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Rap Sessions: Taming Ingrid: An Exclusive
Interview With A Pop Sensation
Posted on Wednesday, November 27 @ 07:25:41 MST by roadrash
Taming Ingrid: An Exclusive Interview With A Pop Sensation
GR Interview By John Foxworthy
Garage Radio had the
pleasure of getting together with the members of Taming
Ingrid, an original pop band from the L.A. area
(actually Anaheim), with music featured on MTV’s Sorority
Life and the Rick Dees Show (KIIS-FM, L.A.). They have a
powerful style and a lot of energy. This is an interview
we promised to bring you back in September, but due to some
technical issues we lost it. Taming Ingrid would have been
our first interview. The whole band managed to find the time
between their busy schedules to sit down and re-interview
with Garage Radio and turn us on to who they really are.
GR:
Of course the first question is generic … What influenced you guys
to become musicians, I mean, the usual, when did you start playing, who
were your influences, etc.?
TI:
(Rhonda) I grew up with music, my dad played guitar a lot. I
played organ, guitar, percussion and whatever instrument we had in the
house. I just messed around really, but then about 10 yrs ago I started
to get serious. I would turn on the radio and flip through stations..and
played along with whatever was on….from classic rock-blues-smooth
jazz, modern rock, R&B etc.. everything I write , play is by ear.
I know the basics but not real savvy in reading charts, etc. If it sounds
good and like it fits ... I play it.
(Josh) My dad has played piano
his whole life, and is a HUGE music fan in
general, so we always had music going in the
house. I started on piano at about 10 years
old, but switched gears to guitar once I started
high school. I loved both classical and electric
guitar, and devoted a lot of time to learning
theory and technique, as well as learning songs
and writing music. Early on my BIG influences
were Metallica, Pearl Jam, Black Crowes, Guns
N’ Roses etc. (guitar- heavy bands),
and the popular instrumental guitarists- Satriani,
Vai, Morse, etc. Just about everything I have
heard since then has influenced me in some
way!
(Monica) My mom got me into
singing and dancing in a Swedish cultural group
when I was 4 y/o – Mom being the singer/dancer,
Dad being the accordion player (still can’t
figure out who I got my groove from). I then
began singing and dancing in talent shows.
My influences were always those who sang strong
and soulfully – Whitney Houston and Pat
Benatar being the primary – Aretha Franklin,
Chris from the Black Crowes, Steven Tyler,
Steve Perry, Mariah Carey.
( Drew) My biggest musical influence’s are my father,
and my brother. My father, a trumpet player, had a great sense of melody,
and harmony, with an amazing ear, and that had a huge impact on me. He
was also a member of the Syracuse Brigadiers Drum Corps (1957-63), and
I listened to his old recordings all the time, not only to hear him,
but the drum line was out a sight. I used to set up my snare drum, and
attempt to play along…..ha! But my brother was the first drummer
in the house. A great player, with a nice touch, feel, great meter, an
overall good command of the drums. And when he left for college my mom
thought she finally had peace, but little did she know after trumpet,
and organ lessons, son #2 would bring the thunder and bombast back to
the Masterpole household once again!
GR:
Where did the band’s unique name come from?
TI:
Monica’s middle name is Ingrid. We needed an adjective ... and
Taming came up. She’s quite wild on stage ... and initially me
and the band was mellow on stage … but now we're all getting mobile
up there.
GR:
Who is the main writing force in Taming Ingrid, or is it a full team
effort?
TI:
(Monica) Rhonda and I began writing together 5 years ago. She
was so talented that I quit my previous band to work with her. We have
an amazing writing connection. We began writing some tunes with Josh
about a year ago, and are just about to starting to write from the drums
up with Drew – that’ll be fun and change up the style a little
bit too.
GR:
What are your favorite Taming Ingrid songs and why? What do they mean
to you?
TI :
(Rhonda) I really like U.R.I.M and I Can See. I Can See, I really
love the lyrics and the message…touches me personally a lot. We
have written so many songs ... each one motivated by its own unique emotion.
(Josh) Come Away With is the
first song I took part in writing with the
band, so it will always have extra-special
meaning to me. As a song, I still feel it holds
its own with everything else we are doing.
I love I’ll Be and U.R.I.M. independently,
but it’s even more amazing how they work
together in a live show.
(Drew) this band has great,
positive music that gets better each time we
play. For me, the feelings, and emotions of
the songs come full force during live performances.
But if I had to pick one… ”yes
sir” it rocks!!! Rhonda shreds a killer
solo in that tune.
(Monica) I like them all for their own reason – good hooks,
nice harmonies, etc…… but ultimately, Yes Sir is my heartfelt
favorite. I wrote it about a street gentleman I once met many years ago – his
wise words have stuck with me ever since.
GR:
I think our readers would like to know how the MTV Sorority Life thing
happened for you. How did you go about getting your material chosen
for the show?
TI:
We were playing a festival at UC Davis and someone said “hey, MTV
had their camera on you for a few songs!” We figured our friend
of full of it. Well, he wasn’t. When we got back in town,
there was a contract in our fax asking if they could use some of the
clips… we have since signed our second contract for them to use
material off of our most recent CD (available via Paypal at www.tamingingrid.com)
GR:
Today’s music … gimme a rundown of the pop bands getting
radio play. Who do you like and who do you hate?
TI:
(Rhonda) I respect anybody who writes and performs their own
music.
(Josh) I certainly do NOT
hate any music. I find something to enjoy about
everything I hear, but some of my favorites
out there are: Incubus, Nelly Furtado, Dave
Matthews, RHCP, System of a Down, and No Doubt.
(Monica) Matchbox, Justin
Timberlake, N’Sync, Nelly, Pink, Aguillera
GR: CARP and RIAA.
Where do you stand on these issues? Do you agree with trading
media online or should everyone pay a fee? Should radio stations
be allowed to “Webcast” their broadcasts?
TI:
(Rhonda) it sux but we have to pay to record the songs so that
people can hear them. If studios were free ... if CD burning was free…if
gas to drive to our gigs were free…it wouldn’t matter.
(Josh) Ditto to Rhonda. And
a lot of time, emotion, 2:00 am junk food treks,
sleep loss, and sweat go into the process in
addition to the money.
(Monica) I’m not at
the point where I’ll chose this topic
as my battle, but I’d prefer for the
music to not be available for free. This is
how artists, as myself make our paycheck.
GR:
I noticed you guys have your astro signs as part of your bios on the
Taming Ingrid site. I personally believe in astrology, but I’ve
found the Chinese Zodiac to be more accurate. Any comments here?
TI:
(Rhonda) Its what you make of it.
(Drew) I don’t believe any of that nonsense. it’s
all about “The Magic Eight Ball”
(Monica) If it’s in
my favor, I believe it.
GR:
I wanna thank you guys for your time and close out by asking if you have
anything else you’d like to say to our readers?
TI:
(Josh) We are currently in the studio,
so stay tuned for more music!
(Drew) Thanx to Garage Radio!
(Monica) Please support us
by coming out to see a show, and by buying
our cd’s at the shows or online via Paypal. Be
kind – we’re only here for life.
(Rhonda) Thanks for reading.
And thanks for keeping music real….
Garage Radio had a
blast during our first interview with Taming Ingrid.
They are playing gigs all over Southern California and they
can be heard on the GR stream or on their site at www.tamingingrid.com.
We wish the band all the best and can’t wait to see
where they go from here!
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