Sad Baxter blends the sound of iconic bands like Nirvana, and Smashing Pumpkins to make one effortlessly awkward mash-up; and we mean that in a good way, a great way, in fact. With album titles like ‘Weirdy’, and lyrics like “I hate you, but I want you”, the
band forces us to confront some uncomfortable situations that most of us would rather sweep under the rug and forget about.
With a track record like this, not even old dating rumors can faze these band mates. In
fact, Deezy only laughs when asked about her former relationship with fellow band
mate, Alex. The two dated for four years in college, but somehow managed to keep it
together after the relationship ended; for the sake of their friendship, and of course, the
music.
“We were very optimistic when we were together. Things just change, and we were so
young,” Deezy, explains. “We did a good job of setting boundaries after the break up…
We’re still magically best friends, after 8 and a half years.”
Unapologetically Honest
Whether it’s in the music or the chemistry between two exes on stage, Deezy and Alex
bask in the offbeat vibe of their paradoxically tightly synced music, reminiscent of old
80s and 90s grunge rock.
“I think it’s just, as I got older, I started experimenting with different things...” Deezy
says of their old school sound. “In terms of lyrics, I made a conscious decision a few
years ago to write openly and honestly as if I’m writing in a dairy, instead of putting on
any airs.
“A lot of people connected with [musicians] in the 80s and 90s who were just being
themselves, and who were unapologetic about any bad or good feelings that they had.”
It’s not surprising then, that one of the band’s ‘role models’ of sorts would be Weezer,
whose influence is easily heard in both their lyrics and instrumentals.
“[They’re] straight up honest,” Deezy says of the band. “They just have that insanely
nerdy-don’t- even-realize- that-they’re- cool vibe to them…. Like, ‘I’m sorry but I can’t
help what a dufus I am.’
90s Nostalgia
But the band’s 90s nostalgia doesn’t stop there. To encapsulate their old school sound,
the band released their recent album ‘Weirdy’ on cassette. Alex and Deezy made the
decision after seeing a revival of the old medium in their music circles, shortly before
their release.
“It’s fun to have a physical thing,” Deezy asserts, as she thinks back to the days when
fans were thrilled to open up a cassette or CD case and look at the lyrics, alongside
words of gratitude from band members. “I think since cassettes are a lot cheaper and
fun-looking, we decided to go with that...” She adds, “It’s fun because it’s a vintage
thing.”
It wasn’t an easy decision, but it’s one both Deezy and Alex are glad they made. “The
cassette release was so fun,” she tells us. “Sometimes you need... reminders that people
are there to support you and help you.”
To ensure fans have no problems playing their music, each cassette includes a download
card, which provides access to the digital versions of the songs online. This allows the
band to live in the past for a moment, while embracing the digital wonders of today.
Deezy on Sexism in the Performance Industry
There is one thing about the 80s and 90s though that Deezy wishes had progressed
much further along; namely, equality in the music industry. Deezy witnesses and
experiences a fair deal of sexism as a female performer, from some fans and the media
alike.
“It’s so hard to escape anything about that,” she admits. “It’s so frustrating. Every review
– except for one that came out recently – always has to say female-fronted, or something
about my gender. They never say anything about Alex being a man, so why do they have
to mention my gender?”
Deezy has also received backhanded compliments, which begin with “I don’t usually like
bands with female singers but...” and the occasional remark that her voice isn’t ‘pretty’
or ‘girly sounding’.
“I know it’s important that we shed light on female singers, especially when they’re
killing it,” she says. “But not everyone wants that attention. We want to be seen as equal;
and rank up alongside the men, and not in a separate category.”
Deezy traces perhaps one of her first taste of the road ahead back to when she tried to
buy a white guitar from a professor in college. She remembers his selling-point as, “It
will go with everything you wear…” She laughs bitterly at the memory, admitting that
fashion had never been one of her strong points. “If I was a guy, he would never have
said that to me,” she adds.
The Road Ahead
In spite of all this, Deezy is optimistic about where the band is now, and the way
forward. “Honestly, I would say this past month has been amazing. Going on tour was
really hard to plan. It’s hard to get in contact with people you barely know and set up
shows in cities you’ve never played in,” she admits. “It showed us, we can continue to do
this... on our own.”
Sad Baxter is also looking forward to expanding their tour into international countries,
and have their eyes set on Japan.
“Alex and I are dying to play music in Japan,” Deezy says. “We’ve both really been
fascinated with Japan since we were younger, [and] the whole idea of going overseas to
play music is so cool.”
But the band struggles with a language barrier, which has been a formidable bar against
entry into the Japanese music market, thus far.
In the meantime, Sad Baxter continues to draw crowds all across the U.S. from Boston to
Nashville. Sad Baxter also recently kicked off their tour for ‘Weirdy’, and will be coming
to a town near you – if they haven’t already. Check out their website at
www.sadbaxter.com for details.
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