RECORDS LiVE

Tamara: Oh my gosh. Whoa, what’s everyone doing in my living room? Hello guys, I’m Tamara. I am the host of RECORDS LiVE, which is a live talk show where we listen to music in my living room with friends.

This is a live only experience. Get your cell phones out, record if you want to, support the people who are on it. It’s a really fun time, and we have a lot of really unique songs that we’re going to be listening to today. There’s some songs that I haven’t heard before. Most of the time I learn about new music because I don’t really have an elevated palette with music. I just listen to the same artists most of the time. It’s a really cool…

*Doorbell Rings*

Tamara: Oh okay, so we actually have a guest. Why don’t you come in, guest? Hi, thank you for joining us in my living room today.

Samantha: Thank you for having me.

Tamara: You brought some songs. Introduce yourself to our audience, please.

Samantha: Hello everybody, my name is Samantha. I play drums for The Frick Fracks.

Song Plays: Wolf Alice – The Sofa

Tamara: Okay, so we’re taking it back with Wolf Alice. Is this an older song?

Samantha: This is a new song from her newest release. It’s called “The Sofa,”and this song is really important to me because it kind of feels like all of the lyrics are exactly how I’ve been feeling. So that’s why it’s been on repeat on my Spotify. It’s on that little album they make for you.

It’s just empowering. It could be for anyone, but I feel like it’s very womanhood and that’s what I really connected with and then she’s just amazing.

Tamara: She is amazing. Did you get to see her at The Fox Theater recently?

Samantha: No, I haven’t actually been able to see her live before. Just in my bedroom and in my car. That’s it. And in the shower.

Tamara: It’s sacred. I love that. So, you’re in a band with all girls. Do you think womanhood is a very important element in the music that you listen to?

Samantha: Yeah, we all identify she/her. Being best friends and girls in a male dominated scene and making our way has been a lot of fun. There were some challenges when we were starting, but it’s just been our passion hobby. We love it, and we all get along so well that we’re going to keep doing it.

Tamara: Beautiful, you should. You guys are so talented. What do you resonate with in the lyrics of this song? Anything in particular?

Samantha: Yeah, she’s talking about not wanting to be put in a box as one thing and also the privilege to feel all her feelings and emotions and express them how she pleases and as they come. This right here, she says she doesn’t want to just be one thing. She says, “Intellectual beauty queen” and I think that’s cool because you could be more than just hot, you could be more than just a musician, you could be more than just a mom, more than just a daughter, more than a friend, you know? We’re a bunch of things.

And she kind of pokes at the like, “You can be smart and pretty,” and I think that’s awesome because she is…she’s amazingly talented and gorgeous and so many other things. Wolf Alice is amazing. They also go through the genre of alternative. There are some songs that are heavier, some songs where they’re really experimental at times. This one’s more classic and straightforward, but the entire album is really, really good. Everyone should listen to it.

Tamara: When did you first start listening to Wolf Alice?

Samantha: The first song I ever heard is called “Don’t Delete the Kisses.” So probably only like a year or two ago. I’d always heard of her, but she wasn’t in my playlist and like, my repertoire.

Tamara: Are there any instrumental elements that inspire you in this song?

Samantha: I think they work together really well. I think the cohesiveness of how they play together, like nobody’s too showy. They all get their spotlight, and she plays with her lover and her brother. You can really tell that there’s unity within the band.

Tamara: There’s a lot of synergy between them?

Samantha: Yes. Absolutely.

Tamara: I love the harmonies in this song. It does remind me of the type of music you release with The Frick Fracks. There’s a lot of harmonies in that. What is that like working in a group element that everyone’s implementing their own roles?

Samantha: It actually worked out pretty well because Devan, singing lead, has very wide range. And then our keyboardist, Maddy, can sing pretty high, and I sing rather deep like true alto. Maddy gets that top harmony. I get the bottom and then Devan does her thing. So, it worked out really well. And Devan and Maddy are geniuses with hearing exactly what the harmony should be. So, they just tell me what to sing and I do it.

Tamara: I love that. Let’s have a moment for this play out right now. Do you like this whole album?

Samantha: I do. There’s another song called “Just Two Girls.” If you have a girl best friend, you should listen to it every day. It’s so sweet. And yeah, I feel a little wild lately and she says she hopes nobody comes to tame her. And that’s how I feel. I’m completely myself and raw at all times. And it’s like, “If you can’t take me how I present myself, no need.”

Tamara: Yeah. How do you get comfortable in that? How do you get comfortable in letting yourself be untamed and be completely yourself?

Samantha: I think because at a time in my life when I was younger, I wasn’t truly happy when I was trying to fit in. And there were a lot of friendships lost, like built and then lost. And once I was just completely myself, which was helped by having my little sister. She’s always been completely unapologetic. And I was like, “I’m doing it wrong.”

Tamara: Inspiring, I love it.

Song Plays: Blondshell – Salad

Tamara: OK, we’re on to our next track. Blondshell. I don’t know much about this artist.

Samantha: So Blondshell, we started listening to probably like two years ago. My band has a playlist. We call it In the Pocket.

Tamara: I love that you speak like in unison. You’re like, WE started listening.

Samantha: Yes, we all did. We have a playlist called In the Pocket, and we add songs to it that are inspiring to us. Whether we want that to be the vibe of new songs we write for the band or songs we all just get to listen to. And so, it’s a group playlist that really helps us know what direction we’re going to take our own sound. And Blondshell, over these past two years, has been a band that inspires us lyrically. And then also the builds that they have, their dynamics, and the musicianship have been a really big inspiration.

Tamara: Who is the first person to put the others onto Blondshell?

Samantha: Devan put Blondshell into the playlist. Yeah, Dev’s really good at being up to date on listening to new albums and new artists. So, it is really helpful having that playlist. But this song is super, super… Super.

It has a really strong message behind it that a lot of women have experience or unfortunately resonate with. It’s about sexual assault, but it’s also such a banger at the same time, which I think is necessary to get across an important message. It’s just good music. And then once you read the lyrics, you’re like, “Whoa, this is very serious,” but it’s still a great song. And so, this one resonates with us, again back to womanhood and unfortunately the way of the world. But it’s a really good song instrumentally and lyrically.

Tamara: What do you think about the drums in this song?

Samantha: The drums are very fun. I like the tom work when it’s coming down and then they’re clearly leading the build of everything. And I think it’s good dynamics for sure.

She says, “This doesn’t happen to women I know, they put it in a box on a TV show,” but she unfortunately experienced a really close friend of hers being hurt. And those lyrics are very powerful because everyone thinks like, “It’s not going to happen to me, not us.” But the reality is like, you never know. You just got to always be there for your girls. Make sure everyone has a safe ride home. All those things, you know?

I want to see Blondshell live really badly. I haven’t seen them yet either.

This lyric is really powerful too. She’s saying like, “It’s not within the framework.” She’s talking about being violent as women. Like it’s not innate. It’s not within us, but sometimes we want to retaliate, and we just don’t know where the power is for us to do that. So yeah, she’s saying “Going to get big, Going to be scary.” Like she’s trying to hype herself up even though in reality there was nothing she could do.

Tamara: In The Frick Fracks, do you write a lot of the lyrics as well?

Samantha: Devan primarily writes all of them. I’ve probably written like three lines before. Devan was made to do that. She’s a poet, she’s a lyricist, she’s got it.

Tamara: You seem like a very lyric heavy person in the music that you listen to. Do you listen to a song first and you’re like, “This has a great melody,” and then you kind of realize what the message is?

Samantha: I’m really big on like, when I’m showing someone a new song, I’ll be like, “But you have to look at the lyrics.” Just because I want to make sure they get the full picture. Because a lot of times it could be a very simple instrumental, but the lyrics put it over the edge once you really read what they’re saying.

Tamara: And how important is it to you that there’s music that tackles such tough topics like this?

Samantha: I think it’s really important to get your message across on another platform rather than just like speaking about it. You can really strike a chord with people. Music moves people. Everyone knows that. So, I think getting a strong message across through music is going to be important forever.

Tamara: For sure. I also feel like it’s a lot easier to get a message across through music because it’s something that everybody’s willing to listen to versus someone on a stage, speaking their piece.

Samantha: “Because we were never violent.” I think it’s such a good ending.

Tamara: Okay, we’re going to lead into the next song. Do you have a lot of history with this next artist?

Song Plays: Fontaines D.C. – Starburster

Samantha: I do. I saw this artist by accident. Like five years ago, I was touring with another band called The Pantones and we were privileged enough to go play SXSW in Texas. And the stage we were playing on connected through the kitchen to a bigger stage where Fontaines D.C. was playing and I had never even heard of them. I wasn’t listening to much post-punk, but I just saw them by accident, and they blew me away. I was captivated by the drummer. They were playing one of their newest releases at the time and I just fell in love with it. This song is on my repeat playlist as well.

Tamara: So how did you first start playing drums?

Samantha: I met my lead singer Devan, who had already started the project, The Frick Fracks, through a Galentine’s day sushi lunch. Afterwards we were just hanging out and she was talking about her band and how she needed a drummer. And I’d always sang growing up and I was like “I could keep a beat,” and I was just down to try. So, I went to practice with her, and I tried it and I wasn’t terrible.

I mean I had just started so I was trash, but I could keep a beat. A little four on the floor, and then I fell in love with it. That was eight years ago, and I just kept playing. I’ve never taken a lesson. I feel like now, oddly enough, like eight years later, I want to take a lesson because I have maxed out on what I could teach myself. So, I want to learn from people better than me for sure.

Tamara: Do you learn from seeing other drummers in live performances as well?

Samantha: I definitely do. I will hear a beat or see them play something and then I will go to band practice and if it fits when writing a new song, I’ll try and emulate it. If it’s a song that is already released, I’ll go back and listen and I’ll see if I can incorporate that kick pattern or whatever they were doing that I liked. I’ll just try and do it.

Tamara: This song is a lot different than what you’ve chosen so far. It’s got a little kick to it.

Samantha: When I’m on aux, it’s like a roller coaster. All my friends know. Like it’ll go from Fontaines D.C. to Mannequin Pussy to like the soundtrack from Lilo & Stitch. I just love so much music; I like to just shuffle my likes. I’m not the playlist master. Maddy’s the playlist master for sure in the band.

Tamara: I love that. What’s the most like insane song pull you could bring out right now?

Samantha: Probably “Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride” from Lilo & Stitch or the Tangled soundtrack to be honest.

Tamara: That’s a great soundtrack.

Samantha: Do any of you listen to Fontaine’s D.C.?

*Audience applause*

Samantha: Sweet, they’re awesome.

Tamara: I love you being like, “Shout out to this artist.”

Samantha: I just want to know. I want to see what the crowd’s into. I really like this song too because I like unique vocalists and like this breathing that he does on this song. I hadn’t heard that before and I thought it was fun. I’ll like, be in my car doing it. They’re really cool.

I’ve DM’d them asking when they’re coming back to California. They didn’t respond.

Tamara: Send an email. More professional. Is this on The Fracks’ playlist, or no?

Samantha: I think I added this one to it when I when I first heard it.

Tamara: How does this influence The Fracks?

Samantha: I think my influence when I add songs is that I’m always down to play heavier or faster. So, I think a lot of my songs that I add will be a little bit heavier.

Tamara: You’re like the grit of the band. How do you guys describe your roles in the band? How would you describe it?

Song Plays: Mannequin Pussy – Romantic

Samantha: I think that we all have our part that we have to play. Devan and Maddy are primarily the ones that will come with like, a chord progression or some sort of lick or Devan will come with lyrics and then Maddy will map out the chords. Then we each just get to write our own part, which I really enjoy. Dev writes the bass, Maddy writes her keys, I write my drums. We’ll suggest things for each other, but I think we get along so well when writing and practicing because we’re going to try out everyone’s idea and then give suggestions. There’s not one person just commanding everything.

Tamara: Do you think being in a band together has helped grow the relationship over the years as well?

Samantha: Totally, yeah absolutely. Devan and I, like without music, we would still find time to see each other but it’s like being in a passion project, passion hobby with the same people… and I’ve known Maddy since birth, so if anything, it’s just helped us see each other more. Our parents were friends growing up, so for 26 years I’ve known Maddy because our parents knew each other when we were born.

Tamara: Okay, let’s get into this song here. Mannequin Pussy is one of your favorite artists. How hard was it to narrow down one song?

Samantha: It was really hard because I have a couple songs by them that I’ve just been obsessed with ever since I heard them years ago. I was trying to decide if the lyrics were going to be what I want to resonate with or the musicianship. This song it kind of had both.

I was going to choose “Drunk II” but this one, I feel like I love the sarcasm in her lyrics. I feel like she’s saying what you’re not supposed to say. Especially the lyric where she’s like, “Oh, you’d sleep with me? Like how nice of you?” You know what I mean? Like that type of thing. She’s trying to take back, like, women’s power. Like okay, you think I’m hot? So what, I don’t need to say thank you and like kiss your ass about it? I really like that in this song.

Tamara: When did you first discover this artist?

Samantha: I think I was at a house party and I heard “Drunk II.” I’m really bad at listening to new music on my own. I’m usually sent music or hear it by accident, so yeah, I think I was at a house party playing beer pong.

Tamara: I love that. Is this a dream artist for you to play with?

Samantha: Yeah, that would be super sick.

Tamara: Yeah, I feel like it’s attainable.

Samantha: You do? That would be awesome. I think that they’re so sick and their drummer is super talented. But yeah, I saw them live. I saw them this year.

Tamara: Where did you see them this year? They played at Pappy & Harriet’s in Pioneertown, and I was out of the country and I was like, “No!” Small venue, it would have been so cool to see them there.

Tamara: Okay, we’re nearing our end.

Song Plays: flipturn – Swim Between Trees

Tamara: Wow. I love this song so much. I’ve actually never heard a Flipturn song before.

Samantha: Flipturn is awesome. The drums make me start shaking my shoulders. He’s amazing. The drummer’s name is Devon. The Fracks all saw them live back when we went camping over the summer. We go camping every summer, just as a band, and Devan happened to see that they were playing like 15 minutes from our campsite. She bought us all tickets and was like Zelle me, we’re going. It was really fun. Just a day of camping and then we went back to the campsite and got cute to go to a concert in the city and it was phenomenal. They have this whole thing with their drummer. I feel like drummers are typically a little more background, especially if they don’t sing, but he had like this whole time where he took a cymbal off, put one of his toms on his head, like he was just doing fun shit. So, it was super inspiring. You can be more involved even when you are maybe just playing an instrument. Like you can still do crowd work. You can still get people super engaged. It was an amazing night. They’re one of my favorite bands so far. Definitely in my recent life.

Tamara: How do you engage with your audience when you perform?

Samantha: I try really hard to remember to show that I’m having a lot of fun, because I am. I’m having a lot of fun every time, but I kind of have resting bitch face sometimes.

Tamara: It’s hard to be a drummer too because you get caught slipping with like, photos. Like every single photo is kind of ugly. You gotta look good. You gotta be smiling.

Samantha: Yeah, I’m just going through like 17 photos, and I’ll like about three.

Tamara: But you look great in all the ones you posted. I’m like damn.

Samantha: Thank you. I’ve weeded them out. You’re only getting my top pics for sure. But yeah, he’s just inspiring to see. You could tell that he’s having a good time the whole time and that’s something that I strive for. I want people to know that I want to be there and that I’m having a great time, so you should be having a great time too. We’re all enjoying ourselves here. So, trying to smile a lot, looking out into the crowd, which I feel like is on me to make sure I know exactly what I’m playing. I’m comfortable with my kit so that it’s just going to be muscle memory and I can like, actually engage more. I feel like it helps to be singing while drumming. Because they see me singing and it’s like I’m already more in it. I feel like that helps.

Tamara: You were learning to sing and drum at the same time. Do you think that was an easier learning curve than somebody who’s a drummer and starting to learn to sing at the same time?

Samantha: Yeah, I feel like ignorance was bliss with that because I didn’t realize that it was something that was going to be hard. I just went in being like, “I have to do this like it’s going to be cool.” I feel like that helped me get ahead of it a tiny bit. Having sang when I was younger helped. But still to this day, if I write a difficult drum part, I might need a couple practices before I get very comfortable with just the drums before I start singing. And Maddy and Dev are really sweet. They’re like, “If you need one more show before you start singing, like, it’s totally fine. It’s a new song.” But the goal when we play live is to be singing my parts.

Tamara: Do you treat every show like it’s a big one?

Samantha: Yeah, you definitely have to. Even if it’s like a smaller venue or it’s a bar, it’s like, people are coming to have a good time. You could get new followers just off of that. More streams. People want to enjoy live music. I go to small shows because I love live music, so you just treat every show the same. Obviously when you’re going to play a bigger venue it’s like maybe the jitters are more there. The butterflies are like a little more excited. But I don’t see smaller shows as lesser. They’re all fun and we said yes to play them all for a reason.

Tamara: Nice, I love that. Do you have more fun performing on stage or recording a song with your friends?

Samantha: Performing on stage. Recording stresses me the hell out. I love playing live. Recording is a long ass day, but at the end of it, it’s like, “Oh my god, hell yeah that was so much fun and so worth it.” But during the recording, I’m a little bit a little testy sometimes.

Tamara: Yeah, I love that. Okay, thank you for joining us today. Let them know where they can find The Frick Fracks.

Samantha: The Frick Fracks are playing Viva! Pomona at The Glass House this Saturday, November 22nd. You can find us on Insta, @thefrickfracks or you could find me @bigpantsliltop. And yeah, thank you for having me.

Tamara: Thank you for being here.