City of the Weak just released their album, Pulling Teeth, earlier this month. Additionally, their new music video “Not This Time” premiered this month. Lead singer, Stef with an F spoke with me about their album, the meaning behind their music video and what it’s like to be in the music industry as a woman. She has the attitude of original rockers where they go against the grain of society. She’s such a cool artist, and her band has a great sound and attitude. Read on for more of behind the music for the band, and check out their new album.
www.facebook.com/cityoftheweak watch their new music video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wx6HyRTp68o&feature=youtu.be
Side Stage Magazine: So how are you doing this week? Your album just released a week ago, right?
Stef with an F: Yeah! We’re doing great! We just got home from the Pulling Teeth tour Part I, and just finishing signing all the pre-order bundles, it’s really exciting.
I listened to the album, and I really love it. It kind of reminds me of Unwritten Law.
Oh cool! Thanks!
So you guys are getting ready for another tour, correct?
Yeah, we have a few more. We have a couple little festivals, we open for From Ashes to New, and we have Red Sun Rising dates, and we’ll pick up in August. The tour is being booked right now actually.
I actually just saw From Ashes to New Saturday. They have such a kick ass concert, so you guys are gonna have fun. You were at Rocklahoma earlier, right?
Yeah. It was fun!
I wish I could’ve been at that one, that had a great lineup! Let’s talk about your music video. How did you come up with the concept behind that?
“Not This Time” is kind of just saying “you can’t let people push you around.” Even though I might be crazy, you’re wrong if you’re going to talk me down. We wanted to reflect that in the video, but it was kind of hard to reflect that, so we wanted to show people that success is in their own hands, going the family route, because some people do have family that pushes them around. The people that talk down to you are not always your haters, or a boss, or a friend. Sometimes it comes from your own family. So, we wanted to show somebody who had, not a simple goal, but just nothing super insane–they weren’t trying for fame or money or anything crazy. The kid just wanted to be a pilot. That’s what he wanted, he loved planes since he was a small child, and his dad was never supportive. He wanted him to do his schoolwork, and you know, not be flying or messing around with planes, playing in the woods. It shows at the very end, the kid [now an adult] has a private plane and he got what he wanted. He decided to work hard and be happy. It was all for him, he didn’t try to please anybody else. That’s a reoccuring theme in our music for Pulling Teeth. Pulling Teeth was based around doing what you wanna do and living your best life. And this time we really tried capturing that.
It looked really good! Like you said, it’s a common theme, I’m seeing it more and more in music nowadays, just like getting to know people who are following their own dreams. Like, their parents wanted them to be a doctor. It is family that pushes you, but maybe it’s not always with bad intentions, but you show that it does affect you. And supporting someone’s goals, instead of your own, is important.
Totally!
I get that feel from your music too, that you’re pursuing this dream and kind of like “screw the world, if they’re against you.”
Yeah, I mean everything we’ve done, we’ve done it by ourselves. There are so many bands who come from money, or have a lot of support from people, or they get signed right away. We’ve always had to build everything. We’ve never been in any kind of clique, the rock scene is very cliquey. You think “oh, i’ll do rock and roll because I’m a reject, and everybody out there is a reject.” I mean, it’s still like high school again! Being in rock and roll is so petty, and it’s so political and it sucks. It’s not ever what I wanted. I never wanted to be a part of a clique. I was in rock and roll because I didn’t fit in anywhere and I wanted to say what I want to say and do what I want to do and I feel like rock and roll nowadays is so watered down and scared. Nobody’s really going out on a limb and just saying “this is what I believe.” It’s all very “oh, this is going to appeal a lot of people.” It’s turning into the new pop. Nobody’s really taking risks and I want to be that band that takes a risk. I don’t want to be in a clique. I don’t want to fit in with this scene, or that scene. I want to play rock and roll and I want to make music. That’s all I want to do.
Yeah, it feels like very traditional rock. You know back when it was for misfits and outcast, like original punk. All the weirdos had that one thing in common. I totally get that vibe from your music.
Yeah! I mean people just play music, and that’s what they want us to do–they work hard and they want to be cool with everybody. I’m just sick of everybody acting political and not saying what they believe in, cause they don’t want to piss this person off, or “Oh, I might say the wrong thing.” Just say your opinion and everything will fall into place.
Do you find that as a woman in the rock scene, it’s especially hard for you?
I mean there’s pros and cons anytime there’s something different. No matter who you are, there’s always going to be pros and cons. Obviously the pros are that people remember us. Like Rocklahoma, the first day there was probably like 15-20 bands all male fronted. We were actually the only female fronted band on our day of Rocklahoma. So obviously, we were more memorable for our set. Just the fact that I’m a girl, that is memorable, so people tend to remember you when you’re in the sea of rock men. But there are plenty of cons. People always put you in a box. It’s crazy, there are so few women compared to men, but people always want to put you in a box. “Oh you remind me of Lizzy Hale, or Paramore, or Evanescence.” There’s so few women for them to compare us to, and they always want to compare. And it shouldn’t be like that, cause the women who came first are so great because they were the first of who they are. I don’t want to be the second Joan Jett, or the second this or that. I want to be the first. I feel like people are always trying to put us in the box, like producers “Oh, you sound like Amy Lee, so I want you to do this.” No, how about I just do me, because that’s all I want to be. Being put in a box kind of sucks sometimes, you just kind of hear the same shit over and over, and I just want to be myself. If you really don’t have a focus and grip on who you are, the music industry is going to manipulate who you are as a woman and kind of force you in a box, you know. I’m just glad we’ve been able to be true to ourselves. Working with Craig on the record was so great! He never ever once put me in the female-fronted box. He was always “what do you want to do?” It was always about the music and never “oh, for a female voice, we’re going to do this.” It was always what the music meant. That was really great.
Yeah! I was listening to your album before seeing a picture of you guys. I couldn’t think of a band you reminded me of. It took me until this morning to think of Unwritten Law that had a similar sound, but that’s an all male band. You have such a cool sound, that there wasn’t a single female band I could think of to compare you to or who you reminded me of. So you are doing your own thing. You are an original.
Well, thanks!
Is there anything else going on for you guys besides your upcoming shows and tour?
Not really. I mean band life is all about putting on a record and shows. We just put out the record, so now there will be lots of shows.
Well, I can’t wait to see what you guys are doing. I love your album, and you guys have some great shows coming up. I wish you guys nothing but success!
Thank you, thanks for having me!
Absolutely! And thanks for taking time today. You have a great day!
