We began our conversation by talking about our mutual friend Hector “Zeroni” Aizon, who is also featured in this edition of Echo Chamber Magazine:
You mentioned that Hector did the cover photo for your second single?
Yeah, I went over to his apartment, and he took my first ever professional photos. It was so cool. He also did our Curse of the Passionfruit album debut photos, which were also awesome. We went up to a field in Greenbluff with a couch and a bunch of cool accessories and clothing.
I remember when that came out. I think my first exposure to Vika and the Velvets was through those photos.
Cool, yeah, he’s great.
One thing I was curious about was: Where did you get the creative muster to put out music in the first place? Where does that come from?
I feel like I’ve always had this internal desire. I feel like I’ve always known I’ve had a purpose in my life. Every time I do something musically, it’s like I’m taking a step closer to that thing I’m here for. 70s Haze coming out and kind of blowing up was a really good thing.
When you first did 70s Haze, then Nasty Woman, did you have a full band, or was that something you still needed to figure out?
I was with my first band, Violet Ice. We had won the battle of the bands, and the first place prize was to record a single at Kaotic Studios. We won the battle of the bands with my song, 70s Haze, and recorded in studio.
The reason I got into this band was because I was in this organization called Rock Club. I was originally taking two guitar lessons with this guy, and he was like, “I need to put you on stage,” and he put us on stage at the Bartlett. After that, he was like, “We need to get you in a band,” and he got these people together.
I was playing with a punk rock bassist; we were covering My Chemical Romance and that kind of stuff. Like the Brobecks, Fallout Boy. Our drummer was, like, 12 years old. I was 15 at the time and didn’t know what I was doing, but it was helping me out, so I just kept doing it and rotating these players I was playing with. Then, when it was time to record Nasty Woman, I showed up with older people, and that was when I met Johnny and Aiden, my old drummer and bassist. They told me, “You need to play with better people; come to my studio.” That really started everything.
You’ve collaborated with a handful of different musicians centered around your music, it always sounds awesome. How do you find the right people and get them on board with your creative vision?
You know, that’s really hard. Because I’ve definitely played a show with people that didn’t fit. I don’t know. You definitely have to be practicing. We practice every day now, which is really good, and it’s what I was always striving for with my old band. I just didn’t feel like they were as passionate. So I have to really break it to these people now, Sam, Will, Andrew, and Rogan: “This has potential to go somewhere, and you guys need to see and believe that.” And they do, which is really good because that’s the main thing.
If they all believe, if we all believe that this is something worth our time and energy, then it’s all going to be worth it in the end and we’re going to go somewhere. Just believing that is all it needs. You know?
I completely agree. I’m really glad you’ve found those people now.
Oh yeah, and it’s been a journey. There’s been problems with people in the past. Doors close, and new doors open. Bad things happen, and good things will happen. It’s just the cycles. A series of ups and downs.
An ebb and flow.
And I feel like this band I have now is very stable, besides my bassist moving to Berklee for school, which is really sad because he’s incredible. Shoutout Andrew!
Shoutout Andrew! What are your short-term goals for you and your band?
Our main goal now is to tour. We’ve been working with a booking agent while planning a tour. There are some problems because Sam and Will are wanting to study abroad in the spring, so they may be gone for 4 months. Which is when we would possibly be touring. So there needs to be some buildup if that’s going to happen. We need to be playing shows constantly and making good money for them to want to stay in Spokane.
That’s a tension!
Yeah, but it’s really hard to make that happen if you don’t have a tour booker. We’ll see what happens.
Okay, so that’s your short-term goal—
Yes, and long-term goal. Release a lot of music. We’ve been working on writing together, which is really new for me. You will really like our new stuff. It’s more Blues-Rock. It’s just a new direction, and I feel like that’s very refreshing.
Playing at a festival would be crazy, lots of touring would be so fun. Writing music and collaborating are long-term goals.
If there’s a creative out there at the very beginning of their journey, what’s something that you would tell them?
Don’t stop believing. That’s all it takes—your faith in yourself. People are going to look down on you. People are gonna hate you. You don’t have to think about anybody else and their pace; you’re going at your own pace, and it’s not a race. You can do things your own way.
What is the best way someone can support you and what you’re doing?
Honestly, streaming my music. I’ve been featured on a few popular TikTok accounts that feature music, and the videos have gotten millions of views, which boosted my numbers. So at one point, I was up to 100,000 monthly listeners, but now it’s back down to like 50. But anyway, I’m super grateful for that because those streams literally pay my bills now. All I want is for people to listen. I don’t care if you like it or dislike it; the fact that you listen is all that matters.
*This interview was originally featured in the winter/spring 2024 edition of Echo Chamber Magazine