SW14: Dr. Brassy Steamington: Goofball-Genius-Goddess!

We are pleased to bring you an interview with a familiar face in the West Coast Convention scene (and soon the world!): Dr. Brassy Steamington.  She lives in the "Goldilocks Zone" of Coastal California with her Maker Partner, Aether and three egregiously spoiled cats.

How would you define/describe yourself?

Goofball-Genius-Goddess? I don't know. I do know that I am the hardest working female Maker in the business. Heck, forget that. I work harder than most of the guys too. I don't do it better than anyone, I just have gotten really good at taking my mistakes and making magic out of them. 

How did you find steampunk?

I began makering in the Steampunk style before it was called Steampunk. Way back in 1986 before most people had gotten their first whiff of the movement....I was making Steam-worthy jewelry and boots. I consider Steampunk to be an Aesthetic, a Genre and for me, a Lifestyle. I live in a Steampunk house, married to a Steampunk man with a Steampunk cat (chopped off his own tail with a marble and wood, mantle clock). 

Describe one of your creative processes.

I work two ways. One is to take a shit-load of pieces, set them atop my work table and look at them till something gels or I lose my mind (or both). The second is to see something in a book, at a Museum, or on a person and then get an idea from that. I rush home and maker something with the essence of the original, or nod to, but all Dr. Brassyfied. 

Who or what inspires you?

The whole dang Steampunk Community inspires me with it's love and support. I could not surround myself with better quality people if I tried.

Now for individual Makers....Jimmy DiResta is a huge inspiration and I better be careful as I keep mentioning him. He has a long-time girlfriend who might think I am a stalker. To that I say, it's a professional love thing, dear future Mrs. DiResta. You are completely safe.

I tend to be inspired by people who are not only talented, but who are also just great people. I'm not keen on worshipping douchebags who happen to make great steam-stuff.

Someone else I love is Michelle H. Murray from SteelHip Designs. She has also been doing Steampunk Art since Eve was a baby. I love that I can see her Art and know in a nano second that it's hers. No one does what she does with brass hearts.

What projects are you working on right now?1,000 projects at once it seems. I just finished a power-wheelchair mod that is divine and super functional. I am also working on a Steampunk HarleyQuinn Mallot for a  friend, a horned tiara for a model-friend in Germany, 3D printed articulated Steam-Wings and about 200 other things at the same time. The nice folks *Cough-Sarcasm* from Hollywood have been scouting me for various TV Shows. So I might be doing that if they behave and treat me like a human-being. We shall see.

What advice do you have for young steampunks?

Do your own thing. Don't do someone else's thing. Find what you love and what you are good at, then make a home there. Not actually move. Make a home there with your heart. Immerse yourself in the people, the culture, the music and the community. Only then will you find true success and joy in what you do. P.S. Just because something has an eye on it, it does not make it Steampunk.

Check out more of Brassy's work at the links below:
http://drbrassy.com/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/SteampunkSupplyStore

https://www.facebook.com/brassy.steamington

https://www.etsy.com/shop/DrBrassysSteampunk

SW13: SteamWomen at Clockwork Alchemy in San Jose

Photo by Kim Truett, featuring from left to right: Dr. Brassy, Tempest, Frenchy, and Dogwood. 

SteamWomen doesn't only exist in the aetherworld of the internet - we also seek to make an impact in the "real" world too. One way of accomplishing this feat is offering discussion panels at Steampunk conventions.  So we were thrilled that Alyssa Rosenbloom (who we will be featuring in a future interview!) was able to schedule a round-table opportunity at Clockwork Alchemy in San Jose, CA over Memorial Day Weekend.

Clockwork Alchemy is a delightfully well-organized, mid-size event that takes place as part of the much larger Fanime convention. The staff, volunteers, and attendees have worked really hard to grow this event logically and with style.  It is self-contained within the Double Tree Hotel, utilizing nearly all of the available event spaces for a wide variety of events, including three nights of live music/dancing, large room for activities ("the war room"), multicultural performances (including a bellydance stage), author panels/row, dozens of workshops, a full-service tea room, large vendor room, and much more.

The SteamWomen RoundTable kicked off the event on Friday at noon - lead by SW Editor-in-Chief Tempest, and featuring upcoming interviewees Dr. Brassy Steamington and Dogwood - and familiar face and previous SW featured artist Samantha "Frenchy" Stephenson. Despite being one of the first events, the attendance was decent and the discussion in-depth.

Each of the panelists introduced themselves, Tempest highlighted the history and intent of SteamWomen, and then the group discussed perceptions and issues that women in the Steampunk community currently face - and what we are creating as a legacy for future generations. One important point that was made was that even though Steampunk is considered fringe/subculture - we have seen plenty of evidence that the microcosm can indeed affect the macrocosm. If we establish new ways of thinking, new lines of respect, new models for the next generation, we CAN bring about positive change and awareness for everyone.

Tempest also took part in Teri Lenfest's (featured in our SW2 issue) "How Do You Define A Goddess?" panel on Sunday afternoon - and found similar crossover topics that related back to the SteamWomen discussion.  In particular, when we look at the changing roles and identities of goddesses throughout time and various cultures, we also see an impact on how women have been and are treated as well.

Hopefully in the future we'll be filming these sessions and posting them as well so everyone can enjoy them. The next scheduled SteamWomen panel will take place at GEAR Con in Portland, Ore., July 3rd-5th!   Keep an eye on our Facebook page for the exact time/day/location!

SW 12: Michelle Greenwood and the Art of Pyrography

Michelle Greenwood

Michelle Greenwood is an artist and vendor from Red Lion, Pa., who curently specializes in pyrography, the Victorian art of woodburning objects with designs. As she puts it, "My education is in Japanese and Creative Writing, but art always has been, and probably always will be, my passion. I also dabble in costuming, pen and ink, and embroidery, but I like pyrography the best. I enjoy pushing the boundaries of what is traditionally considered “pyrographic art,” using the medium to render themes that are unusual for the artform, and constantly testing and improving my skills and techniques. Also, fire." Her works can be found at events such as Wicked Faire, Steampunk World's Fair, and her site, Greenwood Creations.

Decorative mask plaque

How would you define/describe yourself?

Professionally, I’d describe myself as an “artist who focuses on pyrography, but occasionally dabbles in other media.”  I like to play and experiment with art, and right now pyrography is what primarily enchants me. It’s such an under-utilized medium!

How I would describe myself personally is another matter, of course. I’d say, privately, I’m a “work in progress.” I want to live a life that fits my principles, and that takes a lot of reimagining, relearning, and  self-reflection. All of which, being an impulsive and emotional artsy type, I’m pretty terrible at. So, yes, “work in progress” is a good description!

How did you find Steampunk?

In 1998-99, I saw the trailer for "Wild Wild West."

That movie took my love of sci-fi, history, Victoriana and the macabre, and smashed it all together in a  glorious, irreverent, mad-science way. It was instant infatuation. Now, I know it’s popular right now to say that movie was horrible, and I can respect that opinion… but I am not ashamed to admit that I still love it. It’s so visually thrilling!

 

SteamCrab!

Describe one of your creative processes.

My work always starts with three things: A piece of wood, a No. 2 pencil, and a theme. The theme is usually provided by an upcoming show, such as Steampunk World’s Fair, and it’s only one or two words or simple concepts: “Absent-minded inventor,” or “Floral clockwork.” From there, it’s just a matter of doodling—playing around—until a solid idea starts to take shape.

If I go into the studio with too rigid a mindset, I find that I get burned out very quickly. In the initial stages, especially, I try to keep things loose and experimental. There’s tons of doodling directly onto the wood before a piece is finished.



 

Crunch time in the studio!

Who or what inspires you?

This is a tough one to put into words. Human interaction with our planet throughout history? A coming together of the natural world, scientific exploration and discovery, and ideas of our past and our future?  “Exploring the intersection of History, Nature, and Human Imagination…” ?

I think that’s all accurate… but it’s sort of high-flown and hippy-dippy. Really, I’m just a big cultural history and science nerd, and find a smorgasbord of inspiration there!

What projects are you working on right now?

In addition to a rather daunting custom order list, I’m playing with a series of “mask” portraits, a few airships that are based on eras in British history, and some cigar boxes decorated with literary characters I love. Later this summer, I hope to start working on a set of fan-art panels (NeoVictorian Jem and the Holograms is first on my list!). In the fall, I plan to start two larger gothic panels; one based on Dante’s Inferno with a Danse Macabre feel, and one honoring The Morrígan.

 

Vending at Steampunk World's Fair.

What advice do you have for young steampunks?

Broaden your horizons, younglings! The world is vast and diverse and we here in the U.S. are only exposed to a tiny, biased slice of all of the glorious realities and perspectives that are out there!

Remember the “punk” part of Steampunk. Challenge accepted standards. Question “authority.” Don’t conform. Ask the hard questions, and demand complete answers. Stay informed. 

But always balance that with compassion and respect and dapper dress.

Also, read up on world culture and world history, because I guarantee you, you’ll find people and events in history that will make sci-fi and superheroes pale and lifeless in comparison.

SW 11: DJ Dirty Mollie and Running the Musical Circus

DJ Dirty Mollie and Professor Elemental

By Julie McGowan

DJ Dirty Mollie is a woman of Steampunk living in Portland, Oregon. She has historically DJ’d for local conventions including GEAR Con and the sci-fi focused OryCon in her Steampunk persona, as well as having run the steampunk Whitechapel Circus Radio Show, among others, through KPSU. To find out more about Mollie and stay updated on her projects, you can visit her DJ Dirty Mollie Facebook page or the page for the Whitechapel Circus Radio Show, or find her at GEAR Con this year!
 

How would you define or describe yourself/your character?

DJ Dirty Mollie is a tomboy Steampunk mechanic who ran away from home to get away from Victorian England's social stratification and arranged marriages to do her own thing and follow her heart and dreams. She loves machinery and tinkering and engineering and trains and airships and music. After many misadventures she somehow managed to land a job tending Dr. Liam O'Malley's Whitechapel Circus, aka the Whitechapel Circus Radio Show, and the rest, as they say, is history.

How did you find Steampunk and how do you define it?

On a subconscious level, I knew I loved Steampunk without knowing what it was from the moment I first saw Disney's "20,000 Leagues" when I was about 10 or so; but I didn't really find "Steampunk" as a subculture until I came across the very first run of "Girl Genius" by Phil & Kaja Foglio in my local comic shop when they were still doing the original monthly issues, and I started reading around issue 8 or 9, and I realized that "gaslamp fantasy" was finally going to become a larger, sustained subculture and genre. That was back around 2004 or 2005 I think? And I've been into Steampunk (in essentially its current form) ever since. To me, Steampunk is easy to define and hard to define at the same time; it's an aesthetic, with Victorian stylings and scientific ideals merged with contemporary social mores and norms, reimagining a lot of "what if?" ideas. I don't feel there's any specific "right" or "wrong" way to be a steampunk, because there's so many facets and areas to enjoy, whether it's making stuff, the science, a love of Tesla, the fashions and costuming, role playing, the music, or anything else that makes up the stuff Steampunks like and do.
 

Describe one of your creative processes in what you do.

Putting together an episode of Whitechapel Circus takes about 8-10 hours of prep time per show or more. When I'm doing the show, I have to be constantly looking for new music because I don't want to keep playing the same songs over and over again, even though many songs are considered "staples" of Steampunk music or favorites that we love to hear. I spent a lot of time in Steampunk communities, listening to other shows and DJs, reading music blogs, reviewing and listening to new CDs sent to me by bands and artists or CDs sent to the radio station, trying to find hidden gems masquerading as "folk" or "bluegrass" or "country," hopping all over Spotify from artist to artist, using "sounds like" recommendations to find similar artists, and then compiling all of that music into a collection, listening and reviewing it, deciding what I like and what sounds good or sounds Steampunk to me, what I think my audience would enjoy, and then putting together a two hour playlist of music for a single show. There is a lot of work, editing, listening, culling, and mixing efforts that goes into a single episode of the Whitechapel Circus.

Who or what inspires you?

The original inspiration for the Whitechapel Circus came from Emmett and Klaude Davenport—the original Davenport Sisters who started the Clockwork Cabaret. I would listen to their show, which introduced me to so much new music, and I'd hear how they had Clockwork Balls and Steampunk events, and I was jealous that I couldn't attend anything. At the time, I was living in Northern Illinois and Clockwork Cabaret was broadcasting from North Carolina. After I moved to Portland and saw that there was already a very large Steampunk community here, I decided that I would do something along those lines because nobody else was, and thus, Whitechapel Circus was born. Captain Robert and Abney Park was a very big influence as well, because a lot of the messages in Abney Park's songs spoke to me following my own dreams and taking the chance to do something I loved that made me happy instead of doing things that I hated for money. I'm inspired by a lot of people, and I feel like so many other people are doing so much more awesome things than I am, that I couldn't name all of them here. Every person I've met in the community though has inspired me though in some shape or form, and I appreciate all the friends and family I've made as a Steampunk.

Tell us about one of the projects you're working on (or just finished).

Most of my projects have been on hiatus for the last year or so due to real life concerns. However, before my hiatus, I was hosting the Whitechapel Circus, the KPSU Night Shift (a goth/industrial radio show) Air Raid Radio (a post-apocalyptic radio show) and occasionally, Wherehouse Radio (an urban folk show). Most recently, I've been working to try to put together a post-apocalyptic outdoor festival somewhere around Portland because I feel a lot of cross-popularity between Steampunk and post-apocalyptica as subcultures, and p-a is very big right now with not a lot being done for it. However, I'm also hoping to bring back Whitechapel Circus in some form sometime later this year. Of course, there's also Portland GEARCon that I work with as well; and I will be working with GEARCon this year as Operations staff as well as DJing Vanity Thorne's Vaudeville Vixens burlesque performance there on Sunday evening.

What advice do you have for young/new Steampunks?

Find what you like and do it! Don't let someone tell you "That's not Steampunk" or "That's not authentic" or "You're doing it wrong." Steampunk started out as a literary genre, it's all fictional, speculative, and supposed to be fun. Sure, there might be some general guidelines most steampunks follow, but if we're all playing a big game of "what if?" together, than your "What if?" is just as valid as someone else's "What if."

Tell us about a project you'd love to start!
 
I'd love to film a Steampunk movie or web series. In the "real world," my educational background is in film production, but between real world time, creativity, and budget constraints, the opportunities to begin such a project just haven't quite materialized yet.

Talk about what you like about your involvement in the Portland Steampunk community/the Steampunk community at large.
The people I've met, and the activities I've participated in! I've gotten to meet and hang out with Abney Park, Aurelio Voltaire, numerous local artists like Vagabond Opera, the Wanderlust Circus, Three for Silver, Professor Elemental, Sir Poplock Holmes, Lord Montague J Fromage III (aka SteampunkFUNK Bizarre), being on "Grimm," getting auctioned off for a date at GEARCon (and getting 'bought' by Captain Robert for a brunch date,) going to concerts, conventions, riding on steam trains, and just generally enjoying fun times with great people!

Last but not least...

DJ Dirty Mollie will return to the airwaves and interwebs sometime this year! Promise!

SW10: Colette Lovelace of The Clockwork Dolls, on Inspiration and the Human Experience

If you attended Steampunk World's Fair this past weekend, you heard the vocals of the lovely Colette Lovelace of The Clockwork Dolls on the Midway Stage. Last week we featured Colette's bandmate, Allison Curval. This week, Colette, who also hails from Baltimore, tells us how she got into Steampunk and describes the labor-intensive process of writing lyrics. To listen to more of Colette's work, check out The Clockwork Dolls on Bandcamp.

How would you define/describe yourself?

That is a mighty broad question and one that is genuinely hard for me to answer. I think one of the best descriptions of me is that I am someone who is exceedingly reluctant to describe herself. If pushed, I’d say I am a pretty calm, practical, flexible person; I’d like to think I have all but mastered the art of “rolling with the punches.” I like to stay positive, supportive, and optimistic when I can; I think it’s healthy for not just the individual, but for the world on the whole.

I’m also someone who loves production as much as consumption. In addition to making music, I love to cook, knit, brew, garden, do needlework; anything that produces tangible results. There is something so fulfilling about creation and being able to share the results with those around me.

How did you find steampunk?

The way I find everything meaningful in my life - the internet. I think my first real exposure to the subculture was through Datamancer’s work. I remember being blown away by his computer modifications and thinking, “So, how can I see more of this?”

Colette (left) and Alison (right) performing Saturday
at the Steampunk World's Fair in Piscataway, N.J.

After being clued in about Steampunk, I was really excited to look into it. I was already very much interested in historical costuming, and just history in general, and I loved the idea of modifying and romancing Victoriana in a sci-fi setting. I really loved the aesthetics of it all, as well.

Describe one of your creative processes.

Well, the biggest part of my work with The Clockwork Dolls is writing lyrics. I’d like to tell you it is some sort of spiritual process filled with candle-lit rituals, but it really is more mundane than that. There’s this old joke that goes, “How do you carve a marble elephant? You get a block of marble and carve off anything that doesn’t look like an elephant.” The joke is dumb, but it’s weirdly analogous to my process. Allison’s music overwhelmingly follows a narrative, so the first step really is just trying to get a feel for the content of the song. Then I take a few deep breaths and try to imagine the narrative in my mind. Then, I’ll just brain vomit onto paper and write down every little scene and dialogue and feeling that I have on the matter. After that, I’ll sift, sort, cut, and edit all of those snippets into a workable piece; essentially carving away anything that doesn’t “look like an elephant.” Then I go through and polish it again and again, adjusting wording and phrasing, until I’m satisfied; or, more often, until I’ve run out of time and convinced myself that I’m satisfied anyway.

Who or what inspires you?

Lots of things inspire me, I suppose. There are definitely musicians that inspire me, like Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald, June Tabor, and Sophie Tucker; and I take a lot of inspiration from things like history, folklore, and mythology. But I think I take most of my inspiration from the human experience. The way people react, their emotions, their connectedness, their stories, their triumphs, their failures; it’s an endless vein to mine. There are people who have affected the world in enormous ways, whether through justice or tragedy or progress, and the way those people have affected the world is so inspiring to me. The idea of a single person affecting the lives of those around them through greatness or through mundanity; it’s a fascinating area to explore.

What projects are you working on right now?

We have easily half a dozen projects in the pipeline at the moment, but front in the queue is our new album. The working title is "The Sleepwalker Chronicles" and it’s going to be AMAZING. Allison has written some incredible music for it so far and has really been pounding out this amazing, detailed, intriguing plot line for it as well. We have some ambitious plans for this album and I know it’s going to be incredible.

What advice do you have for young Steampunks?

Don’t let anyone define you. There’s always going to be pressure to conform to preconceived standards, but don’t feel like you have to abide by them. Don’t let others judge you for your choices and question any self-proclaimed authorities. I think sometimes there is a fear among younger and/or newer Steampunks to “get it right.” That mindset makes them too cautious. Deviate, take leaps, and make choices. Take risks and don’t let anyone hold their judgments over you. Creativity requires deviation; that’s what makes it so exciting and beautiful.

SW9: Allison Curval of the Clockwork Dolls, Living a Life of Full Immersion

This week's blog features Allison Curval of Baltimore, Md., composer, instrumentalist, and founding member of The Clockwork Dolls. You'll be able to catch Allison and The Clockwork Dolls this weekend at the Steampunk World's Fair, and click here and here to get premieres of new songs.


How would you define/describe yourself?

How would I describe myself? Well, imagine this: You got this kid, right? Well, this kid really wants to learn to fix the TV, but instead of watching an expert or taking classes, this kid decides it’s a great idea to steal a screw driver from the garage and fix the TV all by themselves.

 

Aforementioned kid, of course, totally forgot to unplug the TV and, one trip to the emergency room later, comes right back to square one to start all over again.

After a bunch of tries, and just as many trips to the ER, the kid finally gets the TV to turn on. Sure, the picture doesn’t look quite right and the hospital bill was enough to fund several hundred TV’s, but the kid did it.

That’s me; I’m that kid. I’m not the brightest, I’m not the best, I’m not patient, and I sure as hell lack the common sense to do things right, but I finished the job.

I’m just a kid with a keyboard, no common sense, and a hefty hospital bill. Yeah that sums me up alright!

I also write the music for the band… I guess I should have mentioned that earlier!

How did you find steampunk?

As a kid, my dad was obsessed with two things: history and talking about history. I remember late nights sitting by the dinner table long after it’s been cleared with my father giving me long elaborate lectures on the imperial age of Korea through WWII and the Korean War. I remembered being fascinated with those stories; hearing about people, what they’ve done to survive, what they wore, what my grandfather ate, what he smoked, and what he drank.

And boy did my family love to drink. Our reunions were incredible.

From those table side chats with my dad kindled a love for history, for the past, I remembered staring at these old black and white photographs of Seoul in the early 20’s and making up stories about them. They were wrong of course but who cares? My imagination went wild.

Fast forward to my teen years: I loved sci fi, I lived and died by the old Star Wars vs. Star Trek debates that went on in school, and watched the original Star Wars Trilogy as many times as I possibly could. Hell, I even dressed up  as a Jawa for halloween; I was short enough! I was a nerd and, dammit, I was proud of it.

Then my 20’s hit. The perfect storm of a love for history and a love for science fiction came together when I saw  the Time Machine in the theaters.  I remembered reading HG Wells as a kid and getting a kick out of some of the image,s but I never really saw it play out quite like what I saw on the big screen. It blew my mind. Now, keep in mind, this is 2002; Steampunk conventions weren’t a thing, and I didn’t discover the Brass Goggles forum until 5 years later, so I took what I could get from the aesthetics I saw and delved into Victoriana and Edwardian era music, style, fashion, politics, and history.

Fast forward a few years later:

A co-worker handed me a DVD and said, “You gotta watch this.” The movie was Steamboy. I had no idea what happened to me, but by the time the DVD was done I was googling “Steampunk” and BOOM. I found Steampunk.

Describe one of your creative processes.

ONE!? JUST ONE!? You’re killing me. KILLING ME. Alright, let’s go with our last album, “When Banners Fall.” It’s not really a Steampunk album, but the creative process pretty much similar across all of my works. So, here we go ...

I’m not content just writing music – I have to write a soundtrack; I have to write a score; I have to have visuals and a story to go with my work. I have to be John Williams, Hans Zimmer, and Jerry Goldsmith all rolled into a 5’3" song writing machine. But I can’t just sit down and write, that’s too easy right?

So, I have to live the music. I have to feel the emotions of the song and bring it to life. I have to feel the story on a personal, visceral level, otherwise, how am I going to make others feel what I have felt?  A lot of this involves putting myself in situations where I can empathize with the emotions and feelings of a particular song or story; I have to get inside their heads.

So, how does this relate to writing an album about WWII like "When Banners Fall"? Simple. I had to live WWII. I had to get inside WWII.

So, I listened to nothing but radio broadcasts from the era, watched nothing but movies from the era, and (tried) to experiment with sleeping outside in the dirt. My neighbors did not appreciate me digging a fox hole, but if they didn’t want me peeking into their house they should have bought blinds!

I even had a brief (and terrible) experience where I tried to live a few weeks off nothing but stuff that would be found in ration kits: corned beef, sugar pills, coffee, cigarettes, crackers, etc.

I will tell you right now: I would not recommend ANY of what you’ve read above. These are terrible ideas and I’m a terrible person. But through my experience abusing myself, I felt confident enough to write my music and score an era of time in which I did not live. Did I succeed? I’m not sure to be honest, but it makes a wonderful story!

Who or what inspires you?

What inspires me? Stories.  I can’t write a song without a story. I tried; it’s awful. For "Dramatis Personae," I had a narrative in my head for each song written that played out like a movie in my mind. As I was writing "When Banners Fall," I was reading letters from soldiers sent home and listening to speeches because I wanted to capture the stories of the time. I was obsessed with stories.

As far as people who inspire me? Franklin Delano Roosevelt; the man kept this country together through the worst times and he did it with polio. Plus, I love his speeches and fireside chats. Whenever I think of calm tenacity and leadership, I think of FDR, and that gets me through a lot.

I’m also inspired by Charlie Chaplin; I still get tears when watching Limelight.

What projects are you working on right now?

The next Clockwork Dolls album! It is tentatively called "The Sleepwalk Chronicles." Soundwise, I’m trying to mix fantasy film scores from my childhood (Neverending Story, Dark Crystal, Legend, and Labryinth) with contemporary electronica and our signature classical sound.

Like our previous works the album will feature a story which we’re currently in the process of setting up.  The story will take place in 1918 and will feature a heavy mix of fantasy with just a hint of tragedy

What advice do you have for young steampunks?

Don’t be afraid of failure. Don’t be afraid of judgment. Fear never having tried. And spiders. Since you’re also Steampunk, you should fear Steampunk spiders. Very nasty and so many cogs glued on them.

Take it from the crazy lady who built a band using an electronic orchestra when her friends told her that it would never sound right or it would never catch on.

Yeah, they might be right; sure, I could still fail; but the music speaks for itself.

Oh, another bit of advice? If you’re going to dig foxholes in your backyard, contact your local utility company first.

SW8: This Way To Sarah - Lady Egress!

This week we hear from Sarah Shown aka "Saddle" Sarah or Lady Egress - from This Way to the EGRESS!  Sarah comes to us by way of Bethlehem, PA - so East Coast Steampunks should be very familiar with her work - West Coast folks, watch out! 

How would you define/describe yourself?

I am the partner, leading lady, piano/violin player and songstress of This Way to the EGRESS. I am a multi-tasker, turd polisher, DIY warrior. I was raised in a musical family and have been playing since I was 7. I met Taylor and teamed up with him in EGRESS in 2008. We were so diluted by the current musical temperature that we decided to create a band where we didn't adhere to any boundaries and created music that we would like to hear. I think the most steampunk thing about me is I am rather anachronistic. 

How did you find steampunk?
I was actually lucky and steampunk found me. In 2009 EGRESS was approached to play a handful of steampunk events. It was through those shows that we learned about the subculture. It was really awesome to find that a lot of what we already loved and had interest in was all coming together in a scene. That there weren't boundaries about what you could be like there are in a lot of other scenes. The steampunk community has greatly supported and adopted EGRESS and myself as it's own even though at times we seem to march to our own beat. That is a part of what makes it so great, we can create our own reality.

Describe one of your creative processes.
I suppose it depends on what I am working on. It rather bi polar actually. My creative process' change according to my moods. Mostly when it comes to song writing however, songs come one of a couple ways. The lyrics first and then I put them to music, the music firs and then I write lyrics to it or sometimes I sit down with a concept or a purpose, like "I am going to write about what's happening in the world and how it effects me" or I am going to sit down and use this new scale I have been working on and create a song from that. One thing that is consistently the same is that I like to create things my friends and I would like to wear or listen too or look at. A lot of times its just an organic process I give it over to a higher place and it creates it's self through me.

Who or what inspires you?

Some of my biggest musical inspirations are my experiences and travels. My emotions and humanity. I have experienced a decent amount of death that seems to weigh heavily on my every day life. I draw quite a bit of inspiration from our fans and their stories. My friends and family, especially my mom. My muse, Taylor. He has an incredibly refreshing approach to live and it inspires me daily. I am incredibly inspired by stories about change and self awareness. I think that is the most difficult thing for lots of folks to do and I love it and watching the transformation and sometimes I am lucky enough to be a part of that transformation. I am heavily influenced by film and the films I like, mostly dating back to my teen years. Lastly, Tom Waits. 

What projects are you working on right now? 
Right now every inch of my focus is going into This Way to the EGRESS. We about to release our third full length album. It's entitled Great Balancing Act and it is being unleashed digitally onMay 19th however we are having some record release parties one of which is at this years Steampunk World's Fair!! There is so much that goes into being in a DIY band that I am completely encompassed with the sphere of it all. We have finished booking a tour and now we are working on promotions places to sleep and all of the work that goes into being on the road like over hauling the van, packing, over hauling our gear, practicing and preparing our stage show. In between all of that I am running the social media campaigns trying to find time to be

human and plant my garden : )

What advice do you have for young steampunks? 
Be true to yourself. No matter what and at all costs. You are in a great scene for that!! If you don't know how to do something or make something, Learn how. The best thing about steampunk is it is largely a DIY community. If you don't have the interest in learning how to make a pair of goggles or a mini top hat than support  the arts!  In fact support the arts anyway. Music and Art and Words are suffering in our culture at large, don't let it become a thing of the past. Give that gift to the future by becoming a part of the movement. We don't have to just eat what society force feeds us, we can be in charge by supporting the things we think are important.

Website: www.thiswaytotheegress.com