Speaker 1: Arrow dot net is more than just a podcast. It
is a podcast network. So far, it's twenty different podcasts,
one of them being vocal dfrag. Come on, you do
it every day. You're always asking other people, what do
you think? How do you think I should do this?
What color goes best with this color?
Speaker 2: Hey?
Speaker 1: Sometimes you got to stand on your own two feet
and ask your own questions then question the answers. It's
called vocal dfragging. It will change your life. It's on
ero dot net, Rrie dot net. Enjoy the exploration. Hello
and good morning, Good afternoon. How's everybody doing?
Speaker 3: How are you doing?
Speaker 1: Ask me? Wow, you do realize this is a blessing
that I've got you both. It really truly is a blessing.
Speaker 3: Oh, you're so kind. Well, we're grateful to be here
and shot with you today.
Speaker 1: Well, the collaboration that you guys have generated, I mean
to read that you came from two different worlds, but
yet when I experience your music, it's like, no, You're
putting me in one world and I'm loving it.
Speaker 3: That's great, great to hear. Thank you so much, Eryl.
Speaker 1: How did it all come into being? Especially when it
comes to the name, because I want listeners when when
they go to Spotify or they go to iHeartRadio, I
don't want them to have their own interpretation of what's
going on here.
Speaker 4: Yeah, So we are the FAW and FAW stands for
our last names, Faith and Ariza.
Speaker 3: Pretty simple but mysterious. At the same time, it.
Speaker 1: Does create a little bit of mystique because I mean
you could sit there and ask Alexa, you know, is
this a good name? And she would She would sit
there and say, it sounds very modern. It's very much
up to date. It is in touch with where people
are because I mean, if you look at what people
are doing with the younger generations, they're using things such
as FAW as part of their language, and the rest
of us are going to explain.
Speaker 4: Please, I know it's got a little question mark above it,
but appreciate that we kind of as we were coming
together with all of this, we considered a variety different
things and we're grateful it all worked out.
Speaker 1: To remain so true, especially with you, Mike on that guitar.
Is it one of those moments where you walk through
the guitar center and said, oh my god, people are
jamming on these guitars, Like I grew up with. They've
we've got to give them something with devour and everything
else that's involved in this totally.
Speaker 2: I mean, it's all about the riff and the excitement
of the instrument, the guitar, you know, riff riff.
Speaker 1: Well, Amy, how are you able to blend so perfectly
in with that guitar, because I mean, you guys don't
mind sharing the stages with everything that you're bringing from
both sides of your fans.
Speaker 4: Thank you, you know, to be honest, the union between us,
we believe was divine, you know, like most all things
in life, and so we've definitely give credit to that
us coming together at the time that we did, us
coming from vastly different backgrounds to the point where you'd
sometimes you know, creak your neck and say, how did
that even occur? We ask ourselves that often, and so
we really do thank the universe for bringing us together.
And we both have had, you know, pretty wonderful careers
up until the point that we've met, and to be
able to come and share a single stage and be
able to share, you know, the different gifts that we
bring together and shine is is just a blessing.
Speaker 3: And we don't take that for granted.
Speaker 1: Well, you know, the Dalai Lama would tell you it's
because you've lived this life before, and it's very possible
that Mike was on a sitar on those days.
Speaker 4: Hey yeah, totally.
Speaker 1: So let's talk about devour. I mean, what I love
about this is, first of all, you patiently wait with
your with your vocals to bring first it's Mike's guitar,
then your vocals. Is that like being a radio jock
when we start a song. The second we hear that song,
we add in our part and then it brings it
right to you because I mean, it's all got to
get married there somehow, some way.
Speaker 5: You hit the nail right on the head totally.
Speaker 4: Yeah, good, generating that excitement, yeah, and then coming in.
Speaker 2: With the.
Speaker 4: Vocal to just energize the riff that's already pretty magnetic.
Speaker 3: That that was the idea there.
Speaker 1: So are you like me in the way that you
can envision who that person is in that live audience
and go, this is where they're going to come in.
It's almost like you you have this innate feeling that
this is where they're going to sing along, this is
where they're going to do this.
Speaker 4: Absolutely, I mean, as with what we discussed earlier. There's
there's so much channeling that occurs as an artist, whatever
type of artist you might be, and we we received
the gift of the riff, and I end up hearing
melodies in my head, you know that really correspond well
with the riff, and it just it kind of rights itself.
We just I think our biggest job as artists is
just to remain open and ready to receive.
Speaker 1: You know, well, I'm glad you're using riff the way
that it was meant to be because there for the
longest time, because of PBS and other shows for instance,
like what was it two thousand and one Space Mystery
or something where everybody said, if you're gonna riff a movie,
then you've got and I'm going riff. That's not riffing
a movie. A riff is a guitar, the thing that
we do on the guitar. So I'm glad that you're
using riff as what it was really meant to be.
Speaker 5: Yeah, original riff.
Speaker 1: Yeah yeah, But is that something you stored inside your
smartphone and then maybe a couple of years later, Mike,
you got it back.
Speaker 2: No, I think, if I recall correctly, I was just uh.
We were in our studio and we always have like
just inspiration time, and you know, she was at the
other end of the studio and came running down the hall,
so that I love that. I was like, Okay, let's
here it is, here's our song.
Speaker 1: So then how do the lyrics come into play? Because
I'm that guy that will sit there and go like, yeah,
Ben jim Nat you you know, it's like you're not
even saying anything, dude, Come on.
Speaker 3: You know.
Speaker 4: I've been a poet and writer since I can remember
as a young girl.
Speaker 3: So I find inspiration wherever I go, whether.
Speaker 4: It's out running errands, in the store, sitting quietly meditating,
and sometimes just words will pop into my head.
Speaker 3: And truly, this.
Speaker 4: Word devoured just popped into my head as we were
sitting and I was listening to this riff here, and
I was like, that is one heck of a word.
You know, that word carries a lot of weight and
power and could mean a variety of things, and.
Speaker 3: So that was just obviously what the song was going
to be about.
Speaker 1: Oh my god, because the second that I saw that
that word was the title of your song, the first
thing I literally said, this, Oh really Okay, let me
go ahead and give this a shot. I mean, you
see what we as listeners take into it. We've got
our own interpretation or judgment before we get into the
damn song.
Speaker 3: Yeah, totally.
Speaker 5: That's all the fun, you know.
Speaker 2: That's what makes it fun is you know, and that
little shiny light or whatever the title it may be,
or that thumbnail to That's what interests me about Music's bring.
Speaker 3: It up to the person to interpret.
Speaker 1: So now, how many people have come forward saying yes,
alternative music, But I I'm being the weird one here.
I think of it as being theatrical music because of
the lyrics, because of the drama, because of everything that's
going on inside the instrumentation. This to me is theatrical.
Speaker 5: That's really really cool.
Speaker 3: We appreciate that.
Speaker 4: I mean, I think that's a testament to the vastly
different backgrounds that we come from. I mean, to be honest,
I have a background in musical theater, in jazz, in
classical of course, in pop, and in rock, really a variety.
But I think like we all can say is that
we're so influenced by the life we've lived before this moment,
and those things definitely come into play in our songwriting.
Speaker 1: That is so funny you say that. And the reason
why is because I was doing some research on people
who live in the past and what do we do
for the paste? I just leave it, And of course
all the research said, no, you're not living in the past.
All you're doing is you're recognizing it and you're bringing
it forward so that you can use it when you've
got the tools. So I love that that you're able
to say, look, this is what we once had. It
can be even bigger and stronger even today.
Speaker 3: Yeah.
Speaker 1: Well, set, well, so how do you make it so authentic?
Because we live in this candy coated, bubblegum backroom kind
of vibe right now. But when you listen to this song,
I'm going, God, dang it, I can get this. I
totally understand what's happening here.
Speaker 3: That's really cool, you know.
Speaker 4: To be honest, something that's always been very important to
us since the very beginning is being raw and authentic,
Like you said, in a world where things are plastic
and perfect and just obnoxiously so, you know, we want
to leave the human element in it, even if that
means imperfections at times. But I think that especially today,
the world is kind of we're all not for that.
We all are craving a little bit of humanness in everything,
just because we're seemingly living in a perfect driven.
Speaker 3: World these days.
Speaker 2: We write these songs once we get the riff. We
actually moved to an acoustic guitar and we sit in
one of the rooms in our studio house and we
write it there. And so for us, that's how we
feel when we have a song is when you can
play it acoustically, and then you get in the studio,
get the electric guitar and you get all the amps
and stuff like that, and then it just it adds
the death and more death and dimensions. So that's kind
of how we work.
Speaker 1: Please do not move. There's more with Amy and Mike
from the FA coming up next. The name of the
new song Devour from the FA. Let's get back with
Amy and Mike. I want to go there now, into
this special writing place that you speak of, because I
have one as well. But the thing about it is,
though there are many times I'll look at that window
and accuse that window of lying to me, what is
outside that window isn't really happening. What I need to
do is focus on what is and that's in this
moment with this instrument.
Speaker 3: Yeah, totally, that's how you enter that zone, right boy.
Speaker 1: But isn't that kind of tough being a creative I mean,
I mean, how are you able to even get the
courage and the confidence to even step out there with
music in this world?
Speaker 3: I mean, it's I think that's like the Catch twenty two.
Speaker 4: It's like, you can't not do it because that's how
we remain living beings and we're able to navigate being
in the world. And at the same time, yeah, there's
a lot of inner conflict with it. So I think
it's just you just ask yourself, well, if I don't,
then what you know.
Speaker 1: Been in those moments where if I don't then what
I mean that that, to me is the difference between
the studio performance as well as the live stage performance.
Do you ever stand on that stage and take chances
up there going I'm going to see what they do
this time, because I know the last time I thought
it was maybe a little fumble or a mistake, Man,
it worked. I'm going to try it here now.
Speaker 5: Totally.
Speaker 2: There's no there's no guardrails in the studio or in
live It's.
Speaker 5: Just fun, you know.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, and also the cool thing about live
is like you have room.
Speaker 4: To explore the moment a little bit more. And I
think that people they crave that and they want that
because it's real, you know. And that's why they pay
their hard earned money to buy a ticket to your show,
because they're wanting something real and in the moment and
something that can take you somewhere.
Speaker 1: Yeah, we want to go home a different person. We
want to be able to go home and have an
experience is what we want to have.
Speaker 3: Yeah.
Speaker 2: Yeah, rock and roll is our ticket to forever being
youthful and forever being free and total like you know,
childlike expression. You know. That's what drives me with it
is when we get into writing mode or even just
leisurely paying whatever it is with our instruments, It's just
takes me back to when I was a kid just
picking up the first time. I'm still learning, we're still learning,
still excited about it.
Speaker 5: What kind of new sound can I get out of it?
You know that will never go away? Thankfully?
Speaker 1: Oh yeah, it was. It was back in the day
when you would go to an authentic record store and
you'd be the kid back there in the back, you know, saying, hey,
did you hear this one? What is this one? Live
from Buddhakon? Who the hell is cheap trick? What are
you talking about?
Speaker 2: You know?
Speaker 1: And because I mean to me, that's what I love
about music is that it is the art and you
say it clearly, it is the art of intentional listening.
You go in to find music, you find it because
that was your intention for the moment.
Speaker 5: Totally.
Speaker 3: Yeah, absolutely, is that vehicle?
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's chance taking in a Spotify world? So I mean,
is that someplace you like to play on those different
platforms or how do we guide people to where exactly
you are? Because this is an age where there's just
so much going on.
Speaker 4: You're exactly right, you know, YouTube for us is the
best vehicle to stay connected, to be the first to
hear our latest releases of course music videos, and our
handle for that is the fa underscore music.
Speaker 1: Speaking of YouTube and your social media connection, where you
getting all those sunset sunset pictures at? I mean, come
on now, I mean that's you're happy. I sat there,
I said, are they really taking these shots? Are they
playing around with them? What's going on with these sunset shots?
Speaker 3: That's the real deal.
Speaker 4: You know, we're actually in the Southwest in New Mexico actually,
you know, known for for the sunsets and the mountains
and the true beauty of what the Southwest is.
Speaker 3: So we're grateful.
Speaker 2: You know.
Speaker 3: It really captured the theme of the song.
Speaker 4: This one just it landed right right where we wanted
it to as far as location goes.
Speaker 2: So yeah, yeah, it's we got it was. The day
was just perfect. It was a perfect temperature for what
we were wearing. It wasn't too hot, the sun and
everything was perfect.
Speaker 5: It was it was meant to be. We're grateful for that.
Speaker 1: So when you're doing a video or anything like that,
is it like being a radio jockey. You've got to
step into that character?
Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, there were Yeah.
Speaker 1: Yeah, because the average person, I don't think really thinks
about that. Because my my favorite place to be is
right over there on the stage where I'm sitting there
looking at you guys, going, oh, they're doing the transition
right now. They're going into that mode once they're introduced.
It's showtime, baby, and they're not going to remember any
of this totally.
Speaker 5: Yeah, that escape, Yeah, you turn into your true self.
Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, tapping into some things parts of yourself that
it's an honor to go there.
Speaker 1: You know, does it take you back to a garage
band or does it take you back to your bedroom
or your dad and mom are telling you to turn
that stuff down?
Speaker 5: All of it, man, all of it.
Speaker 2: You know that that first that first time when you
have someone that you met in school that plays drums
and you know you've got a little you know, inexpensive guitar,
inexpensive amp, and you're just you know, let's see where
this takes us. You know, we still have that mindset.
That's that's what's great about music altogether.
Speaker 1: Do you still have some of those lyrics though, from
those younger years in the way that you can go
back with your adult shoes on and go. So this
is what I was thinking back then, because to me,
it's it is like a window and this window is
not gonna lie because you wrote it on a piece
of paper, but you experienced what was going on.
Speaker 4: Yeah, absolutely, and of course in the in a more
innocent manner, you know, And there's room for those thoughts
that have expanded over time, of course.
Speaker 3: But definitely that, like you say, that.
Speaker 4: Window of peeking out and knowing that there's so much
ahead and wanting to explore that. It all, it's all
tied back to those initial moments.
Speaker 1: You know, you do you want the metal? Do you
want the the harder rock to be something that's not
underground right now? Or do you want it to be
out there like it was in the latter part of
the eighties into the nineties.
Speaker 5: You know, we'll take it as it comes.
Speaker 2: You know, things cycle through, energy changes, like seasons. We're
just grateful to be part of it. We're going to
continue to be part of it for a very long time.
Speaker 4: You just want to write good songs, you know, songs
that connect to people, that make them feel things and
go from there.
Speaker 1: Yeah, because we got to give kudos to these club
owners as well, the ones that you know that aren't
They don't have the thirty five and fifty thousand seats,
but they've got the clubs and people are coming in
there at one two o'clock in the morning to check
out this band they've heard a lot about. Now they
get to experience it.
Speaker 5: Yeah, totally.
Speaker 2: I mean it's the margins are pretty thin for stuff
like that. It's a lot of risk, you know, for
so many reasons. So the folks, the great folks that
own those clubs will allow musicians to go and have
an audience and express themselves.
Speaker 5: They also have a passion for it as well.
Speaker 1: Obviously, Yeah, where can people go to find out what
you're doing? Because I bet you got some merch to
go with that name. Oh my god, you can do
so much with that name.
Speaker 3: Thank you so much.
Speaker 4: Actually, that's a big one of our current goals to
really expand our.
Speaker 3: Merch and what we have to offer. But I think
the best place that.
Speaker 4: Will be to stay connected with both music and upcoming
merch is definitely going to be YouTube. The fa underscore
music you can join along the journey of new releases.
Speaker 3: We've got actually a new one that we're heading into.
Speaker 4: The studio for next week, so we'll definitely want you
to stay soon for that one.
Speaker 1: Also, Yeah, because there seems to be a big trend.
I know it's down here in the South that people
are wearing their favorite band and a lot of people
don't know about it. And the thing about it is, though,
is that to me, that's a conversation starter. So if
I get the FAW on a T shirt, that means
I get to go and talk for you in the
way of saying, God, you've got to listen to that song.
Holy crap, it's on YouTube. This is a.
Speaker 4: Experience, absolutely, yeah, And we'll get we'll get a shirt
for you and we'll send you one.
Speaker 1: Oh God, you know I'll wear it. I'll wear that
damn thing out like you wouldn't believe it. Thirty years
from now, there will be holes all the way and
you got to get rid of it.
Speaker 4: No, I might know, got the stories.
Speaker 1: Any any word on you guys being on the road
this spring or anything like that, because I know we're
in the winter months now.
Speaker 4: Yeah, we're we're definitely we have the intention to make
that happen this year. We're right now kind of in
the planning stage of who we want to collaborate with,
who we'd be in alignment with and a compliment to
on the road. So it's something we're open to and
plan on, and we'll be excited to make that announcement when.
Speaker 3: We have it.
Speaker 1: You just said something that really caught my attention. You
said who we want to collaborate with? Is this a
new age of music where it's like in the old
days the record company said, who you're going to collaborate
with now it's like you have the power of choice.
Speaker 5: Yeah, we do. It's it's a great time.
Speaker 2: I would I would say that right now and recently
and in the future is really one of the best
times to be an artist because you are it's your business.
Speaker 5: Literally you get to Yeah, it's.
Speaker 2: All within your hands and uh, from top to bottom,
and that's a great place to be. Honestly, it's exciting.
And you know the technology, uh, it works in your
favor as far as you know, recording, mixing, producing, making
all of your own content, your video, and you can
have your sound how you want it to come out
as and you can find people to calibrate, collaborate with
as far as like you know, producing, uh, session musicians.
Speaker 5: It's it's by the.
Speaker 2: Dozens and droves and droves and droves, and it's it's
a great time in my opinion.
Speaker 1: So, oh my god, you that that just brought back
memories of me. It's like when you can handpick the
person you want to come in just a guest star.
That is the greatest feeling in the world. It's going
to cost you a couple of pennies, but it's still
a great feeling that You've got the right person, the
right place, and the right sound totally.
Speaker 3: The agency that you get is just wonderful.
Speaker 1: Wow, you got to come back to this show anytime
in the future. You spoke of new music you're going
to be working on, so we got to keep that
word pumping out.
Speaker 2: Man.
Speaker 5: Absolutely, we so appreciate that.
Speaker 3: We well, we'll be back real soon.
Speaker 1: Will you be brilliant today? Okay?
Speaker 3: You also, what a joy and pleasure to speak with you.
Thank you so much. Thank you