Interview and Photos by Jerry Alperin
The Interview
Granny 4 Barrel pulled into Salt Lake City as their first stop on the “Year of the Bull Tour”. I had a chance to sit down with Granny before the show to find out more about her, the band and the music.
I want to start off by saying Thank you, to Granny and everyone evolved with the tour.
Q. Were stick figures really the very beginning of the Granny persona?
A. Oh, your way back in the archives. Yeah, it goes all the way back. Back when I was in elementary school, I was drawing these crazy little stick figures, had a little Granny character and a whole array. They are actually called Sick Figurez, and I got a trademark on that. I even have the domain name, but haven’t uploaded anything yet. It’s Sick Figurez, with a Z.
Q. Was the persona also based on a character in the movie “Burnt Offerings?
A. You know I am a product of the seventies horror genre, horror onslaught. Remember all those movies back then? And it’s one of my favorites. You know, a crazy old woman who lives upstairs that nobody ever sees, it was scary. Karen Black, she’s hot and scary at the same time.
Q. What changes to Granny did you want to make over the last few years?
A. We just talked about making Granny more Metal, You know I mean it just progressed. It was like, alright, the character is still here, she still represents the spirit of rock and roll, this is the entertainment business. It just evolved over time. Remember way back, Judas Priest and Black Sabbath and what they looked like? At the California jam they had blue flared jeans on, bell bottoms.
Q. How did it come about that Stormy Daniels was chosen to direct your new video for She Likes Guns? And why the delay of release?
A. Well, it came about, that was going to be the first single Jerry, She Likes Guns. Because the album has been done now for a year. So back last year, June of 2017, these friends with Stormy said hey, I got this friend of mine Stormy Daniels, she’s an adult star, but she also makes rock videos. She’s a legitimate cinematographer, I want to connect you guys. So we connected, made a video, and that was it. Then the radio was like, well guns is a hot topic, and it got shelved. So we put out Freak Flag. So after 5 months and charting at number 26, let’s pick another song. I was like hey boys, you check the news lately? You remember what we are sitting on right? Stormy Daniels ring a bell? And if radio doesn’t support it, the ones who do are gonna love it. So the next single is She Likes Guns. And it’s coming out soon, probably within the next 6-8 weeks.
Q. Being a product of the 70’s myself, Freak Flag back then meant being proud of your long hair. What meaning do you think it has in today’s world?
A. Well, I mean anything goes these days. Again this is the entertainment business. You know, I just wrote a song. I’m going to speak to some pop culture right now. Freak Flag, what does that mean? It means express yourself, to be who you were meant to be. Don’t be afraid to express who you are, the way you dress, the way you talk. I mean, look at me, I’m an old lady sitting here on a tour bus talking to you and fronting a rock band.
Q. Why did you only put out Freak Flag as a single? Can we expect a full album soon?
A. Well we got a whole album. Were gonna have some shipped to us on the road, about 10 days down the road. It’s the informal release, and will be selling these at the shows. But the formal release on Mighty Loud Records, Jesse Dupree’s label, will come out sometime in June or July.
Q. I really don’t see you as “shock rock” which some describe it, what kind of impression are you looking to make in the music world?
A. It’s shocking in a sense, in this point of time. It’s 2018, what are you gonna do? But there has never been an old lady fronting a Metal band before. I’m kind of messing around with gender issues, I’m old and I’m not supposed to be, because it is not acceptable to be old and cool. I feel like I’m just pushing buttons, it’s an expression of what I want to be. An ornery, pissed off old lady fronting a rock band seems pretty cool to me. As once said, “the show is kind of comical, kind of creepy, then you get kicked in the nuts by it.
The Show
As I quoted earlier, “the show is kind of comical, kind of creepy, then you get kicked in the nuts by it”
Be the first to comment