Review Fix Exclusive: Bonnie Whitmore Talks Fuck With Sad Girls And More

Review Fix chats with singer/songwriter Bonnie Whitmore, who discusses her new album, “Fuck With Sad Girls.”

Review Fix: How did the band get together?

Bonnie Whitmore: Band got together almost year and a half ago. I have been a bass player in many bands over the years, and Her Band is my way of working with my favorite players and people. Craig Bagby and Harley Husbands I’ve know for 15+ years, Scott Davis for almost 10, and Betty Soo for similar amount of time. I don’t always get to have them on every gig, but they are my favorites bandmates just the same.

Review Fix: What makes your band special?

Whitmore: What makes it special to me is the ability to synch up and groove. I lead the band with the bass, so I depend and ask a lot of my bandmates. Scott Davis can solo on a 12 string, play slide guitar, and trade me on bass licks while doing it all in any style thrown at him. He also sings harmonies. I refer to him as the Meryl Streep of players, there’s seemingly nothing he can’t pull off. Betty Soo sings harmonies like an angel and plays anything you ask her to from accordion to vibraslap. My rock steady drummer, Craig Bagby can rock hard on one song, then play latin or jazz patterns on another while locking in with me and singing extreme high harmonies. He’s the Ginger Rogers to my Fred Astaire. Harley Husbands has one of the best tone I’ve ever known and lives up to this height of 6’5 monster guitar player. Each is unique and extremely talented and I am grateful that they all take the time to play with me.

Review Fix: What’s your creative process like?

Whitmore: I don’t really have a process. I do tent to write freely, and is still the most therapeutic way for me to process my feeling. I will often pull from these writings when creating a song. I don’t have a pattern or particular routine, but have a standard of quality over the created song. I like the challenge of expressing a thought or idea that can be empathized with and catchy enough to want to listen to it again and again no matter the topic.

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

Whitmore: I think the stand out song is the title track “Fuck With Sad Girls.”I had the idea of taking something thats intention is to be ugly and turn it into something empowering. The song addresses our society’s need to paint a pretty picture instead of being willing to be honest with yourself or others. When you hide how you feel or to act how other want you to, or hide who you are from those that matter most, your identity as oneself seems to disappear.  I’d like to question the motivates of the person who tells you to smile instead of trying to say something that would make you smile. I’ve spent a great amount of time apologizing for things that I didn’t need to apologize for. I think this is a habit of many women, and I want to change that about myself. I don’t think I’m alone in this.

Review Fix: What are your goals for 2017?

Whitmore: To be more aware and to do something about it. Not just have self enlightenment, but a want and need to connect and communicate. We need more then ever the ability to communicate with one another. Empathize, and then go further to want to change the way we do things.

Review Fix: What makes your latest album special?

Whitmore: That’s always up to interpretation. It’s special to me because it’s honest to who I am and how I feel about things. It’s both venerable in it’s telling and also personifies my strength and ability. This was the first time I played bass on my record and I sang my ass off. It was the most collaborative and fulfilling record I’ve done thus far.

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

Whitmore: How ever it’s affects people, I hope for it to be in a positive way. The idea is to always make an impact, wether positive or no, I’d like for my music to leave an impression. The point of this record in particular was to start a conversation.

Review Fix: What’s next?

Whitmore: Release my collaborative record Coyotes Life/After Life, and start recording my next full length record. In between all of that I will be touring.