Hiya folks thanks for joining us in the virtual RGM lounge today, grab a brew and take a seat.
What made you decide that music is a thing for you?
We failed at everything else so this seemed the right thing! Seriously it’s what we’ve always wanted to do. I mean who doesn’t want to be a rock’n’roll star?
Introduce us to you / all to the members and your musical history.
On the drums is Lauren Taylor who has been playing since she was 13 and raising hell with bands around the North. Besides ROWSIE she also plays with an awesome band called SUPERSAURUS.
Alan D Boyd is the bass player who has played with everyone from Canadian garage rock legends The Gruesomes to Vancouver indie legends MOVIELAND (Re-release soon on 604 records) to the Scottish alt-folk band Little Sparta. He also makes music for TV and film.
Lead guitar duties are taken by Holly Henderson who is the UK’s finest Baroque-Pop artist whoah album The Walls will be out on Ivy Records March 7. In ROWSIE she is the storming guitarist who weaves her way about the fretboard like a banshee.
And our main man is Richard Rothenberg (vox & guitar) who’s pulled this band together during the lockdown as he watched the world going to hell and decided only great songs could set it right. Led on by his friend Freddie Cowan (Vaccines) he was introduced to Alan & Holly.
Name me your 3 favorite Albums.
Between everyone, there is so much we love, so its impossible! From the Replacements to Kate Bush; Pavement to Fleetwood Mac. We are all just humbly trying to reinterpret the past. However if it’s three then…
- Wilco: Kicking Television
2. Lou Reed: Berlin
3. PJ Harvey: Let England Shake
But really – only three?
What was the first song you heard that steered you into a music path?
Richard: Sweet Jane (live version) from Rock ‘n’ Roll Animal by Lou Reed! That Intro!!
Holly: Iggy Pop on TV playing ‘I Wanna Be Your Dog’
Alan: Beatles – anything from the red album cause I listened every night going to sleep age 7 onwards.
Lauren: Tim McGraw – Don’t Take the girl – listened with my dad and new I wanted to make music
The music industry is the hardest industry in the world to progress in, How do you feel you are doing?
Well we’re doing OK. We haven’t stopped writing since we started and a few of the band are making some money from their music. It can be hard but as someone once said ‘if you’re broke as hell and still doing it you must love it.’
I’m seeing a lot of debate about women not feeling safe at music gigs, any thoughts on what we need to do to help?
This band has two amazing women in it and it’s something we think about all the time. First of all we need to hold people accountable when we see things that are inexcusable. Also giving space to women in music is the best way to provoke positive change in the music industry. Letting women center themselves in their own activism is essential not just for safety but for encouraging women and girls to come into the music industry. And a huge part of this is that we need men to be the allies of these up and coming women.
As you develop as an artist and develop using socials what ways do you get new ears on your music? Any tips?
We were hoping you’d tell us – the secret of the century. We do all the usual. I think the best way is to have good music and the best social is to play gigs! That’s where you get real fans – take 1 of those over 100 likes any day. We just need 1000 true fans… that’s it really.
Tell us Two truths and a lie about you.
- Our combined age is 165
- We’ve won 2 fist fights
- We have over 90 guitars
What’s your thought on Spotify’s monopoly on the music industry?
Streaming is great. We love it! Access to all that music. All that history. It’s a different way to listen than records, CD’, cassettes, 8 track etc. but it’s so wonderful. The streaming companies – not so great. It’s just sick watching them rake it in while people struggle to get by. And as to what they’re investing in? I think the major labels have to answer for a lot too. They were completely unaware what digital meant and have been chasing their tails for years then making terrible deals. Things like Bandcamp are great for artists but don’t quite have the reach but it would be great if more people came to those sorts of sites. But it can’t be denied – streaming has been great for small artists to get noticed.
Do you sign up for any conspiracy theories?
Who sent you? How do you know that? Frikking Alexa!!!
Did you buy anything you don’t need during the pandemic?
Guitars were bought – many guitars. Is that an answer? Cause I think I need them. Oh, and about 15 Boiler Suits from Dickies… that was my J.D. Salinger phase of lockdown. Simplified my choices.
What was the worst experience on stage?
Faulty gear falling apart at clubs. There are so many things that can happen. I think there’s been a time when one of us just forgot a song and how it goes. Never fun. But if you act like you know what you’re doing most people don’t notice! It’s part of the performance. Never let them know when it’s going wrong! Oh… In Ears work better when the power is on.
Tell us something about you / each member that you think people would be surprised about.
Richard met Donald Trump in Florida… then moved to the UK…fast.
Holly studied for a degree in fine art and played IOW 3 times before the age of 20
Alan is making a feature documentary about UK session musicians
Lauren has a black belt in Ju-Jitsu and played at the Royal Albert Hall
What makes you stand out as a band/artist?
We have so much fun making music. We laugh and are constantly pulling faces on stage at each other. It’s just so fun. We don’t let it become to serious, though we take it seriously, and that energy and joy transfers off stage to the audience. People always tell us how much fun we are to watch and listen to. It may sound trite, but there is an energy between us that feels really nice.
I hear you have new music, what can you tell us about it.
Willingness is our latest single and it’s about the chaos and disorder of the world we are living in. Sonically it’s something kinda new for us – angular and dissonant like the subject matter.
Talk me through the thought process of the new tune/s.
It’s something we’d pulled together over a few rehearsals then it all changed when we went in to record it. We were tired and not loving it when Richard banged out a new verse in frustration – we loved it. The song’s title came from that acceptance of change and the ‘willingness’ to change. It’s as much about how we work together as the subject the lyrics give – about change.
What was the recording process like?
It’s been great because we record basically live. We have a small studio in West London where we work and then head into RAK where we are recording with Isabel Gracefield. She’s going to co-produce our next set of recordings as we’ve really grown together as a team. We like to put it down live in a few takes, with no click. Later we work on some overdubs and vocals. Izzy helps us capture our essential sound and build it into what are really unique productions. Not to say we always agree – as with our latest song ‘Willingness’ which was born out of an argument in the studio – and it was the result. It’s a great place to be and we love working in it. We try not to waste time – to focus – get it out and move on. However, we do like to get a good lunch in.
What was the biggest learning curve in writing the new tunes?
One of the things we do is challenge ourselves to try new things. A lot of different experimental chords and tunings have entered our songs lately. We are lucky that we record all our rehearsals/writing in our space and can really go back and listen. If we hear we’re going down the same track we move on – it’s done. We all got our input and skills and they grow as we write. The sound of the band has been developing over the 18 months we’ve been together. We hope we always keep learning and trying new ideas and stuff. That’s what makes it interesting, and I think what defines us as a band.
Would you change anything now it’s finished?
Well, a song is never finished. It evolves in time and with performance. We capture the best version of it at that time. But…Hell no! We love this song. It’s time to move on to the next set of sessions with Izzy we are setting up for March in order to complete an album for September 2023
Is there anything else you would like to share with the world?
Peace and love! ROWSIE is just out to make good music that people enjoy. We hope people will like what we do and share it with friends. And we hope that we get a chance to play live for people cause that is where we really shine!
As a note, we got a video on the way but the director got really ill with COVID so it’s coming later than expected – watch this space.
PRESAVE // STREAM HERE
FOLLOW ROWSIE HERE