#satsw is the band too

[sarahandthesafewords]

hello sarah and the safe worders i am here to spread afterlife propaganda. yes the ep may not be available on any streaming services anymore but that does not change the fact that all the songs from it are BANGERS!!! i LOVE don't ask questions. IT'S SUCH A FUN SONG AND THE WHOLE EP IS GREAT!!!

[justaboutsnapped]

♪ :]

"Can you spill blood from stone? We're gonna try and then we'll see how quick you burn"

From Dig A Fancy Grave (feat.Fable Cry) by Sarah and the Safe Word (also I realized that I wrote quickly instead of quick but I'm too lazy to rewrite it)

I strongly recommend this band btw. If you wanna know what they sound like, think the steampunk theatricality of Panic!'s Vices and Virtues but 500% stronger and queerer (their sound is also heavier). I don't listen to The Mechanisms really but I think that if you like their vibes you'd probably also enjoy SATSW.

[shemakesmusic-uk]

Getting To Know...

Sarah and the Safe Word.

Atlanta gothic pop/rock and roll band Sarah And The Safe Word have released their new EP, Red Hot & Holy. The lead single (and title track) was released on Sept 21, and offers up an ambitious combination of gothicism, dark pop, and hints of gospel. View the video below.

Sarah And The Safe Word introduce a wide variety of instruments in their twist on modern rock, including those such as violins and double keyboards, morphing together to create a dynamic listening experience. Red Hot & Holy is crucial to the band's continuous growth, offering up a tracklist of songs that are a full-fledged representation of exactly what they can offer as a 7-piece. Sarah And The Safe Word is cinematic, sensual, and simply put, talented.

She Makes Music was lucky enough to do a Q&A with the band discussing the new EP, their influences, advice they have for other queer/non-binary artist’s and more. Read the interview below.

This is the first time SMM has been introduced to Sarah and the Safe World so please tell us a little bit about your background. What brought the seven of you together and make you want to start this project?

Susy: “I got a random message on Fb from Kienan asking me if I wanted to play strings on the first album, Strange Doings In the Night. He got my info from a mutual friend and at first, I was unavailable since I was going to Mexico to see family. When I came back from my trip, I received another message from Kienan asking me if I was still interested and I said ‘yes.’ To me, it is absolutely wild that from the first time I met Kienan, I instantly knew we would be friends. The feeling was mutual when I first met Sarah too. I felt like they were old friends and we grew really close during the recording process. I was then asked to perform with them at the Masquerade, opening for Metro Station. I’ve never had so much fun on stage. I come from a classical background and it was a whole new animal to me, being on a stage that doesn’t force me to sit in a chair facing a music stand. Initially, I declined their offer twice to to join, because I am in school pursuing my music degree and my Mariachi band was constantly gigging. Luckily, I came to my senses and joined. The absolute best decision of my life.”

Sarah: “This band started as a solo project of mine - if you had told me three years ago that we would be a huge seven piece cabaret band, I would have never believed you. In retrospect, it was inevitable. The more we played shows and recorded, we all collectively realized what kind of band we wanted to be and where we wanted to take it. Some of the folks in this band began as just studio musicians on our record, and now they're my best friends. Kismet.”

Maddox: “I had been friends with at least Sarah and Kienan through the music scene in Atlanta for a little while. One day I saw a Facebook post looking for a last minute bass player for the Strange Doings release show. In a little over a week I learned the setlist and joined them at rehearsal and played the show, and I suppose I did well enough to be asked to join the band permanently. And though I didn’t play on it, I joined them in the studio to do gang vocals on several tracks of Strange Doings while they were recording it.”  

Beth: “Kienan had auditioned me for a couple of other projects he was working on, and to be honest I didn’t do so well with those auditions. He and I had done some songwriting together, and he’s such a brilliant writer that I was determined to work with him. When SaTSW needed some piano for Strange Doings in the Night, Kienan reached out to me to see if I could come in to record ‘You’re the Sort of Man I Like’ and it wasn’t long after that Sarah and Kienan asked me to join the band officially. This group has made me a better musician and a better friend, and I am so lucky to be able to play music with some of the best musicians and best friends I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing.”

Who or what has the biggest influence on your gothic/vaudeville rock sound and aesthetic?

Sarah: “I've always had a fascination with the cabaret and burlesque movement of the 1920s/30s. To me, cabaret was the original punk rock. It was about liberation, sexuality, and expression and tried to subvert the cultural ideals of the time. It's exciting for us as a band to reframe those concepts against a modern rock and roll backdrop, especially with a darker aesthetic. Back when I was a weird goth teenager, I always wanted to see a band dive into a sound like this completely. We got impatient and did it ourselves.”

Beth: “Growing up on piano, I’ve always had an affinity for jazz of the 1920’s-1940’s. I still listen to a lot of Etta James, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, B.B. King, Nina Simone, etc. They were the rock and roll artists of their time and laid the foundation for a lot of what we hear from the music industry today. I love dipping into that history to create a modern version of that big band/burlesque sound that pays respect to the artists that came before us.”

Maddox: “If you take my Apple Music account half of it is 20’s - 40’s music. Big band, cabaret, and jazz especially. Django Reinhardt, Ella Fitzgerald, and The Ink Spots are my favourites. Being able to add those influences to rock and roll is a huge thing for me. I love history and especially the roots of music we listen to today. Calling back to it in this band is incredibly special.” 

You've just released your latest EP Red Hot and Holy. What's the story behind this record, and what do you hope fans will take away from it?

Sarah: “I want people to have as much fun listening to it as we did creating it. The world is a scary place right now, especially for marginalized people, and I hope that listening to this EP can take them on a little journey away from all of that - even if it's just for a little while.”  

Maddox: “We set out to make a collection of songs that each stood out on their own and ended up making a record out of them. Each one is sort of designed to take listeners out of the real world for a moment. It’s all written to be fun and we had so much fun recording them. We hope listeners feel the same way and enjoy being taken out of the real world for just a few minutes with us.”  

Beth: “Something we have always been vocal about is encouraging people to be themselves and to love themselves, and I think this record is a really great example of us embracing ourselves. It’s weird, it’s silly, and it really shows who we are as a group. I hope our music encourages people to embrace who they really are and to embrace the weird!”

How does Red Hot and Holy differ from your previous releases? How has your sound evolved?

Maddox: “It’s the first Safe Word record fully collaborated and written by all seven of us. So you can definitely pick each individual one of us out on it. Not to mention we found Aaron Pace who took our sound even further by just understanding us and also allowing our ridiculousness to not only have been included but he somehow made that better too.”  

Sarah: “I've been telling people that RHH is the culmination of the seven of us finally realizing our potential as a creative unit. Everyone in the band is featured in some way on each song, and to me this is the strongest we've ever sounded. Working with our producer Aaron Pace was like finding our musical soulmate. He totally understood our band and captured our sound.”

Beth: “The biggest difference between Red Hot and Holy and past releases is that we all collaborated on every song. We took different writing tactics with each song, but each member had an influence on each song in some way. We really pushed ourselves to draw out the best in each of us, and we’re all really proud of how the EP turned out.”

Sarah and the Safe Word are advocates for promoting safety and inclusivity in all listeners, which is something we're also passionate about here at SMM. Please tell us more about why this is so important to you.

Maddox: “As a transgender man in this scary political and social climate, I cling to my friends and bandmates for support. We’re all over the spectrum in this band. We’ve experienced so much individually and as a band. It’s so important to share these stories and experiences and bring them to an audience definitely made up of people like us and perhaps not. We want everyone to feel safe and represented at our shows. As a transgender person afforded the gift of having some sort of platform it would be ridiculous to me to not reach out and give back and let everyone know they’re valued and loved.” 

Sarah: “As a band with several transgender, nonbinary and POC members, we've lived through feeling alienated within the music scene. To me, if you're lucky enough to play music in front of a receptive audience, you have an obligation to make sure they feel safe and accepted in return.”  

Beth: “There are a lot of scary things happening in our country and across the world right now. It’s easy to get caught up in all of it, but the best thing we can do for each other right now is love each other. We’ve all been through our own personal trauma and unfortunately our stories are not unique. We are all stronger and safer when we stand together in love and support.”

What advice do you have for other queer and non-binary artists wanting to get into the music industry?

Maddox: “Play music. Just get out there and play.”  

Sarah: “Live unapologetically. Don't let the music scene relegate you to a basement just because you're a queer musician. If there isn't a lane for you, make one. If the scene doesn't acknowledge your talent, make it so it's undeniable. Be kind to people who support you and lift up the kids coming up behind you. Don’t let anyone tell you what to write about - just speak your truth. There isn't a band in history who hasn’t gone through a rough patch or faced adversity. Stick with and believe in your craft through those times and don't give up - that's what makes you stand out. If you wish there was a band out there who did this or that, don't wait for it. Make it.”

Finally, what's next for Sarah and the Safe Word?

Sarah: “ I plan to rule the former United States of America as their Dark Empress and undying God Queen. I accept tributes of blood and gold. Pledge your allegiance to me and you will be spared. Also, it’d be fun to tour the west coast.”

Maddox: “Keep writing songs. Keep touring. Support our Dark Empress. Hopefully get to go overseas or to the west coast soon. The usual.”  

Beth: “We have plans to write, tour, and bring the Dark Empress her asparagus water. I would love to get to Europe and tour, too.”

Red Hot and Holy is available now.