Kerry Davis
The former member of Red Aunts and Beehive and the Barracudas talks about her new one-lady band, Two Tears
By Bess Korey
Published: May 10th, 2007 | 10:17am
Kerry Davis has been an extremely prolific musician and songwriter since the early ’90s. Davis’ career began as a member of the Red Aunts, an all-female punk band from Long Beach, California. The group — distinctive for its super short songs and its aversion to verse-chorus-verse songwriting — released five albums between 1994 and 1998, and gained some notoriety for having three of these releases (#1Chicken, Saltbox, and Ghetto Blaster) put out by Epitaph Records during a very popular time for the label (Sympathy for the Record Industry put out their first two albums: Drag and Bad Motherfucken 40 O-Z). Despite their success, the group called it quits in 1998, and Davis went on to other musical projects, including the San Diego band Beehive and the Barracudas.
In recent years, Davis has been performing under the name Two Tears and refers to herself as being part of a “one-lady band.” She’s put out two albums under that moniker: Enjoy Yourself and Little Tea, the latter released January 2007, on Simple Social Graces. With Little Tea, Davis has branched out from the more unorthodox style of songwriting she’s been using since Red Aunts; though, evidence of her ability to write super short songs remains on Little Tea — the nine-song CD clocking in at 23 minutes.
Aside from songwriting flexibility, being part of a “one-lady band” gives Davis the freedom to live and travel in other countries. Venus Zine caught up with Davis via e-mail in April 2007, eight months after her move from Paris to Dubai City, United Arab Emirates, and shortly after returning from her European tour in support of Little Tea.
How has living in Dubai affected you as an artist? Has it changed the way you perceive the United States?
I’ve only lived in Dubai for eight months. We moved here due to my boyfriend’s job. It’s great living here, in the Middle East, in Arabia. Dubai has a moderate, international culture. There are a lot of Western ex-pats here, who have been here since oil was discovered in the Emirates. It made the transition moving to another country and culture easy. We were living in Paris for awhile. That was much harder due to the language. However, there is an awesome music scene in Paris, and there’s no underground here!
I’ve learned a lot about Islam, and my perception of Muslim women has changed drastically. Emirati women wear their "headscarves" (hijabs) draped over a massive hair-do, creating a look almost like a beehive, tons of eye make-up and high heels. I was saying to a MySpace friend that some Emirati girls could give the Ronettes a run for their money. There are many Indian people and Southeast Asians here also — just everybody.
There’s a lot of money and a lot of poverty, too. It’s really opened my eyes. I thought I was pretty well-traveled and informed. It makes me sad to see the way society is moving in the United States. Every time we switch on a U.S. TV station here, there’s news of Anna Nicole. Classic! The [American] economy sucks; people are fat, unhealthy, and violent. Then again, when anyone gets in my face about being American I tell them that we have a chick and a black guy running for president, so back off. Hopefully, we’ll make a change.
Do you consider yourself a political person, and is there a particular message you’re trying to get across through your music?
I’m as political as anyone, [though] I’m not trying to express anything through my songs. I write about food, and broken hearts, and purple rainy nights somewhere fancy.
Coming from a punk background with the Red Aunts, how much of a role does punk play in your life today, and do you still see it as an influence?
I love punk rock music. When something really gnarly like Black Flag or Bad Brains comes on my iPod, my boyfriend is like, "what would make a nice girl listen to something like this?" I always claim I’m a punker, especially here [in Dubai] where a lot of the people are so phony, nouveau riche, and gross. To me being punk is being yourself, and not being afraid to do and say what you believe in.
What led to you joining Beehive and the Barracudas? Did that band have an influence on Two Tears?
I recorded a bunch of Two Tears’ songs after the Red Aunts broke up in a studio called the Distillery in Costa Mesa, California, but other than that I haven’t recorded with anyone else but Gar.
I became friends with Gar and Dirty [bassist Gar Wood and “commotionist” Dirty Millsap]. I used to hang out in San Diego a lot and lived there for about one year, around the corner from Gar. We started Beehive in Gar’s studio, just messing around and having fun. I’m an original ’Cuda — so am in the group forever. But I only played on the first and second record.
The bummer is that they got way better after I moved back to New York (I’m from the East Coast). That group has had the biggest influence on me, more than any other I’ve listened to, because I completely connect with the music and their kind, pleasant, and mellow personalities. They don’t take themselves seriously, but are totally conscious that they are creating their "art." It’s just my style and personal taste.
How has your songwriting changed since you were in the Red Aunts?
Well, the Red Aunts broke up eight or nine years ago, so I’m older now and naturally have more control over my voice and guitar. Also, I write this stuff alone, and we co-wrote most of the music in the Red Aunts.
The first Two Tears’ record was similar to the Red Aunts’ style and structure — lots of parts and time changes. This one [Little Tea] is simpler. The first one was recorded with two guys that I’d been playing with and the songs had been building up over the years on my 4-track.
The new songs were written by me performing as my one-lady band, so there weren’t lots of parts and changes. I purposely tried to chill on getting all math-rock. I demo’d all the new songs and played drums. Making up beats was the funnest [sic] part. However, I was still asking different friends if they could meet me in San Diego to play drums, or bass, or whatever. Gar suggested I come alone, and we take as much time as possible in the studio, and he and I would build the songs up, because that’s how they were conceived: record each in its entirety instead of tracking and doing overdubs later, and not be on a schedule like one usually is in the studio.
So I lived at his house, and we ate burritos, and drank Tecates [Mexican beers], and had so much fun. It turned out my friends from NY (bass and drums) came out to play on some songs. I’m glad they did, as some songs needed a proper rhythm section.
It’s my favorite record …. Even if I wasn’t me, I’d really like it. [It’s] simple, catchy, moody, and rad! I would describe the Two Tears’ sound as Bananarama meets Kim Deal meets ’60s garage rock.
Do you plan on touring any time soon?
I’ve just returned from a European tour with a guy named Dan Sartain, who is just awesome. It was really fun. I leave in three weeks for a tour in Spain and France. I’ll be touring the west coast of the United States in September [of 2007] and also playing one show in Chicago that month. My shows are always different, because I haven’t had a steady line-up since I started the group. It’s harder for me to find musicians/friends who can tour, because we’re all older now, and they have real lives.
Two years ago, I started playing as a one-lady band, because I wanted to rock. It was just easier than arranging practices in expensive New York rehearsal studios. People really liked that set up, and I wrote my new record performing that way. Now I play with a drummer. I want to be able to move, dance around, and not have to focus on the kick drum so that I can rip some leads! My shows are really short, energetic; I wear good shoes. I like to have a good time, and I want the crowd to have fun. I don’t take any of this music biz stuff seriously, and I hate bands that do.
What other bands have you enjoyed playing with most?
I’ve played with a zillion bands over the years, but your readers should check out Beehive and the Barracudas from San Diego, Winning Looks from New York, Love or Perish from New York, Hello Cuca from Spain, and Grabba Grabba Tape from Spain.
Do you think that the media or audiences now are more accepting of female performers than they were a decade ago?
I don’t know. I think we live in a racist, sexist world; so women aren’t completely accepted anywhere, anyplace. I think the media is a mess and is the cause of young women aspiring to be porn stars instead of great actresses, musicians, or writers. I know it’s more complicated than that, but basically it’s whack out there for chicks! I couldn’t imagine being heckled on stage now like the Red Aunts were. I’d either just laugh or stab the person after the show in the alley.
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