Keeping Things Upbeat with Cross-Eyed Chicks

This week, we go from spiritual rock to alternative rock. I'm talking about Cross Eyed Chicks. This is an alternative rock band that plays out of Fort Myers. The band is made up of five members and according to their facebook page, is absolutely worth the time to go and listen to. After listening to some of their music on their Reverbnation, I would agree as well if you're into alternative rock.

This week, I had the chance to sit down with Austin Zapata, one of the guitarists for Cross Eyed Chicks.

THE NOTE: Thanks for meeting with me! Could you state your name and your band?

AUSTIN: I'm ah, Austin Zapata of Cross Eyed Chicks.

THE NOTE: Okay, and what's your position in the band?

AUSTIN: Uhm, guitar.

THE NOTE: Guitar, okay. So how did the group start?

AUSTIN: Just Craigslist. We got a group together to make money.

THE NOTE: So, you guys got together on Craigslist. How did that first meeting go?

AUSTIN: Uh, I was actually new. So I just walked in and everyone pretended to know me and pretended like we knew each other and that was that.

THE NOTE: That sounds fun, actually. What was the hardest thing for you guys when it came to starting out?

AUSTIN: Oh, well when I first joined we had our first show in a week and I had to learn four hours of music in a week.

THE NOTE: Okay, wow. [laughs] So you guys write your own songs, right?

AUSTIN: Uh, occasionally. We do separately.

THE NOTE: Okay so, the writing process is done separately between members or?

AUSTIN: We all do our own thing.

THE NOTE: Okay.

AUSTIN: As far as I know.

THE NOTE: Do you write anything? Have you written any music?

AUSTIN: Yeah.

THE NOTE: So what is your process when it comes to writing music?

AUSTIN: I do what I like doing, I find what I like, and I just add things slowly.

THE NOTE: Oh, okay! What would you say you get your influences from? Musically, lyrically, whatever.

AUSTIN: [hums] Uh, people I play with.

THE NOTE: The people you play with, any bands or major artists?

AUSTIN: Ah, I couldn't pick one. You meet with people, you find different styles and they influence you in different ways.

THE NOTE: Okay.

AUSTIN: You find yourself doing normal things you wouldn't normally do.

THE NOTE: So how many members are in your group, ah, your band?

AUSTIN: Five.

THE NOTE: Five, and ah, what's the name of your members, their names if you want.

AUSTIN: I got Chris, Kris, Lynn, and Chad.

THE NOTE: And they're bass, drums..

AUSTIN: Yeah.

THE NOTE: Who's your main vocalist?

AUSTIN: He's Kris with a K.

THE NOTE: Kris with a K, okay. So what would you say is your favorite memory from a gig?

AUSTIN: My favorite memory is stage diving with a guitar and just jamming in a pit.

THE NOTE: Really? Where was that?

AUSTIN: That was at Deans. Uh, Dean's South of the Border in Downtown Port Charlotte.

THE NOTE: Hey, that's pretty cool. So, ah, what would you say was your hardest experience?

AUSTIN: [takes a breath] Just prepping for the first one with the four hour thing.

THE NOTE: Yeah. And ah, what about your easiest experience?

AUSTIN: Easiest experience, it gets easier everytime you do it.

THE NOTE: Like, gigwise. Like, you got off the stage and you were like 'that was probably the easiest thing I've ever done'.

AUSTIN: Eh, they're all kind of all like that at the end of the night. You kinda sit there like 'oh, that was fun.' And then when you're prepping for the next one it's like 'alright, let me try hard again'. And then after the fact I was like 'oh, that's easy.'

THE NOTE: Okay.

AUSTIN: So every time it just gets easier and easier.

THE NOTE: Alright, ah. So what's your schedule right now with Cross-Eyed Chicks?

AUSTIN: Uhm, the season just ended. Were doing one a week and now we're doing one once every two weeks or once every month. But for awhile we were doin' one to two a week.

THE NOTE: And when's your next show?

AUSTIN: Our next one is March 17th, we're on a little bit of a break right now.

THE NOTE: Okay, and where are you guys playing?

AUSTIN: That's going to be at Rascals in Port Charlotte.

THE NOTE: Okay. So, let's see. So what are you guys working on right now. I mean, probably getting your stuff ready for the show but like, are you working on any other projects?

AUSTIN: Well right now we're starting a separate project, we're getting everyone together. Everyone's kind of doing their own thing. I know I'm working with my other guitar player and bass player a lot.

THE NOTE: What was your first instrument?

AUSTIN: Guitar.

THE NOTE: Guitar, do you play any other instruments?

AUSTIN: Yes, I can play guitar, any orchestral instruments, piano, and then anything at all with strings honestly.

THE NOTE: That's pretty impressive, honestly. Do you want to travel for music, like whenever, future? Next two years, next five years, next ten years? Like, what are you plans when it comes to that?

AUSTIN: Yeah, I like traveling. I like the idea. Whether financially that's a good idea is another story but i'll get there when I cross that bridge.

THE NOTE: Yeah. So, how do you usually handle mistakes in your performance? Like, ah, how do you guys handle it?

AUSTIN: Pretend it didn't even happen, go on with the day. If it's a big, big, mistake that keeps happening we'll address it, but otherwise we know our own mistakes and we fix it on our own.

THE NOTE: So what is your knowledge on music theory?

AUSTIN: All of it. [laughs]

THE NOTE: All of it! [laughs] Alright, so in your own words, what would you call your genre?

AUSTIN: Ah, fun rock.

THE NOTE: Fun rock, okay.

AUSTIN: Things everyone likes, everyone can dance to.

THE NOTE: Have you guys done any battle of the bands type things?

AUSTIN: I have in the past but not with these guys.

THE NOTE: Not with them?

AUSTIN: It's not their cup of tea.

THE NOTE: What was your experience with battle of the bands type competitions?

AUSTIN: I usually did pretty well, if not winning it.

THE NOTE: Have you ever taught other people music?

AUSTIN: Yeeees. As a friendship thing I would never charge anyone to do it. But I always enjoy people, watching them click with it.

THE NOTE: Right, yeah. Is there a certain song that like, affects you emotionally, like. Brings back good memories, bad memories, just something that kind of, kind of hits home for you?

AUSTIN: Well there's one song that would always hit me, it's called Cashmere. [laughs] And it's just one of those songs that I enjoyed people learning cause it would always click with a lot of people and then they would always enjoy playing it and you would see the same thing in them.

THE NOTE: What is your most valuable possession?

AUSTIN: My most valuable possession? Is my talent.

THE NOTE: Your talent?

AUSTIN: Are you asking for a physical possession or?

THE NOTE: Whatever you wanna do: physical, mental.

AUSTIN: I think I have a good attitude and that's what helps me get through it. I'm not the best in the world but I know I can. I have the attitude to learn and that's what helps me get through. That's what makes me get along with my group a lot. That's my most valuable possession in terms of music. It's the attitude.

THE NOTE: So who would you be nervous to meet? Like, famous or not. Who do you think?

AUSTIN: [clicks tongue] Uhm, [pauses]. I'm not really a nervous person.

THE NOTE: Okay. What is your go-to jam?

AUSTIN: Go-to jam..

THE NOTE: Like the one you'd get in the car, you immediately turn your phone to play this song. What is it?

AUSTIN: Tell Me by White Lion.

THE NOTE: Describe your music in three words.

AUSTIN: Fun dance-able rock.

THE NOTE: Who was your first teacher? Like, musicwise.

AUSTIN: I never really had a teacher? The only person I really learn a lot from is my other guitar player right now, Chris.

THE NOTE: In one sentence, what do you want people to learn from your music? Like, what you want people to take from it?

AUSTIN: Just learn, get a good attitude, have a good time and have fun.

THE NOTE: Is there anything you'd like to say to anyone reading the blog right now? Talk about anything that y'know, you want them to know, certain shows, certain songs you want them to listen to, anything like that.

AUSTIN: The biggest thing I see, at least in guitar players, is they all try to be the best, they all try to be the fastest. That ain't what you gotta do. Just go have fun. If people see you're having fun, they'll have fun, they'll wanna hear you. But if you're sittin' there trying to be the best and you look miserable doing it, no one's gonna wanna look at you.

THE NOTE: Lastly, any future plans when it comes to music?

AUSTIN: Future plans right now? I like working on my own music. I wanna make my own CD. Not necessarily with my group but influenced by them at least. And work on my own thing.

THE NOTE: Well, thank you very much for your time!

AUSTIN: Anytime.

You can keep up with Cross Eyed Chicks at their Facebook and Reverbnation pages.

FACEBOOK

REVERBNATION