Your Best Nightmare

Feb 22

Hey Erin, thank you for joining us! Give us a brief history of where you are from and when you first started playing the Uke.

Hi! I’m from Northwest New Jersey; like where they filmed the original Friday the 13th. It’s beautiful out here, and I am a very passionate lover of my home state. I started playing ukulele in college, which I also attended here in New Jersey. It seemed more accessible to me than the guitar, and it wasn’t an instrument I saw a ton of classmates with.

How have your musical goals changed from when you started playing, to where you are now?

When I first started playing I was just beginning school. Being in a music school really expanded my horizons, but I felt like I needed to conform to my major and instrument. I’m a classically trained vocalist so ukulele was more of an extra “for fun” part of making music for me, and singing was my major focus. It still is fun, but now it’s become a bigger part of the music making process.

Did you always know what type of music you wanted to create, or has it changed over time?

I have always known I wanted to make something relatively unique. My influences are broad and not typically grouped together (like My Chemical Romance and the Carpenters). I want to continue to create music that doesn’t quite fit into a standard genre.

Tell us about your writing process – is it the same every time for each song, or is more like a flash of lightning, unexpected inspiration?

It is an adventure, my friend. I usually get some kind of initial lightning strike inspiration, which always feels like some sign from the divine that I need to write down or record what I came up with. I see music in a vignette sort of way where each song tells part of a story; almost like a chapter book. Once I have a piece of the story I continue to write out the rest.

I'm listening to “Really Cute” right now. It made me laugh out loud when I heard it the first time, and I love the energy and loose feel. Tell us where you recorded it, how you tracked it, and how the song came about?

The original recording I had on soundcloud was recorded in my walk-in closet using my iPad. I leveled up though for my official release! I recorded with Shannon McArthur in Nashville back in December. We did a skeleton recording of me and the uke for our drummer first. Drums were the first part; I really wanted them to have a Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge kind of feel. We did ukulele and vocals next, then the bass, and then auxiliary percussion and keys for other songs. It was way too fun.

Is this about a lived experience? 😉

Omg sort of. It is about someone I met, and I just could not imagine what a date with them would be like. So I thought about it and wrote it down. It’s turned into a whole story now about love and vampires.

At what point in the writing process did you think you had something solid – something worth sharing?

As soon as I figured out the melody to the words. I recorded it on my phone and shared it with my mom!

This is obviously a bit of humorous number – are you intent on staying in this genre (let’s call it “comedic uke-punk”) or would you like to expand into something broader?

I aim to maintain being a cute lil uke-punk rocker. I have a sense of humor that very seldom shuts off, and it can be pretty dark, so if my lyrics make people laugh and also think then I have done my job.

I’ll give you permission to brag a bit – what’s your favorite part of the song (theory, lyrics, melody – anything)?

I love the reaction to the song. I have had people approach me and talk about feeling empowered hearing it; I’ve also been told I’m terrifying.

Are you an actress or comedian as well, or did this side of you come out when you started writing?

I was a theater kid in high school and it definitely stays with you for life. I’ve been asked a lot about if I do comedy, honestly, which is funny to me. Like I said before, my sense of humor is pretty constant ;)

If you had the opportunity to place this song into any TV show, or movie, what would it be and why?

I would want to put it into some kind of movie like John Tucker Must Die. It would definitely fit the vibe of that gem.

What is your primary instrument for tracking – what brand -, and do you use different rigs for your gigs?

I love using Kala ukuleles. I currently play live with a solid body electric tenor uke from them and I’m obsessed with it. I recorded “Really Cute” and the rest of my EP on a Kala acoustic tenor.

I see you playing other instruments in your Social Media….what’s your second favorite instrument and why?

I’ve been learning the bass, which has been super fun. My second favorite instrument is either that or the piano. I’ve played piano since I was nine, so it’s my first instrument. I love all of the emotion you can pull from a piano.

What excites you about the music industry today, and what makes you angry the most?

I love that the world is your oyster style wise. The technology available in the industry right now means you can access literally any sound for a project.

What musical guilty pleasure do you have? ;) (Mine is the Spice Girls, sorry, not sorry.)

Not really a guilty pleasure, but MCR is my comfort artist. I can probably sing every song they’ve published and I wear that badge with great pride.

You may have answered this with the last question, but what is your favorite genre OUTSIDE of this one?

I love Gamelan music. It’s so wild.

If you could play any venue in the US, what would it be? Same thing for the UK, Australia, and South America.

I just want to play Starland Ballroom; it’s one of my favorite places. Other than than, I would just love to go to the UK, Australia, and South America.

If a band comes to your town, where should they grab a bite to eat?

Marley’s Gotham Grill. They have the best wings, and they have GF and Vegetarian options!

Tell us one of your funny / horror stories from a gig - something that other musicians can relate to. ;)

I had the worst cold of my life at a show, like my voice was shot. I had a couple in the audience stop me mid set to tell me they were leaving because they were hoping to hear jazz cabaret music. But they knew going in that I didn’t play jazz.

Where can we find you on the interwebs, what are your socials?
I exist on instagram as itsactually_erin

Any clue as to why "hot chicken" is a thing here in Nashville? Seriously, it's awful. Why anyone would choose to do that to their body is beyond us. Any help you could give would be most appreciated.
:( I love hot chicken. I’m a spice fiend lol.

What’s next? Can you share with us any songs that are in the pipeline?

I have some love songs about vampires coming your way soon!