Emma Garell
Interview conducted on April 27, 2020
By Dan Locke
Life lessons usually come from our parents and one in particular that came from Richmond, VA based Emma Garell’s mother has stuck with her:
“It takes 10,000 hours to become an expert at something.”
So began the journey into the land of rock-n-roll for Emma Garell.
Emma Garell – Vocals
Sammy P. Stiles – Bass
Dylan Lawson – Guitar
Cody Mausolf – Drums
Camden Harrahy – Guitar
What is your upbringing?
Emma Garell: I was homeschooled by my hippy mother so that gave me lots of free time and opportunity to explore what I wanted to do with my life.
How did you discover music?
Emma Garell: One of my first memories was when I was seven. My mom was pregnant with my little sister and her friend gave her a pregnancy mixtape and I remember listening to that often and connecting to these songs in a weird way. Most of them were about siblings and new lives; like “New Soul” by Yael Naim.( check out my interview with Yael) I was also very into Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill and would listen to the first song on repeat for hours, “All I Really Want.” Just one of my very clear memories of music.
How was the School of Rock?
Emma Garell: It was good, it made me the musician that I am today. If it weren’t for School of Rock (SoR) I wouldn’t have found nor been so deeply influenced by Black Sabbath or any legendary band that has molded my music. It is funny, I was just talking today to my boyfriend this morning about SoR and how their general manager Preston is who really impacted me. He didn’t make me a good musician but a good performer always kept us on point and instilled stage etiquette as well as how to work with the production teams and other bands. I see it all the time, bands much older than me being rude to the sound guy or not treating the other bands kindly.
How did you get your band together?
Emma Garell: Very organically, I started out with my old band from when I was a teenager and moved on to a solo project…naturally as many musicians do. And people came and went and moved around until they stuck and didn’t go away anymore.
How did you get the nicknames Princess of Darkness (you used to be in Bismuth RVA) and Roberta Plant (who is a jazz singer)?
Emma Garell: Going back to SoR, they really taught imitation which I have lost over the years as I found my own voice and style. When I first started out at 14, I didn’t know better than to replicate what Ozzy and Robert Plant did. I even remember watching videos of their mouths moving and emulating these techniques to create their vocal tones. While unnerving, it is also interesting to go back and watch my younger SoR videos (still up on Youtube).
What song is your best cover?
Emma Garell: This may sound self-deprecating, but recently and possibly a reaction to the quarantine; I don’t feel like I am good at what I do…like covering other people’s songs. But as I find my own voice, I find it harder to cover others. I don’t even recognize that girl that covered all those songs (4 hours’ worth) …I don’t know where that voice is anymore. As for my best, when I was with Bismuth…definitely “Roxanne” and currently “Testify.” If we don’t have “Testify” on the setlist our guests are disappointed. It has evolved into Emma singing Testify as I have made it my own.
Cody Mausolf (drummer): I really like the one I have on my bed right now, but really…” Whole Lotta Love”
You are from Richmond VA. How is live music there?
Emma Garell: It seems very lively, but I am not really a part of the music scene in RVA. This may sound bad but I don’t go out very much and I am not very involved. I feel like an outsider looking in. I get out more than the average person but as a musician, I don’t wander around in the scene. I don’t feel a deep connection with the music in Richmond although metal and punk are easy to find…I have not found my perfect match with another band that plays my kind of rock. The RVA metal scene is very loving and supportive and has their hands in each other’s projects fairly often. The singer-songwriter scene is very active as well and that is where I spend most of my time. I like to be home before dark and prefer a quieter space. But really, I don’t fit in with either…my music or my temperament.
Cody Mausolf: Tends to be live, very lively…lots of friends and lots of support.
Let’s talk about some of your music and videos. Destination Anaheim, what is with all of the TV?
Emma Garell: The TVs came from the original idea of the video, which didn’t happen for a variety of reasons. But the song is about what the rock world looks like and the reality of it being very different. Initially, we wanted to run the negative behind the scenes footage on the TVs. Things like drug use, hours of waiting, soul-selling…but I am very happy with the video and I believe that the message came across.
Your song I wanna see blood. How is that different from any other breakup song?
Emma Garell: All the feelings came from the same place as all the other breakup songs. It came from a very passive place; by the time we broke up I was over it. And lots of time passed between the breakup and the song release. There wasn’t any empathy left for him or the relationship and no fuck’s given. I was just ready to move on.
Tell me about your new song Mother May I which gets released next week?
Emma Garell: I feel like this song is the beginning of a new chapter in my life. As soon as I heard it completed, I felt a shift. Mother May I (MMi) was written days after the worst day of my life. A day that culminated after months of trauma where I had just become a fly on the wall of my life. These events separated me from my joyful childhood and now you have the new Emma. I was addicted to my addict…he was my drug and he took me down with him. In MMi I am that quiet fly on the wall watching us endure a very painful experience over a short period of time. Having fought through this heartbreak of losing myself I have to write songs that are sincere and possibly create opportunities for others that have loved ones fighting addiction, to be honest with themselves and others. Watching someone circle the drain doesn’t have to lead to your self-destruction. I want to advocate for others because we get sick too; get support and tell people so you are not alone. I am not an addict, but he became my drug of choice and my needs and health fell to the side. I hope to help others get help as I did.
How has the Coronavirus affected your music and live performance?
Emma Garell: Live performances are nonexistent right now; I am taking social distancing very seriously and keeping a tight circle of family and friends. I have not seen my bandmates. My day today is much more positive. I would say I am thriving in quarantine. I have been more productive having zoom meetings with my producer we have figured out how to keep recording. It is really about shifting and adjusting to the times right now. I have always been very adaptive and my anxiety went down once the initial fear of the virus and shutdown sunk in. I’m surprised at how productive I’ve been. I go almost an entire day without my phone while I am outside gardening, cooking, crafting, or making music. Pre-quarantine I had more idle hands than now. Before I was doing things, I had to do but now I want to do.
Cody Mausolf: I have so much more time for activities now… lots of drumming. Some overuse of my drums has caused the need for a few replacement parts. I’ve been keeping busy as a videographer doing some live streams and lyric videos.
What do you feel about streaming music?
Emma Garell: That is music today, isn’t it? I don’t feel that much about it…it is the future of music. Musicians aren’t’ getting paid enough but we still make the most money off of tour and merch which is more satisfying than a Spotify stream. Spotify streaming is like a gift to potential guests and asking them to come to a show. I am a performer first and a musician second; I thrive on creating the space for us to enjoy music together.
Any plans to tour as yourself?
Emma Garell: Yeah, we were supposed to be on tour last week. I guess we will see what the future holds.
How do you see yourself in the next five years?
Emma Garell: I don’t know, I can’t think past a year as far as my music career. I would like to have an album out within the year and keep the luxury to be able to keep creating and performing music. Everything feels on hold and shifty right now, so I don’t know.
Anything you would like to say in closing?
Emma Garell: Check my socials and stay home and stream and watch “Mother May I”
