Review Fix Exclusive: Daddy Issues’ Angela Alvarez Talks ‘Handle It’ And More

Review Fix chats with Daddy Issues’ Angela Alvarez, who discusses the creative process and goals behind the band’s newest album, “Handle It.”

About the Band:

Often hailed as “the B-52’s on steroids,” Daddy Issues is a high-energy band from Southern California that entertains audiences with fun, sexy shows and loud guitars to match. The band is the brainchild of singer/songwriter, Angela Alvarez, and bassist, Julia “Jules” Whelpton, and is known for its catchy tunes and on-stage antics. From fall 2013 to present day, Daddy Issues has played sold out shows in Southern California, Arizona, and Las Vegas at legendary venues such as House of Blues, Belly Up Tavern, the Casbah, and Whisky A Go Go in Los Angeles.

The band began in San Diego when lead singer, Angela was in search of an original rock band after moving from Scottsdale, AZ. Using Craigslist, she found a band called The Justice Fire, where Jules played bass. Within a couple of months, the pair decided to split off and create a high-energy rock band that mashed other forms of popular music together. They tested the name Daddy Issues at a local acoustic show in November 2013 to positive reception, and then decided to pursue the full-band setting.

Their career was further boosted by local radio play, eventually the band got the attention of local rock legend, Roni Lee. Lee recently signed Daddy Issues to her label, Play Like a Girl Records.

Taking cues from No Doubt, Green Day, Arctic Monkeys and The Foo Fighters, the band’s music is a blend of 90’s and modern tropes.

For More on the Band, Click Here.

Review Fix: What’s your creative process like?

Angela Alvarez: I moved from Arizona to San Diego back in 2013, and promptly placed an ad in the musician community of Craiglist. I was quickly contacted by a band called The Justice Fire where Jules was playing bass. We hit it off almost instantly and began playing acoustic shows as Daddy Issues. Over time, that project grew and we decided to leave the other project to focus on Daddy Issues, then added a lead guitar and drummer.

Review Fix: What’s your standout song on the new album? How was it written?

Alvarez: Haha…that’s a great question. When talking to our fans about their favorites, we rarely get the same answer, which is actually kinda awesome. We wanted to create an album where every song was unique, and its clear we’ve achieved that.

If we had to pick one that we know everyone loves, it would probably be “Different.” It was written by Angela before moving to San Diego and was inspired by Where Have All the Cowboys Gone.

Review Fix: What does it feel like to be compared to the B52s?

Alvarez: We love it! They are such an iconic band for so many reasons, so we take that as a huge compliment. They’re fun, sexy and make really catchy music.

Review Fix: What are your goals for 2017?

Alvarez: More recording, videos and touring. Now that we have the album, we’re ready to go at this full blast. It took us a while to hone our sound and find the right producer. We didn’t want to put out something we weren’t incredibly proud of, so we took our time. We also have some TV and film licensing in the works, but more on that once it’s official.

Review Fix: What makes “Handle It” a special album?

Alvarez: Every song is unique. That’s really important to us. We do not want to be a band where every songs sounds alike. We love all genres of music, and we try to blend them together in a meaningful, fun way. The common thread is the instrumentation – we are a four piece rock band. Some people may think we sound a little scattered from song to song, but our fans love the variety and creativity. We’re not going to be pigeonholed.

Review Fix: How do you want your music to affect people?

Alvarez: We just want them to feel something. Whether its anger, sadness or silliness or sexiness, we want to connect with people on an emotional level.

Review Fix: What’s next?

Alvarez: So much! Even though we’ve been at this for three years now, we feel like we’re just getting started now that we have the album. We’ll definitely do a video or two from the album. We also have so many more songs ready to record, and a national tour is in the works. We’re just so grateful to our friends and fans who have helped us get this far already, and to them we say, there’s so much more coming.