LA.COM 8/22/12

Special to LA.com :: Interview with Dead Sara's Emily Armstrong

Special to LA.com :: Interview with Dead Sara's Emily Armstrong

"We are what you say. We are not what you think."

By Paty Elias

Posted:   10/02/2012 02:17:31 PM PDT

A new generation of strong, powerful female-fronted bands are moving to the forefront in the 21st century.

Among them is Dead Sara, with the raspy voiced lead singer and songwriter Emily Armstrong, Siouxsie Medley on guitar,Sean Friday on drums and Chris Null on bass.

Dead Sara created quite a stir this past summer at the Sunset Strip Music Festival, not only due to Armstrong playing with the remaining members of the Doors at the House of Blues to kick off event but also for the bands own reved -up performance on the SSMF stage.

Armstrong's vocal styles include blues, soul and folk-rock, and she'll go from guttural howls one minute to siren calls the next.

The self-taught has band struggled to keep their identity and survive in a pop-friendly music industry and to stay true to their vision of being a powerful, uncompromising female-fronted rock band.

Armstrong and Medley met before they where teens, developing their music skills and eventually becoming band-mates along the way.

In the process they have created their own label and own their publishing rights,putting them a step ahead as they rise in popularity.

Don't miss Dead Sara October 5th when they open for The Offspring this week at the Hollywood Palladium.

LA.com managed a quick phone interview with Emily Armstrong the lead singer of Dead Sara a few weeks ago in between tour stops.

LA.COM INTERVIEW

Dead Sara interview: Emily Armstrong 08.22.2012

Q: I saw you perform with the Doors at the House of Blues, and the Sunset Strip Music Festival. At the HOB it was almost as if you channeled Jim Morrison himself at the House of Blues in Los Angeles.

Emily: Yeah, I think I was just channeling '60s, You know what I mean? When I was younger I had wished so much to have re-lived those days as a kid. And so it just kind of unleashed when I got do that, pretty much a dream come true because I wanted to re-live those days, and that was my chance without going back in time.

Dead Sara (co5media.com )

Q: How did you feel about been asked to perform "Soul Kitchen" with The Doors at this years Sunset Strip Music Festival launch party @House of Blues,on Thursday August 16th Sunset Strip?

Emily: It was euphoric.

Q: How did you and the band come out of Sunset Strip experience, getting to play on one of the main outside stages with the big boys, so to speak?

Emily: It was pretty surreal being an LA band opening up the main stage. It was a big deal for us.

Q:You have played the SSMF before right?

Dead Sara lead singer Emily Armstrong performs at the Sunset Strip Music Festival in West Hollywood Saturday, August 18, 2012. (Michael Owen Baker/Staff Photographer) (Michael Owen Baker)

Emily: We have. We played at parties at the Roxy. We didn't think we would have the main stage the next year, so it was a nice surprise for us.

Q: Most girls ages 9-15 are usually per-occupied with thoughts of boys and make up, and you and Siouxsie (Medley) were learning guitars and honing your musical chops at that age. Was there one THING or ONE BAND that inspired you and Siouxsie to go into music so young?

Emily: No it was just a love for it, you know what I mean? Just knowing that's what I was going to do, why spend my time doing anything else? I had a lot to practice on, and I was per-occupied with that, and all the other stuff comes later.

Dead Sara guitarist Siouxsie Medley lets the hair fly at the Sunset Strip Music Festival in West Hollywood Saturday, August 18, 2012. (Michael Owen Baker/Staff Photographer) (Michael Owen Baker)

Q: Can you give us some insight into what inspired the lyrics to "Weatherman"?

Emily: It literally was just a bunch of things in my head. We were just jamming in the studio or rehearsal room and it was the first thing that came to my head. So I sang them, that's how it rolled out.

Q: You worked with Courtney Love on her album,"Nobody's Daughter," were you able to connect with her, music and energy wise?

Emily: Yes and no -- just listening to her when I was younger and that those early records where f*cking awesome. So it was nice to have had her wanting to do it. Going in there and spending two days and doing some back ups is awesome.

Q: Grace Slick said she admired you as a singer,that you have "a strong, urgent sound." A great compliment. Did you get to work with her?

Emily: No, not yet.

Q: If the remaining members of the Doors asked YOU to participate in recording yet another tribute album,which Doors song would you want to record?

Emily: "Soul Kitchen."

Q: How do you go from folk music to punk/bluesy/ metal?

Emily: How? With blink of an eye.

Q: Being that your music style crosses many genres, what other style of music would you like to put out?

Emily: Maybe more laid-back, country-like stuff.

Q: Are you very emotional, and do you use that as a source of creativity and power to express your voice?

Emily: Sure yeah, it gets you through every day as a kind of an outlet and therapy nonetheless.

Q: The band's live performance is explosive, and the chemistry is undeniable, how do you manage to keep the energy going? What inspires you as a band?

Emily: This is the love of our life. We love what we do and we love to wake up and do this. That is what motivates us, and it just gets better as time moves on. That's what keeps us going and the more fans that we meet, it keeps us super-inspired and ready. We just released our album in April, and we have a lot of touring ahead of us,hence we are leaving right now on tour. We are just supporting the record right now.