Page 37 - RockRevoltMagazine-Summer2019

AN INTERVIEW WITH MIXI DEMNER

by Ted Darden
.A. Rock group Stitched Up Heart has been on a steady climb in the music community this
decade. With a successful full-length album, and a series of EPs, multiple spots on the Alternative
Rock chart’s top twenty, collaborations with artists like Godsmack’s Sully Erna, Stitched Up Heart
is a band to take notice of. I had a chance to discuss The L.A. Music scene, touring, and the bands
Lupcoming album with front woman, Alecia ‘Mixi’ Demner.

Can you tell me about the Your family actually, they after I moved out here. I just
early days of Stitched Up supported you doing music? knew that if I wanted to be
Heart, how the band started, Yeah, yeah. I mean this isn't... in the industry, I needed to
and maybe some of the music they're actually...this isn't the people where the people were,
you were doing before the kind of music that they listen so that's why Los Angeles,
band? to, but lately they've been
Yeah, well I was in a lot of listening to a lot of similar
bands growing up and I did a bands, because they're kind I think it's very helpful being
lot of acoustic, solo stuff for a of intrigued by the genre, out here. Anybody in any
while, and when I moved out because it's all new music to bands that we know across the
to LA, I was in an all-girl band them, you know. The rock country that are in Minnesota
for a little bit. And then I filled community is all new, and so or Wisconsin, we're just like,
in for people playing rhythm my dad is asking me about "You need to come to Los
guitar, keyboard, backing certain bands. He's listening to Angeles" because this is where
vocals. Sometimes I would Octane and all that stuff, and the industry is, and more
just be the rhythm guitar, you it's really cute. people are going to see your
know, just little gigs here and talent, I feel like, that are
there. And then somehow, after involved in music.
a tour had ended, I signed up
to be on some show, on some
television show for singers. Who were some of your
Chris Jericho was actually the influences starting out? Name
host of it. I don't know if you some of the bands you played
want all of those background with in L.A.
details, but- Oh yeah. Influences, I guess
my dad listened to oldies like
the Beatles and stuff like that.
Oh no that's fine.
And my mom and I have totally
STITCHED then I was signed with Geffen You know, I knew that, when I like a country girl. But, I think,
AN INTERVIEW WITH
But, yeah, I won the show and
different taste in music. She's
for like one song, and then What was being in the band
I really feel like Gwen Stefani
had a huge impact without
they let me go after that song, like in Los Angeles? I'm sure it
and I was kind of hesitant on has a lot of opportunity, but a
even knowing it, because she
was one of the few female rock
pursuing music because it was lot of competition.
singers. I guess rock at the time
really difficult. And I remember
UP going back home and talking was in Florida, before I moved was kind of like a ska thing.
to my parents and being like, "I
out to LA, I would play open
And amongst all of the guy
just don't know if I can do this,
bands that there were, there
mic nights three nights a week
were very few women that
and I knew after like a year
it's really hard." And they were
like, "You have to finish what
were leading the pack of the
of doing that, that there was
you started. Go back out there
nobody coming out to see
bands back then when I was
HEART and do what you set out to any of the artists, either me growing up, and I think that it
or anybody else. There was
subconsciously actually really
do." And so then I put Stitched
inspired me and influenced
never any industry out and I
Up Heart together, I stitched
me. Otherwise, you know,
knew that I had to be where
up my heart, picked myself
back up again and formed the
Bob Marley, I don't think that
the industry was. So that's
any of his music has translated
why I packed my car up and
band in 2010.
into the music that I make...
moved across the country. I
was homeless for a good year
Frank
Louis
Armstrong,
37 // RockRevolt Magazine