Secret Friends Fest kicks off at The Loving Touch tonight. Eighteen musical acts will perform over two days on two separate stages. One of the acts playing tonight at 10 p.m. is a band from Cincinnati called Leggy. I was sent a link to their soundcloud and I really liked what I heard. Punk-esque music reminiscent of some of my favorite riot grrl bands.
I decided to reach out and ask them a few questions. I talked to guitarist and vocalist Veronique Allaer and drummer Chris Campbell about the band and what made them decide to drive to Ferndale for the fest. Check out what they had to say, give their tunes a listen, and head up to the LT to catch them perform!
I decided to reach out and ask them a few questions. I talked to guitarist and vocalist Veronique Allaer and drummer Chris Campbell about the band and what made them decide to drive to Ferndale for the fest. Check out what they had to say, give their tunes a listen, and head up to the LT to catch them perform!
CC- "We met in high school and became fast friends. back then Vero and Kerstin had a band and I bugged them constantly about joining but always got rejected. everyone went to college and finished and when Vero moved back we all got a place together and decided to start a band. I think the idea had come up a couple years prior during a drunken home-for-the-holidays friend hang. Like a “no seriously, oh my god, really, let’s start a band” kind of conversation. Then we just started playing a ton of shows around town and in nearby cities and hit the road as quickly as we possibly could."
HID- Why did you name the band Leggy?
VA- "I like the word because it's kinda old fashioned and strange and still identifiably feminine. Also, Chris is shy about it, but he used to be a leg model as a kid ;)"
HID- Why did you decide to come to Michigan and play the Secret Friends Fest?
HID- Why did you name the band Leggy?
VA- "I like the word because it's kinda old fashioned and strange and still identifiably feminine. Also, Chris is shy about it, but he used to be a leg model as a kid ;)"
HID- Why did you decide to come to Michigan and play the Secret Friends Fest?
CC- "Michigan is cool and we’ve had a ton of fun past couple times through the state. This will be our first time in the Detroit area and we’re super stoked about it. We decided to come because we hadn’t been up in awhile and because after playing a couple shows with the stellar PONYSHOW, we were asked to be a part of the fest and how could we say no?! What a stacked line-up! Also, I think Kerstin was a huge Wings fan growing up, and Destroy All Monsters and The Gories and Negative Approach and stuff were all seminal bands for me, so Michigan/Detroit has always been a magical place in our hearts (obvs)."
HID- Why do we need to see your set at SFF?
VA- "You need to come see our set because it's our first time in Detroit and we need people to be our homies and hang and party and chill and whisper sweet Rust Belt nothings to us."
CC- "Because we try our hardest to be a fun and enjoyable live band and we've got some new never before heard cuts! No, but for real though, because I mean like what if you don’t come and see us and then at the show we’re like, “yo in that interview where we said how we met and became Leggy? surprise we were lying and we’re actually aliens and have been living here for centuries and y’all are the only people who know” before revealing our true forms."
HID- Who was your biggest musical inspiration and why? Personal and as a band?
VA- "I'd say musically I am most inspired by garage rock revival bands like The Vines, The Von Bondies, and The Libertines. I learned guitar by looking up tabs to their songs haha. I also am fascinated with musicians who use lyrics to craft a super identifiable image - Lana Del Rey and Joanna Newsom for example. Every song of theirs is like looking deeply into the someone else's world."
HID- What's the biggest misconception about Ohio?
CC- "That it’s nothing but sprawling farmland and farm animals. Like, I mean there are some humans and hills and a few cities and rivers sprinkled in there too man, jeez. Some people also seem to think that there aren’t cool bands from Ohio, or that there’s no reason to play music here, which is so far off from reality. Some of the best bands ever and some of the best bands jamming the world right now are from Ohio!"
HID- Describe your music to someone who has never heard you before.
VA- "Lush punk"
CC- "Because we try our hardest to be a fun and enjoyable live band and we've got some new never before heard cuts! No, but for real though, because I mean like what if you don’t come and see us and then at the show we’re like, “yo in that interview where we said how we met and became Leggy? surprise we were lying and we’re actually aliens and have been living here for centuries and y’all are the only people who know” before revealing our true forms."
HID- Who was your biggest musical inspiration and why? Personal and as a band?
VA- "I'd say musically I am most inspired by garage rock revival bands like The Vines, The Von Bondies, and The Libertines. I learned guitar by looking up tabs to their songs haha. I also am fascinated with musicians who use lyrics to craft a super identifiable image - Lana Del Rey and Joanna Newsom for example. Every song of theirs is like looking deeply into the someone else's world."
HID- What's the biggest misconception about Ohio?
CC- "That it’s nothing but sprawling farmland and farm animals. Like, I mean there are some humans and hills and a few cities and rivers sprinkled in there too man, jeez. Some people also seem to think that there aren’t cool bands from Ohio, or that there’s no reason to play music here, which is so far off from reality. Some of the best bands ever and some of the best bands jamming the world right now are from Ohio!"
HID- Describe your music to someone who has never heard you before.
VA- "Lush punk"
Make sure to catch the band live at 10 p.m. at The Loving Touch.
~S
Leggy = the love children of when the Ramones met the Donnas ;-)
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