[00:00:00] Speaker A: Foreign.
Welcome to unsigned 518 Weekend Spotlight. This special episode, you could say I had recently the pleasure of hosting Girl Love and Sawyer Fredericks up here at the Dazzle Den. I kind of killed, I believe I said it was three birds in one stone. I wanted to talk to both of them about the recording of Stonewall that they released as a collaboration that's out everywhere on the the streaming services. But I also interviewed Girl Love by herself for this month's Metroland print issue that is out right now on newsstands everywhere. Would you say that? Yeah, I guess on newsstands everywhere. If you need to know where you can get one, you can go to the metroland.com. there's a pickup location so you can find out all the places in the capital region where you can pick up the episode and check out my interview with Girl Love. But also I had the pleasure of having them perform Stone while here in the Dazzle Den. And it was, it was really great. It actually, it actually made me cry while it was happening and while I was, while I was filming. And you know what? It, I'm not ashamed to say it, so. But anyway, we're gonna check out this interview that I did with Girl Love and Sawyer Fredericks and then hear their song Stonewall at the end. And I guess without further ado, let's get started.
Andy Skullen is such a good dude. The kind of guy that it's easy to talk to. He's got some cool stuff he'd like.
[00:01:43] Speaker B: To share with you.
[00:01:44] Speaker A: Yeah, you.
[00:01:44] Speaker B: It's the weekend.
[00:01:45] Speaker A: You know what you should do?
[00:01:46] Speaker B: It's the weekend Spotlight.
[00:01:48] Speaker A: The weekend. All right.
I'm here in the Dazzle Den with Girl Love and Sawyer Fredericks. How are you?
[00:01:57] Speaker C: Doing well, Doing well as well.
[00:01:59] Speaker B: Happy to be here.
[00:02:00] Speaker C: Yeah, thanks.
[00:02:01] Speaker A: And you know, we were saying before we got rolling, like, it was, it was funny how we're actually gonna, you know, because I, I, I don't have a behind the scenes. I just say everything right up front. But like, we're, we're, we're here to like, do kill three birds with one stone, I guess. You know, we, we are gonna hear a song, we are gonna record a podcast, then I'm gonna interview Girl Love for the Metroland, which you can check
[email protected] and find out where you can pick up a physical copy. And then, you know, go, go read and support everything that's happening this month. So I guess the way we'll start the conversation is just tell me how you Two met.
And it almost sounds like, you know, like, so how did you two meet?
[00:02:57] Speaker B: Well, it was a lovely day when we both met, you know, but music.
[00:03:02] Speaker A: Speaking, like, how did you two meet?
[00:03:06] Speaker B: So I first met Laura, I go to a cafe that is in Troy, a good amount called Cafe Euphoria. And Laura was performing there one of the nights that I was going there. So I got to see her perform live at that time.
[00:03:23] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah, that was my home show for one of my Midwest tours that I used to go on every spring.
That actually, that particular night was kind of a special night because Cafe Euphoria, they picked up my show and allowed me to do that show there at the cafe very last minute.
I, I got canceled on by a. I'm not gonna, I'm not gonna name drop who it was, but my venue, I know I got named I, I.
[00:04:00] Speaker B: On by rude people.
[00:04:01] Speaker C: I got canceled on. Yeah. By a venue that saw my, my new marketing and saw that I was queer. And they canceled the show because of, because of that.
And so I reached out to Cafe Euphoria and asked if we could have the show there. And.
And that's a queer space and a trans and non binary owned cafe. And they were more than happy to pick the show up. And so we had a really lovely night and turned that, that unfortunate situation into a really beautiful one. So I got to celebrate with the community.
[00:04:35] Speaker B: It was a really good show.
[00:04:36] Speaker C: Thank you. It was a great show. Yeah, I remember that one.
[00:04:39] Speaker A: And you know, not to like dwell on like a downer note, but like, when stuff like that happens, it always seems to never work out for the bigots. You know what I mean? Like, it's always like, they're like, I'm not making that cake for you. And then like, you know, next thing you know, you're out of business because nobody wants to deal with like, that.
[00:05:02] Speaker B: We made our own cake and we ate.
[00:05:04] Speaker A: Right. Exactly. Totally. And like, I feel like that's what happened here. It's like, you know, there was a bad situation and someone was like, that we're turning it into a good situation and it. That's got to be a backfire on the, on the bigots that made a shitty choice.
[00:05:22] Speaker B: Yeah, for sure.
[00:05:23] Speaker A: And you know, and not calling it, like, I understand that. Not calling them out because I struggle with that every single day. Like, there's so many things that I see. There's so many people that I talk to and I'm like, first of all, I don't want to necessarily put a target on anybody's head.
But, like, sometimes I'm just like, oh, I just want to say that person's name and, like, make sure that it. Makes sure that it's on record and. And make sure. So what I do is just privately, I'll just tell everybody.
[00:05:52] Speaker B: Just privately.
Or.
[00:05:54] Speaker A: Or rather not, like, tell everybody. But I always say, like. Because sometimes I'll put, like, cryptic out, you know, that's like, hey, some shitty. Some shitty things are happening in the scene. And someone will reach out to me and be like, what is it?
I'm like, I'll tell you.
[00:06:08] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:06:08] Speaker A: You know, I won't say off the record. Yeah, off the record. But if you ask me, yeah, I'm telling you. So people in the community, if you're doing shitty things and I find out about it, I will tell people about it.
But anyway, now. Now let's get back to positive things.
So you met at Cafe Euphoria, and I'm assuming it was, like, a mutual admiration fairly quickly. Like.
[00:06:37] Speaker B: Yeah. So, like, I had only just met, like, Laura. Like, I just kind of, like, came up to her after the show and was just like, that was great. Great show.
Complimented her estate sale song because there was a lyric in there that I just loved.
And then we actually didn't, like, start hanging out and, like, getting to know each other until an open mic hosted by a song city that's in Troy.
And we just happened to be at an open mic together and actually, like, Laura heard my music and I heard her music again and just started a conversation from there.
[00:07:14] Speaker C: Yeah. That's when we. We heard each other's original songs. I feel like going back and forth with those.
[00:07:19] Speaker B: Yep.
[00:07:20] Speaker C: And really just. I won't. I'll. I'll just speak for me. I just really admired your narrative approach to songwriting.
[00:07:29] Speaker B: Oh, thank you.
[00:07:30] Speaker C: Yeah. Yeah. I just think.
And then, I mean, obviously, the delivery is. Is dynamic and electric and exciting, but the songwriting as well, so. Yeah.
[00:07:46] Speaker B: Thank you.
[00:07:49] Speaker A: That's cool. So, you know, in the song that we're gonna hear today, that's a song that Laura, you had played.
I'm sorry. No, I blew the Mystique, girl. Love. You played that here in this very room, like, couple months ago.
But hearing, you know. And again, I always say that I don't hide anything. So we've already heard. I've already heard the song that. That the folks are going to hear. And, yeah, it made me cry. Like, I was, like, sitting here trying to, like, operate the camera and then, like, the levels and everything, and I'm like, Ah, Jesus Christ. I'm like, they're going to look over and see me. I'm just like trying to keep it together. But like, it was like, I'd.
I don't know, there was just something about the, the energy with the two of you.
[00:08:41] Speaker B: And it's such a powerful song.
[00:08:43] Speaker A: It really absolutely is.
[00:08:45] Speaker B: So well written, by the way. He did an amazing job for that.
[00:08:48] Speaker C: Thank you.
[00:08:48] Speaker A: But yeah, caught me like totally off guard and I was just like, well, yeah, I did not expect.
I did not expect to be crying at noon on a Monday. But, you know.
So the song itself.
What, like, what made you decide to do it as. As the duo?
[00:09:10] Speaker C: Yeah. So actually the. The next year I was on the same tour and did my home show at Cafe Euphoria again. And Sawyer came as. As my friend then and he heard the song there for the.
[00:09:26] Speaker B: Just immediately after the show was like, I want to sing on that.
[00:09:32] Speaker C: I was so flattered and appreciative and said, absolutely, of course. Yes, yes, yes.
[00:09:38] Speaker B: Just wanted to add that rasp and yelling aspect to it. Get that rage in there.
[00:09:45] Speaker A: It was really great. And now that's something that has been recorded and is going to be released.
[00:09:52] Speaker C: So I recorded a live album in February and it's going to be released on June 13th.
We're doing a big album release party at the Linda.
It's gonna be at 77 to 9 and Sawyer and I are going to end the night with Stonewall.
[00:10:08] Speaker A: That's awesome.
[00:10:08] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:10:09] Speaker A: So. And I'm sure our tickets are probably available for that.
[00:10:12] Speaker C: They are already, yeah.
[00:10:14] Speaker A: And you can get them probably.
What is it, the Linda. Lynda.com? yep, you can get them work.org well, whatever. I'll find. I'll find out what the link is and I'll put it in the show notes to make it. To make it very easy. Then I don't have to remember shit. Like I go to the page and click the link and get tickets to that. So that's going to be super awesome. So I guess before we go, is there anything else that you wanted to add for this part of the many things that we're doing in this room today?
[00:10:45] Speaker C: Well, I guess I just want to highlight that I am doing an Indiegogo campaign for the project, for the live album, for the mixing and mastering of the. Of the album.
So you can get some really cool perks. Like I recorded an instant EP that when people buy that perk, I email them an EP of three songs that they can get instantly as well as like new Merch and tickets to the show.
[00:11:12] Speaker A: Awesome. And I'll. I'll put a link to that in the show notes as well so that you can help support Girl Love and local music, and that'll be awesome. So I guess without further ado, we should probably hear the song. So do you want to. Want to introduce the song? Is there anything you want to add before you get going?
[00:11:34] Speaker C: One of the first things that this current administration did was take the T out of the LGBT off of the website of Stonewall, which is just absolutely, incredibly offensive to the community for many reasons, but one of those being that it was almost certainly a trans woman who started that riot.
And so it's very important to me that this song start with the image of a woman throwing the brick.
Yeah. So I'm just very appreciative towards all of the individuals that have come before who have made my life, the. The ease and the. And the.
The ease that I get to move with. With. Through the world possible. I'm just very grateful.
Yeah. So this is. This song is dedicated to them.
[00:12:38] Speaker A: All right, so let's hear Stonewall Girl Love and Sawyer Fredericks live here in the dazzled end. I thank you both for being here.
[00:12:45] Speaker B: Thank you for having us.
[00:12:46] Speaker C: Thanks.
They're scorching the ladies in the big wigs and they're tripping up the feet of the heeled men? Yeah, the fuzz broke the law to get into it with the street folk down on Christopher. When her back's against the wall she starts swinging.
Cause this love ain't wrong, it's just different.
And the taken aback by her raised fist Breaks the world lens with a red brick.
[00:13:21] Speaker A: Oh, oh, oh.
Enough, enough, enough.
Oh, oh, oh.
[00:13:32] Speaker C: Love is love.
[00:13:38] Speaker B: And they're passing bills left and right. And they're taking away my siblings right. You might think it's just a couple little fights but it all adds up and comes down to light now the states where my friends are scared of living.
Cause the masses don't think they deserve it. But my message to everybody, every trans person.
Cause you are worth it and you are worthy enough.
[00:14:31] Speaker A: Oh.
[00:14:35] Speaker B: Love is love is love.
[00:14:52] Speaker C: Now I can hold hold hands with my girlfriend. It's because of a generation's courage.
Don't forget what a person can accomplish. It takes a single fist to raise a red brick.
[00:15:07] Speaker B: And as long as there's breath in my body I will vote for those in my country to protect and uphold the dignity of our sacred dignity. Give us equality.
Oh, enough, enough, enough.
Love is love is love.
[00:16:27] Speaker A: Enough.
[00:16:38] Speaker B: Love, love love.
Love is love is love.
[00:16:56] Speaker A: All right, that was Stonewall, Sawyer Fredericks and Girl Love here live in the Dazzle Den. And make sure to go check out their version of it that's out on streaming and get tickets to go see Girl Love, the album release show and check out the album when it releases. She's just so great and such a great performer and great songs and a great human being. So go support Girl Love and Sawyer Fredericks and the entire 518 scene. So I guess that's it for me. Thank you so much for listening to this special episode and I'm Andy scullin. This is unsigned 518.
I'll see you on the road.
Unsigned 518 is produced and hosted by me, Andy Scullin. New episodes are available every week wherever you stream podcasts. If you'd like to help support the show, please like and subscribe wherever you are listening. Or you could buy me a
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Take care of one another and I'll see you next week.
[00:18:13] Speaker B: And Scullin.