Q&A with Bri Bagwell

Photo Courtesy of ColoredLion.com

I had the to opportunity to conduct a Q&A with Texas country artist Bri Bagwell. It was not supposed to, but it took four months to complete. Bri opened up on a myriad of subjects, from her high school volleyball career, to her time playing with her brothers, to her time at the University of Texas, to her first solo gig, to Texas music festivals, to playing overseas, to what she has planned next.

It's always a joy to interview someone who is open.

We ended this before Harvey hit Houston and the rest of southeast Texas. She is now playing as many benefit concerts as possible, as are many artists.

To find Bri Bagwell:

Facebook

Twitter

Reverb Nation

Bands in Town

The Cheap Seats: When I met you, you were taller than I expected. Then I read where you chose to go to the University of Texas so you could be a part of the Austin music scene rather than pursue volleyball. How good of a volleyball player were/are you? Did you receive scholarship offers and if so, at what level?
Bri Bagwell: Ha! I love this question. Volleyball was my passion before I fell in love with songwriting and playing live music. I never really talk about my sports accomplishments unless prompted. I had an amazing high school senior-year season that left me feeling like it was the perfect time to hang up the spandex and pick up the guitar...
I was named All-District, All-State, 5AAAAA Player of the year, and Gatorade Player of the Year for the State of New Mexico, in addition to being the co-captain and winning our high school's first ever State Championship game. It was a magical year, as I had switched positions from Outside Hitter to Setter, and we started the season 0-3 (yikes). It taught me a lot about overcoming losses and challenges...
I had a few official visit offers to schools across the country (and one in Alaska!), but I only went on one at New Mexico State University (which has an amazing D1 program) . I think I knew I wanted to go to a bigger school away from home, one of them being my dream school: The University of Texas at Austin. When I got accepted, I knew that I had to go. It was the perfect combination of academics and a city centered around music.
I still play sand volleyball when the opportunity arises.

You actually graduated from UT with a degree in business. Has that in any way helped you with the business of music?
My business degree was in Marketing, with a minor in Management. Being completely independent (minus a booking agent), I market and manage myself everyday! I absolutely loved my business classes, and they can be used for anything...even this crazy music business, because it definitely IS a business. I feel like I could've done without those microeconomics classes though. ;)
I just received a Facebook fan study that says my audience is half female, half male, and with 75% of them between 30 and 60 years old. It makes for a very interesting target market (and a totally non-specific one), which reminds me of all of the case studies we did in my upper-level classes. Even though college presents a long-term debt expense, the friendships and the life lessons I learned in and out of the classroom I wouldn't trade for anything in the world.
Also, dad would be upset if I didn't tell you that I graduated with honors. Haha.

Yes, we will include the part about you graduating with honors. You're welcome, dad.
In regards to that fan study, did the results surprise you? Did you have any preconceived ideas about the outcome going in?
I guess that I always have assumed my supporters are just like me: twenty-somthing girls going through relationship ups and downs while enjoying Mexican Beer... Ha! It's neat to see the males being just as supportive as the female fan base. I think that is super cool, and really unique according to the people who did the study. Also, I suppose as I have gotten older, so has my fan base. We've grown up together, so to speak.

How did you get your start in music?
I have two brothers, identical twins actually, who both play and sing. We started our first band together when they were twenty-one and in college, and I was fourteen and in high school! I've been hooked on live music and "entertaining" in the honky tonk scene ever since. Much before that, I grew up singing in a very musical Christian daycare that put on programs twice a year. At three years old I made my stage debut, and haven't looked back. I also was in choir for a few years, but have never really had any formal music training. My parents are both very musically talented (whether they admit it or not), as is much of my extended family. I really think it's just in my blood (not to mention Johnny Cash and my grandmother were second cousins)!

Your brothers, being seven years older, I imagine shaped your musical preferences quite a bit. What kind of music were you playing in the band with your brothers? And, do they still play?
We (On Tap was our name) played 90% cover tunes, from OAR to the Rolling Stones to Pat Green! We played a lot of crowd favorites, too. Some people frown upon playing cliche covers, but at a young age I enjoyed the audience responding so enthusiastically to a song! It was still even better to play my original music for people, even at the young age of fourteen, I was hooked on showing the world my heart.
My brothers play now for fun, at Christmas, and whenever I'm close enough to drag them on stage. They have three kids each and are both really successful in their careers (accounting and financial advising), and I look up to them so much, and not just because they're 6'5". ;)

Did On Tap last through your high school years, or did you get too busy with volleyball and such?
We played pretty often, and I would even play Thursday nights till closing time at the bar and wake up to go to Volleyball practice Friday morning. Even though that schedule was crazy, I wouldn't have traded it for anything. Actually, thinking back, it prepared me for the future and the lack of sleep that I continue to experience on the road today!

Once you got to Austin and the University of Texas, how long was it before you started playing that scene, or was it immediate?
I didn't start playing live music in Austin until about 3 years after I arrived at UT. For starters, I didn't play guitar (only piano), and actually didn't pick up a guitar until college. Once I found that I knew a few chords from just watching my brother play, and realizing that the instrument was much more portable, I knew that it would be essential to playing live music on the run (while still in school)! I went to see a friend play at Mother Egan's Irish Pub on Sixth Street, and he invited me up to sing a song. The bar manager offered me my own show that night, and that's how I got my first solo gig in Austin at the age of 21.

First solo gig. How nervous were you? Or did all that time playing with your brothers, being on stage, etc. calm you?
I was really nervous for that first gig; mostly because I had not played the guitar for very long, and definitely not for that length of time by myself. I still remember my fingers being too sore to type on my computer the next day! That was back before the calluses developed and the night-after-night playing that I do now. I also couldn't play a bar chord to save my life, which limited the songs that I could write and play.

So, you were three years in Austin before playing and then get a regular gig. I'm guessing it wasn't too long before you graduated (with honors, Dad). Was it head first into music full time, or did you pursue something degree related?
I actually had a day job doing marketing (and a little bit of everything) for a health and beauty website startup company in Austin, TX. It wasn't long though, before I was struggling to get out of bed for 9am meetings because I'd played a late night gig the night before. It was obvious that I wasn't going to be able to do both; luckily enough, I met my first booking agent soon after that, which allowed me to quit the day job. However, I loved working. I would still be happy in a 9 to 5 job; I love the different kind of hustle that comes with a "normal" job - just not as much as I love this music thing, of course.

This was pretty much solo acoustic stuff, right? How did the Banned come together?
When I was in my band with my brothers, we had a young bass player named Chaney Rabon that went on to attend South Plains College in Levelland, TX. He introduced me to my first guitar player and bass player that were graduating from the music school and were wanting to play music full-time. Those members were Justin Lusk (who was with me three years, and is now in an amazing band called Copper Chief) and Nathan Sebesta (who is still in my band today, after six years)! We found a drummer, Miles Stone, from a band that was breaking up; Miles was with me for two years before going to join the Cody Johnson Band, where he still is today. I'm proud to say I'm still very good friends with every original member of The Banned, and every member since!

Which came first, the band or the Banned? Of course I'm referring to the song "Banned From Santa Fe". And how much of that song is a true story?
The song "Banned From Santa Fe" came first, and is actually how The Banned got their name. I wrote the song about breaking a boy's heart in a small town, and feeling like you can't go back because of the gossip and evil eyes... That is a true story, but the town was not Santa Fe; it just sang well, so to speak!
I was sitting with my friend Craig who was with the Scooter Brown Band at the time, and I was just starting to put my band together! I was thinking of names out loud, and thought what about Bri Bagwell and the BAND from Santa Fe? Which was an interesting play on words, I thought. Craig said, what about just The Banned (which was an even better play on words)? The rest is history! :)

Photo courtesy of ColoredLion.com

We're doing this throughout the summer, which is also peak festival season. You have been vocal on social media about the festivals you have played and are playing, partly in response to a podcast that took issue with the low percentage of female artists represented at many festivals. I have noticed, as well, that most festivals are heavily male dominated. I don't know if she coined the phrase, but the first I heard it was from Sunny Sweeney; "Breaking up the sausage party". I don't really have a question here, but would like for you to express your thoughts.
The female artist "thing" is always a tough subject to approach. First of all, there are less females out there playing music than males in the scene. So to want a 50/50 male to female representation at festivals is not the expectation on my end, at least. But there are times where there are NO females on the big festivals, and to not have a single one is disheartening, especially when there are solid women bands/acts that would be a good fit. People will be at the festival for the headliner/headliners regardless of the opening acts, so those choices for the opening bands are strictly those of the festival creators. If I look at a lineup and feel that every band on there has a bigger name and/or more success than any female act that I know (including me), I am one hundred percent okay with it. I know I don't deserve a festival spot just because I am a woman; I too have to earn it. But, a three day festival with 30 bands and not a single female act, is absolutely absurd. I've been so happy to play almost all of the big music festivals, so my next obstacle is fighting for a good time slot. A lot of times I feel like some festivals put the female first, but "ladies first" doesn't always need to be true... ;)
I think the best way to advocate this weird territory is to put on the best possible shows at the festivals that I play; I try to send a message that we can hold our own as an act, regardless of gender. We've played Steamboat Music Fest, Larry Joe Taylor Fest, Crude Fest, Lone Star Jam, Zeigfest, and many more, with Medicine Stone coming up in the fall as well. I think the awareness is there and the tide is turning, and we are seeing more and more females where they deserve to be - and now it is not just because promoters feel like they "have" to be on there. We'll get there. I have faith in the badass female acts and the festivals.

Very well said. I agree that there shouldn't be a female artist just for the sake of having a female artist, but while it used to be almost impossible for a female artist to break into the Texas/Red Dirt scene, now there are plenty of options. As you said, if it's a three-day 30 band festival and there are none or one or two, then that's a problem. Most people are there for the headliners, but if the exposure is not there, regardless of time slot, then growth is stagnated.
That leads me to this. How has the Texas music scene changed, in your opinion, since you started playing to today?
VERY well said. Exactly.
I think the scene has changed in many ways than when I started full band in 2011; first of all, I think there are so many MORE bands out there, male and female. This is good to drive up competition and quality of live shows, but can be bad for our income (i.e. a bar can pay a new band next to nothing if they are eager/excited to play). It's definitely "cool" to start a Texas Country band, so you see a lot of them come and go. On the positive, there has a been a shift towards welcoming female performers. I remember when I started there were a handful of bars who wouldn't book me solely because "females can't sell tickets". I haven't heard that lingo in awhile. I don't hear that I'm crazy and out of my mind for wanting to pursue a career in this genre anymore, either. It's totally alright to be me. And that rocks.
This just brings up something in my brain that I want to say as well... One thing that has NOT changed about the scene is the amazing camaraderie among the bands/artists. There isn't enough time in the world to tell you all of the good deeds the other music buds have done for me. I tear up thinking about it. 6 years later, that is still the same.

If you don't mind and without naming names (unless you want to), can you give an example of the good deeds? So much divisiveness and negativity going on out there right now, it's refreshing to highlight the good stuff.
My favorite story is the week that I realized my contract with publisher Sony ATV in Nashville wasn’t going to be renewed. I wasn’t getting fired, but I wasn’t getting “rehired” either - so, it was kind of a bummer and a frustrating ordeal altogether. I saw Wade Bowen randomly out on the town that day in Nashville, and I told him what happened. He said, “welcome to the club!” and gave me a hug. He had been in the exact same situation. He gave me a little pep talk, and asked for my address. He mailed me a book, with a note inside. It was the perfect book for what I was going through; and not only did I feel more inspired, I didn’t feel so alone in that moment. I thought that was an incredibly thoughtful gesture from one of my heroes.
Josh Abbott, Casey Donahew, Randy Rogers, Wade Bowen, Kyle Park, and countless other larger acts have given us handfuls of cash after opening gigs when they knew our pay was less than great. Josh Abbott sold out Whitewater Amphitheater and gave all the opening acts an enormous bonus - and I sobbed when his tour manager handed us the cash, because we were needing it so badly. I never really advertised their generosity, because I know that’s not why they do it. But I do wish everyone to know the outpouring of love and help from our scene-mates.

Thanks for sharing. I'm sure they are going to hate this. I think it's important for people to know that, while it can be cutthroat, artists support other artists.
What was your worst gig? The one when you walked in and looked around and thought "What the hell have I gotten myself into?" Or the one that just went horribly wrong.
There's been more than a handful of bad gigs, but I'd have to say this one takes the cake: I was playing at a restaurant. Not only was nobody paying the slightest attention to me, but there was a little kid in the front row that was throwing macaroni and cheese at me. It stuck to my guitar in the middle of and song, and the parents were too drunk to notice or just didn't care. At that moment, I seriously thought about unplugging my guitar and symbolically unplugging my dream all at once and walking out…

On the flip side, when have you had a bad feeling about a gig that turned out to be great?

We played in France, and I thought that there was no way they were going to like our set. We play a LOT of originals in our set and we hadn't really had time to change that before France to include more covers. But, there were over 7,000 people there, and they yelled and screamed the entire time, even if they'd never heard my songs. :)

You mentioned France. I've noticed that a lot of Texas/Red Dirt artists play in Europe. There seems to be a following over there. Or at least a thirst for that type of music. Was the French gig a one off for you, or have you played Europe more? If so, what has been the response?
We traveled all the way to France for only one show at a big festival, but The Banned and I opted to stay a few more days to enjoy the wine - I mean sights - and it was a truly wonderful experience! My booking agent and I have been discussing the other options about playing overseas, and I definitely plan to do more. I haven't done it a whole lot out of the US (except for Mexico three times), but the people there ADORE country music. In France, they made up two line dances to my tunes; it was really neat to see a custom line dance to "My Boots" and to know they were very excited to show it to me. I love watching my sales reports each month and seeing people streaming/buying music in other countries. There are people worldwide who follow the Texas charts, and that's incredible to me.
My favorite story of international fans is that I didn't realize the glitch in my website shop (that I run) that allowed any country to buy my CDs autographed for $13 (INCLUDING shipping). I was spending much more than $13 to get my records to all of these other countries until I figured out how to add the correct shipping charges for overseas. Too funny! Losing money to get the music out there was worth it, though.

That's a good story to end on as I've taken up way too much of your time already. Thank you so much for doing this. However, you have the floor for one last word. What do you want people to know about upcoming stuff? Words of wisdom? Bad jokes? Anything. Go as long or short as you want.
If you insist….! Haha.
I’m in the middle of a new record, which will be out sometime in the next ten years or so… (Wink! Hoping for February, assuming time and money line up.) I’m experiencing every feeling on this project - I’m honing in on my sound, picking the best songs out of a hundred or so, writing new ones, getting back to my roots while trying countless new things, and delivering a completely different album from any before it. It keeps me up at night wondering if the fans will hate it or reject it because it’s different than what I’ve done previously. I cringe when people say they liked the early *insert any artist name here* but not their newer stuff; I think it’s important that fans know that an artist evolves and changes. We grow up, or go backwards, or go through a life changing event, or go out on a limb with a new producer, or want to showcase a different side of ourselves… I constantly battle with these changes while also wanting to please my audience. Ultimately, I’m going to make the music that I want to make, but my fans are everything to me; knowing they might not agree with my choices is scary. It’s a confusing task to trust your gut when it’s telling you a million different things. I want everyone to know that I’m working hard as hell on this record. I’m putting my own harmonies on the tracks, being careful with every lyric, limiting tuning and computer corrections, and taking my time. Lots of blood/sweat/tears/dollars/airplane miles/frustrations/smiles/high fives/deep breaths have gone into this, and I’m only halfway completed. *Note: Rachel Loy is one of the most amazing and talented producers I’ve ever seen throughout my years in many different studios.
I’ve funded two of my records via Kickstarter. I’ve slept on people’s couches and used their washing machines and ate their food. Strangers have left $100 bills in my hand during a handshake expecting nothing in return but a smile. For every person that has been cynical and negative about a female pursuing a Texas Country dream, I’ve had 1,000 people encourage me. The fans and people of this genre are, for the most part, the greatest and most loyal people. Just because I’m not on XM (yet, it’s gonna happen!) or the CMAs, does not mean that I am unhappy with my current status. I love my life. I’m content in this space. And when I’m not, there’s whiskey! (Kidding, mom.)
I’ve been reminding myself of my absolute favorite sentence about music while writing lately. It’s very true, but also lighthearted (which we all need a little of in this business). It was something I heard Ray Wiley Hubbard say at a show. It was something like: Be careful what you write, because you’ll have to play it for the rest of your life…
From the girl that’s making a new record and gonna play 180 shows this year: Amen, Ray!

Q & A With Billy Dead of The Dead Deads

I had the opportunity to conduct a Q and A with Billy Dead, drummer for the Dead Deads via an email exchange. We discuss the Dead Deads most recent album For Your Obliteration..., weather conventions and Texas hold'em, among other things.

The Cubs have since won the World Series since this interview was conducted, so some of the information is a little outdated.

Billy Dead (Angie Lese) photo courtesy of JeffCrespiRocks

How did you get started playing drums?

I started playing drums in college. My uncle had a drum set in his basement when I was growing up, and I sat down at it once and was able to play a few beats without ever having sat at a kit before. So it's always been in my blood I think. Years later, I decided to buy a drum kit out of the blue and teach myself how to play.  That was in my late college years.

How long after that did you start playing with other musicians and what was your first real band experience playing in front of an audience?

I didn't start playing with other musicians until I moved to Louisville in 2005.  Probably a year later, I started playing in a weekend warriors program and that got me playing around town in little clubs.

Was the ensuing move to Nashville strictly because of work, or did you have a say in that because of the music scene?

The move to Nashville was strictly for a job promotion, but the music scene was definitely in the back of my mind.  I was in a band called CatFight with Betty Dead at the time before I left Louisville, so if I had not gotten the Nashville job at the time, who knows when/if I ever would've moved.  I'm really thankful for that promotion

So, CatFight was a Louisville band with both you and Betty?

Yes, I met Betty through a mutual musician friend in Louisville and 2011, I believe. We hit it off and eventually formed CatFight with two other local musicians.  We released an EP through Little Heart Records in early 2013. I was already living in Nashville, and I had convinced Betty to move down there in late 2013. I had already been jamming with what would become the Dead Deads, and Betty joined us in November 2013 and that's how the band was finalized.

I know that the Deads Deads were formed off of what was supposed to be a one off Halloween show. So, in your words, how did that transformation go from being a one off show to a full fledged band?

That was an easy transition because we wanted to keep playing together. We just didn't want to keep playing somebody else's music haha. So we decided, "Hey this is fun, why don't we try our own stuff, but keep the "dead" part of the name (then, the Dead Milkmaids, tribute to the Dead Milkmen) and the "XX's?"  Everyone had the "dead something's" or the "something" dead, so we thought The Dead Deads was funny and not taken yet haha.

We'll get back to the music timeline momentarily, but I've always wondered: Your fans are known as the Dead Corps and everyone has their own "Dead" name. Who in the band is responsible for the names or do y'all have some kind of an evil "Dead Name Generator"? Even though I'm a fan, not an official member of the Dead Corps but I was given a name and it was eerily spot on.

That's mostly Daisy because she is generally the one running our Twitter account. She'll do a quick but good job of stalking their accounts, and see what each person is into...she does a great job of coming up with an appropriate dead name. :). Anyone can have a dead name, they just have to tweet @thedeaddeads with #WhatsYourDeadName attached.  That's how we can reference past names :)

Now that you've mentioned Daisy, the bass player, you two make up what has been traditionally called the rhythm section. Bass and drums. Y'all are tight on For Your Obliteration.... How long did it take for the two of you to click? To find the groove, so to speak?

Well when we were recording For Your Obliteration, and for most bands in the studio, the drummer lays down their tracks first. So all of my drums were recorded before Daisy had to record her bass lines. So we're totally synced up on the album because of her. :) Live, it depends on the sound in the room. But we both make sure that we can hear each other really well in the monitors, and I feel like we have a great stage relationship.  We complement each other's playing styles really well.  She makes it easy :)

What is your standard drum set up, and is it different from studio to stage?

I think it's important to make sure the live show sounds like the studio sessions.  Obviously it looks a lot different because I'm really active during the live shows, but I like to play the same set up, same drums, same cymbals as much as possible. And as real and raw as I can deliver.  There's a tiny bit of auxiliary percussion used on FYO, but I can replicate it live if I want to.  Sometimes I choose not to because it's a rock show after all.  :)

I use a 4-piece (one rack tom, one floor, kick and snare) DW kit now, but soon to be a 5-piece TAMA (extra floor tom).  I use hi-hats, 2 crashes, a ride, china, a splash and a double-kick pedal.  

Any chance of Ian Anderson/Jethro Tull inspired flute on future recordings?

Dammit!  I can't escape my flute past. Hahaha, nah I doubt it. I think my flautist days are over. :)

Hey, you can't accuse me of not doing my homework.

I liked the Dead Deads debut album, Rainbeau, but it seems like the band has evolved quite a bit between Rainbeau and FYO. FYO is more diverse and eclectic. Is that a fair assessment and if so, how does that progression look from the inside?

FYO is just a better production, overall.  We found out we were going on tour with Halestorm back in late August of 2014 and thought, "Well, guess we better put together a CD to sell."  Haha, so we wrote the rest of what would be Rainbeau and recorded that album live to tape.  It's gritty, it's raw, and contains no less love than "For Your Obliteration" does.  Actually, I still can't decide which album I like better!  You never forget your first, right? Ha. FYO was recorded the "right" way...drums first, every instrument and vocals in different rooms, to a click, and mixed/mastered over a few weeks.  We're better musicians now than we were during Rainbeau, and this time around, I think we really thought about the path of each song..."that drum beat would work there, but there's a better one...let's find it."  That sort of thinking.  And again, we didn't have a lot of time to really tear apart each song and try to make it perfect...that'd lose the love, and our producer Page (Hamilton of Helmet) wouldn't have let us do that anyways - he liked us keeping the songs we wrote as much "as is" as possible.  I think our sound has progressed to a more grown-up sound accessible to all ages and genres, if that makes sense.  I think we had a bit more metal/punk sound on Rainbeau, but songs from FYO could probably be played on any radio station, rock or pop.  Even though I think that, I still feel like we're on a slightly more concentrated direction with our music, but I think our albums to come will still have a song that makes you go, "Where the f*** did that come from?!"  Our albums will always be diverse and eclectic because all five of us have such different tastes in music and writing styles that we'll always have a unique sound unmatched by other bands.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't FYO recorded both in Los Angeles and Nashville? If so, what effect, if any, did that have on the final product?

Yeah, that's right.  We recorded five songs in LA, thinking that it would be an EP.  But then we went ahead and finished the record in Nashville in June, six more songs.  I think the sound is slightly different between the LA and Nashville songs, but I bet that only us girls in the band could really notice that ha ha.  I noticed that my drums and cymbals sound a bit different, but that might sound intentional to an active musician-type listener. That happens, though, for indie bands...there can be a lot of time between recordings that could affect sound, and certainly different studios will do that.  I think that adds to the character of an album.

So, there is basically two different EP length records combined into one LP. Did Page Hamilton produce all the songs, or was the Nashville portion different?

Sort of I guess, yeah. But yes, Page produced all of the songs on FYO.

The band has pretty much been do it yourself all the way. How much of a boost was it for you to land the opening slot for Halestorm?

Oh that was incredible. They're one of the greatest bands, and probably the nicest people you could ever imagine. It was first of all quite the honor just to be on the same bill with them, but knowing that they actually liked our music ha ha, that's even more humbling. They are our friends, they're our mentors.  And being able to learn from them on that tour was basically like the greatest band camp ever. That definitely put us in the mindset of thinking, "Hey we may be able to actually do this."  That definitely boosted our confidence and motivation, and we gained so much experience from that, as well as new fans. They put us on the map, for which we are forever grateful!

I'm guessing that recognition put you on on the map for the cruise gigs and also your shows with Bush. On the cruises, how much did you play the fan part? Because there were some heavy hitters on those ships. And conversely, how much did you realize that there were fans there to see you and that other artists were singing your praises?

Well knowing Halestorm definitely gave us the recognition that we needed to get our foot in the door in some places, but getting onto the Motorboat Cruise is kind of a funny story. I'm persistent, and I just asked if we could play on that cruise via their website.  Halestorm happen to be playing at the Ryman a few weeks later, and the two guys that booked that Motorboat Cruise noticed that they gave our lead singer a shoutout on stage. They found her and said, "Did you ask us about playing on the cruise?"  And that's how that started haha. But yeah especially on Motorboat, we had opportunities to just be fans since we were the newbie band on the cruise. And what legends to watch!!  It was a lot of fun to interact with everybody else. But we were a little bit bigger on the Shiprocked cruise, and there was less time for that. But that led to us meeting Page Hamilton of Helmet, and you know where that led. It was actually the rest of Helmet that saw us play and said we were their favorite band on Shiprocked. So that validation was one, awesome to hear and two, the reason why Page worked with us.

Enough with this band stuff. You are a freaking meteorologist. That's not the normal gateway into punk/metal/space/grunge. Or is it? I'm guessing you have some crazy stories to tell about those freaky meteorologists to dispel the widely held narrative

You would be surprised at how many drumming meteorologists there are ha ha. Drumming is actually pretty scientific and mathematical, so it really complements my former career. And don't let us nerds fool you; meteorologists are among the craziest people I've ever known!  At a weather conference years ago in New Orleans, I remember Zydeco artist Rockin' Dopsie Jr was playing to a crowd of about 1000 meteorologists, and somehow I ended up on stage drumming with him!  :). That was the tame part of the week haha!

Are you a sports fan, and if so, what teams do you root for?

I'm a huge Chicago Cubs fan. My dad took my brother and I to a game when we were really young and I've been a fan ever since.  This is the year!  I'm a huge baseball fan. I'm also a 49ers fan, but it is Not our year ha ha.  I grew up a big Notre Dame fan, too, but I went to Purdue University, so I root for both of those teams.  And this doesn't really count as sports, but since they show it on ESPN I really do love Texas hold'em.

Congrats to you and your Cubs. This may be the year. So, are you a gambler or do you just like the drama of Texas hold 'em?

I like to play most any card game, and I'm decent at hold'em, but I hardly ever gamble.  Maybe a house game on average every year. I love to play, though, and I almost always win haha.  I think it's because it's a male-dominated game and men have trouble reading women in their regular lives...how the hell are they supposed to at the poker table?!  :)

Speaking of men, there has been a lot in the news lately about powerful men abusing that power in regards to women. The more I read, the more it seems that many women have suffered from similar situations. Many, many more than we will ever know about. You have lived a diverse life thus far, college, career, band/music. How prevalent do you think this is?

Actually, I think it's extremely prevalent, but honestly I don't necessarily think that it's always intentional. I've been in music and many girl bands, and my career was heavily male dominated. And both of those instances, you're dealing with people that are sometimes socially awkward, and don't have a lot of experience having work relationships with females. I'm one to speak my mind because I'm confident in the words that are coming out of my mouth, so I have been called a bitch more times than I can count only because I have confidence and passion backing my words.  Men can walk into a room as a musician or as a scientist, and the audience will trust them to do their job correctly. That's unfortunately not the case for females... we have to sort of prove we are worthy to an audience and let them know that we are actually capable of the same things ha ha. There's been several studies on that, as well.  I think the unintentional sexism is pure ignorance, and that falls on the responsibility of the trainers/managers above you to help correct that. But there are several instances from many friends, and me personally, where we have experienced the intentional abuse of power, and it's really frustrating, sometimes scary as you could expect. If I ever get famous, I'm definitely going to use that platform as a means to speak out against sexism.

Do you consider using gender qualifiers to be unintentional sexism? For example, female drummer, female-fronted, all female, etc. when referring to musicians/bands.

Yeah I think so. It's like saying a girl band or a female fronted band sounds a certain way. It shouldn't define the music. And female drummers get the reputation of being awful, but there's just so few of us compared to men, and some don't hit hard - we're immediately labeled as being bad musicians. I think I can help break down that stereotype and help shed light on the sexism. I'm a good drummer AND female. I really just think it's a numbers thing. There's plenty of bad male drummers out there, but no one seems to talk about that.

I'm a big sports fan as well as being into music. Therefore I follow a lot of sportswriters/broadcasters on twitter. So I hear a lot of how the females have to prove that they know what they're talking about where their male counterparts get the benefit of the doubt. Another thing they also get is the guys who are intimidated or uncomfortable that the "girls" have invaded the guy's club. Is this something that you experience in the the type of music that the Dead Deads play? In other words, the world of hard rock/metal/punk has been predominately a male playground. Do you get any pushback on that?

As far as the type of music we play, I don't really see the pushback if there is any.  In the sports broadcasting realm, I believe the men likely feel threatened because someone might know more than them and she happens to be female - that's intimidating as hell. I've had male musicians give me hell before where they felt compelled to back up their claim of talking down to me ("I've worked with so and so for this many years so I'm smarter" kind of talk...). I've just learned that if you're good, respectful, humble and friendly, then good things happen and it won't matter if you're male or female.  I'm gonna come across many male and female drummers and some may be better than me. That's my opportunity to learn from them instead of becoming jealous or threatened. It's better look for everyone :)

I don't think there will be a lot of pushback in this industry. I think rock needs us...rock fans, especially young music fans need to feel energized and alive. I really think we can do that, and I'm glad we're female. It's important to show people that you can dominate an industry no matter the sex.

You say that "especially young music fans need to feel energized and alive." I don't disagree with this other than the word "especially". I'm old. I think that "especially" older fans, fans of classic rock and 80s hard rock need to feel that there is still something out there for them. The people that I know from my generation are mostly listening to the local classic rock station or SiriuXM's Hair Nation. The problem seems to be that most of them don't know where to find stuff like y'all, Halestorm, Crobot, The Struts, etc.. etc., etc. I guess, I should ask a question here. What do the Dead Deads do to appeal to that crowd, or do you even try?

You're right! And I will say that we tend to have fans from 10 to 60 so it may be that all rockers are looking for something. I really think if you put the Dead Deads on a major late night show or major pop radio stations, that'd be it. We'd be set, and I say that out of pure humility. I just believe in our sound. It's difficult for anyone, even us, to describe it. But for as interesting as our music is, it's as catchy. That's what I've always looked for in music I like...is it fun, catchy and does it have a good beat?  Yeah we have good lyrics and an interesting look, but above all, people seem to really like our music. I can see it in the crowd's faces...they don't have a clue who we are but they're paying attention. That's a movement, and I'm excited to see where it's headed.

But speaking of being seen/heard, unless you have Sirius octane, it's difficult to find out about new rock music because the kind of rock that's mainstream right now wouldn't appeal to the rock/pop audience.So it's played on selective outlets. There needs to be a rock crossover band that makes rock noticeable again. I think the Foo Fighters have it mastered But I think bands like the Struts, Halestorm, and maybe our band can grab the attention of fans of all genres and ages (that's my mindset every time I play the drums). I really think we have a few songs that'll do that, too. But we just need to work to get those opportunities. :) It helps touring with bands like Bush, Chevelle, Halestorm, etc. I think there's more street cred needed in the rock genre than pop, but it's all hard. It's all hard work, but we're on a mission from space haha. :)

Photo courtesy of Gary Pahlow

I'm a fan of many different types of music. Rock, metal, blues, country, Americana, pop, etc. I think this is the best time to be a music fan with so many options available if one chooses to use them. I hear a lot of people complaining about how mainstream radio is horrible. I tell them to turn off the radio and find what they like. But most people don't even know where to start. I find new, interesting stuff I like via blogs and social media. That's how I, West Texas, became aware of The Dead Deads, a space/punk/grunge band from Nashville. In today's music climate, how important is social media to a DIY band?

I think it's key. If you're in a DIY band, it's too difficult to get air play...nearly impossible quickly. That's why social media is so important...that, and touring are the only ways really for a DIY band to get the universe on board haha. I want us to get on mainstream radio, but a DIY band definitely has to put in the hard work to get there. That means lots of social media promoting, but also and more importantly, connecting to the fans. We work really hard at developing Dead Corps relationships, and I think that sets us apart. We want to know the fans because we'd be stuck in a basement going nowhere without our fans really caring about us. They're as much a part of this ride as we are.

Let's play "Overrated, Underrated or Properly Rated". I'll give you something and you decide which it is. Then expound on your choice.

John Mellencamp

Depends if you mean his voice or his music!  Ha I'd say properly rated because his songs serve the working class properly.  But for me personally, "Cherry Bomb" and "Paper and Fire" were big songs for me because my dad played them a lot and that was a bonding experience I loved. :) So I may lean slightly underrated because of that ha.

Axl Rose

His voice is incredible but I'd say overrated only because he's cancelled a lot of shows in the past repeatedly and I expect more from a professional. So from a professionalism stand point, I'd say overrated.

The Indianapolis 500

Extremely overrated. But that may be because I've gone before and it's not for me at all.  ZZZzzzzz haha.

The movie "Hoosiers"

Underrated, and if someone thinks that's a bad movie, they're nuts.

If you could answer it just one time and be done with it, what is the question that you get asked often enough that it annoys you? And what is said answer?

The question that's most annoying is "who is this band?" when people are standing at our merch table and we're at it, too, and our business cards and tees have our faces on them haha. Or "oh...YOU'RE the band?!  Haha

I'm curious, as probably are most fans, how did the band come up with their dead names, and did each member choose their own?

Yeah, we each came up with our own names, or the group helped pick them. I picked Billy because I make a similar Billy Idol sneer when I play the drums.  :)

Dream band. Vocals, guitar, bass, drums, rhythm guitar or keys.

Go.

Ok, dream bands are usually bands I'd die to play in, but honestly I'm not a fan of supergroups. Ha, so I'll just name my faves regardless of they'd actually gel together.

Drums:  Taylor Hawkins or Keith Moon

Vocals:  Pink or Alanis Morissette or Prince

Bass:  Mike Dirnt

Guitar:  Angus Young

I guess Prince could be a guitar candidate too :)

Anyone throughout history, who are the three other people you're having at your table? And why?

Prince because he's the perfect musician.

Robin Williams because he's a genius comedian.

Pink because I wanna be her friend and play drums for her haha.

And my late gf Brooke because I'd love to hear about the "other side." :)

Your sexuality is no secret. You just mentioned your late girlfriend. There is a “coming out” story for everyone. Some traumatic, some benign. If you don’t mind, would you share yours?

It's not like I wave a flag, but I certainly don't hide who I am. I didn't come out until later in life...I was 28. It was hard even though I was a successful adult already, but for my family response, it was pretty simple. My older brother is gay and came out in high school so that made it easy for me. I just didn't realize who my real self was until so late. I'm a lesbian. I'm a drummer. I'm also a meteorologist, a spiritual person, etc. It's one part of me, but doesn't define my every move. However, I'm a strong believer in equal rights, so I don't usually stay quiet when it comes to that.

I grew up and still live in west central Texas. Not exactly a place known for tolerance (of many things). Growing up and even later, I made some, shall we say, insensitive comments about gays and lesbians. I'm not proud of that. But I have since become more informed and have had many more life experiences.

What I thought at the time were "just jokes", I now know are much more than that. In my opinion, the more people, at least most people, know, the better it gets. When things get more humanized and less stereotyped, the better.

Like you said, the less we know, the more afraid people are and that is why gays etc. are hated on.  If people stopped being ignorant and would learn, the world would be such a better place. People spend so much time being angry at certain lifestyles, and it's just a waste of energy. And makes them a shitty human being.

What's on the horizon for the Dead Deads as a band and for Billy Dead personally?

For the band, we just want to tour hard at the moment. We have some big potential tours in early 2017, so fingers crossed there. Otherwise, for me, since I'm now a professional drummer, I'd like to seek out other opportunities on the side to keep me busy. I'd like to do some session work or even fill-in here and there for bands that need it (if I have time).  I always want to get better, and expand my talents. Plus, the more I get out there, the more I'll have a voice. Given recent politics, I feel like the more popular I get, I can help spread words of encouragement, rage alongside others who feel scared, etc. My mission has always been to play the drums in front of whatever crowds I can get, but now I feel an underlying mission of equality for all, and I really think I'll get to be a voice for those struggling.

Any parting words? The floor is yours.

This has been fun! Thanks for the great questions.

Humanity has a long way to go, but I hope I'm in a position to play music for life and fight for what's right along the way.

Q & A With Brandy Zdan

Brandy Zdan's self-titled debut album was one of my favorite records of 2015. The current Nashville residing, Canadian born Zdan recently took the time to answer a few questions.

We discussed her disdain for cymbals, love of toques, thrifting and some music stuff.

First of all, thank you for taking the time to do this.
My pleasure.

On your album, Brandy Zdan, I read that there are only 31 cymbal crashes on the entire record. Is that true? And if it is, was that a conscious decision, or just something that happened organically?
That is true. My friends, The Somebody’s Darling band sent me a text one night telling me they counted the cymbal when they played the album in the van. In fact, you don’t hear a cymbal until song 5 and most of the cymbals are in only two songs, "Only the Sad Songs" and "Courtship of Wild Horses".
And yes, this is a conscious decision. I will openly admit that I dislike cymbals, like REALLY dislike them. Most drummers don’t know how to use them properly. In fact, I will tell my drummers to fight the instinct to keep time on a high hat, or elsewhere.
I LOVE the simplicity of a great sounding snare and kick, as you hear on the first half of the album.

I’m a washed-up, hack bass player. But when I was playing, my influences weren’t necessarily other bass players. I got a lot of inspiration from killer rhythm guitarists. Who or what inspires you that might surprise some people?

I’m on a constant search for things that get me excited musically. I am obsessed with the steel guitar and guitar in general, … I listen to a lot of instrumental stuff like Daniel Lanois’ solo material & Bill Frisell, and I just recently discovered a band called A Winged Victory for the Sullen, which is cinematic lush strings and piano and guitar. It makes my heart feel crazy things.

How many toque’s do you own and how often do get to utilize them living in Nashville?
I own too many. I just got a fake wolf fur toque that is now my favorite. I don’t use them very often, but I like to save on heat bills so you would catch me at home wearing one for sure in the winter.

Let’s play a quick game of “Overrated, Underrated or Properly Rated” using Canadian artists. Feel free to expound upon any answer.

Rush - Properly Rated, but way to busy musically for me.

Celine Dion - Properly Rated but you wouldn’t find me putting on a record of hers.

Loverboy - What are their hits? Pass. haha.

Justin Bieber - Pass. I’ve never even heard a song of his.

Bryan Adams - Properly Rated. I love the F out of him. I remember making a lip sync video in all demin when I was 10 singing “Everything I do, I do it for you”. I loved that song. That song was from the Robin Hood flick with Kevin Costner and funny enough I got to sing backups on Kevin’s most recent record. Full circle.

Outside of music, what is Brandy Zdan passionate about?
I LOVE thrifting. SO much. You’ll catch me doing that in just about every town I travel to.
I also do a lot of leatherwork, I make things out of deerskin. I enjoy working with my hands in that way. I also love the outdoors. I don’t get out camping near enough since I’ve been gone from Canada but I always feel the pull to get out of the city.

From Canada to Austin to Nashville. Not the normal route, but how did it work for you?
I had been touring the USA with my old band Twilight Hotel and we were noticing the reception was a lot better than in our home country. We had a list of cities that we were thinking of moving to and Austin won out. We moved onto a commune in south Austin when we first moved there. It was all the hippie Austin things you would expect it to be. I have fond memories of that time.
After that band broke up and I spent two years with The Trishas, and as that was ending I was moving full speed ahead with the solo project. I knew I wasn’t gonna do it in Austin. Nashville just made sense. I’ve been spending time there since 2007 when I made the second Twilight Hotel record there. It was the right move for sure. I won’t be there forever, but for now, I love the community I’m becoming a part of and how the town makes me feel like less of an alien.

I’ve been finding some really cool music coming out of Nashville right now. Who are some artists that you really like in your adopted home?
I love Lilly Hiatt and Angel Snow. They are doing some of the coolest female singer/songwriter stuff. I also love William Tyler, Joe Pisapia and Colin Linden.

I’ve described the music on your album as Grace Potter meets early Sheryl Crow with goth undertones. And in my mind, those are all positive comparisons. Is that fair, accurate and/or way off base?
I hear those a lot. It’s fair I think. I don’t take too much stock in comparisions. I just let people say what they want try to let it not affect me…
I like to live in the creative space where I’m not defining myself. It’s the only way I can really be myself.

What is your gear set up? Guitar, amp, effects, etc? And how much does it differ from studio to stage?
I love this question.
I play a custom Gamble Guitar Works telecaster.
I was never a tele girl until a couple years ago.
I have flat wound 12’s on it which gives it a wide thick tone and play that through a 79 Princeton Reverb. This is my favorite combo right now.
My pedal board is simple but super important.
I love my Strymon El Capistan Tape Echo as well as the Eventide Space Rever pedal.
I also, have a Malekko Tremelo and Black Stone Overdrive pedal.
Sometimes I run my vocals through a Memory Man deluxe.
This is the same rig I use in the studio except I use a bunch of different guitars. It all depends on what the song calls for.
I’m always on the search for new exciting ways to fuck with my tone.
I probably derive the most joy out of new little tone discoveries.

Do you write alone, or do you collaborate on some stuff? And which do you prefer?
The last album I wrote completely by myself. I like co-writing but I tend to get songs for others and not for myself. They are both fine. It’s always changing.

Stranded on a deserted island, what three albums do you want with you?
The Beatles- White Album
Blake Mills- Break Mirrors
Daniel Lanois- Belladonna
My answer as of Jan. 28. It changes daily.

The music industry is at a crossroads right now. It has to figure out how to deal with streaming services, the decline of physical sales and the fact that mainstream radio only plays crap (ok, that’s just my opinion). It is easier to get music out to the dumb masses right now, but harder to get noticed. How do you navigate in this world?
The only way to succeed, in my eyes, at least in my genre world, is to find your unique voice, nurture that, and put the best version of yourself forward. If you cater to anyone or sacrifice the artistry, people can see through that. You just need to get good enough so people won’t ignore you. I’m not worried about the industry, musicians have always been but the music industry is just a blip in time. It’ll all get figured out.
I see the connection one makes to music listeners at shows, I see the organic build. THAT will never go away.

The floor is yours. What do you want everyone to know about Brandy Zdan going forward?
It's only the beginning.

For more from Brandy Zdan:
Website
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Soundcloud

Q and A With The Bass Player (Daisy Dead) Of The Dead Deads

I recently had the opportunity to conduct a question and answer interview via email with the bass player in the Dead Deads. We joked "who the hell wants to hear what the bass player has to say?"

Being a bass player myself, I do. So if you are interested in what the bass player has to say (and you should be), what follows is my interview with Daisy Dead, bassist for the Dead Deads.

What got you started into this musical journey that you're on? Not necessarily your current band, but what influences did you have that made you want to pick up an instrument and play?
I've been playing music since I got a little Casio keyboard for Christmas when I was 7 or 8 years old, then got into playing piano and then trumpet in the school band. But I grew up listening to the college station in Nashville and all the different stuff they'd play, from local punk bands to industrial to surf guitar to metal to Velvet Underground to house music to 80's pop to 90's alternative to world music. My parents also listened to a lot of pop and rock music, and we'd play it loud and us kids would dance around the house. In the case of the electric bass, Meta told me to pick it up and try to see if I could play it, and lo and behold I could! So just worked on it from there. For me, when you plug in and turn the volume up, rock is just what wants to come out, so I feel as inspired by the gear - bass and amp - as I do by any particular style of music.