Interview: Tarah Who? – Tristan Zelden

1. How did your band get started?

Joey Southern: Tarah G. Carpenter contacted me via Facebook messenger…

“Hi Joe, I am contacting you because I am looking for a bass player for my band Tarah Who? If you like what you hear hit me back. Have a good day! ” Tarah…

Random message seemed strange and it went unanswered for six days. The idea rolled around in my head enough and I decided to give it a listen. Two weeks later we left for a west coast tour!

Tarah G. Carpenter: Ha!! Yes..! I started the musical project Tarah Who? in 2006 when I moved to Los Angeles. I worked with a lot of musicians and producers until now. Over a year ago now, Coralie joined the band, and 6 months ago Joey joined us. Gosh! writing it down on paper seems like it has not been long enough, but after all that we have been through together, it feels like we have known each other for such a long time!
2. What inspired you to go into this genre?

JS: Always wanting to play music that makes people move. Either moshing around or just bobbing your head. The energy is contagious in a room.

TGC: I don’t really think about a particular genre of music when I write. I have a lot of emotions, and I try to transcribe them as they come out. I don’t like cheezy, happy poppy songs. If you hear us play happy pop, it is most likely a song, I wrote ironically. For instance “Little pieces” from our previous EP “Half Middle Child Syndrome” is very pop, nice, and cute. It is on purpose, to make fun of a situation I was going through at the time. A series of unfortunate events that happened one after another. Generally, I like to play fast, otherwise, I get bored, and I don’t like to hear my vocals soft and cute. I don’t consider myself a singer. I tell you my story, or I share my feelings and thoughts. It is just my way of expression. We don’t try to sound like anyone. Everything that is played is because of what the song is about.

3. Who are your inspirations that have shaped the sound of the band and how so?

CH: I joined the band a year ago. So the sound of Tarah Who? was already there, but I think that every musician has his/her own style that adds something to the music. I’ll say that Tarah Who?’s sound will always be evolving, regarding of the musicians playing in it and their inspirations.

JS: Fans on the road after gigs said, “Sounds like Motorhead with Alanis Morissette vocals!”

TGC: I grew up listening to Alanis Morissette, then I discovered Motorhead, Pantera, The Distillers, Foo Fighters, Hole, RATM etc… But like I said before, I don’t write to sound like anyone I listen to. You probably can hear similarities. Like Joey mentioned, a few people have told us after shows that we sound like “If Motorhead was fronted by Alanis Morissette!” well, yeah… NAILED IT! I don’t really hear it, but I can see why… My lyrics are very personal, and raw. The music is fast paced, in the low range … others have asked me if I like “The Distillers” which I totally do! I am totally stuck in the 90s. I like to play every note that we hear. I like it loud, raw, and full of life and energy.

4. What is the creative process your band takes when making an album?

Coralie Hervé: Tarah is writing the music and the lyrics of each song. She’s making the demos of every instrument herself. After that, she sends us the demos and some instructions about how the song should sound like and the structure of it. It’s at that moment that we add our own style, Joey and I while respecting what Tarah has in mind. It’s just amazing to let us bring our own style to her music !!

JS: Tarah gives us the intention and story behind the song. Coralie Herve and I then add our personalities into the playing and hours later we have more Tarah Who?

TGC: Yes, after working with a lot of musicians and producers in the past, I want to make sure that the essence of the song is not lost by anyone’s ego. An emotion can be easily lost when everyone starts to bring something in and then you don’t even recognize your song. I am very lucky to be surrounded by 2 professional, smart, and dedicated musicians who are open-minded, and able to listen and work at the service of the music, and the project. Coralie is an amazing drummer. I started by playing the drums as well, so it is really nice to communicate with her. I don’t have the same skills so when I have an idea that I can’t play, she can easily do it, and most of the time she adds a little Coco style to it and it sounds even better. Joey works the same way. It is hard to work with men sometimes. As a female musicians and female leader, men don’t like to be told, or they just assume that as men, they now or play better. I don’t feel this way with Joey at all. He listens, he has amazing bass skills. He has a great attitude and overall is just an amazing human being. I love working with Coralie and Joey. I love working on new songs because they don’t judge. We are in rehearsal to work on sounds and make things work, and together we can really grow. We know where we stand and we move forward together as a team. We support each other to make things work and we are comfortable enough to suggest ideas. I love these guys. Working with them, I am confident, I can rely on them and I can focus on my own sound, and write more songs:)

5. Lyrically speaking, what inspires the themes that are written about in your music?

JS: Although I feel this is better answered by Tarah G. Carpenter, I do relate to the lyrics in my everyday life of struggle and past trauma. TGC: I mostly write when I am hurt. So it is usually personal, but I write in a way that anyone can relate to the story. I like to live on a “put yourself in their shoes before criticizing their choices or lifestyles” basis. I write my stories, and everyone can relate or feel touched, maybe people can be kinder to each other.

I also write when events touch me. For instance, “Sirens” (“Half Middle Child Syndrome” EP) is about the Paris attacks, “14 Months” (“Federal Circle of Shame” EP) is about a story that I have heard on the news about a mother who had drowned her 14 months old baby… So yeah.. could be anything or anyone, but It is usually a feeling of anger or sadness.