I think nothing musical exemplifies the queer community as much as punk. You might not love all the bands but you gotta respect the attitude and fighting spirit they embody and that is very true for Eevie Echoes. She describes herself as a professional complainer. occasionally inspirational. pretty grrrl punk and she was nice enough to sit down with us.
Q what made you decide to start playing music, what was your first gig that made you feel like a performer?
- I started playing music in school with my 5th-grade concert band and I never really stopped. Initially, I started on drums but then picked up ukulele, bass, and guitar during quarantine. Oh, that’s a tough one. Lots of gigs stand out to me for plenty of good reasons but I think the first one that really made me feel like a performer was when I played Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden for a Dave’s Lesbian Bar pop-up show. I got all dressed up for that show in a red ball gown and a choker and the crowd was absolutely massive. There were a bunch of different vendors and people milling around in that hall but when we got on stage and started playing there was a good few moments where it felt like the entire room froze just to listen to me and my band play and it was one of of the most exhilarating feelings ever. That show really made me feel so powerful as a performer.
Q Times are tough now for people in the community do you think music is a good way to keep yourself in the fight to make things better?
- Absolutely. My art is so personal to me and as an out, queer, and trans woman of color I feel like it’s the best tool I have to speak out against the injustices in our society and to use as a megaphone for issues plaguing the LGBTQ community. I also just feel like music has staying power in a world where cut-and-paste social media infographics and short-form videos feel really ephemeral, not to shame the work that many activists do online, but with music, it sticks with people and can really evoke emotion in a way that I think not many other forms of content can.
Q Where do you write most of your music, do you have a routine, or does it just come to you unbidden sometimes?
- Songwriting is usually an unbidden process for me. I firmly believe that every song has a soul. I don’t usually set out to write a song, sometimes a word or phrase sticks with me and inspires me but more often than not an idea pops into my head and I make a voice memo of it on my phone. Later on, I’ll toy with that musical idea and see if anything develops but I try to respect the song’s timeline if that makes sense. I feel like when you try to force a musical idea into a song it doesn’t feel fully fleshed out. There’s no shame in letting a half song or a musical idea breathe for a while until it feels ready to continue developing. Some of my favorite songs that I’ve written needed months to breathe before I felt satisfied with them but some of them have come pretty instantly and just flowed well at that moment.
Q While you identify as pretty grrl punk you seem to draw on a lot of different musical styles, who are your biggest musical influences?
- Pretty grrrl punk is kind of more of a political statement than anything else, mostly it’s just a tongue-in-cheek way to bash back at transphobes who try to convince girls like me that we aren’t pretty or desirable. I think genre-wise, I pull a lot of inspiration from early 2000s pop punk, riot grrrl, grunge, emo, two-tone ska, and hard rock. Some of my biggest influences include Santana, Tom Morello, Nirvana, Green Day, Laura Jane Grace, The Selecter, Sir Chloe, and Cheap Perfume.
Q What are some other indie bands you think deserve more attention?
- I gotta shout out some of my friends in the scene who have truly knocked my socks off. First, off Hurricane Holly, she is one of the most talented songwriters I know and her songs are pure poetry. Lily Mao & The Resonators as well are friends of mine and just immensely talented. The Bum Babies, In Circles, Tits Dick Ass, Crush Fund, The Dilators, and Pop Music Fever Dream are all bands I’ve had the honor of sharing a bill with who fucking blow my mind every single time they perform. Also, I gotta send some love to Bergie & The Magic Bag who I collab with on occasion. His songs are so awesome and Bergie deserves way more recognition. Lastly, I would say you’ve gotta check out Mya Byrne. She is pretty famous in her own right but she is such a sweet person, a pillar for visibility and representation, and just an incredibly talented artist.
Q What is your next project you are working on?
- My next big project is my debut album, The Cons Of Being A Wallflower. For that project, I’m actually co-writing and performing the songs with my live band, The Locations, so they bring an entirely different element to my sound that most people haven’t heard yet. I’m very excited about that. Expect to hear that towards the end of the year and a couple of singles starting in May. Other than that I have a few collaborations in the works and I throw out little b side tracks on my Bandcamp occasionally.
Q} if people want more info about you or your projects where should they go?
- If you want to hear me talk shit a bunch, follow my Twitter, but if you want real updates on my music and what’s happening in the Eevie Echoes universe my Instagram is the best place to go. My handle on everything is @eevieechoes and I’m on Spotify, Apple Music, and all that stuff.
Final four questions –we ask everybody
Q) When the zombies take over the world where will you be?
- Probably on stage, if I get turned then I’ll keep rocking in the undead afterlife. As long as the soundzombie is keeping our levels solid I’ll keep cranking out lo-fi punk rock to eat brains to.
Q ) What is your favorite Fandom
- I’m a huge DC fan. Granted comics fandoms can be toxic but I also just absolutely love the DC comics characters and the psychology behind them. I’m a lifelong Batman fan (not Ben Affleck) but I will pretty much be interested in anything DC puts out.
Q) What piece of art, be it in the form of music, a book, a film or picture, do you think people must experience before they die?
- Hmm, that’s a tough one. I think everyone should experience a local show at least once before they die. So many young bands and indie performers muster up the courage and work their asses off to put on the best show they possibly can and just showing up to be another face in the crowd makes such a difference to those bands. Tell them that they played a good set. Experiencing and supporting the local music scene is a great way to get exposed to really dope music and meet really cool people.
Q) Give one fact that most people would not believe about you?
- I think most people wouldn’t believe that I’m kind of a huge twenty one pilots stan. I got really into them in high school when I was going through a lot and their music still really sticks with me today. I think I’ve been to at least four or five of their concerts. Every time they come to New York I see them live. I’m not nearly as big of a fan as I used to be but that band holds a special place in my heart