Interview † Emmy Wildwood

This time around, I did an interview with classy rocker girl Emmy Wildwood. When she's not fronting her own band, VELTA, she kills it in an all-girls Guns 'n Roses cover band featuring equally classy rocker girls Charlene Kaye, Mia Von Glitz, and Erin Marsz. (I'm starting to think we should start a genre here -- classy rocker girl jams. I'd buy that compilation.)

I was also tempted to call this post Emmy Changes Macie's Life Forever by Recommending Cover Girl Outlast but that was a little too lengthy.

First up, you definitely have a signature style and I love it. It feels like something an old Hollywood star would style to spend an evening at the old-school Viper Room. Is this a look that you sought out, or did it find you?

"Awesome Macie! I love this description. I like the idea of looking cinematic. There is so much drama in it! And obviously I play rock n roll so that is going to come across in my vibe too. I haven't intentionally sought out a look. It's just sort migrated to this based on my lifestyle and working around so much music, art and fashion. 

I loved Marilyn Monroe as kid and collected all kinds of her memorabilia. I loved her movies and of course her red lip! I've been wearing red lipstick since I was 14 years old. I would buy tubes of the Wet N Wild brand for 99 cents at the drug store. This is was same brand my great grandmother wore. She also played music by ear and loved sequins. I think I inherited her desire for music and glamour. 

But there has to be functionality to that when you are playing and rocking out on stage. I just started wearing converse sneakers with my dresses so I wouldn't fall over in front of everyone. It's a look that people ask me about all the time and I tell them it's just easier this way. But I get creative and match my sneakers to my dresses for fun. Coincidentally, my band VELTA, became a face of Converse Fall 2012 campaign."

You have so many projects and collaborations going on -- what keeps you inspired and motivated? Do you ever feel burnt out, and what helps you get back on track?

"I do have a lot projects but I wouldn't have it any other way. As a musician you feel like you are doing something really wrong when you are not playing regularly. It's super unnerving to not be working. So when I feel burnt out, which happens from time to time for sure, I just remember that that feeling equals incredibly hard work and it just means I'm doing what I want to be doing. I am so lucky to do this."

What are you listening to right now?

"I love Fiona Apple's new record. I just saw her at Terminal 5 and she blew my mind. A total genius."

I hear you just opened up a boutique, Tiger Blanket. What was that process like and what's your vision for it?

"Here's our short description...

Tiger Blanket Records & Vintage Boutique is a Brooklyn-based record label putting out limited edition 7 inch vinyls for unsigned bands. The first single release is "Let's Get Married" by VELTA coming in November! You can buy these records as well as amazing vintage leather motorcycle jackets, collectible concert t-shirts and beautiful dresses at our location in Williamsburg.

But from a personal standpoint..

Friends of mine walked in the store and immediately said it looks like my closet. It's true! This store is filled with vintage concert t-shirts, some of which used to be in my personal collection. There's an entire rack dedicated to sequins blouses and we carry skinny jeans in all the colors of the rainbow. It's all something I would wear to play a show. And I have always bought vintage things for stage because they cheaper and still more fabulous than anything you can find at a mall.

I'd like to think its a very well-curated collection similar to what you described earlier as old Hollywood glamour meets the Viper Room. We have have a giant bowl of red lipstick at the cash wrap."

Guns N Hoses, all-girl Guns N Roses cover band. The awesome speaks for itself. How did you get involved in that, and exactly how much fun is it to wear a lot of fishnet on stage and rock out to Welcome to the Jungle?

"Guns N Hoses was such a huge surprise! Musically speaking its not something I ever thought I would do but when Charlene Kaye, Erin Marsz and Mia Von Glitz came to me with proposal to join I was so excited. These girls are all hugely talented and a blast to play with. We are all front women for our own projects so there is stage presence just boiling over into crowd.

We are all super into fashion and for a few hours we all get together before shows just to help each other get dressed. Its ridiculous the things we come up with. Its also so fun because its stuff I would never wear to my own shows. At our sold-out show at The Viper last weekend, I wore sequin underwear and a python top that cut clear down to my navel. I definitely wear the least clothes on stage with this band. It's all sort of an out-of-body experience. "

What can we look out for in the future?

"VELTA has our next single "Let's Get Married" coming out in November. This is a super rocking track with a Phil Spector vibe about it. Kyp Malone from TV On The Radio is featured in this tune as well as Erin Marsz from Erin Mary & The West Island and Deva Mahal. It's a banger."

And the most important question for last -- how can I achieve the same mastery you have over red lipstick application?
"Girl, you can master this look for 7.99 at the Cover Girl station in your local Duane Reade. It's Outlast Lip and it NEVER comes off. That's why I wear it on stage. Other brands rub all over the mic and then right back on to my face. One time I forgot the brand and bought another kind for a show, and when I got off stage I had red lipstick on my cheeks, chin and forehead. Cover Girl Outlast is the jam!"

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