Guitarist. Singer.
Bassist (electric & upright).
Cellist!? Editor. Foodie.
The recipient of this edition of Fistful of Questions is the fanny pack
wearing librarian of Turkey Vulture, Owl Maker and The Shoutbacks, but you can
call her Jessie May.
What is your full name?
I’m a teacher, so that stays off the internet in reference
to the bands.
Do you have any aliases?
I’ve been called “Miss,” “Library Teacher,” and “Excuse me,
excuse me….” by many children over the years.
Also, one of my brothers calls me “Ner.”
What bands are you actively involved in?
I play guitar and sing in Turkey Vulture, play electric bass
in Owl Maker (and cello on an upcoming single!), and play upright bass in The Shoutbacks. Those bands go through
varying cycles of activity and inactivity….
What was the name of the first band you were in?
It was an indie rock band called Boatyard Black and I played
cello. I don’t know what that name was
supposed to mean lol.
What was the first instrument that you played?
My first instrument was piano, in elementary school. My grandmother played the organ and she was
getting a new one, so she gave her old one to my parents -- at which point they
figured I should start taking piano lessons.
I only did piano for a couple years, but learning to read both clefs and
understanding scales was a great foundation for another couple decades of
playing music.
Tell me about one of your first musical memories?
My dad used to have a very “Merica”-style red Ford pickup
truck. F-150, I think. I remember my brother Chris and I riding
around in it with him, listening to cassette tapes of Allman Brothers and
Vanilla Ice. Weird combo! I guess my dad has diverse musical tastes
lol…. I also remember learning to sing
random patriotic songs, which Chris and I would belt out on long car rides or
in our rooms at night when we didn’t want to go to sleep. I guess this is what kids did before the
Robot Takeover!
What inspired the name Turkey Vulture?
Turkey vultures, because they’re awesome. No, really.
I’ve always loved seeing them because they are all over the place where
I live and really BIG. Like, that’s a
big freakin’ bird right there. They also
look so graceful when they are riding the wind drafts. Some aspects of turkey vultures are disgusting,
but other aspects are beautiful -- good metaphor for something deep, I
guess. Vultures are a symbol of death
and rebirth in many mythologies, so the turkey vulture as a symbol/band name
takes all the philosophical stuff and puts it close to home.
Which comes first when you are writing a song… the title or
the lyrics?
Neither lol, the music.
Then the lyrics, and a title will come out of that.
If you could insert yourself into any one band what band
would it be and why?
There used to be a local-ish metal band in my area called No
Remission that I secretly wished I was a part of. They had these really badass melodic riffs
and a “tough guy” vibe that I admired, plus a well-deserved following in the
local scene. I never got a chance to try
and horn my way in there… I would still
like to join someone else’s metalcore or hardcore band one day, though -- not a
crappy one, a cool one. The tough guy
thing is the opposite of my everyday life and persona, so I think it might be
fun to get into that spirit.
Have you ever heard a song and immediately wished you had
written it? If so, what was the song and
artist?
That feeling has never come to mind, but I hope to one day
write lyrics like Dire Straits’ “Romeo and Juliet” or John Prine’s “Angel From
Montgomery.” The Pogues have some
amazing storytelling lyrics too, Bruce Springsteen….
Who are some of your biggest musical influences?
Welp, I take from a lot of different genres. My high school music teacher was very
influential -- he imparted on his students to learn from every musical
situation, and that’s what I’m still trying to do twenty years later. Putting yourself in different musical
settings makes you grow as a player and gives you the opportunity to learn from
others. Bonus if you can find a way to
play with people who are more skilled than you are -- if you can hang for long
enough, it makes you level up!
What band have you played with that has really impressed you
with their live show?
Recently, Benthic Realm and Stonecutters really made an
impression with their live sets. I can’t
say we played “with” them technically, but one day perhaps we will!
Do you have any non-metal musical inspirations?
Haha, plenty of them -- as you can tell from this
interview. ;)
Do you have a pre-show ritual?
I like to put on some loud music while I’m getting dressed
and doing my makeup -- quite often it ends up being Weezer’s Blue Album, but
Thin Lizzy and Amon Amarth get in the preshow rotation as well.
What inspired you to start Alternative Control?
My college roommate and I were both English majors and we
would always talk about starting our own zine.
Then one day it dawned on us that there was this thing called The
Internet, where we could make a zine without paying to print it or driving all
over the place to distribute it. Thus,
Alternative Control was born!
Your driving cross-country and you can only listen to one
album. What album would you choose?
Thin Lizzy, Live and Dangerous. Long album that kicks ass beginning to end.
The year is 1998.
Where are you at and what are you listening to?
I’m a freshman in high school, and I’m listening to Sublime
and Offspring.
What’s the longest you’ve ever gone without bathing?
Couple days. Not more
than two or three that I can remember lol.
Do you currently or have you ever worn a fanny pack?
Oh hell yeah! Mine
has patches and studs on it. It’s
convenient to wear to an all-day fest or while traveling.
Stop right there. Do
you just reveal that you metaled out your fanny pack…..!?
Sure did! If you run
into me at Maryland Doomfest, I’ll probably be rockin’ it!
Tell me two things that people should absolutely know about Connecticut.
Lobster. Rolls.
Name three folk albums that I need to hear.
Two Gallants, The Throes
John Prine, self-titled
Anything by Johnny Cash or the Carter Family
And I don’t know if it is categorized as “folk” by some
people’s definitions, but early Delta blues like Robert Johnson and Son House
is a trip back in time.
On that note, Louis Armstrong once said, “All music is folk
music. I ain’t never heard a horse sing
a song.”
Favorite book?
Is a librarian allowed to play favorites? If I absolutely had to pick, I’d say The
Selfish Giant by Oscar Wilde and The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry -- which are
both short stories. Creative
Visualization by Shakti Gawain has been an influential book in my own personal
development.
Favorite movie?
Wayne’s
World. Schwinnnnng!!!
Favorite album?
Oh man, that’s a tough one.
But if I had to pick one that I’ve been listening to for the longest
amount of time and still enjoy, it would be the Blue Album.
Favorite meal?
My dad’s homemade manicotti or my own super-stuffed
lasagna. Cooking is magic, food is
love. And oh yeah, can’t forget those Connecticut lobster
rolls. The butter kind, not the mayo
kind -- New England summer essential! Can you tell I love food??
Thanks mucho to
Jessie for taking the time to answer my questions. Be sure to check out Turkey Vulture’s debut
e.p. available on June 28th at their Bandcamp page.
~El Pedo Caliente (aka Uncle Jameson from the Fistful of
DOOM show)
Comments
And, now I have to find out if Jessie is even her real name! Haha!!