Well I stacked the deck here babies! You're gonna hear new music from a band called Stella Ella Ola who are so much fun its not fair to other bands, except Busty and the Bass are super damned fun too on stage. They weren't as much fun off stage so I had to cut the balls off my interview w/ Busty. Sorry about that guys, but I'm not going to air crap, and that's literally all it was. I loved the interview with Stella's crew and Kardinal Official is so busy and talented I've never felt so lazy! But it was awesome to get to sit down with them all, even Busty's crew (save one asshat) because they all had stories to tell and were willing to share. That's all I ask. I keep the format simple, I make every effort possible to make people comfortable and allow them an "out" when they need it, which you will hear. But respect my time and talent as I am respecting yours bitches, its a simple task literally every other musician I have ever encountered has been capable of - but this one guy. So focus on the positive - I am :) and I loved this year. I will do a retrospective as soon as I can on all that happened this year for TMS and I hope you will join me then! (okay, the dirt is below, read on you filthy animals if you want).
I did my best to bite my tongue in the episode because there's no point in airing dirty laundry but here I will write whatever I damned well please and the lead singer of the band is an arrogant asshole. I've interviewed over 100 bands in the last year and a half alone, HUGE bands, brand spanking new bands and everything and everyone in between. This band draws a crowd but they mostly do cover songs (which is great when you are a garage band, step it up when you start booking shows please) and their albums were flat where originals were included. Possibly because they have 9 band members and Arcade Fire they are NOT. They covered Macy Gray and got on people's radar, added to this a great (truly great) live show and this band would convince you they are going places. That all came crashing down when I sat down to interview them, specifically the lead singer and actually ONLY him. Everyone else was a gentleman, respectful of my time and talent in what I do though it differs from what they do.
This was the worst interview I've ever done. At one point the lead singer literally said "oh, this is just what we do to piss people off, we take over their podcasts and fuck around". It wasn't cute, it was rude and smacked so heavily of a mama's boy who's been too tightly coddled by a well meaning lady that he's now incapable of deciphering when he's being adorable and when he's being received as the prick he truly is. I'm not impressed and I have interviewed bands with a hell of a lot more talent and gratitude for the scene.
That kid doesn't have it. He walked around like he was god's gift to the world and it was sickening. Mild talent and luck don't make you a rockstar babe. They never have. The rest of this band was lovely, talented and gave a shit about what they were doing there. This guy didn't. I don't recall a time I've been so put off by someone, this was truly a first for me and while I know I handled it well in the moment I had to have a bit of a pow-wow with my husband after to vent, it took all my might to keep said husband from running that little shit down and 'talking some mild sense' into him, old skool style. I don't condone violence and that would never have happened, clearly. But damn if I didn't fantasize about it for a moment or two when I listened back to this episode, having to edit and slice and dice it to kingdom come to make any of it work at all.
My point is this: I am there for a reason, one I've worked for, just like every other band member, manager, organizer, bartender, everyone. I'm there because I'm talented and intelligent and caring about what I do and about what I put out in the world. I am not perfect and honestly don't care a lick for those who pretend they are, I'm fallible, I'm human and brave enough to be okay with that. I don't take myself too seriously and I never have, I can roll with the punches and laugh along and aloud with virtually any subject matter. But assholes will not be tolerated. Nope.
On that note: goodbye my pets and good evening, I will be back next week with a retrospective on 2016! I had SO many great times, killer stories and non stop laughs I can't imagine cutting it down to an hour but I will try, for you.
Thank you for reading, thank you for listening and thanks for being part of this funny little story with me.
xoxo Paula
