Speaker 1: And now joining us alive in studio here if we
have Rebecca Turmael, Hello, welcome.
Speaker 2: It's awesome to be here. Yes, talk music.
Speaker 1: And no for wonderful to have you. Yeah, that's that's
a beautiful song you had mentioned off air, I think
something about Is that the first song you recorded?
Speaker 2: Yes, so that's the first song that I went into
the studio with. I was terrified. My guitar had never
been in a recording studio. Yeah, that was a little
over two years ago. Now I released that in July
of twenty twenty two, so it's it's been a bit
and it's been a journey so far.
Speaker 1: Where did you record that?
Speaker 2: I record that at the Underground in Randolph, Vermont with Vincent.
He's incredible in such a great space over there.
Speaker 1: Now, how did you How did you come to record there?
Because you know, you've got so many options as far
as studios or or even home recording or there's so
many different ways now to record. What led you to
record there?
Speaker 2: I well, first of all, I know absolutely nothing about
recording any of that fun stuff. So a good friend
of mine who I brought the song to, Jim Yeager.
He's been in the music industry for well over forty
years now. He recommended Vinnie because I just needed a
place where I could feel comfortable, because I was so
frightened to get into the studio for the first time. Yeah,
so He's like, get us to the other Ground. It's
a great spot and they have a great acoustic sound.
So I'm like, all right, let's do it. And I
ended up falling in love with the space. And I'm
really glad of that choice that I made to go
to the Underground.
Speaker 1: Yeah, now did you because you sent us a couple
other songs? Who were these all recorded there?
Speaker 2: No? Actually, I actually I've had the privilege of getting
I got to record at Blackbird's studio in Nashville, but
I also have recorded up at Squam Sound with Randy Rus.
I've kind of tried a few different spaces and actually
just this week I was at the studio Portland and
Portland Main Oh no kidding, So I just I like
to try a new space with most each song. But
wish you well. I also recorded at the Underground as well.
Speaker 1: The studio in Portland. Was that because John MacArthur. I
think that's how we met. We met you through John. Yes,
is that the studio where it's him and his son,
I think.
Speaker 2: Yes, yeah, the Sam MacArthur and John and his wife
Weaver are also the co owners of that studio. But
they do a great monthly event for singer songwriters in
duo acts. You can go in and get a video,
live video, and a live recording on one take in
one night. But it's also an in studio audience in
there too, so you get like this, it's awesome.
Speaker 1: Is it intimidating to do that? Oh?
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's a very small space, right right, Yeah, but
it was really cool because you got to just live
in the moment with the music, but capture it as
well and like with that professional sound in that professional video.
Speaker 1: Yeah.
Speaker 2: So you get a little bit of everything, which is nice,
and especially when I'm a working, a full time working musician,
I need a lot of content, video content and stuff
for my ePK. It was great to do.
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, no doubt. Now you So I read your bio.
Did you start out doing covers and then started doing originals?
Speaker 2: Yeah, so I've been. Actually I just hit my seven
year anniversary of playing out.
Speaker 1: Oh congratulations.
Speaker 2: I started off as a cover artist, a gigging musician.
My first gig was in my hometown at this Irish
pub I worked at. It was Kathleen's Cottage now it's
Kathleen's Irish Pub, and I just I did that for
a while. I would take songs that I loved, songs
that were meaningful to me, and tried to make them
my own, yeah, make performance with it. And I finally decided, Okay,
I need to try writing my own stuff and seeing
how that feels like. And it's definitely an entirely different experience.
Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah, it's interesting because for a lot of singer songwriters,
you know, a lot of people we talked to on
the show, they start out with original music and then
they wind up doing covers live because they kind of
have to because it helps, you know, as far as
getting gigs, and that's what a lot of venues want.
So it's interesting for you it kind of went the
other way. I mean, was it always your plan to
ultimately do your own material or not?
Speaker 2: Really? It honestly wasn't even my plan to do music
to begin with. I usually started off in the theater. Okay,
So when I was a little girl at my first show,
I think I was like nine years old, but I
fell in love with performing, being on stage and in college.
I dabbled with my guitar in high school, but I
didn't really do much with it. I picked it back
up and started playing songs and went to some open
mics with some friends, some other theater kids, and because
it's just fun to do that stuff. Yeah, then I
was getting gig opportunities. People asked me to play at
their bars and restaurants, and it's just flourished into this
whole journey, not only musical discovery but self discovery as well.
Speaker 1: And to be able to do that full time. It
seems like this is because I the other thing, I
was surprised reading your bio. It seems like, in the
grand scheme of things, you haven't been at this that long,
but it seems like you've been able to really, you know,
have a lot of success very quickly with it, which
is great.
Speaker 2: Yeah. I feel extremely fortunate that the opportunities that have
come my way. It's it's just astounding to think of
how far I have come because I've only been doing
it full time for about two years now. Yeah, but
I have a really great support system. I've had some
wonderful mentors in my life. That really guided me and
helped me so far, and I think helps with that
trajectory to get yeah further along a little bit faster. Yeah,
of course I'm always nosing the grindstone, just yeah.
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like like in terms of mentors, like
like I assume John MacArthur is one, right, oh yeah.
Speaker 2: And Brad Myrick as well. I actually am a self
taught guitarist and I just recently decided okay, it's time
and I really understand what I'm doing, and I've been
diving into some guitar lessons as well.
Speaker 1: Yeah.
Speaker 2: But my my first mentor was also previously my manager,
was Jimmy Eager, and he was a blessing to have
at the beginning because I've always like been so I'm
so nervous about everything all the time. I don't need
to be, but i am. It's just a trade of
mind I can't seem to get rid of. But he
did a really good job keeping me level headed and
just and being honest with me. So it's been nice
to have just people who are genuinely there and who care,
and it's just it's I'm so grateful for everyone I've had.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, how do you find how do you
find those people? Because I hear a lot of especially
young musicians, say it's hard to find mentors or people
they can really trust, Like have you just been fortunate
or do you have some kind of you know, are
you intuitive in a way where you know, Okay, this
person I think is going to help me in their
genuine and they you know, because there's a lot of
I don't know sharks. I don't know how else to
put it.
Speaker 2: You know what I mean, I know exactly what you mean.
I think it's just been a mix of both just
being fortunate and also I just I really love being
a part of our music community, and I play a lot,
but when I'm not playing, I really try to get
out and see what else everyone else is doing, especially
the full timers, because it's hard. So I love to
show support. And with that, that's everyone that I've met
who's going to my life that has really been through,
like mutual music friends who have known them previously. So
that's how I ran into Jim and I was performing
with a friend of mine and he's just the friendliest
person there is. So he goes around and talks to everybody,
and I'm so glad that he introduced himself to me,
and I wanted to with him. I'm missing something. I
wanted an unbiased opinion, and I didn't really know Jim
that well at that point. So I sent him that
song and he's like, don't release this. Can I meet
with you? And I'm like, what do you mean? And
he was just telling me how he wanted to help
and he didn't want like he wished he had someone
when he started out to not make the same mistakes
that he did, and being the understanding of the industry,
which is has changed so much, it's constantly changing. Yeah,
but someone just has the understanding. So I've gotten lucky
with meeting those people. Yeah, it's just so funny. You
meet one person and someone else comes into the picture.
You can learn something from everyone, Oh really can?
Speaker 1: Yeah? Absolutely? Yeah. I think I think so much of
being successful is is, you know, putting out the right
energy and attracting people into your you know, into your
career and into your life, just generally who are also
positive and uh, you know, and and you know, like
you said, you know, you meet one person, then that
leads to meeting another person and another person and it
sounds like you've you've been able to meet uh people
who are you know, like I said, genuine and and
kind of build that support system. And like John MacArthur,
we had him on the show. It was it was
a few months ago now and uh yeah he was
great and just you know, just so positive. And you know,
because there is a lot of negativity too, in the
sense that especially for for people who've been around while
like like I have, the industry has changed a lot,
you know, as technology has changed, the industry has changed,
and you know, and there is a lot of there's
a lot of negativity. There's a lot of frustration, and
I think it's easy to get jaded, which a lot
of people, you know, a lot a lot of people do. Meanwhile,
they're not sharks, they're just jaded, you know what I mean.
So so to be able to surround yourself with positive
people who want what's best for you and who want
want what's best for the scene and really kind of
see it as a community, I think is really important.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I agree with you there there's if we're not
connected with each other. To me, it's nothing is ever
a competition either, and everyone has something to offer as
a musician and I really respect and admire anybody who
just does this in any way, shape or form. So
I always I have I feel like I do have
a good sense of just like understanding people and where
they're coming from. Like you were saying, it is really
hard to not get take things personally, especially if someone
doesn't like your music or your sound. Sure sure so,
like you said, surrounding yourself with like a positive group
of people who are going after the same thing, or
I try to choose surround myself with people who are
in a place that I want to be or a
level that I'm not at yet. I just love I
love I love learning. I just want to learn from everyone.
Speaker 1: You just said something very important because what a lot
of people don't understand. And this this supplies not just
in music, but in so many things. People get people
get frustrated, People get envious of people who are doing
better than they are, and and so I think people
will often miss an opportunity to learn from someone because
they're frustrated that they're not where that person is where
they think they should be. And it's important to you know,
my the way I tend to think of it, as
you know, I mean, there are people who are you know,
I do a few different things, and there are people
who are far more successful these things than I am.
But I look at those people and I try to
take inspiration, try to learn from them. But also if
they can do it, then that's proof of concept, you know,
because none of it, it's nothing is a zero sum game.
Life is not a zero sum game. The music industry
is not a zero some game. Just because somebody is
doing better doesn't mean you're automatically doing worse. Really, it's
an opportunity for you to learn from them and to
kind of maybe try to model what they do or
follow their example whatever it is, you know, or just
you see them succeed and it's like, okay, well if
they can do it, I can do it, you know.
And to really and to really kind of remember that
and keep that in mind.
Speaker 2: Oh definitely. Yeah, And everyone has their own path in
this industry in particular, it's different for everyone. Yeah, there's
And what I'm learning too is success for everyone is different.
We define success differently. So I'm really trying to figure
or figure it right now what successful means to me
and and kind of let that guide me as well.
All because what's working for someone else may actually may
not work for me. So I think it's just in
terms two of thinking what a success to you? And
right now, if I could pay my bills with my music,
that is success. I'm so fortunate for that. I count
my blessing. Because you also don't know how long it's
gonna last.
Speaker 1: Sure, sure, yeah.
Speaker 2: It's all unknown. Every day is unknown, which makes it
exciting but also terrifying.
Speaker 1: What has surprised you? Are there things that have surprised
you just in terms of are there things about about
your career where you kind of go, Okay, I didn't
think this would be like this. I didn't think, Uh,
I don't know. I didn't. I didn't think that, you know,
whatever it is, it could even be something negative, like
I didn't think, you know, Spotify would pay so poorly
or whatever it is. Like, are there things even counter
that have really been a surprise to you?
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean there's always surprises around every corner. Yeah,
but with this, I think I've just been really surprising myself.
I haven't really I didn't really realize what i've I
was capable of because I've I'm always such like a
nervous and shy person I'm I look at myself as
like an introverted extrovert, like I actually have a really
hard time with performing, which has always surprised me because
I love the theater and being on stage. But that
was that was down that I think about. It probably
the first most kind of like shock factor for me.
When I got on stage for the first time, I
was my guitar. I'm like, oh, I'm not a character.
I'm not playing somebody interesting. This is me, and you
can't I mean, you can't act unless you want to
try to be a different persona. But it's it's a
goal of mine to always be as authentic and just
be myself and hope that's enough. But that was that
was really shocking to me, to just be like, whoa
this is. It's a completely different game than I thought
it was performance wise. But there's there's just been a
lot of different experience instance that I have that have
been surprising. Like Jim challenged me, He's like got me
down to Blackbirds Studio in Nashville, and thinking like I
had so many thoughts of what that experience was going
to be like and how those people what they were
going to be like. All my cesson musicians and my producer,
and I did get to meet John McBride too, which
was really cool. But I was just shocked at how
down to earth and humble all those guys were and
inviting and warm and welcoming. I was so scared for
absolutely no reason. I was treated with respect, which is
refreshing in an industry where people always you never know.
We were talking about earlier, but I think it's there's
just been so many surprises, but beautiful surprises too, and
just again it goes back to discovering myself. I don't
really I'm still finding myself. I just turned twenty seven,
so I still feel like I'm still kid, right, It's
better starting to figure it out.
Speaker 1: Yeah, the the Nashville perspective is interesting. We've we've had
a lot of guests on the show who you know,
they talk about going to Nashville and how intimidating it is,
you know, because it's Nashville. But you know, they they
find people who or they have you know, usually if
someone has some sort of a connection already in Nashville,
you know it's it's hopefully it's going to be a
positive experience, and it usually turns out to be but
it's you know, that's that's pretty intimidating. You know, it
sounds really scary to me. Is like those songwriting circles,
and I'm sure those happen. I know they happened in
New York City too, But but Nash, I mean, that
sounds like really intense pressure. I don't know if you
had an opportunity to do that when you were there.
Speaker 2: No, I did not perform when I was down there.
I was just in the studio, and I'm glad I
didn't because I definitely am not ready for them. Yeah,
it's like you said, it's intimidating. Yeah, those are some
of the best people in the game.
Speaker 1: Yep.
Speaker 2: Yeah, but then again, I come up here in New
Hampshire and we also have the talent is in my
opinion at at some of the same level. Yeah, it's
not directed to one location, but it was cool to
go experience it.
Speaker 1: Yeah yeah, yeah, No, I agree with you though. It's like,
you know, any anywhere. I mean, we have an incredible
music scene here, but I would also say that's probably
the case anywhere, Like any anywhere in the world, there's people,
you know, that's the thing. We're fortunate to live in
an era where, because of the Internet, you know, you
can find music from anywhere in the world and find
something you like. You know, there's we live in an
amazing time in that sense, because, like Jenny and I
are old enough to remember when you know, you go
to the you go to the record store and you
flip through and you find stuff, and you know, now
you can just go online find anything you want. You know,
I mean literally, you know any genre and you know
you want to hear some Norwegian speed metal, well you can.
You can go online and google that and find some
and you might find something you like. You know. It's
it's it's really a remarkable time that way. I feel
like too. In music, people are just generally musicians creative
types are just generally more supportive. I often draw a
contrast with stand up comedy. Now, I have no experience
in stand up comedy. I'm not a comic, but some
of the podcasts that I've fallen into listening to over
the years are hosted by comics, and my impression of
stand up comedy is that it's very cutthroat and everyone
kind of secretly hates each other, and sometimes it spills
out into the open and it's but but with music,
I feel like all genres too, I feel like like
people are just generally more supportive and want to see
other people succeed and and want to want to help
each other, and there's much more of a sense of community.
Speaker 2: Oh definitely. Yeah, And that was honestly a big reason
too why I made that transition from theater to the
to music, because I felt more of a warm and
welcoming community. Yeah, it's it's hard. With professional theater, it's
it's very competitive and like every everything matter is like
inside and out, like and you got to be a
triple threat. And I've never just been into competition.
Speaker 1: Yeah.
Speaker 2: Just so when I was started out and playing out
live and the the amount of support that I got
despite not being that good when I first started, I
look back at somebody was like, oh my gosh, but
we all get to start somewhere.
Speaker 1: Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2: So. Yeah, it's just that when people are are warm
and welcoming it it helps everybody in the long run.
We all need to support each other and be part
of it together because it can be isolating. We're all
on the road by ourselves. So when you can get
together or watch someone else it's so important to make
those connections.
Speaker 1: By the way you use the term triple threat, I
think I've heard that before apply to theater. Is that?
Let me let me see if I if I have
it right? Is it? You got to be able to sing,
dance and act?
Speaker 2: You got it? I could not do the dance part.
Speaker 1: Really, did you do theater for a long time?
Speaker 2: I did? Yeah? I actually I was in the theater
program up in Plmouth State University and I did some
shows at like in the Interlake Summer Theater. There was
a professional theater out of like the Tilt and prep school,
so I was in both like community and professional stage shows. Yeah,
which was really cool. And again like those difference in
communities in the support system. Community theater is in my opinion,
so important for to have in every every city, every
town that it was just so important to my development
growing up and just having the arts.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I need them absolutely. So without that experience, you
might not be doing what you're doing now, I would assume.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I probably wouldn't. I don't think i'd have the
ability to. It's hard to step on stage.
Speaker 1: Sure, sure does that work for it? So I don't
do it anymore. I used to play in bands, and
for me it was always because I'm in introvert but
which is surprises some people when they hear me say
that because I do this, But it's like, yeah, but
if you really understand, because extroverts don't understand what being
an introvert really is in some ways. But but for me,
it was always with playing out. It was like I
would be very anxious right up to the moment of
getting on stage. Once I was on stage, I just
all that fell away. Although I never did what you did,
so I always played in bands. So when you're a
dude and a band with a bunch of dudes, it's
a little different, you know what. It's safer, you know
what I mean. I was the bass Like, if I'm
a bass player in a rock band, there's you know,
and other bass players might not like when I say this,
but there's not a lot of pressure really because the
attention is not on me when I'm on stage, but
doing what you do, the attention is all on you.
Speaker 2: Yeah. It's scary, especially being by yourself. Yeah, And I've
really had to work on being confident with my guitar,
being self taught, yeah, and trying to figure that out too,
But it's I think, no matter what, it's just a
step foot on stage, on any type of stage, no
matter if it's twenty people, one hundred and fifty people.
To me, it's always scary, like you're saying, I still
get that, Like I despite seven years up until like
I'm on stage, it takes me a little bit to
settle in, but then once I do and get comfortable,
it kind of fades away.
Speaker 1: Yeah.
Speaker 2: Yeah, but I'm also a perfectionist. I nitpick everything, so
I try. I got to like find a way to
escape and get out of my head. And so because
the music does that for me, Yeah, I Garrett of this,
I'm just okay, what's the music that I'm playing? What's
the story I'm telling?
Speaker 1: Well, you kind of want to be a little anxious, right,
Like in a way, it's you know, it might not
be the most pleasant thing to feel that nervousness, but
if it went away, wouldn't you kind of miss it?
Because then it's like because then you might start wondering,
I don't know, is this exciting to be still? Or
am I getting complacent? You know?
Speaker 2: You make a good point there, Yeah, the nerves tell
us that we care and it's important to us. Yeah,
And maybe that's why I haven't lost it, because every
day I don't, this just gets more meaningful to me
because I've been doing it for so long now and
chasing something kind of not really still not knowing what
I'm chasing. Yeah, and just all I know is I
want to have a career in music, right, But you
could do so much with that, right, But.
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, I because I had moments. I remember, you know,
there were a couple of shows along the way where
I wasn't nervous before. But I look back and I realized, well,
that's because there were shows where maybe there was hardly
anyone there. So it's like, well, I kind of takes
the pressure off when you're playing to an empty room.
It's like there's nobody here, but you know, but then
we'd play a show where there were people, and I'd
get nervous again, and it's like, okay, good, good, it's
still there. But yeah, I'd like I'm I'm very much
an introvert, but for me, it's like I'm much more
comfortable being on stage or any kind of performance element.
That's where I feel the safest, you know, whether it's
being on stage, playing in a band, or being behind
a microphone doing a radio show or public speaking doesn't
phaze me at all. Actually enjoy it. I'm I feel
more comfortable speaking in public than I do just having
a conversation with somebody. And I mean, you know I
can do. I used to be very socially awkward, but
I I dealt with that. But but but ultimately, like
this is where I feel the safest behind this microphone.
You know what I mean? Does that make sense?
Speaker 2: It sure does. I know exactly what you mean and
it and people don't understand it that don't do it?
Speaker 1: Yeah, what do you mean?
Speaker 2: You're scared to get that you're or you sing so
well or you you've been doing this for so long
and I'm like it doesn't matter every time. I'm still
just so terrifying, right right. I actually had the first
opportunity to open for someone thanks to the a Hampshire
Music Collective. Yeah, John MacArthur. I got to open up
for John Gorka the Bank and hands Odd and it
was incredible and I I really didn't think I was.
I was trying to keep myself cong because I knew
I was going to be nervous yeah, and I got
up there. All I had to do was play for
twenty minutes. I play for three hours almost every day.
All of a sudden, Yeah, but I got so incredibly nervous.
I had to run off stage and immediately throw up.
I will how much I was worked up. Thank god,
nobody could tell.
Speaker 1: You mean at the end of the site yeh oh wow.
Speaker 2: And thank god. So I run around the ground. Yeah,
And in my head, I'm like, why it's so scared
Because I have been doing this so long and it
was my own I'm wondering if it was with my
own music. But I'm just finding that maybe it's just
for me. But I don't think it's going to go away.
Those nerves are always going to be there. Yeah, But
I just I care so deeply, and I also just
want to create an experience for anyone that's at one
of my shows, even if it's just to escape or
or to get out whatever you're feeling that heartbreak they
just went through. Sometimes I just need to hear that
sad song. But yeah, I think I will forever be nervously.
Speaker 1: Have you got an open for for anybody else like that?
Speaker 2: Like John Gorka, No, that's that's it so far. I
hope to that's my goin in the future to do
more of that. I really enjoyed it.
Speaker 1: Do you have like a kind of a dream idea
of who you'd really like to open for? Is there
someone you just think would be.
Speaker 2: Would love to open up for? Liz Longley So she's
one of my favorite singer songwriters.
Speaker 1: Not familiar with her.
Speaker 2: She I think she's from Pennsylvania, but she's in Nashville.
It's kind of like an Americana artist, but she does
a little bit of everything. But I saw her live
at the Tupelou Music Hall. I just wanted to go
to a show. I had the night off. I never
get Fridays or Saturdays off. I think this was like
this is probably four years ago now, and I saw
it was a female artist, and if I get a chance,
like I always try to find someone that I can
just go for inspiration or just to see what someone
else is doing. Yeah, And I absolutely fell in love
with her in the way that she told her stories
and her songs just had a great sound. But I
absolutely adore her and her One of her songs is
actually what inspired me to write my own and am
I missing something. So if I could open up for
her one day that I think I could fit well
into into like her sound too like we'd pair well.
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, oh very cool.
Speaker 2: Maybe one day.
Speaker 1: If you're just joining us. Rebecca Turmelo is here with
us live in studio. Have you is anyone reached out
to her like to try to you know, like maybe
John or somebody like just kind of.
Speaker 2: I would like to, but I think I'd be too
scared to do it right now, you know what I mean.
But it's Liz Longley. I need to be ready because
that actually so, I'm in a duo partner with I'm
so lucky, my boyfriend and musical genius all in one.
We play together all the time. Oh, we saw her
when she came to The Flying Monkey at the beginning.
It was March, I think this year, and he's like,
you have to go talk to her because she came
out after the show. Oh really, I my first experience
with like getting starstruck. Yeah, like, is this what it
feels like? But she he told her that we always
play her song Camaro. It's this song is incredible in
terms of like the lyrics and the story, the story
I can relate to and she's like, oh, send me
a video when you get the chance. So every time
we play it. Now I've been taking a video and
I'm like, when it's right, maybe we'll send it over
to her. See what happens. And maybe that could be
the opportunity.
Speaker 1: That could be No, that that could very well, that
could very well be an n So. Now, so how
often do you play as a duo?
Speaker 2: Not too often, probably about like two or three times
a month. But we just played actually last night, we
played a thirtieth birthday party for a good friend of ours.
But we we've been writing some music together and that's
been another great experience lately, is working and writing with
someone else. And we we endo actually it was the
two of us that recorded the studio Portland, so I'm
really hoping we got some good takes because it was
nerve wracking. Yeah, So I hope to have some of
our music out soon because we performed to do it
that we wrote together there excellent.
Speaker 1: Does he also play guitar?
Speaker 2: Okay, he's the most talented guitarist that I know, but
he also is a singer songwriter. He produces great with
all the recording, so I'm actually learning a lot from
him in that sense. Brendan Gill Gill and he just
actually released his first single are You Here, and self
produced that and mixed it on his own, and I'm
the quality of it. It just came out great, And
I'm like, I wish, I wish I would have put
a little bit more time into my first song. I mean,
I'm proud of how it came out, but it's nice
to see, like because he put a lot of time
and years into it versus I just kind of had
of ripped that band aid off. I'm just gonna get
in there. Whatever happens, happens, we'll capture it, right. I
can always rerecord it right, right, So I it's it's
it's it's cool to like meet somebody else who has
a different perspective and a different way of doing things
because I'm learning from that. Yeah, I'm not stuck in
my ways. I'm seeing how something else works with a
different approach.
Speaker 1: Right.
Speaker 2: So I'm lucky too, Like I just I get to
spend all my time with him doing what I love,
with the person I love that. There's nothing that beats that.
Speaker 1: That's awesome, excellent, excellent, Well we should uh, we'll play
another track. What should we play next? I'll let you pick,
We've got the road song or wish you well.
Speaker 2: Let's do wish you well because that was that's kind
of like part two to am I missing something? Oh?
Speaker 1: Okay, perfect, and then we'll play We'll play road song
at the end of the segment. But if you are
just so on your nest. Rebecca Turmael is with us
here in studio? Oh which studio was this one recorded?
Speaker 2: Also the underground?
Speaker 1: Okay? Gotcha? And vermont yep? Okay, very good? All right?
This is wish you Well.
Speaker 3: I did everything I ford do to try and page,
but that's not who I have ever seen.
Speaker 4: Even after all those things you didn't say.
Speaker 5: I don't wanna oh them against you.
Speaker 6: Wish you well instead?
Speaker 1: How is shot?
Speaker 6: If I could tell you to Louie your pass this
one man.
Speaker 1: Say I it's your.
Speaker 6: Bill. Oh, I'll miss you.
Speaker 4: I found this noll boy your turn roumb man. I'm
letting go of it over learning from upping.
Speaker 5: I hope you you cannot be free from all your pace.
It may not work out, but I'll pbab.
Speaker 3: Be a shilling. Oh it's you.
Speaker 6: If I could tell you to your face he's working,
I'd say, upbraid to love yourself.
Speaker 3: It's true. I always shoe.
Speaker 2: I wish you.
Speaker 6: If I could tell you to.
Speaker 1: Your face he's working, i'd say, upbraid.
Speaker 6: To love yourself. It's okay, A small half.
Speaker 3: Always sure.
Speaker 6: If I can tell to you always he's work, it's
saying I wish you.
Speaker 1: Oh that's nice, I wish you well. Rebecca Turmel is
here with us live in studio. Yeah, we were. We
were kind of talking off air about the song and
how great the mix is and and how how nice
those guitars sound, and as you pointed out to the
drums sound really good. And and he's a he's a
what's his name, Vinnie is it?
Speaker 2: Yeah? Vincent Freeman.
Speaker 1: Yeah, he's a drummer. Yeah.
Speaker 5: Yeah.
Speaker 1: Now that's a lot of the stuff that comes out
in Nashville to I always say this, I'm curious if
you agree with me in terms of production. I mean,
the production on that is phenomenal. I feel like I'm
not a I'm not a big country guy, but i
feel like the best produced because I have a somewhat
of a background in audio production, the best produced music
to me, But you just hear on the radio on
commercial radio is coming out of Nashville in terms of
how the guitars sound and how the drums sound, Like,
I feel like Nashville's really got it down right now,
you know. But I'm picky as hell too, like especially
about how drums sound, you know, like something went somewhere
along the line with I think it probably started in
the nineties, like with rock music. Something to me went
wrong with the way guitars are recorded. They they don't
sound right to me. And and a lot of a
lot with drums too, you know. But I feel like,
but anything that comes out in Nashville, it's like they've
really nailed it.
Speaker 3: You know.
Speaker 2: Yeah, And that's a big reason why I made the
decision to go down there. I would have sent you
that song, but I didn't have a radio edit. And
I say one bad word, no, but it's not really
that bad. But I wrote this song with Jim called
Girls on Fire my female empowerment anthem. But that was
something I noticed too when I was down there or
listening back to just like the first take, Yeah, like
is this real?
Speaker 1: So good?
Speaker 2: They haven't even touched it yet, Yeah, but they had
one of those I just I don't have too much
knowledge on it yet. I'm learning more about it, Like
one of the original Neve consoles. Does that sound correct?
Speaker 4: Uh?
Speaker 2: And but the drum sound that came out of that
was really really impressive. And that was the first time too,
when I was in that studio noticing and starting to
listen and hear the difference in sounds and instruments and
even my vocals and background vocals. Yeah, And that's why
I kind of had have been experimenting with jumping around
at different studios so I can learn and hear it
and know what I like because I don't. I don't
know that yet. I finely recorded a handful of songs
so far.
Speaker 1: All the backing vocals.
Speaker 2: That's all you I assume on Yeah, I wish you
well yep. And then am I missing stuff they too?
Speaker 1: Yeah? Okay, yeah? Yeah?
Speaker 3: Is that? Uh?
Speaker 6: Is that?
Speaker 1: And to do like those layered vocals where you're kind
of harmonizing with yourself or does that come easy?
Speaker 2: It can be. That's something I noticed too, and growing
up in the theater and I did course, Yeah, I
was a kid too, so that helps me in terms
of being able to hear it. But yeah, when it's
your own voice, and you're like and it's it's kind
of funky. Uh So it was nice. When I was
down at Blackbird, I was able to hire a background
vocalist and she came in and I swear it only
took her like five minutes. And it's not an easy
song to sing. I'm in there all day, like I'm
not going to do this. And then her name was Marcia,
and she was just just like just this beautiful, bright,
bubbly energy that I needed day. But she just sang
was like I'll never forget what she said too. She's like, wow, girl,
this is a barn burner.
Speaker 1: Oh that's school. That's cool.
Speaker 2: I will never forget that. Yeah, but it was nice
to hear that difference too, and it's it I would
like to like, it's I can do it myself, but
I feel like it adds a different element and a
different sound and gives it more of a quality to
it when you have a contrasting tone or what it's
kind of similar.
Speaker 1: Yeah, no doubt. Now are these all on an album
that's available or what?
Speaker 3: No?
Speaker 2: No, I actually have been releasing single by single okay,
because I really being new to it and just not
sure of where it was going or what I wanted
to do. I wanted to just like give each song
sole focus. Yeah so far, But actually I just recently
finished recording. It still needs to be mixed and master
and all. That my first collection of songs in a
three song EP, okay, and that was that was interesting
to do because I haven't done that yet, working on
a collection of music and keeping like a similar sound
and stories and such. But yeah, the song by song
I think was a good choice for me, just being
is not knowing who I was an artist yet, that
makes sense.
Speaker 1: Yeah, And you know, we again, we live in a
time where you know, you've got different options in terms
of like when I was growing up, it was, you know,
somebody would put out an album and usually there would
be a single for the album that would go to radio,
usually six eight weeks before the album was coming out,
and then the album would come out and then subsequent
singles would come out. And that was just the standard
way of doing it. Whereas now you know, you can
do it any way you want to, like a lot
of a lot of guests that we have on the show,
do it the way you're doing it, where you know
you have a series of singles and maybe eventually those
singles become an EP or an album or maybe not.
Speaker 2: But yeah, there was something interesting actually that Minnie told
me from the underground. He's like, have you ever heard
of the Waterfall release?
Speaker 1: The Waterfall Effect? Yeah, oh, Temple Mountain, you know Temple. Yeah,
he was on last week and he was talking about that,
because that's been his.
Speaker 2: Approach to Yeah, and it seems to work for people.
But in our constantly changing music industry and especially with
the way people consume their music, I think to releasing
song by song, it gives more life to each to
each song and and not something for people to look
forward to and stay stay connected with. You release all
those songs at once, like that moment's over. You can
kind of actend that when you release song by song,
because especially as as someone like me who's also writing
music and trying to become a recording artist as well,
building that community and keeping those my followers and my
fans engaged and just in wanting to hear more. So
I think it's been it's been working so far. But
I'm really intrigued by that Waterfall release and here I
might utilize that.
Speaker 1: Yeah, Yeah, absolutely. The time goes so fast. So what's
what's kind of your uh what do you see as
sort of the long term trajectory or do you know, like,
do you have kind of a plan in terms of
are you going or maybe I don't know if you're
done a national tour or no.
Speaker 2: But I would love even I it's just around New England,
just to go out perform some shows singer songwriter style,
just me and my guitar and tell my stories. But
my my also make goal. Like I I just I
just love being in the studio and creating, and I've
always wanted to look into what it would be like
to write for other people as well, because I just
love writing and creating and being in that process, Like
being in the spotlight is not really what I want necessarily.
I just want to create the music and create something meaningful.
Speaker 1: Okay.
Speaker 2: So because it's it's so funny and it feels weird
to say this, but if I didn't have to perform again,
I'd be okay with that. But as long as I
have my studio and I can write my music and
just play my guitar, happy because it's what we were
talking about. It's so nerve wracking, and but for some reason,
I have to keep doing it right. It's like a
calling and I can't. I can't be a songwriter thout performing.
So it's like kind of you gotta do it. It's
hand in hand.
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, well yeah, and it's working for you. It's
it's uh, it's definitely working. Have you You mentioned earlier too,
because you know our audience, we know this industry, people
who listen. There's also a lot of musicians who are
you know, uh, trying to make their way. Do you
have any advice for someone because you you've been able
to really make some leaps and bounds in a short time,
do you have any advice for someone who's maybe starting out,
maybe a singer songwriter starting out.
Speaker 2: The worst thing you can do is compare yourself to
those around you. Like we were saying earlier, it's not
a comparison. Use it as a learning experience. Yeah, you
are your own person, You have your own perspective, in
your own voice. So trust that that's enough. I did
in that first and it's it's hard to ignore all
the noise, so to say, sure, but also just just
forcing yourself to do it. If you're scared of something.
You should probably go and do that thing because that's
going to bring you further. I remember I couldn't even
keep my hands still when I was playing my guitar,
but I'm like, I'm doing it because you cannot get
better if you don't do it. So I think the
biggest thing that helped me was just forcing myself into
those difficult situations, figuring it out in the moment. And
although I may not have believed in myself, just at
least trying to find a little bit belief. So do
the hard things and just do the best you can.
At the end of the day, that's all you can do.
Just do something, move the goalpost, even if it's just
a little bit.
Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah, I think that's great advice, absolutely absolutely, And
where should people go online to keep up with everything
that you're doing.
Speaker 2: So I have a website Rebecca Tremel dot com, but
you can find me on Facebook and Instagram and if
you want to see me perform, my mom bands intown too,
so which is a great website alert see in your area.
Speaker 1: I love that absolutely, But I'm all around.
Speaker 2: I'm actually we'll be at a Oddball Brewing tonight in Pembrooke,
or sun Cook for the first time.
Speaker 1: Okay, so I'm all.
Speaker 2: Over, I try I play. I play a lot in
New Hampshire, but I'm in Masson Vermont sometimes as well. Yeah,
I'll go where over they'll let me sing with my guitar.
Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah. Where's the furthest you've gone as far as
playing shows?
Speaker 2: I mean I played down in Florida then that was
moretest because on vacation. But in this area by Portland's
probably the farthest. No, actually, because now I've been in Killington,
that's pretty part. That's pretty far too in terms of
where I'm located. But probably the farthest I've driven is
three hours for a show. Yeah, and I think that's
something too that that helped me get a little bit farther.
Is I just I didn't care how long I had
to drive where I had to go, just if I
had the gig opportunity again getting that experience that helped
me out tremendously. Am I I'll take it, I'll drive.
Speaker 1: I can do it well. That that reminds me of
what you know, we had a Frank Gallagher played at
a plague Dad rather on with us during the first hour.
You know, He's from Portland, and he was saying, uh, yeah,
just you know, play out as much as possible, which
is which is interesting too because some some people it
tends to be more though, people in bands, people in
like four piece rock bands, who say, yeah, you actually
don't want to play out too much because you risk oversaturating.
But but I I always when I used to play,
I always just wanted to play as much as I
possibly could, you know, That was my That was my
kind of ethos about it. Just just get out there
and play as much as you can. I mean, I
think you know, if you're playing the same like if
you're playing the same bar every single week or something,
you can oversaturate. But but you also want the experience
and and you know, and and seize every opportunity to uh,
you know, to get out there. And and because it's
not the other thing too that I think some people
miss is it's not just about being in front of audiences.
It's also about making those connections. You know, you might
go play to a room where the there's only a
couple of people there, but one of those couple of
people might also be a musician, and they might also
they might be interested in what you're doing, or they
might do something else in the scene, you know, and
they want to connect with you. And so there's always opportunities,
and you know, you miss all those opportunities if you
don't take them.
Speaker 2: Yeah, and you you never know who's going to be
in the crowd yep. I never like if there's a
venue that reached. I always tried to play each place
that reaches out to me, despite like maybe other judgments
people have, like about the room or whatever. I always
try to get my own opinion. I think everybody it
deserves the benefit of the doubt, but it you just
you never know who's going to be there. I actually
this past summer I was playing at a Shopper's Pub
in Manchester and God Smacks guitar tech and manager. We're
eating dinner. I was playing and he ended up giving
me VIP passes to go see the show and I'm
just Shoppers Pub is so cool.
Speaker 1: Yeah, you just never know. You just never know. Well, Rebecca,
thank you so much. Rebecca Turmel here with us in
studio this morning. This has been wonderful. In a moment,
we'll close out with the Road song. Anything we should
know about this one before we play it, Rebecca.
Speaker 2: So this song, it's fitting we're ending on it, especially
after everything we talked about. This is like my homage
to all my other full time musicians out there.
Speaker 1: Oh cool.
Speaker 2: And this is a song that I wrote with Jim
Yeger and probably the one I'm most proud of so far.
We actually have Jackson Brown's guitarist Boul McCollum on this
track vocal to Vermont and I said it just captured
the essence of the road and he sure did so.
Speaker 1: Oh very cool, very cool, perfect way to end all
right here. It is Rebecca Turmel. This is called the
Road Song.