Interview: Band of the Week - Girl In A Coma - Page 2

Tell me about Both Before I'm Gone. What kind of sound are you going for? What are you currently listening too and what effect does that have on your current sound?

Both Before I'm Gone is a collection of what we consider our stronger songs over the eight years we have been together. There is not specifically any sound we are trying to go for. When we get together and write, it either works or doesn't. We definitely grew up with different influences which now obviously come out in our style. I grew up with a lot of punk and riot girl, Nina loves old jazz and singer/songwriters and Jenn is a huge Elvis fan.

I think my drumming style is definitely more towards punk and simplicity. Nina has the crooner type voice that she picked up from singers such as Billie Holiday and, of course, Moz [Morrissey]. Jenn just loves to go all over the board. She has a wide range, which spawned off of bass players such as Peter Hook, to bass lines from older Elvis songs.

What is your song writing process? Do you write the music and lyrics as a group?

It usually starts with Nina. She likes to sit alone and write a main hook. Once she shows us, Jenn and I will start writing out parts and helping her guide the songs along. Nina always writes the lyrics. They’re usually based on observation of either our lives or other peoples. Lately she’s been into a lot of musicals, so she’s been writing little tales as lyrics now. Sometimes the best songs come out of us just jamming together. At practice we will start knocking off and just flowing, that’s actually how we wrote
“Race Car Driver”. Once in a while, I will pick the guitar and try to write since I used to play guitar in my earlier bands. I got to write the music for “The Photographer” and the main guitar line for “Mr Chivarly”.

You're about to tour with Morrissey, how does that feel? Are you nervous?

Article Author: A.L. Harper

I'm a writer and music journalist originally from Salt Lake City, but now living in Scotland. I was a Punk/Goth in the '80s and these artistic influences have stayed with me; although a love of Chopin, chamber music, and Spanish guitar would seem to belie this. …

Visit A.L. Harper's author page — A.L. Harper's Blog