Taylor Momsen has a chilly once we chat over the telephone on a current Friday evening. She’s standing on a avenue in Prague, Czech Republic, awaiting sound examine for her band’s headlining tour. In between sneezes, Momsen—entrance lady of post-grunge rock band The Fairly Reckless, which can be comprised of lead guitarist and backing vocalist Ben Phillips, drummer Jamie Perkins, and bassist Mark Damon—is keen and affable as she talks concerning the group’s just lately launched EP Different Worlds. With a heat, pleasant tone, it’s clear she’s excited to debate her band’s evolution, in addition to her personal.
The gathering of 11 songs sees Momsen embrace a special facet of her vocals, most evident on “The Keeper” and the reimagined model of “25,” and offers followers a “behind the scenes look” on the band’s musical influences, she tells me. Making this assortment was a no brainer for Momsen as “followers have been asking for an official format of acoustic materials for years.” When she and the band recorded these songs, it clicked: “I went ‘Oh, that is the opposite facet of us. It’s a bit extra intimate and stripped again, however nonetheless very Fairly Reckless.” The EP strikes a special tone than the group’s highly effective 2021 album Demise by Rock N’ Roll, which recounts Momsen’s private path to shore from the ocean of grief that threatened to drown her and her bandmates.
Demise By Rock N’ Roll “let the floodgates open,” Momsen recollects, as she grew to become pessimistic and depressed after a large number of tragedies: the demise of Chris Cornell of Soundgarden in 2017, the passing of Perkins’ brother in a automotive accident, and the demise of longtime producer and shut buddy Kato Khandwala, whose passing was a “nail within the coffin” for Momsen, on high of COVID shutting down the stay music trade. The losses led her to show to substance abuse to numb the ache, as Momsen instructed ELLE.com again in March. The Different Worlds EP, nevertheless, lets the sunshine in and sees the band hopeful concerning the future.
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“Having the ability to get out on the highway once more and play all of this materials and full the total circle of what it means to play music and make a brand new file has been very invigorating,” Momsen stated in an earlier Zoom interview. “It’s respiratory life into the band and myself and I really feel like we’re in a really optimistic place, which is sweet to have the ability to say as we began in a really detrimental one.”
Born in St. Louis, MO, Momsen was first identified for her performing—particularly for roles like Cindy Lou Who within the movie How The Grinch Stole Christmas and Jenny Humphrey on the CW teen sequence Gossip Woman—whereas she labored on music behind the scenes, however she retired from the display at 16. She was solely 15 years previous when The Fairly Reckless fashioned in 2009; the band’s debut album Gentle Me Up was launched in 2010 by way of Interscope Information and spawned the profitable single “Make Me Wanna Die.” Their sophomore file Going To Hell landed at quantity 5 on the Billboard 200, and their third, 2017’s Who You Promoting For, noticed the band open for Soundgarden and generate the only “Take Me Down.” Their February 2021 file, Demise By Rock N’ Roll, options darkish themes and paints the arc of Momsen’s grief. The band’s most up-to-date effort, Different Worlds, launched on Nov. 4, is a group of songs that give perception into the influences that helped her by darkish instances.
Momsen sat down with ELLE.com to talk about her band’s new EP, being a musician first, and the way she launched herself from the grips of grief by music.
This EP comprises covers and acoustic variations of The Fairly Reckless’ tracks. What made you wish to create this assortment of songs?
Different Worlds fell into our lap. It wasn’t deliberate. I don’t actually name it a file. It’s a group of songs. In the course of the lockdown, we couldn’t tour. We had been selling Demise By Rock N’ Roll. I used to be doing a number of Zoom interviews and every part, which is all good and advantageous, however doing that facet of a file launch and never attending to play feels very incomplete. It felt very unusual, so I used to be getting very antsy to make music. As a result of I grew to become so bored, I began making music at house and recording acoustic variations of our songs, working with a few of my buddies who’re additionally artists and doing distant collaborations. By the tip of lockdown, I checked out all of the stuff I made and went, “That is all actually good. I’m actually happy with all of these things.” And all of it has a vibe and a cohesive really feel to it. I used to be like, “We should always put this out in some form of official format so that individuals can hearken to it as a result of I discover it very pleasurable to hearken to.” Each time we make music that I’m happy with, I wish to share it with the world.
The Fairly Reckless acting at O2 Academy Brixton in November 2022.
Different Worlds sees you and the band determining “an alternate method to launch music.” Inform me about that course of.
After we made the choice to place it out, it was attention-grabbing to me as a result of every part is so stripped again and acoustic, it exhibits the place the songs began, which is an inside look into how we make music. All the pieces I write begins off with some acoustic guitar or piano after which the manufacturing is added later. It exhibits how the track was born and it’s in its infancy, which I at all times discover very attention-grabbing with artists that I really like.
One in all my favourite issues is to hearken to demos, the originals, the place the track began. “Quicksand” is an ideal instance as a result of my rendition of that on Different Worlds is predicated off of David Bowie’s demo of the track, which is one thing I grew up listening to. My dad was a large David Bowie fan and he used to make me compilations and he in some way got here throughout this bootleg model the place it’s simply Bowie and an acoustic guitar and the lyrics hit in a different way. You possibly can hear the track in its infancy with out all of the pop manufacturing that made it the large hit that it’s. You possibly can actually hear the core of what he was saying. Once you hearken to a track in its stripped again type like that, I believe you’ll be able to actually join with it on an entire completely different degree. That’s at all times been intriguing to me as an artist and a fan, so attending to share that facet of ourselves with our followers was an attention-grabbing concept for me.
How have you ever and the band processed the grief that surrounded the final album?
I don’t assume that that heaviness and that grief and that loss ever goes away and that’s one thing I’m studying. I’m by no means not going to overlook Kato. I miss him each minute of day-after-day. But it surely’s one thing that has turn into part of me now and that wound isn’t so recent, like I’m not bleeding everywhere in the flooring with it anymore. It’s simply part of my physique now. Attending to get out into the world once more and attending to play these songs stay and sharing the music in an actual means with followers the world over, it’s cathartic, thrilling, and breathes new life into the fabric.
Taking part in stay is sort of a drug you’ll be able to’t get anyplace else and I believe that by not enjoying stay for therefore lengthy, I used to be going by withdrawal and I didn’t even understand it. Having the ability to get out on the highway once more and play all of this materials and full the total circle of what it means to play music and make a brand new file has been very invigorating. It’s respiratory life into the band and myself and I really feel like we’re in a really optimistic place, which is sweet to have the ability to say as we began in a really detrimental one.
How has shifting previous grief affected your music and efficiency?
Songs tackle completely different kinds as time goes on. Once you write the track, you’re very a lot residing inside these feelings as a result of it’s very recent. By the point the album comes out and also you’re touring, the stay variations tackle this new emotion the place it’s immediately not so private. That also exists, but it surely’s about sharing music and about making a symbiotic relationship with the viewers, the followers, and that’s a very lovely factor. They’ll tackle this new pleasure and life that you simply’re sharing and everybody’s feeling that vitality collectively after which I’m not so caught inside my very own head.
Music has this therapeutic high quality to it. I really feel so lucky that I discovered that in music at such a younger age. I discovered that in my writing I can specific myself totally and perceive myself and work by no matter I have to work by personally by music and assist others with emotions that they might not have the ability to specific in one other outlet alongside the best way by sharing that.
You’ve stated that you simply see your self as a musician first, though arguably extra folks know you to your performing. Why is that?
Personally, I don’t actually contemplate myself an actress. I wouldn’t name it a ardour. It was simply one thing I at all times did, I type of didn’t know something in a different way and music was one thing I used to be at all times doing, simply behind the scenes. I used to be at all times writing songs and enjoying devices and singing and it simply took. I needed to get to a sure age and rising pains got here with that as a result of it’s all me. There’s no script. There’s no director. There’s no outdoors forces. It’s all me.
I needed to discover the fitting folks. I actually needed every part to be natural. I don’t rent musicians; it’s an actual band and that takes time, an entire lot of labor, and an entire lot of luck to put in writing a file’s price of fabric that individuals really needed to listen to (you write loads of dangerous songs earlier than you write good ones). All of these issues needed to fall into place and once they lastly did, it was simply full and utter love.
As soon as it was the 4 of us, it was us towards the world and that’s the place I put every part into. I used to be like, “I don’t wish to do these different jobs now. I simply wish to do that on a regular basis.” In order that’s after I left every part else behind and it was one of the best resolution I ever made.
Momsen performing with The Fairly Reckless in October.
The place are you concerning performing now?
It’s an exquisite profession, an exquisite job. I believe after I was youthful, loads of my quotes received misinterpreted—I used to be very drastic with my language [laughs]. It was at all times advantageous. It was by no means one thing I actually beloved. That’s to not say that I’ll by no means play a personality in a film or one thing, but it surely’s not one thing I’m pursuing in any respect. Performing is one thing I did and perhaps I’ll do it once more. Who is aware of? However music will ceaselessly be a relentless. It’s not going anyplace.
How do you assume your band’s picture has modified over time?
I believe that the largest factor is that we’re simply older and we’ve been across the block a number of instances now. And I’ve actually grown because the starting of this band bodily, mentally, eye makeup-wise. I nonetheless like a very good smokey eye, just a bit much less excessive. [Laughs] I’ve taken it down on a regular basis.
What are you most wanting ahead to on this tour?
We’re having a lot enjoyable and after I say that—I stated that concerning the final album and I’ll say this about this tour—it appears like a rebirth of The Fairly Reckless. We really feel like a brand new band. Throughout lockdown, there was nothing to do, we couldn’t tour, so we spent over six months in a rehearsal house simply enjoying for no foreseeable end result aside from to play music and have enjoyable. I believe that by doing that, that actually bolstered our bond—we at all times had a very tight bond—and created this new dynamic between us that’s not like the rest and is absolutely particular. It makes these exhibits terribly enjoyable, particularly now that we have now 4 information to attract materials from, so we’re in a spot the place we will change it each evening primarily based on how we’re feeling. That’s additionally created a brand new dynamic for the stay exhibits that perhaps wasn’t as prevalent earlier than. It creates one thing enjoyable and thrilling to observe. It makes touring thrilling and never monotonous as a result of each present is its personal world—a part of that’s the viewers and a part of that’s us. It’s fuckin’ nice.
One of many coolest issues that was vital to me when making the file and was part of my therapeutic course of was maintaining Kato’s reminiscence alive and ensuring that though he’s not right here—in case your reminiscence doesn’t die, you don’t die. That’s how I see it. We get to stroll on stage each evening to the sound of Kato’s footsteps. So he’s not bodily right here, however he’s there with us each evening and it’s very haunting and highly effective to listen to followers the world over scream “Demise By Rock N’ Roll” again at you. I really feel like he’d be actually proud that I’ve honored his reminiscence in a significant means.
It appears like the primary file once more. I really feel like bands which can be round for a very long time enjoying with the identical musicians for years can fall right into a rut and lose that unique flame. With this album and this cycle, we’ve regained that unique flame. I nearly really feel 16 once more. All of us have a brand new fireplace to us that’s burning fairly brilliant.
This interview has been edited and condensed for readability.
