Today we’d like to introduce you to Jordie LaLa.
Jordie, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I think we’re typically all raised on our parents’ music, I was fortunate that mine had a decent alternative rock selection (a lot of R.E.M., Talking Heads, Chumbawumba, and the Barenaked Ladies) and my first contribution to the family CD collection was the Backstreet Boys. I started piano lessons at age seven but didn’t do much with music outside of recitals. After my boy band phase, I found myself a picky pre-teen who didn’t like anything on the radio until Green Day’s American Idiot hit the airwaves. I over-played and messed with the EQ on that record enough that I could finally differentiate the bass guitar from other sounds. I thought to myself, “Man, playing bass in a band would be cool… Anyway, back to drawing anime.” In high school, again I picked up piano lessons along with vocal lessons and only played solo or along with an accompanist for recitals, merely fantasizing about playing in a band.
Fast forward ten years, I was working at an animation studio and in need of a mid-day break when a friend/coworker (Ari, Qbomb’s guitarist) introduced me to the studio’s music room. I tinkered around on the keyboard, then picked up the spare bass and felt inspired to get to know the instrument better, so we would learn Blink-182 songs on break. Eventually, our other friend/coworker (Izzy, Qbomb’s frontman) caught wind of our cover band and, long story short recruited us to Qbomb.
Music for me is a creative outlet when I need a break from being creative in visual arts. I’m inspired by the attitude of Mike Dirnt (Green Day) and the energy of Mark Hoppus (Blink-182), but I especially look up to lady bassists like Tina Weymouth (Talking Heads), Jenn Wasner (Wye Oak), Meg Meyers, Jenny Lee Lindberg (Warpaint) and female fronted bands such as Paramore, Nightwish, Flyleaf, and Evanescence.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It’s been a relatively smooth road; it helps that this is fun, and I’m surrounded by friends doing something we all enjoy.
A difficulty at the beginning was finding my place in Qbomb. Originally, I was on keys and found myself unmotivated to play the instrument after falling in love with the bass. But we found a compromise! Rem (Qbomb’s vocalist/bassist) writes complicated rhythms and melodies, so it was a lot to ask of him to play and sing live. When I stepped in to hold down the bass it freed him up to kill it in the vocals and play rhythm guitar.
Personally, I’m still trying to overcome my stage fright. I love the adrenaline rush of being outside my comfort zone and the camaraderie of playing in a band, but the moments before we started playing on our first gig felt similar to jumping off a cliff. It’s pushed me to grow in confidence and I’ve come a long way since, but I still have a long way to go.
Please tell us about Qbomb.
Qbomb is a weird mix of different musical influences and a weird mix of personalities within the band. We’re all storytellers, so that gives our lyrics a little something extra when you’re paying attention. Our sound borrows from early 2000s metal, punk, and video games which makes for an exciting ride.
Every live show is different; we all do our best to put on the kind of show we’d want to see. We end up brainstorming themes or new costumes to keep things fresh, and it’s a good thing no one takes themselves too seriously because Qbomb hams it up.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
My parents have always been so supportive, in everything I’ve tried, they deserve a big thanks. They’re the only people in Texas who have seen Qbomb live! And, of course, the supportive friends who make it out to see us play the same songs over and over at seedy LA bars, on weeknights, and late nights. And another big thanks to my bestie, Emily, the best dang Groadie a gal can ask for.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.qbomb.band/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/qbombband/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/qbombmusic/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/qbombband
Image Credit:
Brandon Kawachi, Tina Hornton, Tarreyn Van Slyke
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