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You
hear many stories of indie artists who finally attract the attention
of major record companies and then once they're added to the roster,
they either end up giving away a lot of artistic control, or the
tour support they were promised falls through. Antigone Rising's
tale is uniquely optimistic. After years of peddling their music
to the masses independently, Antigone Rising decided to turn the
reins over to Lava Records — though with the workhorse ethic
they learned on the road, they still steer the carriage. In fact,
during the band's Hiro Ballroom show in New York City I watched
Atlantic Records President Jason Flom groove as enthusiastically
to the band he signed as the rest of their fans.
Until
the release early next year of their upcoming album titled We
Are Antigone Rising,
the band will remain on the road to tell its stories as founding
sisters Cathy and Kristen Henderson on guitars, Dena Tauriello
on drums, Jen Zellenbach on bass, and vocalist Cassidy know how
to best-eye to eye with the audience.
Gifted
with as much gumption as any of their male rock counter-parts,
there's nothing vulnerable about these women on stage, except
for their kind spirits and open diaries. Sisterly affection begins
with siblings Cathy and Kristen and permeates the entire band
before wafting into the audience on emotionally charged guitar
riffs and sensitive lyrics.
Antigone
Rising co-founder Cathy Henderson talks about why the band signed
with Lava and crushes the myth that 'girls can't rock.'
WOMANROCK:
Your
last album, Antigone Rising's Traveling Circus was recorded
live and really captured the band in action. What can we expect
on the upcoming album, We Are Antigone Rising?
Henderson:
We
really want the record to reflect how we are live. We are a five-piece
band and nothing more than that. It's not all these crazy parts
and all these additional musicians and additional instruments.
It's organic. What you're going to hear on this record is what
you're going to see live.
WOMANROCK:
Since
'Traveling Circus, the band has signed with Lava Records.
Were you able to exercise the artistic freedom you hoped for while
recording We Are Antigone Rising?
Henderson:
We
love the label. The label has been absolutely supportive and understands
what we are about and why people really dig us. And that's why
they dig us. It's because we're real. We're self-contained and
we're up there making our music. It's like the 60s and 70s when
it was just the band.…Lava understands that and worked with
us and allowed us the freedom to show them that. We all believe
that this is going to work, rather than having a label that says,
'This is what worked previously so let's go in and even though
you are this, let's kind of shine you up a little bit and make
you fit into the market.' Lava's saying maybe we have a shot to
bring something new.
WOMANROCK:
How
did your relationship with Lava get started?
Henderson:
We
had made a demo with Michael Barbiero who produced the Allman
Brothers and he just on the down low played it for Jason Flom,
who's now CEO of Atlantic and Jason freaked and came down to see
us at Maxwells (in New Jersey). I guess he couldn't believe what
he saw and the next morning we get a call at like 11:00 in the
morning saying to quick get into the city. Bring your acoustic
guitars. You gotta play in the office for Jason and for his staff.
So, out of the bed and into the car. We all just kind of showed
up and played for him…That night he came down again to where
we were playing in Brooklyn. He came down with Andy Karp and a
couple of other Lava people and basically we were like: 'You get
it. You love us. We really dig you. And we dig the fact that you
understand what we are all about.' That was what was really important
us.
WOMANROCK:
For
a while the band concentrated on evolving without the support
of a label.
Henderson:
We
spent a long time not wanting to go the record label route because
we wanted to evolve on our own and find ourselves by ourselves.
You can't plan it. You just have to believe and have the guts
to follow your heart, which is really a hard thing to do ironically
because it's not always very clear just for yourself. So when
you have a group of people who are also trying to do it, it can
be really challenging.
WOMANROCK:
Antigone
Rising has been together about 6 years, although you've been playing
music with your sister Kristen all of your life?
Henderson:
Kristen
and I started it and part of the evolution is also finding the
right members. For the first couple of years, Kristen and I pretty
much had a revolving door of members and different producers and
managers getting onboard and steering us in different directions…There
were a lot of days when I felt the project to be quite spiritless
and got pretty down on the whole music thing in general because
it wasn't really what I thought it was. I thought, 'Gosh, this
is supposed to be where you express yourself. Not where you're
sort of a puppet being told what to play, what to wear, what to
say and all that kind of stuff.'
WOMANROCK:
You
had met Cassidy once before you eventually ran into her again
later down the road and ended up inviting her to join the band?
Henderson:
I
just love this story. Kristen and I had graduated school. We were
in Manhattan. We were like…'Let's get our acoustic guitars
and start playing.' A friend of ours had worked with Cassidy at
a restaurant where Cassidy was a hostess, because she too was
just out of school, flopping around, trying to find her way. We
were introduced…We got together a few times at Kristen's
apartment in the Village and just kind of hammered out a couple
of songs and then we just went our separate ways. It was just
a weird thing. Cassidy decided to go to L.A., so we lost track
of her. Kristen and I went on to find singers and bass players
and for the next couple of years it was kind of a revolving door…Ironically
the woman who was managing Cassidy bumped into the guy that was
managing Kristen and I. I guess Cassidy's manager had mentioned
that she knew us. At that point in time, the irony again is that
we needed a singer…It's one of those things where when you
need it, it shows up.
Now
it is a joy to be on stage with these girls…It took a long
time to get there-a lot of uncovering your weaknesses and coming
to terms with what you're really good at and what you're really
not so good at and acceptance of yourself. It's also acceptance
of others and really holding hands and not letting go.
WOMANROCK:
You've
said before that you'd like to be role models.
Henderson:
Basically
first and foremost you have to believe in what you do. And we
have that as individuals and we have that as a group. We never
doubted that we would be successful. I honestly don't mean that
in a narcissistic or conceited way. I mean successful in that
we would be able to live doing what we love. It just so happens
that we're all women, which adds an amazing color to the whole
thing because women aren't taken as seriously. But we also allow
ourselves that. We don't assert ourselves. So it's a vicious cycle.
You can apply it to anything in life. As long as you believe in
what you are doing, nobody can tell you otherwise. Nobody can
tell us that we can't play as well as guys. That's really a ridiculous
statement, but women buy that. They almost don't push themselves
as hard then.
WOMANROCK:
Antigone
Rising certainly asserts itself.
Henderson:
We
absolutely do and the reason is because we don't look at ourselves
as women in a band. We look at ourselves as musicians in a band-and
oh yeah, we happen to be women…Not only are we role models
to women to get out and do what it is that they love, but really
for anybody, men included…It's our job really to follow our
hearts and to find the courage to go and do things in the face
of the big "No" word and in the face of others dragging
us down or pooh poohing what we do. In the face of silly limits
and rules, like 'Women can't rock as hard as men. Women can't
play as hard as men.' That's crazy. In the face of, 'You can't
go and be an artist or a musician because you won't have benefits.'
Anything you can put in your way, you will. It's such a larger
issue than just women.
WOMANROCK:
It's
obvious you support one another both as band members and individuals.
Henderson:
I
don't know if I could have done it by myself. It's really difficult.
It is so difficult to get out there on the road and get up there
in front of 5 people in the middle of Illinois who might be more
interested in the Cubs game that's on TV at first…But again,
you have to kind of let go of that and just say I love doing this
and the rest follows. No matter who you are, if you're following
your heart, you're going to be an inspiration to people.
WOMANROCK:
How
important is it to you that you inspire people?
Henderson:
It's
really important to inspire people. I've been inspired by so many
people and it's priceless and invaluable to me…Even last
night on stage, we were playing in Hartford and there weren't
really a lot of people there and I was a little tired. There were
a couple of moments where I got into my own head for a minute
and I thought, 'Whew am I tired. I could really use a little sleep
here.' And that thing comes up where you sort of think 'I really
wish I could just walk of stage and go to sleep.' It happens.
But then you look out at these people and like I said, it wasn't
a lot of people, but I'm looking at these 100 people who are just
looking at us and I'm like, 'You know what? I've gotta stay up
here and inspire these people because look at them.' I've been
given that gift and I have to give that gift. We give that gift.
That's really what life is all about.
WOMANROCK:
Speaking
of gifts. You've been encountering a lot of new opportunities
as a band and I'd like to touch on some of those. You most recently
opened for Aerosmith and actually got to jam out with the band
on stage.
Henderson:
Aerosmith,
and really in particular, Steven Tyler, was a gem. If I could
grow up to be somebody, it would be Steven Tyler as a person.
WOMANROCK:
So,
at sound check at PNC in New Jersey Steven Tyler just looked at
you and all of a sudden you were on stage? What happened?
Henderson:
Steven
Tyler just pointed at me and motioned for me to come over. And
I was like, 'You're not talking to me.' I was looking behind my
shoulder, waiting for a roadie to run out. We've never met…They
were sound checking with "Sweet Emotion" and I love
that song. And he called me onstage. And he started singing, "Sweet
Emotion" with his big face and stuff. And I got on the mic
with him, on the same mic, and I did the same face. I did the
harmony with him. It was great. The girls freaked out…Cassidy
got to go on during the show. She got to sing "Walk This
Way" with him and they did the whole dance and stuff. He
was so warm. So compassionate. So supportive. Not one ounce of
ego in this man. He was a comrade. He talked to us like we were
on the same path.
WOMANROCK:
Another
big moment for you ladies since signing with Lava was working
with Rob Thomas on some tracks for the new record.
Henderson:
Rob
Thomas was like walking in and meeting your long lost brother.
You felt like you knew him your whole life…And again, not
an ounce of ego in this guy. You just touch his face and melodies
fly out.
WOMANROCK:
Which
two tracks did he work on with you?
Henderson:
"Don't
Look Back" and another one called "Precious." "Don't
Look Back" is going to be on the record. He co-wrote that
with Kristen and Cassidy, then we all went in and arranged it,
got all the musical parts together and then recorded it. It was
like going to summer camp for the week.
WOMANROCK:
You're
on tour with Rich Robinson now. The Black Crowes crowd seems like
a great fit?
Henderson:
His
fans are perfect for us. I've been having such a joy playing with
these girls and getting in front of his fans, who are just good
ole' rock n' roll fans, it's just like the Black Crowes kind of
music is exactly up our alley.
WOMANROCK:
What
is it like having your sister in the band with you?
Henderson:
I
have to say I couldn't imagine it any other way. She and I have
always played together so in a way, we've always had the unspoken
rule that we would always be partners in this. I mean have we
knocked heads? Do we knock heads? We sure do and sometimes it
can get a little ugly. But honestly, as we've grown older we have
become much better friends…We've definitely gotten to a point
where we can respect our similarities and respect our differences
and use them in a harmonious way. We call ourselves the infamous
Blendersons.
For
Antigone Rising's tour dates go to www.antigonerising.com.
Tina
Whelski is a NY-based freelance writer/photographer who has written
for the Village Voice and currently contributes a regular music
column to the Aquarian Weekly/East Coast Rocker. She's also a
drummer.
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1999-2004. WOMANROCK.com. All Rights Reserved.
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