ROSIE TUCKER

Hi Rosie and thank you for taking the time out to speak with us at Musicology. Firstly congratulations on your new single Habit. You have describe the track as a process of coming to terms with and moving through feelings of regret. When consolidating this sentiment and laying it down on tape, was there one particular instance you were referring to when encapsulating this sensation?

Yes! I was thinking about a particular relationship. I usually am if I’m writing a song about something.

Your earlier release Spinster Cycle is not just a great track but also one that frames your eclectic style with its fusion of organs, gritty guitar and oscillating vocals. It begs the question how do you approach you’re recording and it is a dynamic process that organically delivers or a highly attentive and preconceived model that is fleshed out well before entering the studio?

For this album we ran through the songs as a band a few times before tracking piece by piece. We recorded these songs over the course of a year whenever we were able, but I’m hoping for the next record we have the opportunity to plan a little more in advance and record over a few days.

In terms of the writing and lyrical content for the forthcoming record Never Not Never Not Never Not, was there an overarching narrative tying the album together or an assortment of topics and inspirations that zig zag throughout the record?

I zig, I zag, I watch from the car window and hope I can work something up into some noise later.

What were some of the challenges in putting this LP together and conversely what were some of the greatest surprises you experienced through the writing / recording process for Never Not Never Not Never Not?

The piecemeal nature of the recording process was unfortunate but we were able to record for free and I still feel like we came away with a cohesive piece of art. The joy was in making music with my best friends in the world.

I guess it is fair to say that music has been the one underlying constant in your life and the prism through which the world is viewed, analysed and reimagined. How do you approach the dichotomy of introversion in writing about deeply personal matters and the extraversion of performing those pieces on stage?

People often seem to think that songs come from a hyper-personal, confessional space, like I get myself alone and drag out my most intimate feelings and then need to confess them to an audience. When I write a song, I’m not thinking, “I need to sing to strangers about this painful thing that happened”, I’m thinking, “I like to write songs and this one could use some words”. Similarly, if I’m on stage, I’m not reflecting on the personal nature of the sharing but on the joy of playing music and the wonder that anyone would lend their ears. Sometimes people approach me to tell me what they think a particular song is about as it relates to my personal life and they’re almost always wrong.

What is your current take on the live scene around Los Angeles at the moment and how would you say it has shaped your music and the inspirations that lay behind the tracks?

I love my amazing friends who work on music all the time! I don’t know how much the scene has informed my work sonically, but my pals do inspire me to keep at it.

Having meet and performed with so any different musicians and artists over the years, during that time, has there been any defining moments or words of wisdom that were spoken to you which really resonated with you and in turn altered the way you approach your craft?

My friend and label guy Greg Katz has been very encouraging about approaching the work over and over again, valuing the work over some kind of ambition about rewards or acclaim. My friend and producer Wolfy is incredibly grateful for the ability to make music and that attitude is contagious.

You are set to perform at SXSW which is a showcase event for any artist. Does this place a little extra pressure on how you perform your set or do you treat it as you would any other?

I’d like to play every show like I’m playing in someone’s backyard until I get my pyrotechnics budget in order.

In addition to SXSW you will be performing at Treefort Festival which has some amazing acts on the line-up including Build To Spill, Toro Y Moi and Dan Deacon. Do you find inspiration in watching artists from different genres whereby their stage craft is something that you take on board for your performances?

I love to watch other artists perform but I don’t watch music with an eye for what to bring to my own craft. I don’t know where any of this comes from but I’m very much doing my best.