Hello from the band!
It's time for that monthly Q & A we really do try to do. We've picked some of the coolest questions from the forum and here you go. - JJ
For Elena: What is your nationality? I've read that you are Mexican and French?
Elena: I identify culturally as Chicana. My mother's family is from Quebec and upstate New York and they speak Quebecois and English and I learned that, but my father's family is much more involved in my life and has helped shape my identity. My dad is first generation American and his family is from California and Tejas and Monterrey (México), and I was born in LA, and I was definitely raised to be proud of my Mexican-American heritage. I speak Spanish at home with my dad and almost exclusively with his family.
For Micah: Is it true that you're asexual?
Micah: Yup. I get a lot of hell for it too because you know, rock musician, I should be chasing everything that moves. But it's part of who I am and I like the perspective it gives me on people.
For Micah: Do you ever have an interest in relationships?
Micah: Yeah, totally. I'm not a-romantic. But it isn't a driving force for me. I would much rather hang around with friends and get wasted and play video games than go cruising for someone to pick up.
For the whole band: how do you identify politically? Your songs seem like you're pretty liberal, but I'm curious.
JJ: I think for the most part, we're all pretty progressive. Words like liberal and leftist can start arguments because of how people in those groups tend to support different causes. But I wouldn't say that anyone in the group is at all conservative. Micah has some interesting thoughts on the 2nd Amendment though.
For the whole band: When did you first start playing?
Elena: I was playing a baby guitar before I could run, really. But the first guitar I really learned on was an old one of my fathers and I was about 12. After that, I picked up the bass and went from there.
JJ: I think I started playing when I was about 14. I hocked my old phone and bought a crappy guitar.
Micah: I was about 10. My drum skills got me into the same school where Elena was going and that was how we met. So.
For JJ and Micah: Is it weird being around someone like Elena, who comes from a completely different financial and music history background?
Micah: Good question! It was at first for me, but that was when we were 12 and everything was weird. But she's my sister and her family is my family so I don't think about it anymore. I think instead about how awesome it is that when we're hungry, we can go raid her parent's fridge.
JJ:It wasn't for me because we met on the road and she was working as hard as I was. There wasn't any special treatment. The cool thing was her resources helped us move along faster once we started recording. Micah and I had day jobs but she was working with the label, learning the tricks of the trade. Because of her, we have these mentors in our lives who might not be there otherwise. It doesn't mean we've worked any less harder or longer than someone without these connections. It means we have had support. That's been fantastic.
For the whole band: What's your biggest fear?
JJ: That Elena will have a crisis and we won't be able to help her.
Micah: Got to second that.
Elena: That their biggest fear is me.
For Micah and JJ: Elena does a lot of the lyric writing and the band management. What do you guys do?
Micah: Sit around and look like idiots.
JJ: Ask Elena what she's cooking for dinner.
Elena: They work their asses off. And then ask what I'm cooking for dinner.
For the whole band: Do you prefer home cooked or eating out?
JJ: We eat out so much on the road, and by eating out I mean, bad fast food, that being able to be home and cook is awesome. Elena actually does most of the actual cooking, but it's a chance for us to be together without thinking about music.
For the whole band: Do you guys really live in a big house together?
Elena: Yep. A few years ago we realized how much money we could save if we just put our resources together and rented a place. We lived together in Brooklyn and then when we moved back to LA, we eventually did the same thing. Right now, we have a four bedroom place. Each of us has our own bedroom and then the master suite is the studio.
For Elena: Where do you get your arm warmers? And, if it's okay, do you wear them to cover your scars or for a fashion statement?
Elena: They're actually socks! I get them anywhere that I can find cute socks and then I just cut the feet off. Sometimes I will put a hole into the foot and give me a thumb hold. And yes to both questions. I wear them to cover up the scars and because they look fucking awesome. But, the main reason I wear them is because our equipment gets really hot on stage and I tend to get burned if I don't have some kind of barrier between my arms and my bass. So that protects me.
JJ: Thanks guys!
For Elena: What is your nationality? I've read that you are Mexican and French?
Elena: I identify culturally as Chicana. My mother's family is from Quebec and upstate New York and they speak Quebecois and English and I learned that, but my father's family is much more involved in my life and has helped shape my identity. My dad is first generation American and his family is from California and Tejas and Monterrey (México), and I was born in LA, and I was definitely raised to be proud of my Mexican-American heritage. I speak Spanish at home with my dad and almost exclusively with his family.
For Micah: Is it true that you're asexual?
Micah: Yup. I get a lot of hell for it too because you know, rock musician, I should be chasing everything that moves. But it's part of who I am and I like the perspective it gives me on people.
For Micah: Do you ever have an interest in relationships?
Micah: Yeah, totally. I'm not a-romantic. But it isn't a driving force for me. I would much rather hang around with friends and get wasted and play video games than go cruising for someone to pick up.
For the whole band: how do you identify politically? Your songs seem like you're pretty liberal, but I'm curious.
JJ: I think for the most part, we're all pretty progressive. Words like liberal and leftist can start arguments because of how people in those groups tend to support different causes. But I wouldn't say that anyone in the group is at all conservative. Micah has some interesting thoughts on the 2nd Amendment though.
For the whole band: When did you first start playing?
Elena: I was playing a baby guitar before I could run, really. But the first guitar I really learned on was an old one of my fathers and I was about 12. After that, I picked up the bass and went from there.
JJ: I think I started playing when I was about 14. I hocked my old phone and bought a crappy guitar.
Micah: I was about 10. My drum skills got me into the same school where Elena was going and that was how we met. So.
For JJ and Micah: Is it weird being around someone like Elena, who comes from a completely different financial and music history background?
Micah: Good question! It was at first for me, but that was when we were 12 and everything was weird. But she's my sister and her family is my family so I don't think about it anymore. I think instead about how awesome it is that when we're hungry, we can go raid her parent's fridge.
JJ:It wasn't for me because we met on the road and she was working as hard as I was. There wasn't any special treatment. The cool thing was her resources helped us move along faster once we started recording. Micah and I had day jobs but she was working with the label, learning the tricks of the trade. Because of her, we have these mentors in our lives who might not be there otherwise. It doesn't mean we've worked any less harder or longer than someone without these connections. It means we have had support. That's been fantastic.
For the whole band: What's your biggest fear?
JJ: That Elena will have a crisis and we won't be able to help her.
Micah: Got to second that.
Elena: That their biggest fear is me.
For Micah and JJ: Elena does a lot of the lyric writing and the band management. What do you guys do?
Micah: Sit around and look like idiots.
JJ: Ask Elena what she's cooking for dinner.
Elena: They work their asses off. And then ask what I'm cooking for dinner.
For the whole band: Do you prefer home cooked or eating out?
JJ: We eat out so much on the road, and by eating out I mean, bad fast food, that being able to be home and cook is awesome. Elena actually does most of the actual cooking, but it's a chance for us to be together without thinking about music.
For the whole band: Do you guys really live in a big house together?
Elena: Yep. A few years ago we realized how much money we could save if we just put our resources together and rented a place. We lived together in Brooklyn and then when we moved back to LA, we eventually did the same thing. Right now, we have a four bedroom place. Each of us has our own bedroom and then the master suite is the studio.
For Elena: Where do you get your arm warmers? And, if it's okay, do you wear them to cover your scars or for a fashion statement?
Elena: They're actually socks! I get them anywhere that I can find cute socks and then I just cut the feet off. Sometimes I will put a hole into the foot and give me a thumb hold. And yes to both questions. I wear them to cover up the scars and because they look fucking awesome. But, the main reason I wear them is because our equipment gets really hot on stage and I tend to get burned if I don't have some kind of barrier between my arms and my bass. So that protects me.
JJ: Thanks guys!