I get my obsession with “making things.” My dad is a psychiatrist, but played trumpet in a band for many years and I credit him with educating me in all things rock and beyond. Plus he’s the root of my interest in detective novels and action movies.

What can you tell me about moving to New York for college and what that transition was like for you, moving from California to NY? Having not gone to many concerts until you moved to NY, what was it like to start becoming more immersed in the music scene? What do you like to do for fun in the city?

San Diego and NYC couldn’t be more different if they tried. The people, the architecture, the weather, the population density, are all very different. New York is a very competitive place compared to San Diego but there’s a lot to love here too. The awesome thing about the New York concert scene is that basically every artist is guaranteed to perform here, so I got to see so many musicians that never made it to San Diego. I generally spend half of every concert paying attention and the other half thinking about how much I want to be back on stage. Going to shows is a great way for me to find inspiration any time I feel like i’m in a rut.

Outside of going to concerts, I love spending time with my friends doing basically anything. Going to the movies, dining out, grabbing drinks are all staple activities. I also love venturing out into the trig-state area during the summer and fall and renting out a house with friends. Of course, things are a little different now due to Covid, but we try to see each other as regularly as possible.

You talked last year about having the time to think about how you had been living your life and the way you wanted to live it. You mentioned having lost sight of what truly drives you- being creative, making art, dreaming of characters and becoming them, making music, singing and performing. What can you tell me about that revelation and your journey of bringing those things into the present and doing what drives you?

Wow, you’ve really done your homework! A few things happened all at once. I had just ended a relationship, I had a fairly-serious health scare, and I had been working and traveling incessantly for several years. I realized that while I was really successful at what I did, I had forgotten to make time to pursue what I really loved, which is music and art. I read a quote somewhere, the gist of which is that you should be living each day as you wish to live your life, because your days are your life in miniature. That really stuck with me, and I could see that even though I had dreams of pursuing music, I wasn’t actually spending time doing that on a daily basis. To change that, I started carving out 2 hours a night to work on music, and I pretty much haven’t stopped since.

You moved last year into a new apartment that now houses your own in home studio for music production and recording. What has that been like for you to have your own studio? Do you record and produce music for other artists besides yourself?

Having my own home studio has made an enormous difference in my ability to create music more effortlessly. I’ve been able to acquire some more gear and instruments that I didn’t have space for in my previous tiny apartment, and that has really opened up my options creatively. It’s also just psychologically beneficial to have a designated space to make music. When I sit at this desk, I know it’s time to get to work. Currently I’m only working on my own music, but I’d love to work with other artists later down the line. I think it’s really crucial to be protective of your time and energy, so I am trying not to spread myself too thin.

As someone who has traveled a lot, what is your process for making music on the road and how does it differ for you from making music at home?

Depending on how long I’m traveling for and how light I need to travel, I usually opt for less gear for the sake of not having to haul too much through TSA. A laptop, headphones, a midi controller and my songwriting notebook are the basics. I use my phone to capture my initial ideas via voice notes, and then I’ll sketch out the instrumentation and structure from there. When I get back, I’ll record a more solid vocal demo at home. I also love to use travel time to brush up on my theory as well, especially since I usually won’t have access to a guitar.

You have mentioned having a love for analog. What can you tell me about your love for analog in such a digital world? Do you incorporate digital aspects into your producing/recording process as well?

I love technology, but I really hate staring at screens all day. I try to minimize that as much as possible by keeping paper notebooks, calendars, etc., instead of having everything be digital. Of course, these days most production is done digitally but a lot of the instrumentation we use is real-world. My music is a solid mix of both.

You have talked about how one of the things you have struggled the most with during quarantine has been the self-imposed pressure to "maximize" the time you've had to do something productive every waking hour. How have you tried to overcome that struggle and the subsequent anxiety, uncertainty and exhaustion? Are there any lessons you have learned as a result or things about yourself?

I’ve gotten back into journaling which has really helped. I felt like I had totally lost track of the days and yet I was trying to do so much at once. All of a sudden everyone’s time was spent entirely online instead of in-person, and I needed to find a way to get a grasp on reality again. I think a lot of that anxiety also subsided when it became clear that things weren’t going to go back to normal any time soon. I felt less pressure to maximize my time at home while I had it, and could focus more on planning longer term.

What can you tell me about your upcoming single "Spiral", which will be an original song? What can you tell me about your process of creating original music and what can people expect?

“Spiral” is a rather personal song about hookup culture and my tendencies to engage in it, even though I know how it’ll play out every time. It’s about the games we play with other people to try and get what we want while maintaining some illusion of dignity and control. I’m so excited for everyone to hear it and I really love the way it turned out.

My songwriting process usually starts with lyrics and melody at the same time, I rarely write to any accompaniment. I’ll start with singing into my voice memos and build out at least a first verse and first chorus before i move onto any other parts. In terms of subject matter, I always write from personal experience and I make a point of expanding my topics beyond just relationships. There’s a whole other host of topics in the range of human experience that deserve songs too. I’ve got songs about sleep walking, about hospitalization, etc.

What's next for you?

I’ll be releasing the music video for “Spiral” shortly after the song release. I don’t want to give too much away but it’s turning out really awesome and it was pretty exhausting to film. I’m hoping to release a few more singles this year, leading up to my EP, Hybrid. In the meantime, I’ll be publishing behind the scenes videos for each of my music videos, as well as throughout the studio recording phases, for those who are interested in a more in-depth look at my creative process.

Carolyn Lederach 9/15/20 Carolyn Lederach 9/15/20

INTERVIEW: CrowJane

Photo credit: Jenny Nirgends. — CrowJane

The Photo Ladies Interview

For many artists, writing and recording music can be considered a form of therapy and for LA musician, makeup and makeup effects artist Heather Galipo, her new solo album was just that. Galipo, who goes by the moniker CrowJane, is releasing her new album Mater Dolorosa today. Described by some as experimental and avant-garde, those descriptions could be used to describe the album. A genuine and unconventional artist with no desire to be the next big thing, Mater Dolorosa is an honest album that was years in the making for Galipo. As she was slowly writing the songs for the album, she also joined three other bands- Egrets on Ergot, The Deadbeats and Prissy Whip. Earlier this year, she signed with Kitten Robot Records, owned by musical icon Josie Cotton, and the album was recorded at the Kitten Robot Studios. Galipo worked closely on the album with producer and LA punk icon Paul Roessler (The Screamers/Nina Hagen/45 Grave/The Deadbeats), who runs the studio. Having worked with Roessler on other projects/bands over the years, he convinced her to put pen to paper and write about the loss, abuse and addiction she had experienced. The result is Mater Dolorosa, 10 tracks that are a raw and vulnerable expression of these experiences. “A lot of thought and experimenting went into this album,” she replies about this collaboration. “A variety of experimental percussive sounds, some coming from instruments that we made out of various materials like bed railing, tin cans, foil, etc. This album is uncomfortably personal which makes me feel exposed to the public. It is riddled with pain and self-reflection from personal experiences and the state of the world. At the same time, it shines a light on some of the beauty of being so exposed and overcoming obstacles. It's a love story and it's an expression of gratitude to so many that have left a stamp on my life and helped me grow.” The first single from the album, "Terminal Secrets", was released on August 18th. “Lyrically, this song was inspired by the idea that a person can have a smile on their face but be screaming on the inside,” she told Postpunk.com, who premiered the single and video. “What is portrayed on the outside doesn't always reflect what is actually going on inside a person and within their mind. People can spend so much of their life chasing for money, power, security, validation, fame, 'success', and wake up to the realization of the 'monster they have become' on their journey to obtain or achieve it.” The second single, "The Pharmacy", was released on September 8th. Aside from music, Galipo has a visual art background in surrealism and horror and has built a career as a professional horror effects makeup artist. A lifelong love for painting and drawing morphed in high school into a decision to pursue makeup effects. After spending over a decade in the indie film industry, she recently made it into the makeup union and has since worked on high profile shows such as Star Trek: Picard and Ryan Murphy's show Hollywood, to name a few. With plans to make more music videos and start writing her next album, CrowJane is definitely an artist to keep on your radar. You can connect with CrowJane and purchase her album via the following links.

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Bandcamp

You'll be releasing your debut solo album Mater Dolorosa in September, an album that has been years in the making for you. You have discussed how the album was uncomfortably personal and riddled with pain and self-reflection from both personal experiences and the state of the world. What can you tell me about the experience of making the album and coming out of that place of pain into what you have described now as a sense of gratitude for your growth and the lessons that you learned as a result?

Well, I play in 3 bands and am the only girl in all of them and most of the time I am playing guitar. In one of the bands I am the lead vocalist, for a band called Prissy Whip. With the band I've been in the longest, I play guitar primarily and it's such a different thing to just play guitar, as opposed to singing and being the frontperson and writing these words and expressing yourself through lyrics. Something like poetry and writing, it's something I've always done. When I was in high school, I remember I'd always write poetry and stuff in the back of my notebook when I should have been in class paying attention (laughs). I was writing poetry in the back of my notebook or drawing pretty things in the margins. I have this very already kind of intense emotional connection to writing and using writing songs and art and all of that as a form of expression and emotional release. At the time, I think I was just, and I think this is something a lot of people go through, a bottled-up person with a lot of emotions and a lot of trauma. And that's not special to me in any particular case. I think every human being has their own version of traumatic events that have happened to them. But with this particular situation, I didn't really know where to put things in the sense of "How do I navigate through everything that I'm going through?". It felt like a very heavy weight. I was never, like, in therapy. I got put into therapy once in high school. It was this terrible situation where it was a really strict Christian who tried to convert me and got my dad involved and it was weird. I would smoke weed before I would go and would go there really high and really happy and I remember at one point she was like "You seem happier" and I was like "You're right, I am" (laughs)! I would try any way to get out of stuff like that and would ignore anything that was like self-reflection, even though that is exactly what I needed. So really I was in my own self-bondage and would let everything that felt like a traumatic event that I'd gone through all control me and affect me in my day-to-day life. This album was a particular breaking point. I was going through my addiction and it was at its peak, I think. I fell 12 feet though a skylight and was in a back brace and scared the shit out of everyone I love. Paul (Roessler), my music producer, was one of those people. He even wrote a song about a girl falling through a skylight (laughs)! He's one of the people that would be like asking the universe to help me and to help get me sober. I'm a very love-centric person and when I was writing this album, it was a lot of relationships that didn't work out and one of them was even abusive. Two days before I sang the song...I do a cover on the album of "It's A Man's World" and wanted to do it in a very feminist kind of way. A lot of people cover that song but sing it in a very pretty way. It's a good song but the only band that I know, and it's a band that I am actually inspired by who covers that song, is a band called The Residents, and they just fuck it up and make it weird. I wanted to fuck it up and make it weird but also wanted to bring a feminist energy to it, like "Yeah. It's a fucking man's world but we're doing our best to change that!". 2 days before I sang that vocal track I was sexually assaulted and throughout all of this stuff Paul said "You're going to write about it". This is one way that I know how to navigate through this and that makes it better. This is a very good therapy, and of course every art form is, but sometimes I feel like when you are in the heat of all that stuff, you don't want to do anything. I'm sure a lot of people are going through that in quarantine, with this country on fire and the world being weird, and you want the drive to do all of the things, but sometimes you just don't. Paul was the push that was like "write songs about it", and so I did. At first, they were primarily about the relationships that I was in, and I was just expressing what it was like to go through this process of trying to have something like a romantic relationship, and you're not taught in school how to do such a thing. I feel like people don't commonly go about it in the way of like "Hmmm. This is an interesting experience to have in life. Let me research it and read books about it first". You're just kind of thrown in there and fumbling around and guessing and have a lot of probably not so great or healthy ones. Or at least in my case that's how it was. Even though it started off being centered in a lot of that and just writing about a lot of that stuff, I'm happy that I did it because it did help get me through it. It makes it really personal in a way that isn't like me just playing a guitar part in a song. It forces me to be vulnerable.

The album is titled Mater Dolorosa, which translates to Mother of Sorrows, one of the 3 artistic representations of a sorrowful Virgin Mary. Also, the album will be released on September 15th, which is the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. What can you tell me of any personal significance of the album title and release date?

Mater Dolorosa...Lady of Sorrows...I thought that it was fitting, just with the vibe of the album and what it's about (laughs). But I've been sober for over 5 years now and have gone through all kinds of different experiences and it's not all woes and turmoil. My life is way more amazing now than it's ever been. But Mater Dolorosa was kind of a universal God shot in that September 15th is a celebratory day of Mater Dolorosa. I met up with the label and we were talking about release dates and Gina, who works with Josie (Cotton), said "Hey. I looked it up and September 15th is a celebratory day of Mater Dolorosa and we were like WOAH!". It just so happened to be the day we were talking about releasing the album, so we were like "This is perfect. Let's release it on this date". Along with the representation of the meaning of what Mater Dolorosa is, Paul was in a band called The Screamers that I love a lot, and I have all of these little symbolisms, sort of a love letter play on words and hidden between the lines sort of stuff. It's kind of like a love letter to Paul and The Screamers and I like the meaning and imagery of Mater Dolorosa a lot. So that's where that came from.

What led you to want to experiment with different kinds of atypical instrumentation on the album, such as metal bed frames and crumpled up foil and just whatever was around?

I feel like I am a very experimental person in general when it comes to art forms, particularly music. I'm inspired by so many different bands that really bend the rules on music. So many of my friends and people that I make music with are the same way. It's fun for me to explore, because I feel like people can get pigeonholed very easily and stuck in this very guitar/bass/drums model. Everything's been done, you know? Everything's been done. At the same time, I'm a self-taught musician, so I'm in the studio and Paul is telling me to write these songs. I was just going to do like a guitar-acoustic type of thing but was like "Too folky. I don't want that". How many people do I know who made a solo album and it was a folk album? Even if sometimes that vibe will come naturally, there was also a part of me that wanted drums on a track. There were some tom drums in the studio and I decided to bang on those for a little bit. I think the trigger for the inspiration came when we were making a song, and I was in the vocal booth, and the mic was still on. I walked out and there's this sliding glass door that opens and closes in order to go into the other room where you listen back, where the recording board is. When I opened and closed it, it went "swoosh" and the microphone caught the sound. When we listened back, both Paul and I liked that sound. I think there was just a realization and something that clicked there where we realized we could make all of these cool sounds that we could add into the music. Paul is really good at stuff like that. We could make them and use what's around the studio and the apartment as instruments that sound really cool. Then we were off on this whole new thing and everything in the house could be used for really cool sounds. It's interesting, because even places like Disney used to do that, like with soundtracks to cartoons or whatever they were doing. A lot of the times there were these homemade instruments they would use to make a specific sound of like "What does this cartoon character falling off a mountain sound like?". I'm into stuff like that and I researched it and so we just started banging on stuff and a lot of it sounded really cool and added a really interesting, experimental flare.

What has it been like to be signed to Kitten Robot Records? Having been friends with and worked with Paul (who heads Kitten Robot Studios) for several years now, what do you feel you have learned from him over the years?

I call him and his wife Rachel my little angels. Woah, I feel emotional. I didn't expect that. He's like a mentor, you know? And he's really supportive and inspiring and it's not just with me. I see it with him and Josie too. If he were here, he'd be saying some smart-ass comment about this I'm sure (laughs)! Like "I love it when girls cry" (laughs). There's a humor and humility to it. It's been really cool. I've done music for a long time now and have been signed to a label before and basically it didn't do much. It gave us a tangible record on vinyl that we couldn't afford anyway. This is the first time I have been signed to a label that has...you know, it's a newer label so they are driven to expand and become bigger. The push to expand and become bigger with them is existent and that's the first time that I have had that from a label. I'm getting interviews left and right and photo shoots and really good PR. I was just going to put this album up online and call it a day, but Paul put a lot of time into this album too and was like "I want you to try to shop it around and let's see what happens". In a lot of these situations, I like to take myself out of them. It's not all about me. I wanted to shop it around for him and for the project. And then Kitten Robot was into it and they wanted to put it out and I'm just really grateful and appreciative of all the support. It's really cool that all of these magical things keep happening, like it was just supposed to be a digital release and then one of my friends who is also starting a label said they would partner up with Kitten Robot Records and make vinyl. They really wanted the album to be on vinyl and I was like "Woah! Now this is going to be on vinyl? Cool!". And now I have interviews with all of these magazines talking about it, which is cool. This is way more than I ever expected from it. I don't know if it's going to go anywhere. It's never my drive to be like the next big thing or whatever. You know, my music is, like, weird. I'm a weirdo and my music's weird (laughs)! I don't expect everyone to love it. It doesn't have this, like, very basic structure of catchy choruses that happen time and time again, even though I think it's really melodic and beautiful. I think the work that Paul and I did is really cool. I also know that the vast majority of people are listening to the top 60 radio hits, like Taylor Swift or whatever. But I think that everything that is happening is really awesome and it's been a really cool experience.

You have talked about growing up in the punk scene and about how punk rock saved your life. What can you tell me about the early days of the LA punk and underground music scene that you were a part of when you were younger and how it's evolved over the years?

Yeah, sure. I'm happy that you used the words "that punk rock saved your life" because yeah, I say that and it's true, as much as it kind of destroys your life at the same time (laughs). You know, I say the same thing about music...a blessing and a curse. And I'm not really a religious person when I say these terms. They're just the easiest terms to use. When I was in high school, things weren't the best at home. There was a period in my life where my mother died from cancer at a really young age and I was just mad. I was mad and had all of this energy and there was this group of kids that hung out at the wall. It was called the wall. It was this brick wall and they were all of the goth and punk kids and I was just a nerd who liked to read books. There was something that just drew me in to these kids. I think my siblings at the same time were...like my brother was wearing Doc Martens and was always listening to music with these big headphones and had the Dead Kennedys CDs and The Doors and things like that. All of these things in my life were moving me towards this music and these people and everyone that I knew, like these kids who hung out at the wall or in the janitor's closet, were all going through something too. I feel like that's the part where the punk kids became my family and where them saving my life comes in, because people need people to a certain extent. We were all going through this shit and like, the music just lets you, it's just that you could connect to it so much and in a political way too. And then you go to these shows and that was our escape. We would go to these shows and get into the mosh pit and chip our teeth and get bloody and bruised and whatever. It felt good and we'd feel so alive!. At the same time, the darker side of that stuff is where the addiction comes in. There was a lot of drinking and a lot of these musicians and writers that I would idolize, like Hunter S Thompson and a lot of musicians in the punk scene, were all kind of these, like, broken people with troubles with addiction but amazing at what they do. And I'd think "Oh, I'm not addicted to anything". I had this way of romanticizing that narrative and it wasn't until later in life, like now, where I realized that that's actually the sad part of their story. With Hunter S Thompson, for example, I wish he was alive now with all of these different things in politics happening. I want to know what he would write about. It would be amazing. But anyways, I just devoted myself to punk music and it became my life and I became a nerd about that since I was a nerd anyway. And I just researched the shit out of it. I wanted to go underground and underground and underground and find all of the deeper cuts, since it's kind of the music that a lot of bands didn't really make a profit off of. Like, I love The Screamers so much and it's a legendary band, but Paul was telling me this story about he got, like, a check in the mail for The Screamers and it was a dollar. It's just, like, bootlegs everywhere and people don't make money off of it and that's fine. When I started to be in bands and play music, I just got more and more friends who were punk nerds. When I got out of high school, my friends that were more musically inclined and into music actually wanted to make music. The partying came to a halt. It got ugly there. It became more about making music and making art. And the underground scene in LA, like with my band Egrets on Ergot, was really cool. It felt like everything I had read about in books, like this is happening. I always would say how I wished I was in the music scene in the 70s. If I had a time machine, I would go back to the blues days. I wish I was in any sort of musical world besides the one I'm actually in (laughs). It felt very thriving and cool and underground and everyone was dressed up and expressing themselves in cool styles and going to the shops and to Glitter Death and we'd play upstairs in sort of the attic area. The whole store was shaking and was probably unsafe but whatever. We were all hanging out there until 2 or 3 am and we were in Hollywood and it felt really cool. I think it started to get a lot of traction and post-punk, even though it was underground, started to get a lot of traction and became a pretty popular thing here in LA and more and more people started to come out to shows and my band Egrets on Ergot got more and more traction. If you would have told little punk me in high school that one day I would be playing with The Deadbeats and I would be sitting within the studio or I would meet Paul Roessler from The Screamers or I would be playing in a band with Rick Agnew from Christian Death, I wouldn't have believed you. Or that I was going to be on tour with The Weirdos in your band. I would have said no way. I remember when I was going to shows and watching bands up on the stage being like "Man, that would be so cool to do something like that" but feeling like I probably never would. But I have, many, many times, and it's actually one of the places I love to be the most. There's nothing else that I've done that is like it. I get really awesome feelings and sensations of expression and loss of time when I'm doing makeup and makeup effects for example, or painting. But there's just nothing like performing on a stage and connecting to people and their energy. There's just nothing like it.

In recent months you have rediscovered your love for art forms that you haven't really touched for a while, most specifically photography. A lot of the photography you have done has been for the album artwork and the artwork for the album's singles and you have collaborated with Rachel Roessler, who is also a photographer. What can you tell me about getting back into photography, as well as the inspiration behind the aesthetic of your photos, which have a spooky, witchy and at times spiritual vibe to them?

I used to do film photography with my sister, and just photography in general. I would always be the model for my sister in her photos. She got really into it, as well. My relationship with Rachel kind of feels that way. I took a class at Cal Arts and would be in the darkroom developing my film and stuff like that and I don't know. I stopped doing it for a long time. I think when Covid happened, a lot of my artist friends...my world had become music and film and both of them will keep you really busy. Painting on canvas and photography is something that I hadn't touched for a while. I got the chance to during this Covid time. Rachel is really into photography too and we both have these kinds of dark aesthetics. There's just a mood to this album that I really wanted to represent and I kept getting all of these ideas of things I thought would look really cool, and I was also able to use my make-up and effects skills. For one of the photoshoots, I wanted to recreate Mater Dolorosa, so I made a prosthetic at home with swords going through my heart and made it kind of gory. I got an idea to go to...it was when it was raining for days and days in LA and I think it was the most rain we'd ever had. Everything was so green. I just love misty, cloudy, foggy environments and the mood it creates. It's my favorite mood, even though it's kind of sad, but it's just comfortable. I think, like, healthy people who are going to the gym all the time or something probably like the sun the most and are up at 6 am (laughs)! Rachel was diving back into her photography too and we wanted something to do. I didn't have the release yet. Kitten Robot Records wasn't even in the picture. We were just like "Wanna go take photos? I need something to do. Let's go take some photos. Let's go to the mountains and walk around". So we did and I do have a spiritual, sort of witchy side to me and I just like nature so much. Through becoming sober and through even this time in Covid, this sort of grounding connection to nature has been something that has been really important to me. It reminds me to get out of the concrete jungle and to stare at a tree or go into nature and look at how beautiful the world is and to remember that outside of people and politics and things that could be considered ugly, there's also all of these beautiful parts of the world to explore. More and more ideas kept coming to Rachel and I and we were like "Ok, let's do this. Let's be a murky, creepy witch person in the water". We are both kind of inspired by this horror type of imagery and it's been really fun. I really like what we've done.

You recently released the single "Terminal Secrets", which was inspired by the fact that what's portrayed on the outside doesn't always reflect what's going on inside of a person and their mind. What can you tell me about the song and what you feel it reflects about today's society?

It's funny, because to me it's saying what's underneath the mask of your personality and what's really going on inside. And then it just so happens to be, at this point and time in the world, that we have to wear masks literally (laughs)! It can be so hard to see people's personalities through these masks. There's just no expression. I just feel like there's so much pressure in society to present yourself well, and I don't know. Maybe this is some old sort of 50s mentality or something? And being emotional or crying is seen as sign of weakness. I think for a lot of people, it's hard for them to communicate about this stuff that's probably going on inside of them. It's hard to be vulnerable, and as humans everyone has kind of like their ego and it's just what naturally happens. How do you break that and how do you shed that? I see it a lot of the time in the film industry and in music where there's just a lot of facade. I think especially in LA. It feels like things just lack depth because people aren't being genuine. That or their really, really genuine and maybe saying too much, which is maybe where I fall into the line (laughs). I'm like at the opposite end of the spectrum. But I wanted to write about that and I've seen it time and time again, where people just get a little taste of success and they want more and more and more of it and just "How do I make it in LA and in this industry? Who do I need to know and how can I be their friend so that I can get closer to my success?". Part of what I talk about in the song is this monster and waking up to the monster you've become. And maybe it's the loneliest you've ever been because you don't have any kind of relationship that has true depth. It's all surface level "friends", but it doesn't start out that way maybe. In the song it kind of starts off with sounding like you're in a happy place and are doing it for fun and for the right reasons and then when you get a taste for success it can easily turn bad. It's like a mindfuck, you know?

You also released a video for "Terminal Secrets" that uses stop motion animation. What can you tell me about the process of making the video and your love for stop motion animation?

My friend Jenny (Nirgends) directed the video and she goes to Cal Arts and is an animator. She's one of my favorite artsy people to collaborate with, outside of Rachel, because she's really driven and has a lot of really cool ideas and a unique style. Me and her have decorated a whole building for one of my band's release show and were inspired by Yayoi Kusama. She's an artist who does a lot of installation art and she'd decorate a whole room usually in a series of dots and it looks really surreal looking. We wanted to make this real looking world for the show and we called it The ACID test and it was kind of a legendary show. I had worked with her before on that and she's done music videos for my other bands before, so I thought about her as soon as I got the opportunity to make music videos. I hit her up and asked her if she wanted to make one with me and that I didn't have much money but would build the art and we'd have some money for materials. She was like "Yeah. I've always wanted to make a pixel animation". Her and I both have the same connections and inspirations from, like, The Brothers Quay and different stop motion animations. We were talking about that and Peter Gabriel's music video for "Sledgehammer" came up and we discussed doing it in a portrait type of mode and we talked about the theme of the song and how I wanted the music video to be about faces transforming. When I say "the monster you've become" in the song, I wanted to develop my own face into the monster and shedding my skin time and time again. She was like "Ok cool. Can you build a mask of your own face?" and I was like "Yeah. I have a lot of time in quarantine right now" (laughs)! I had never filmed anything in stop motion before and it was a really cool experience but it's a lot of work. We did 12 frames a second. Sometimes people do 24. Even with 12 frames a second, just half of that, we'd be shooting all day and walk out of there with 10 seconds of footage and the song is over 3 minutes. Along with pre-production, we were working on that music video for weeks. She made the art for it and the collage and the wall and I made all of the plaster faces and masks. It was an interesting process to make a mask of my own face. It's kind of funny to see yourself in clay, without hair and stuff. I felt like I was, like, my dad. I looked old and I looked a lot like my dad and was like "Ugh!" (laugh)! But it was a fun process. My friend Ashley (Hooker), who is a body painter, came out and I think that turned out to be a really cool part of the music video of just trying to blend me into the background and painting flowers on me.

You have talked about having a really great team of women working on the video and doing the pixel animation. What kind of support do you see amongst women in the music industry, as well as in makeup and film?

There are so many things I could talk about with this subject. I really wanted to push to have more women making this art and be as connected to this project as I could, because it's important to me. All of a sudden, I realized that I'm working around and with a bunch of dudes all the time. It's almost like people are surprised when they meet a female recording engineer or a female worker in an effects shop. In the effects industry, especially in the labs, it's primarily male based. I think it's been getting better over the past few years and it's better now, but there's a lot of dudes in it. It can feel very, like, "Well she's not strong enough to lift this bag of plaster, so she's not going to do this", but I do know a lot of women and they've done amazing things in the music and the film world. I think there are women who really find their place and really stand up for themselves in both of those worlds. I know a lot of women in bands and they don't like to be called a girl band. If it was with dudes, it would just be called a band, but since there's girls in it it's called a girl band. It's important to me, as a female, to remember to work with other females and to keep it thriving in these industries. I don't have bad feelings against the men or anything like that. Paul is a guy and he's amazing, but I just feel like doing my part as a woman in this world and even as a person in general, how can I help the growth in these areas of the world, whether it be women having more successes and equal opportunities, as well as people of color. I think those are all important things for people and myself to keep in mind when we are employing people or creating something. We all have different perspectives and come from different areas and that can be very inspiring and maybe they can think of things that you didn't think of. Sometimes it's just about who's best for the job or who wants to do it, in terms of where it could be genderless. I think it's an important thing to keep in mind for me.

Going into high school, your passion for painting and drawing kind of morphed into makeup and make up effects. Could you talk a bit about you came to want to make a career out of doing make up and special effects? Is there an achievement or moment you are most proud of?

I was always a thinker and drawing. My sister was an artist too and I knew a handful of people that went to college for art. College always seemed to me, in general, expensive and something that would put me into a lot of debt and being, like, a painter seemed like an unrealistic dream. David Bowie has a good quote about being an artist and musician, like that you have to be kind of crazy to do it. Like why don't you just do something you know will put bread on the table (laughs)? And you know, it's true! You have to really love it and stick with it, otherwise just do something that you know is going to pay you. But I was just trying to think of different ways...like, what am I going to do when I get out of high school and what can I do artistically that I think can bring me money? And I was watching CSI or some show like that with my dad. He just so happened to be home that day and the tv was on, per usual (laughs), and I saw the dead bodies and stuff. And I always loved Predator and different types of sci-fi and horror movies and would do makeup for my sister when she went to the prom or something. It just clicked, like, "Oh, I could probably make these dead people for a living" (laughs)! It's just painting and it's cool and I felt like people in the film industry make a lot of money. So I looked up makeup schools and went to Cinema makeup school. There was a short course and I took the master course and I did airbrushing and beauty and effects stuff and I really fell in love with makeup effects. I was lucky because my makeup effects teacher at the time, his name's Greg McDougall...I was one of the only people in my class that was really, really into it. I would always show up early and stay late and a lot of the other girls who were more beauty oriented didn't want to get dirty, and with effects you often get plaster all over you. I loved being messy. I'm a messy artist, so I was really into it and so he took me under his wing and got me onto productions right out of school. I did a Bigfoot movie with him up in Northern California and I just got a just start and was really passionate and made flyers for myself and put them around at all of the film schools and started to get jobs and was an intern at different effects labs. I did that for, like, a decade or more. I think it's been about two years now that I got into the makeup union, which when you ask me about important moments in my life and makeup career and my favorite thing, getting into the makeup union was HUGE. I mean, huge. I was doing a film in the Arctic, like 3 hours away from the North Pole, on this little island in an area called Pyramiden, which is technically owned by Russia. It's close to Norway and is this little island where the North Pole is and I was there for a month with no tv, no internet...nothing. It's just you and the polar bears, a bunch of Russians, your film crew and snow. That's it. It's such a beautiful place. Before I left, I had turned in all of my hours and everything to the makeup union and then left for that job and was in the snow for a month, disconnected from the world. When I got back home, I got my letter saying that I had made it into the union and I was just like "Holy Shit!". That's where you get the big boy jobs. Like, with all of the films that you love and tv shows, you now get the opportunity to be on those shows and be a makeup artist on set. I love American Horror Story and I loved Game Of Thrones and you just get the chance to be on stuff you love and when you tell people about it, they're like "Oh yeah, I know that show". Before, I was talking about indie things that no one has heard of and you're treated maybe not that great on set and the projects are low budget. When I got into the makeup union, it was huge and you have to meet people now. It was kind of like starting over. I'd been in the indie world for over a decade and now you're in the union with all of these other people who don't you and you have to get to meet them and kind of prove yourself as an artist. There's Make Up Artist Magazine and there was a guy that asked if anyone wanted to do interviews who had a unique story or something. I said "I shot a movie for a month in the Arctic. Is that interesting?" and he was like "Yeah!". I went and talked about it and some of my friends were getting on Star Trek: Picard and usually a lot of the new Star Trek series are shot and filmed in Canada but they did this series, Picard, in LA. A guy named James MacKinnon is the department head for it and the department head for American Horror Story is this woman named Eryn Krueger Mekash. These are the rock stars of the makeup industry. So I do this interview and we're talking about Star Trek when the interview is over and I'm saying how I hope I can get on it. That would be really cool. But how do I do that? I don't know him. And he was like you should send him (James MacKinnon) a Facebook message. In my head, I'm like "No Way!". It seemed so unprofessional to hit him up on Facebook. But there's a part of me that likes to pay attention to little messages that I think are from the universe, so as much as I thought it was embarrassing and the wrong thing to do, which is what my head was telling me, I felt like maybe it was suggested for a reason and maybe I should just do it. What's the worst that could happen? So, I worked on my website for days and days and got everything all together and then sent James MacKinnon, this rock star makeup artist, a message of Facebook and said "Hey. I have some friends who are on Star Trek and I would love to be on it. Here's my stuff". I watched interviews with him and he talked about how he used to work at Taco Bell and stuff and I was just really inspired by his story. Some days go by and he sends me a message back and asked me to text him and I did and more days go by and he was like "Can you work on this day?". I was like "Woah! This is actually happening!" And there's this guy who I love too and have known him for a really long time, his name is Jerry Ayers. I used to work at an effects lab with him and have known him since I was young. I've been doing this since I got out of high school, so I was around 17, and I think I met him when I was like 18 or 19 and I'm almost 30 now. I knew he was on Star Trek and I hadn't seen him in so long and it was my first day going to Star Trek and I think it was one of my most exciting moments in the makeup industry. I was so nervous because it's such a big show, and mind you, all I'm doing is background stuff. I'm seeing all of these people that I love who I haven't seen in a long time and it's the biggest set I've ever been on and it was so cool. I'm so appreciative to James MacKinnon for giving me that opportunity. I got to learn from that and got to reconnect with Carrie and we have this friendship now. I met Eryn Mekash, who does American Horror Story, on Star Trek and she got me on, Ryan Murphy has this show out called Hollywood, which is a period piece, and I got to work on that. Just being around those people is really cool and they are so funny and down to earth and are into all of the same shit I'm into, you know? They're all musicians too, kind of, and are all into the same shit and it's really cool.

Aside from your album release, what's next for you?

I have at least 2 more music videos coming out. I keep getting hit up by friends in the film industry, like directors and people with cameras, who are like "Hey! Wanna shoot a music video for your solo album?" and I'm like "Yeah! The more the merrier. Let's do it!". A lot of them are out of work and just want to create. So I have 2 music videos coming out. One is for my next single "The Pharmacy", and that one really reflects my love of horror. I'm a demon and did my own make up and am a demon in it and it's really witchy. And then there will be a video for "A Man's World", and that one is a really surreal black and white, noir meets grunge kind of vibe, and I'm really happy with the way that one came out. A union VP, his name is Mark Evans, did the camera work for that one and my friend Nesto directed that one and my friend Michelle Hernandez directed "The Pharmacy". These are all film people. I really love the way that they came out and think it's really fun. In terms of what's next, I don't know. I think some film is kind of coming back, but having hundreds of background artists on set, which is primarily what I was doing, probably won't come back for a while. Even if Star Trek and American Horror Stroy are supposed to shoot again, it will probably be with a minimal crew. I'm kind of just doing non-union stuff again and helping other friends make their music videos and just trying to stay creative. I think I'm going to make more music videos. I'm sure of it. I also want to start writing the next album. There's a lot of promo for this album going on, and that's cool, but I'm also just getting more and more inspiration to write the next one and am excited to do that. I'm excited to write songs again and to focus on that for a while. And as much as I like promo, the social media stuff is like "oh my god". I'd rather you shoot me (laughs). I just want to create art. I don't want to worry about finding more followers, but that's just the world that we're in.

Carolyn Lederach 8/14/20 Carolyn Lederach 8/14/20

INTERVIEW: Jermaine Fowler (of The Humanity Archives Podcast)

Jermaine Fowler

The Photo Ladies Interview

Louisville, KY native, historian, educator, scholar, speaker and writer Jermaine Fowler is the son of educators and has a lifelong love of history. As the founder and host of The Humanity Archive podcast, he hopes to shed some light on historical figures and events in an engaging and thought-provoking way, using the art of storytelling to weave the stories of the past into lessons for society today. With so many people in our society not knowing the real history of our country, Fowler aims to educate people on the things that school textbooks and curriculums have not included over the years. He seeks to move past the white-washed, sanitized and sugar-coated version of American history that many people learned in school to share the real and uglier aspects of our history. He shares the dismissed, untold and forgotten stories that pertain to women and black, minority and indigenous people throughout history. Aside from focusing on people and events that aren't often discussed or well-known, Fowler also discusses well-known topics from a different perspective. His goal is to use the wisdom of our shared past as a tool to help us all think critically about the present. Using tools such as videos, articles, study guides and his podcast, Fowler hopes to educate, entertain and inspire. You can follow Jermaine Fowler and connect with The Humanity Archive podcast via the links below.

You grew up believing the version of the American Dream of going to college, which was tied to having a career and money and upward mobility. This led you to get a degree in business instead of pursuing a degree in history and sociology. What was it that finally led you to follow your passion for history and educating?

For me, it just seemed like the opportunities, with the internet and the online explosion of social media platforms where other people were presenting themselves in that way, made me think "Wow, here's an opportunity that I can kind-of lean into". I started to just put my thoughts and my studies out there to see how it takes. It was just the whole internet really and the platforms you can use to broadcast yourself.

It's definitely easier to get information out into the world now!

Absolutely! There are low barriers for entry. It doesn't cost a lot of money to start. You can really just have a cellphone and some thoughts and put them out there. That can work out for better or for worse sometimes. Sometimes with the people who are putting thoughts out there, it's like "Maybe you should calm down a little bit" (laughs). You get some people who may otherwise not have had the accessibility to a platform, whether it be for exercise or history or whatever anybody is doing. A chef making food at home or whatever.

With your podcast, you tell the stories of the more marginalized people/groups and those who are lesser known or stories that have been told but from a different perspective. What led you to want to approach your podcast in that way and tell those stories and approach it from a storytelling arc in general? The way you present each episode really draws people in with the storytelling and engaging nature, rather than just presenting facts and statistics.

I think that's something that's kind-of come naturally to me. I think whenever I started this that I knew for a fact that I wanted to be kind of anti-history in the way of that boring, drab, monotone way of teaching. I kept asking myself how I could tell these stories in the most compelling way possible. I've tried to take a bit of a journalistic approach to the study of history. I'm trying to get the interesting facts, but also underlying that with an entertaining aspect and really trying to do what a historian does in the way of presenting facts and analysis on history, as well. I try to package it in an entertaining and storytelling kind of way.

How do you come up with the topics, people and/or events you want to discuss for each episode? Do you know ahead of time or do you just see what pops out at you when you are doing your research and find people/events that you want to dig deeper into?

I try to be methodical about it because there is so much information out there that you can get lost down a rabbit hole of research and I love to research. I pursue things that are intellectual in general. I have stacks upon stacks of books. Some of my favorite places are libraries and bookstores. With all of that, I do kind of have to reel myself in, so to speak and say "Ok. I need to focus on certain topics". I do try to make it topical but am always trying to uplift the humanity of people whose voices might not be heard. I try to foster senses of empathy and sympathy with an audience for people whose stories aren't heard as much, whether that's black people, women, minorities, or immigrants. Also, if I tell the story about a person who is more known, I try to hit it from a different angle and either awaken people or enlighten people in some way.

You have said that teaching the past can help to change the future and that history is an important lesson for every up and coming generation. What do you see as the most important historical lessons that can be applied to today's world?

When you look at history, the biggest thing for me is to see that no one culture and no one people have a monopoly on anything...on culture, on science, on math, on wisdom. I think that is a big eye opener. If people study a broad history, they will see all of humanity no matter where they look, whether it's South America, Africa, North America, Australia...everyone has something to contribute in some way. I think that is the true meaning of diversity. The diversity of thought and of study is to look at the different cultures of people and see what they've had had to offer. I think there are a lot of lessons to be learned. There are so many. I think ultimately it is to just see the things that are happening now that have happened before and that themes are recurring. To see how other people have had to, whether it be different atrocities that have happened, to see how they made it through or how they held onto hope through different trials in their lives. I just dig into those stories to see how we are similar to people in the past and how we can learn from them.

What inspired your love for history and education? Did you have a teacher or other figure in your life growing up who really instilled that love for you?

It would definitely have to be my parents. Both of them are educators in the public school system, so I think that seeing them finding joy in teaching and sparking the brains of the youth definitely also sparked something in me. It was like "Wow. I can have a love for knowledge and for sharing that knowledge and do what they're doing but maybe just do it in a different way." I think that's definitely the seed that was planted and is finally growing all of these years later.

You are working on a project called Project 365 that is working to integrate black, women's and indigenous history into school curriculums year round, rather than just having a month devoted to each. What can you tell me about the project and what led you to want to start it?

I think that I never really liked how I would see like Women's, Black and Indigenous History months. To me, that just kind of boxes it into a one month period. I think that the goal should ultimately be to integrate it, right? To have an equality in the telling of the stories in history. For me, until we see that...it does mean something to have these months but that's not the end goal. The founder and creator of Black History Month, Carter G. Woodson, he also had the same idea, to do this for a little while but with the ultimate goal to have it all integrated throughout the year and to see that equality in the storytelling. All these years later it still hasn't happened.

You don't really get the real history, just the edited version.

Yeah-the sugar-coated and sanitized and watered-down version. I think until those real stories are told, there's definitely a need for something like Project 365 in order to push to get those stories in there.

There definitely seems to be a great awakening of sorts. Everyone is really educating themselves on the true history of this country. What do you see school curriculums looking like going forward? Do you have hope that they will reflect a broader, more factual history?

There's always hope, right? I think there are definitely individuals within the school systems who are hoping for that and pushing for that. I have talked to curriculum writers from school districts who want to do this but on the other side, I think you have to look at the school system as a whole because there are always good people within systems that don't really operate in a way that's going to be beneficial. I think we definitely have to look at the institution itself and why this history isn't being taught and why there isn't more equality. One thing that was disturbing to me when I was talking to someone within the public school system was that they are working on different histories but it's going to like an elective in college. So that again segregates and keeps it to the side. If it's a choice, are people really going to choose to take those classes or are they going to look at them differently? So I think that's really not the goal, unfortunately.

That's disappointing!

It really is. It's not what I was hoping for. So there is definitely still work to do.

You have talked about how the quote from Socrates "The only thing that I know is that I know nothing" is your favorite quote and that you seek to challenge your own assumptions and beliefs and are always striving to learn. What do you think have been the hardest assumptions and beliefs that you have had to overcome?

Yeah. I see that a lot of times everybody thinks they know everything right now. There's like a cult of smartness. I think that by knowing nothing, so to speak, it kind of keeps me with an intellectual humility where you're always seeking new knowledge and never saying you're there, so to speak. You always have work to do. As far as my own assumptions, I mean just growing up in America I've had to deal with internalized racism, which is big in the black community as far as people looking at themselves and feeling the effects that it has personally and psychologically. I think everything from patriarchy to homophobia. I mean, I've struggled with all of those things, whether it be the images or the prevailing ideas within the communities you grow up in. I think that civil war within anybody is worth fighting. I think that first we have to acknowledge it, right? A lot of people are in closet about these assumptions they have and pretend that they don't have them.

Change can't happen until people acknowledge there's something that needs to change.

Yeah. So until we actually come out and expose that, whether it be within ourselves or within society, we can't deal with it. That's why I try to be honest, not only with my social criticisms, because I can talk about things that happen in society, but I think that first you always have to be honest with yourself. That's why I'm so comfortable talking about some of the things that I battle with every day.

What can you tell me about your love of collaboration? You have done Instagram collaborations with Marcie Alvis-Walker (@blackcoffeewithwhitefriends) and @uncolonial_history, to name a couple. What do you find to be the personal benefits of collaboration and do you have anything else in the works?

Yeah, I have several collaborations in the works. I just really try to tap into people who are doing similar things a lot of times. It's not like I'm on there trying to find much contention or anything. I talk to other people who have a love of history and of knowledge and are intellectually minded. I have one coming up with an anti-racism educator and one coming up with a transgender man and I'm going to be talking to a biologist about the history of biological racism. I really just try to tap into as many thinkers as I can as a way to share ideas and knowledge and grow. That's part of growing those collaborations. For me, it's really just for personal growth. A lot of things come out when I have these conversations and different perspectives and I think that's one of the great benefits of collaborations.

What can you tell me about the 'BE THE NEXT ONE' series you did? Is that something you plan to continue?

That really speaks back to the collaboration process. I do have a spirit of collaboration. If I see somebody doing something that is interesting to me or intriguing, I try to tap into that. There was a fantastic artist from Italy and I saw him on social media and he sent me something that he was working on in an email. I was like "Wow. What if we came together and kind of did your art with some poetic prose about historical figures?". We started to build a bit of momentum with the project and then boom, the coronavirus hit and it hit first in Italy, right where he is in Milan. That kind of derailed the project. We still talk and plan to get back off the ground once everything calms down. We'd planned to do maybe 10 historical figures and only got like 2 done before the virus hit and it just dropped off with the virus. It's definitely bittersweet. I'm glad for what we did do, but also hopeful and look forward to continuing.

Sticking with that collaborative series, it explores black history on an international level. What can you tell me about the importance to you of showcasing an international perspective of black history?

I don't want history to be something that's boxed in. I think we have to have a broader perspective and know that the black experience didn't just start at this one point, right? I think when we do that, we tend to pigeonhole it. I always try to go back further into history and dig deeper, and it does take more digging to find those stories. I just did something on the Mali Empire in West Africa. You really have to do some digging to find stuff. I had to dig into some dark recesses of libraries because the information just isn't as available. I think we have to be careful where our starting points are because that can definitely narrow our view whenever we start it too soon. It's the same with other types of histories, as well.

Something you have brought up in the second season of the podcast that I found intriguing is the comparison of oral versus written history. A lot of black and indigenous cultures have historically relied heavily on the oral tradition. What can you tell me about the value you feel there is in the oral histories of different cultures?

Absolutely. I think when we look at that, we first have to look at it as being subjugated and pushed back and pushed down. I think the oral tradition, from the Western perspective, isn't respected. There are some scholars who are trying to uplift it and are fighting for it like "Hey. We need to look at these as the real records". I mean, who's to say? A lot of written history actually was written 100 years later, after the fact as well. There's really no logic behind not including that as part of the record. I definitely think that's something that drives me too with the podcast and the storytelling. There's just something with that live, energetic storytelling that you just can't get from reading a book. And I love reading books so I'm not trying detract anybody from reading books at all! There's definitely an energy and a connection with the speaker and the audience, kind of like a synergy. Anthropologists say that with all cultures, what all of us have in common, no matter where you are from on earth, is storytelling. That's kind of like the currency of life. That's always been interesting to me, to tap into those stories. It's basically like a goldmine of untapped resource because we have all of these oral traditions and oral stories and it's very awesome to be able to bring them to the forefront.

You have also talked about emphasizing black history, beyond just what exists in this country. Why do you feel that black history before America hasn't been more broadly researched and discussed?

I think that ties directly into colonization and subjugation and slavery. Anytime that you have one society or civilization that subjugates another, one of the first things they do is burn the books and erase the history. I always say if people don't have a history, they don't have an identity, so it's harder to get to know them. Then you kind of have those aspects of dehumanization to where you have that thought of the "other" and of "I don't know them and I don't know their story so they're nobody". By erasing people's histories and stories you kind of make them nobody. I think at some point in history, that definitely was the protocol, whether it was inadvertently or purposely done. I think we are still seeing those shadows and those effects lingering today, as far as those stories not being told. That's another thing that drives me, to get to tell those stories.

Something I found interesting that you mention in Season 2 of the podcast, was the question of what might have happened if the Europeans had gone to Africa when the Mali Empire was at it's height and was strong, rather than during it's downfall and whether or not colonization would have happened.

Yeah, I thought that was an interesting thought for sure. There are always these interesting points in history with the "what ifs". What if it had been tweaked a bit one way or another? What if things had gone a little bit this way or that way? I've always been interested in those thoughts. You can go down some rabbit holes with that! I've had to pull myself back for sure (laughs)!

You have also emphasized the concepts of historical thinking and moral energy. Could you talk a bit about why those concepts are so important to you in the study of history, as well as current events?

Yeah. I think for me, I mean, what is history a lot of times? You're exploring relationships between the powerful and the powerless. A lot of it is that, so I think to not have an analysis of that is to do a disservice to the story. I think that's why people see a lot of fakeness in the history as it's taught, because it's not exploring those relationships. It's the "great man theory", right? Like, this great president or this great figure and there's this deification and fetishization of people instead of looking at them in their raw, true humanity and their flaws and triumphs and tragedies and all of that wrapped in together.

Where do you think we go from here? How do you feel we can use history to guide us forward from where we are now? A lot of the issues we are facing now are issues this country has been facing for many years now.

Yeah. I think to me it's just as basic as having a tragic sense of history. Not the sugar-coated, sanitized, watered-down version, but one where we tell the real stories, whether it be stories about slavery or suffrage or individuals who fought for things that are greater and grander than themselves like justice and equality. Those are the stories I try to highlight, because then people can see examples to follow. I think a lot of times we see examples and they may not be the best examples to follow, so we need to highlight people who might be better examples to push democracy and equality and ideas of justice forward. I think that's definitely a way we can use history to push society forward to be more equitable and diverse, which is better for everybody.

We've had important black leaders throughout history, such as Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr and Frederick Douglass. Who do you feel are some current leaders that you feel are really making a difference?

We still have a lot. We just lost John Lewis, but we have philosophers like Cornell West and Angela Davis is still with us. There are figures like that who I still look to that are still with us today. I think that sometimes I see a bit of a vacuum with the young leadership. We have a lot of movements and collectively young people are coming together but I don't really see the emergence of the leadership of the past. Maybe I'm blind! You might be able to tell me some people I'm not seeing. I'm sure they're there! I think things definitely look a little different now. It's more communal I think now, as far as movements, as opposed to there being one Martin Luther King like figure, or a savior-like figure. What I see now is more groups. The power is more in the group rather than a specific leader. I think we'll see how that plays out but ultimately think it can be a good thing.

What gives you hope? Everything going on right now can be very overwhelming. As a historian and seeing the struggles that people have endured throughout history, what gives you hope right now for the future?

I think just the youth. Looking in the eyes of the youth. We have precious youth out here and they have to come into whatever we leave behind and are trying to spearhead something they can follow behind to make the world better for them. It's like the saying "Leave the earth better than you found it". That's the thought process that I have with that. That gives me hope, just trying to leave the earth better than I found it when I got here for the next generation and for my kids and for all of the youth in the world.

What's next for you? You've talked a bit about some collaborations that are in the works, but what else do you have coming up?

Really just pushing forward with Season 2 of the podcast and just focusing in on that. And really trying to build awareness and grow the audience of The Humanity Archive. I think I've really just scratched the surface so far. I've only been doing this really, heavily, since January and it's grown tremendously since then. I really just want to get it out in front of more people and amplify it and just continue to grow it.

What do you have coming up on Season 2? Anything you can talk about or specific themes?

It is a lot of times thematic, which is what I'm going for. It's the 100th year of women's suffrage, so I'm going to tell some of those stories. I also want to tell some stories about war, but not in the more fandom kind of way. There are some people who are more anti-war, so from that perspective that you maybe don't hear as much. So I definitely have a few themes coming up. I also have something else I'm doing with suffrage with UofL. I'm going to be speaking with them on virtual panel. It would have been in person, but with everything going on it will be on a virtual panel. I definitely have some things in the works and am looking forward to continuing to grow The Humanity Archive.

Carolyn Lederach 7/23/20 Carolyn Lederach 7/23/20

INTERVIEW: Doug Locke

Shot by Jeremy Jackson-2.JPG — Doug Locke

The Photo Ladies Interview

Love. It's a universal theme that encompasses the latest track entitled "Why?" from LA musician, actor and activist Doug Locke. Taken from his latest release Why? (Lunar II) EP, the angelic voices of a gospel choir sing the word love throughout the song as a way to offer a beacon of hope as a contrast against the ugly times we are living in. He says, “When I heard the news of the George Floyd murder on the heels of the murders of Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, and the Christian Cooper incident in Central Park, I knew I had to release the song. It is my response to the feelings that have been rising in me ever since my heart broke in 2012 with the murder of Trayvon Martin". The Pulse Nightclub tragedy in Orlando was also a pivotal moment in his life, himself a member of the LGBTQ community, and he pays homage to the victims of the shooting in the song, as well. “I remember how my heart broke as I watched Anderson Cooper read the names of all of the victims of the shooting,” he recalls. “When I think about the moments throughout my life that changed me at my core, that was one of them. I had no idea there was so much evil in the world. I was absolutely gutted and afraid. When writing this song, I wanted to include a reference to honor the victims as they will never be forgotten. I also wanted to draw that parallel that violence against any group is a crime against humanity.” Locke's parents were involved in the fight for social justice and civil rights growing up, with his father, Gene Locke, a prominent civil rights activist in the 60s, having been one of the fist black students admitted to the University of Houston following desegregation in 1963. Locke was born and raised in Houston and was surrounded by this fight growing up, growing up to be an activist himself, not just for racial equality but for LGBTQ rights. As a member of both the black and LGBTQ communities, he sees the intersectionality of the movements for him and how racism and homophobia reside in the respective movements. Having been severely bullied as a child, Locke found his way to spirituality and self-love and embraces that part of himself by getting out into nature, as well as practicing a deep meditation and reflection with each full moon, with each one bringing out different aspects of his personality. It's these personality traits that are reflected in his 'Lunar Series' of 4 EPs. He released the first EP Black Travolta (Lunar I) in May and the second EP Why? (Lunar II) last month, with two more EPs on the horizon that will ultimately lead to a full length album entitled Full Moon. Aside from his music career, Locke is also an actor, having started out in theater, eventually moving into film and television, having played Jimi Hendrix in the short film 'A Technicolor Dream' and acted in several tv shows. As an activist who is passionate about fighting for the struggles faced by the black and LGBTQ community, Locke has found himself protesting in the streets with the BLM Movement and using his music as a way to address the issues affecting these communities. Although he grew up with a clear understanding that we live in an imperfect world, his parents also taught him that we as a people have the power to fix it. With a responsibility to leave this planet better than we found it, Locke uses his art as a way to start conversations. You can connect with Doug Locke via the following links:

You recently released your latest EP Why? (Lunar II), which followed your previous EPBlack Travolta (Lunar I). You are doing a Lunar series of EPs that each revolve around different phases of the moon and have talked about how the full moon brings about different parts of your personality. What led you to want to do the Lunar series of EPs.

For me, in recent years, I have been observing the full moon. Call me an Aries spiritual hippie child, but for me, what I have found is I tend to do what I call a gratitude meditation with every full moon. For me it helps me stay accountable and I know that at least once a month, I'll do a deep gratitude meditation and will set intentions for the next month. It's something that's sort of been a figure in my life and I've also seen how the full moon can bring out different sides to my personality. I kind of felt that creatively that was a great visual representation of what the music for this next project is. Initially, at the top of the year, I was in the studio working on music and the plan was to put out a full length album titled Full Moon, which is still what I'm working towards, using this lunar energy. Then I realized, when COVID-19 first hit, all of my plans for this traditional roll out that I had, of doing music videos and all of that, kind of went out the window because we have no idea what the other side of this looks like. This was an opportunity to be creative, so I talked to my producer and was like "What if we release the music in bits as mini EPs?", so the Lunar concept was born. Lunar I is the first phase of the moon and has "Black Travolta" and "Temptation", and it's very poppy and has a dance element to it and is super light. Then we moved to Why? (Lunar II), which has a completely different vibe. Lunar III, which will be coming out, is called Beautiful Love and will be exploring love from all aspects. I like the idea of tying this visual motif into the work.

Do you feel like you have always been a spiritual person? What led you down a spiritual path of doing deep meditations and reflections with each full moon?

It's definitely something that has grown in me over the years. I grew up in Houston, TX in the church. It wasn't really the right fit for me. I guess it was around my teenage years, as I was going to college, I started to just explore other forms of spirituality because I really liked being in my body, so a yoga practice was very important to me. I also really enjoy spending time outside. From there, I very much believe in the rule of three. There are so many great books that have come to me because they've maybe been referred to me three times. If I hear the title of a book three times, I'm like "Ok! I need to read this!". 'The Alchemist' was one of those books. Kahlil Gibran's 'The Prophet' was another one. It's been this beautiful journey and I have had amazing people who have come into my life, but I have felt more connected through it. It's led into self-care and self-discovery and I feel really empowered through it.

Going back to the theme of love, in your track "Why?" from the new EP you have a gospel choir that keeps singing the word love throughout the song as a beacon of hope to contrast the darkness. With all of the ugliness going on right now, where and how do you find hope and what led you to want to spread the message of love?

It really ties back to a lot of the self work that I've been doing, because my heart is broken by the current state of the world. In many ways, I feel like my heart has been breaking since 2012 and the Trayvon Martin case. That was the first one in my lifetime where I was old enough to really be aware of how sinister racism, unconscious bias, hate and all of that is. I'll be honest-I've gone through a plethora of emotions and have definitely been enraged by what's going on. With the song "Why?", I actually started writing it about a year ago and that's the heartbreaking thing, that I had gone into the studio that day with the intention of doing a dance song. I love my pop music. I had just received news of another attack and my heart was broken and I broke down in tears with my producer. The question that kept coming up was why? Why is this still happening? We started writing the song and it was very cathartic to get my emotions first on paper and then recorded. For me, I still wanted...while I wanted to speak truth to power and really come from the heart, my way of dealing and coping is that I have to believe in the power of love. I have to believe that through conversation, understanding and really starting to see each other and the humanity in each other, that's the only way through this. I felt that sonically, I really wanted to represent that. It's a pretty loaded hook, the hook that says "Why do you hate me so much?". It is honestly how I felt, but I felt that by having the counterbalance of love in there with these beautiful voices singing it would sort of be that other side of it that shows the direction I hope we can lean into through conversation, education and continued discussion.

At the end of the lyric video for "Why?", you pay homage to the victims of the Pulse Nightclub tragedy. As a member of the LGBTQ community, you have talked about how that was a moment on your life that changed you to your core. As an activist for that community, in what ways do you feel that event was such a pivotal moment and changed things for you? Do you feel that it changed the way you approached your activism?

I think in many ways it did. It was a call to action. My dad was a civil rights activist, so I grew up having conversations about the injustices of the world and how we can stand up for each other and use our voice. That's something I've tried to do in my music for many years, but I think that after the shooting at Pulse Nightclub and after the cycle that was Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and the Christian Cooper incident, I do feel like it has spiked me up even more in terms of just really being unapologetic in using my voice. I feel like one of the by-products of our society, as it's set up with the status quo, and these are sweeping broad statements, with the way the structure is set up, they try to silence us. They try to silence people of color and women and queer people. One of the things I feel is one of the most sinister ways you can take away someone's power is by silencing them. We often do that through language. Calling someone "angry", calling a woman "emotional", calling someone "crazy". If you call someone "angry", or "the angry black man" or "the angry black woman"...just because someone is passionate...once you throw these labels out there, it makes it easier for people to dismiss what they're saying. I hate it when someone's like "She's so emotional". How dare you dismiss someone. I've been emboldened to speak up even more and just to take it back to Pulse Nightclub, the reason why I really wanted to include that was that I also wanted to draw the parallel. As a member of both the LGBTQ community and of the black community, something that has been heartbreaking is that I have seen a lot of homophobia in the black community and I have seen a lot of racism in LGBTQ community. I wanted to draw the parallel that oppression is oppression and wanted to let these two journeys and struggles exist in the same song.

A term that I have read a lot about in recent months is that of 'intersectionality'. What has your experience been like, and what have you seen as well, as a black man in America who is also a part of the LGBTQ community? Do you feel that it is important for people to view, not only this movement but history in general, through an intersectional lens and realize there are so many different connections between different movements?

Absolutely!! I think that is something that, and maybe it's a byproduct of the age of the internet and of great documentaries and more people having access to a microphone, we are now learning that there were queer leaders in the black community in the civil rights movement who, because of other pressures, perhaps of Christianity or of other things that were centralized because the black church was big part of that movement as well, got pushed aside and erased. On the flip side, a lot of people until recently forgot that Stonewall, which is cited as the start of the queer rights movement, was started by Marsha P Johnson and Silvia Rivera, who were both queer, trans and gender non-conforming women of color. I think it used to be that we were so divided. It was like "oh well this is this and this sits in this corner". Also, if you go back to the Black Panther Movement, it was led by women and their voices have often times been erased from history. I think that one of the beautiful things that we are now doing is this sort of turning back the pages of the history books and really looking at it and seeing how it's been recorded and honoring and recognizing every voice that was a part of that movement. I think that is the only way we are going to move forward because I think it also really affects people's self image, if you look at how they've been represented in history and in media. When their contributions have been erased, you are robbing people of their history and something to inspire and help them see themselves reflected in the fabric of this world.

Touching back on your father, he was a civil rights leader and was one of the first black students admitted to the University of Houston after it was desegregated in 1963. In what ways did having parents committed to social change and justice shape your life and make you who you are today and what progress does your father feel has been made since the 1960s? Do you have conversations about it?

Yeah. I think one of the things that has been instilled in us, from the time we were young, was the power of voice and the power of action. I think that one of the great illusions is that as individuals we don't have power. I think that is one of the reasons that some of the power structures that have been in place for a long time have gone unchecked, because people feel disempowered. Just to give an example, one of my sister's names is actually Attica. My dad named her after the uprising at the Attica prisons because he wanted to instill in her the fact that sometimes it's important to break the rules when human rights are at stake. The prisoners were treated so inhumanely. That was something that's sort of been in the fabric of our family for a long time and has inspired me to really use my voice and my art. We've spoken a lot throughout this next wave of protests and this new movement that we are going through, and one of the things I thought was interesting was that my brother and I had gone to some of the protests and we called our dad afterwards. We were talking to him and he was saying how proud of us he was for standing up for what we believed in and he remembers when he was protesting 50 years ago. The next day, he woke up and he was like, and my dad never swears, but he was like "I am fucking angry!", because what he realized was "Why the hell are my two sons, 50 years later, protesting the same thing that I was protesting 50 years ago?" and that really sat with me. I was like wow! But, the takeaway and glimmer of hope is that, in talking about it, the thing that we've all realized and that my dad was saying as someone who has been committed to this movement, is that there have of course been allies for a long time, but never before has he seen so many non-black voices stepping up and really speaking out against racism and doing the anti-racism work. Again, as I said, there have been allies all along, but never has it been so many people saying "Enough is enough!". That is, I think, a big beacon of hope.

Along those lines, you have said that you feel that the world is finally listening to what black and brown people have been saying for decades. What do you feel is the main catalyst for people really listening now? I've heard a lot of people talking about technology playing a role, because things can be videoed and filmed now and have seen the phrase "Racism isn't new. It's just being filmed". What role do you feel that has played?

I think that plays a huge role in it. I think that with something like Twitter, everyone has a microphone. It used to be that the way we would consume information, nine times out of ten, had been filtered and a narrative had already been assigned to it by the time we received it through the news or through the paper, so it was not very subjective. And also just what voices get to be amplified and also what can run. One of the things that I was really disgusted by in this recent waves of protests was the insane amounts of gross police brutality. Of course, it's something we've been aware of for a long time, but with something like Instagram and Twitter, users can post their videos, even stuff that maybe the news can't run because of conflict of interest or whatever the reason is. I think that now there is enough evidence that it becomes irrefutable. I think that, again, one of the trends that we're now seeing disrupted his that it used to be that someone essentially had to be the perfect victim in order to be worthy of life. It used to be that if someone was killed by the police, there was always that "Well, I'm just playing the devil's advocate", "What did they do?" or "They had a criminal record". I don't give a damn if they had a criminal record. Did they deserve to die? I think that now we are having this shift where people are really starting to recognize the humanity. People don't have to be the perfect martyr to be worthy of life.

As you are currently living in LA, what has the atmosphere been like there with the protests and the Black Lives Matter Movement?

One of the things that struck me the most was that the protests I have gone to have not had a police presence. The first week, I was not on the ground. I had actually driven up to Malibu to have a little time in nature just to re-center because, I'll be honest, my mental health was not well. I was on the verge. I remember calling my family and just saying "I'm not ok". I was so overwhelmed and needed to re-connect before I could step in and take action. But one of the things that was interesting for me was the amount of love I saw on the streets. Now of course, I have seen the footage of violence, but I thought it was interesting that, at the protests I went to, there wasn't a police presence and there was no violence or property destruction. There were beautiful people of all backgrounds standing in solidarity saying "We're not going to take this" and for me that was affirming. I felt like this is the LA I live in and the America I want to live in. That was actually really important to see because, again, the first week I was really just seeing it through news clips and things online, and I saw some peaceful protests online, as well. But the stories that were getting more traction were the ones with violence and brutality. For me, what I saw was a lot of love and that was actually exactly what I needed.

You have said that there is nothing more courageous than living a life of authenticity and that you hope to inspire others to live their truth through your music. Would you say you have always lived your life authentically and what has your journey been like to do so?

It's been a journey. I grew up in Houston, TX in the 90's and 2000's, and Texas is a red state. It's quite conservative, even though I grew up in a home that had quite progressive views and was loving and open. But that wasn't the status quo and that wasn't the norm. I was severely bullied when I was in the 4th grade and I definitely shrank myself when I was younger, almost out of a sense of self-preservation at the time because I was young and scared and was trying to fight my way through. It was extremely painful and I still wear those scars to this day. It's been a journey because I think that self-love and self-acceptance is a journey. It doesn't happen overnight but it is something that's invaluable and has completely changed my outlook and has changed my experience on this planet. It's the one thing that I guess I want to encourage for everybody and to help foster that and help create community and conversations surrounding that. I look back at the scared little boy that I was and I look where my life could have gone had I not begun the journey of self-discovery and self-love. That's really how I found true happiness. For me, with my music, when I talk about authenticity, I guess it's one of the beautiful things about being an independent artist. At the end of the day I am the final voice. In terms of lyrical content and the themes in my visuals and my videos, I really try to lead with my heart. That's I guess the main message I want to weave into all of my work, because life is short. Life is short and life is hard and we shouldn't make it harder on ourselves by not loving and knowing ourselves. And I don't blame anyone for that because, again, I feel that the way our society is set up, through advertising and media with "Drink this tea and it will make you better" or "Use this product", we're made to feel bad about ourselves so they can sell things to us. When you start to love yourself, you realize you don't need all of that. It can seem radical but also super simple and I just encourage people to start that journey.

You are also an actor and have played Jimi Hendrix in the short film 'A Technicolor Dream' and have done several tv shows as well. When did your love for acting and film begin? I read that you started out in theater, so how would you compare acting in theater with tv and film?

Yeah, they are very different worlds! I was first inspired to go into tv and film by my older sister Tembi. My parents have a 12 year difference and my dad was married twice, so my sisters are a little older than I am. I grew up seeing my sister working in tv, which such an inspiration because not many people in my immediate sphere in Houston, TX were working in the arts, let alone working in tv. It planted that seed of being possible. One of the things I really applaud my parents for is that my dad is a lawyer, so I'm sure they wanted some little lawyers but we all wanted to be artists. When we told them that we wanted to be an actor, a writer, a musician, they never made us feel stupid or silly about it. They just told us we'd have to work our asses off and work hard and commit to it. That fostered it. I started acting in high school and for me, it's all come full circle. I did theater first and then ventured into tv and film and then later I really started to build my music. A big part of my music is the visual component. I'm a storyteller, so I love doing music videos and my training in theater and the live events where there are no retakes, where if you mess up you have to keep going, has served me so well in my stage performance. That's really what drew me to music was loving performing. Of course I love the writing and recording process, but I really come alive on a stage.

LA is considered the epicenter of the entertainment industry, so what are some of the effects you have witnessed of the pandemic on the industry and what do you see as the state of film and tv and music once things go back to "normal"?

You know, I have to be honest and say it's a really big question mark. I have a really great agent, Melanie Jane, who is also a dear friend of mine. She's been helping me. Everything has moved online for the time being. It's a lot of auditions through Zoom. I think a lot of artists and creatives are realizing how empowered we can be, in the sense of one of the first things I did when the COVID restrictions were starting was that I went on Amazon and bought a bunch of gear. I didn't spend too much money but got some lighting and microphones and have been creating a lot of content from home. A lot of performance videos and live-streaming concerts. I think that artists are learning to adapt and be more resourceful. In terms of industry, realistically with the way the numbers are, we're starting to actually roll back things in LA right now. I don't really see anyone being on set until 2021 at the earliest. With that said, something I've been doing is that I've had the pleasure of working with LiveXLive as a host for their music news show. I've found other talents and elements that I have that are still in the industry, but with hosting I have found platforms where I can do that from home. It's a sticky thing. The other bit I'll throw in there is amidst this all, where the industry is shut down and no one is really working, the Screen Actors Guild, of which I am a part of, has just tried to negotiate more rights. However, it's a really bad deal and I encourage all of my fellow actors to vote NO because we deserve better than what's being put out. It's horrible slashes that's going to take money out of our pockets essentially. I really hope the SAG does better, because they're there to help us.

What's next for you? What do you have coming up?

For me, right now, it's creating content from home. I just shot a little performance video for my song "Temptation" around my home. It is a lot of writing sessions virtually with my producer. Should we get to the place where it's safe for me to go over, because he has a home studio, if it's safe for me to go over, I would love to continue recording because it would be just the two of us, but safety first. Also, I've been reading a lot of good books. I have to be honest, reading a lot of good books and watching Buffy The Vampire Slayer (laughs).

Carolyn Lederach 6/24/20 Carolyn Lederach 6/24/20

INTERVIEW: VAR

Icelandic melodic indie-rock quartet VAR have recently released their new album The Never Ending Year via Spartan Records, full of dreamy soundscapes and soaring instrumentals. Although the band's first album, 2017's Vetur, was sung mostly in Icelandic, the new album is the quartets first all English album. It was not a conscious decision by the band to make an English album, but flow of the songs dictated the language for which the songs would be sung. Influenced by the creativity, inclusiveness and collaborative and vibrant nature of the Icelandic music scene, the band has developed their own unique sound that encapsulates beautiful compositions with powerful vocals. What began as a solo project for Júlíus Óttar Björgvinsson (vocals/guitar/piano) in 2013 soon developed into a collaboration with his wife Myrra Rós (synths, vocals) and his brother Egill Björgvinsson (bass) joining the band along with friends Arnór Jónasson (guitar) and Andri Freyr Þorgeirsson (drums). VAR wrote and recorded their Vetur EP with this line up and performed for several years, building a fiercely loyal fanbase. With time and competing responsibilities, Myrra Rós was pulled in a different direction and drummer Sigurður Ingi Einarsson replaced Andri Freyr to solidify the band's current and more concentrated lineup. The current lineup has become a catalyst for the reimagining of VAR’s sound into something more refined, louder and faster. You can follow VAR and stay up-to date on all upcoming music and news, as well as stream and purchase their music, via the following links:

You released your new album The Never-Ending Year in April. It has been described as a challenging listen that requires patience and space as it builds and settles. Was it always your goal to make an album that was intricate in its sounds that people would have to really dig into? What inspired the louder and faster sound?

We did not set out with a specific goal for the album. We work on things until we are satisfied with them and then you might say our goal is achieved. If some people feel they need to ‘dig into’ the album and listen more than once I think that’s great because personally I think those are some of the best albums, the ones you have to sink your head into. The louder and faster sound of the album is something we link to moving our practice space back to the garage at my father's house, the good old garage band feel.

You worked for the first time with a dedicated producer, your friend Eiour, whom you have said had a specific sound you wanted to try out. What was the sound? You have also said that you recorded the song "Moments" before deciding to make the full record. What do you feel made the collaboration work, which led to you continue on with a full record?

We did not know Eiður very well personally before we started recording. We knew him mainly from the bands he had been playing in. He had been producing and mixing the music for his own bands and we were all big fans of them. He has a very specific sound with a kind of a 90’s vibe to it which we found very intriguing and felt would fit very well with ‘Moments’. Eiður made ‘Moments’ sound exactly like we wanted it to, and during the recordings we had a very good working relationship and a great friendship so we felt it was a logical next step to work together on an album.

You wrote and recorded the album over the course of a year. What were some of the high points of the process for you and what were some of the low points?

What might be called a low point is that the process took a lot longer than we planned at first and some things happened very slowly. But in the end we are very happy with the album and we gained a good friend and co-worker that we will definitely be working with again in the future.

You have talked about the influence for you of the power and sounds of the ocean. What can you tell me about your love for the ocean and how it influenced the sounds of the album? Were you also influenced by any other aspects of your country, such as landscape or other natural aspects? It is such a beautiful country!

We are now practicing at my father's pipe organ workshop which is located in an old fish freezing plant by the shoreline in the small town of Stokkseyri. I live there myself and take my dog for daily walks along the beach and the ocean can draw very strong emotions from you, the great power that you can hear from it and at the same time have a strong feeling of calmness. When the other boys come over for a practice they drive a very scenic and beautiful route and I am sure that has an influence on their creativity. It might sound like cliché but the closeness to this beautiful and powerful nature is bound to have some influence on you.

You have said that "Run" is a song that you weren't sure would fit on the record due to having a different vibe, but that your producer vetoed the decision. What did he love about the song and how did he convince you that it belonged on the album?

He immediately liked the power and rawness of he song and wanted to work on it further. He took it more as a challenge to make the song sound right and fit in with the whole.

What can you tell me about releasing your first fully English album? You have said that it really wasn't a conscious decision. Why do you feel that the songs flowed better in English?

We never decide whether a song shall be in English or Icelandic. We usually write the songs first and when it is time to find a melody to sing that’s when it comes clear whether it will be in Icelandic or English. The two languages have a different rhythm to them. All the songs on The Never-Ending Year happened to have a better feel to them in English. That does not mean we have stopped writing in Icelandic, but it is just a question of what we feel fits best for each song.

I know you have mentioned not being influenced necessarily by any particular band, but you have talked about what is described as the "Icelandic Sound" coming from musicians in Iceland working together and collaborating with each other often. Do you feel that the collaborative spirit of the musical community in Iceland has pushed your creativity?

It definitely has an impact and some influence to have the opportunity to work in different projects with people that you respect and have listened to through the years.

How have you guys been adjusting to life in isolation/quarantine due to COVID-19? You've said that whereas you normally come up with songs at practice by playing together, now it's more one-on-one. What has that been like? Do you see any positive changes in music coming out of the self-isolation when this is all over?

It has been strange not to have been able to play together. Arnór for example had to go to quarantine for two weeks and he used that time to record some new ideas that we have been listening to each on his own, and it is going to be exciting to work through those ideas very soon. The creativity is flowing and we have a lot of new ideas that we look forward to becoming full songs, and maybe even an album.

What can you tell me about the videos you plan to record soon? How have the shutdowns and self-isolation affected your process, if at all? Did you have ideas for the videos before the shutdowns that you now have to modify?

We originally intended to record the videos at the time that the album was released but had to postpone because of the situation. The process will be the same, only released a bit later than first intended.

You have talked about how musically diverse Iceland is, with hip hop, metal and hardcore becoming popular. Do you see yourselves forging into new sonic territory going forward and experimenting with different sounds?
We don’t intentionally try to follow any specific sound or genre, we just do what we feel like and we have not planned what the next album is going to sound like. I think all musicians keep experimenting with new territories and different sounds and that is something that we will keep on doing as we think it is important not to stagnate.

What's next for you?

To continue with this never-ending year. We hope to be able to follow up on our album by touring and playing shows when that will be possible again and continue to work our way through the Covid-demos.

Carolyn Lederach 6/16/20 Carolyn Lederach 6/16/20

INTERVIEW: Ocean Alley

OA LD Promo 3 - Credit_ The Sauce.jpg — Ocean Alley

The Photo Ladies Interview

Australian alternative psychedelic surf-rock band Ocean Alley makes music that has been described as "cruisey psych, rock and reggae fusion". They have independently released two EPs, Yellow Mellow (2013) and In Purple (2015), as well as two albums, Lost Tropics (2016) and Chiaroscuro (2018). The band's breakthrough came with the release of Chiaroscuro, which thrust the band into the national spotlight, selling 25,000 tickets and selling out 15 shows that year in Australia alone. 2019 saw them sell out 30 shows around the world and perform at major festivals such as Reading & Leeds (UK), Splendour In The Grass (AUS), Sziget (HU) and Bottlerock (US), with the band amassing 250 million streams to date. The band will be independently releasing their new album, Lonely Diamond, on June 19th, produced by longtime collaborator Callum Howell at Grove Studios with distribution via UNIFIED Music Group. Encapsulating nostalgia for the music of past eras, the album is a sonic mix of 70s guitar rock, country, western, old school funk and synth-heavy new wave that draws comparisons to Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac and Dire Straits. Guitarist Mitch Galbraith explains, “It’s pushing forward into the unknown… taking a journey to a different place or a different time that seems familiar or that you’ve been before and all the emotions and feels that come with that.” Although steeped in sounds familiar to the band, the album has more intricate arrangements, a production pushed to new limits and an introduction of new instruments. The band recently released their latest single from the album, "Hot Chicken", about grappling with spiraling out of control and encapsulating the seduction and suffering that comes from wrestling with the devil on one’s shoulder. With plans to write more and hopefully work on more videos, the band has plenty to keep them busy through the rest of the year. You can follow Ocean Alley and stay up to date with all upcoming music and news, as well as stream and purchase their music, via the following links.

You will be releasing your third album Lonely Diamond on June 9th! You guys have a progression in sound with each album you have done, so what can you tell me about the process of making and recording this album and what were the sonic goals you were trying to achieve? How do you go about striking a balance between progressing your sound and maintaining the styles and techniques you are known for?

We started with ideas that each of us bought to the table and we spent a lot of time jamming them out, so pretty much the same as the last couple of records. We did have more time this time around to demo and rework a lot of the tracks though, and this helped us give the record some cohesion and direction. The intro and outro tracks were written in the studio during the final weeks of recording. With them, we hoped to give the album some context and explore some more western sounds, just for something new and different. As for the process, it was much the same when it came to recording but we have obviously learnt plenty from the last couple of albums, so it was more efficient but as always, lots of fun.

Aside from music and promoting the new album, what have you guys been doing to stay busy during quarantine?

Yeh obviously heaps of music stuff. It’s the perfect quarantine activity really. But apart from that lots of surfing, swimming and fishing. Lots of outdoor activities away from the crowds, just trying to stay healthy and happy. Luckily we are close to the beach so we don’t have to travel far, but we are stingin’ to get back on the road again.

What has it been like to prepare for an album release during quarantine when you can't do the things you might normally do for a release, such as tour?

It’s been hard to connect with those songs like we normally do following a release, but it’s something we know will happen once we can share them live with a crowd. It was important for us to make sure our fans can still connect with us during this time without any shows, so that’s why we chose to release the record and give people some new music to enjoy. It has given us more time to focus on making sure our live shows when they do start again can be top notch and we can give the crowd an epic night.

I saw you will be selling some limited edition runs of different colors of vinyl for the album release. What inspired that decision?

We love the idea of having something visual to compliment our music. We all collect records too, so it is awesome to have our own version of that for those that want to collect. A lot of people do love to collect vinyl records, so these special releases are just for them and something we hope they like looking at just as much as they like listening to.

What was the idea behind the album artwork? Did you create the design?

Our longtime friend and artist Kane Lehanneur has created the Album artwork. We worked together with him to design something that helped give the record some context. The symbolism of the artwork might help to explain this group of songs as a multi-faceted window shedding light onto one subject from many angles. We wanted to include themes of the circular and the repeatable, whilst also having a feeling of exploration into the unknown. It’s the push and pull of these visual ideas that compliments the journey within the music.

What can you tell me about the nonprofit organization One Eighty Inc, who fills a gap in Australia's current suicide prevention strategy, that you are trying to raise awareness for? Why do you feel that peer to peer models of community support for young people is so important? What effect are the shutdowns and quarantine having on the mental health of the youth in Australia and with May being Mental Health Awareness Month, do you feel that awareness is being made about suicide, suicide prevention and mental health in general?

One Eighty was started by some young people from our community on Sydney’s Northern Beaches to offer support in various ways to community members suffering mental health issues, but also in a response to the growing numbers of youth suicide in our area. They facilitate open up groups and raise awareness for their cause because it’s an issue that’s at the forefront for a lot of us, and many people are affected by this issue in many different ways. We have used our profile to help build support for this wonderful organization because they are on the ground actively offering tangible ways for people to be mentally healthy. It’s important for communities to address this on a local level first and provide outreach and support for those doing it tough. There is no blanket approach, with each individual person having differing needs, so at the very least if people can look out for each other more at a local community level, that is a great start.

What can you tell me about your new single ‘Hot Chicken’ and the idea behind the video? I love the fun, funky and psychedelic vibe of the video!

It’s a song about temptation and distraction. The upbeat feel works well with the snake imagery in the video and we had a lot of fun recording it. Mikey Askew created the video with Kane and the rest of the team at The Sauce. We pretty much loved the first idea they came up with. Its an obvious rendition of the lyrical metaphors and a continuation to the styles of the video clips for Infinity and Stained Glass. The video, like the song is unapologetic and raw.

I read that you guys have started to make your videos more vague for your fans to challenge them to find their own meaning. Why is it important for you to have your listeners find their own meaning with your songs?

It’s just about having something entertaining to watch. You don’t want to spell it out for anyone but it has to suit the music. We wanted our music videos to move away from more of documentary to something with some metaphor and a story.

You recently released 'The Archives', a 49 minute tour film that shows behind-the-scene moments during your 2019 tours through North America, Europe and the UK. I imagine you had lots of fun moments on tour! What can you tell me about the idea behind the film and what inspired you to want to make and release it? How has the response been?

The response has been really great which is nice to see. We have our wonderful videographer and TM Tyler Bell along with us on the road to document it all. It’s nice to show people life off the stage when we are on a long tour and all the other stuff we get to do and see. Hopefully it gives some insight into who we are and what we do when we aren’t performing.

What's next for the band? With your next tour postponed until 2021, what do you have planned for the rest of the year?

More writing with all this spare time will be nice and just gearing up for touring again. We will be doing some rehearsals and working with our production team to build our new live show which is exiting. Hopefully work on some new video content too possible for other tracks on the record.