When I first about The Happy Problem, I noticed that Sam Shaber was the lead vocalist. Sam Shaber? In an indie punk band? Yes, that Sam Shaber, the same Sam Shaber who spent several years on the folk circuit where it was just her and her guitar. I took one listen to her new project, The Happy Problem and was hooked. It’s a departure from her singer-songwriter days, but it’s still amazing!

What was the first concert you every went to?
Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” Tour at Radio City Music Hall, 11th row. After
the Beastie Boys opened for her, they came and sat right next to us! I
was traumatized and fascinated – life has never been the same since.

Who are your musical influences?
My influences run the gamut from Nirvana to Duran Duran to No Doubt to
Nine Inch Nails to Green Day to the White Stripes and beyond. But while
those are the bands I most learn from musically, when the moment comes to
start working on a song, the inspiration can come from anywhere. This
week I’m working on something kickstarted by the 3D documentary PINA about
the avant garde choreographer. There’s one scene with dancers making the
most out of an on-stage, man-made lake, accompanied by this joyful, funky
rap music about getting stoned, and all of a sudden I was sitting in my
seat with an idea!

You were a solo folk singer and have now transitioned into a much heavier
sound. What was behind the change?
I just got really bored with myself. I wanted to make a bigger sound, a
bigger impact, and share the making and performing of music with a full,
cooperative rock band. I’ve never been a Dylan or Baez person, so I was
always on my own wavelength a bit with the folk stuff. It’s a wonderful
community of artists, venues and audiences, but I was ready for something
totally different. Besides, I’d never be Simon LeBon at that rate, eh?

What is your songwriting process like now as the Happy Problem compared to
your songs from your solo career?
Songs are usually started by me – either just a riff, a full section, or
almost the whole thing – and then I bring them to the band and we play
with it, flesh it all out, turn it up and finish it. I spend a lot of
time at the studio alone making weird noise before I bring something for
people to hear. Tony Cortes and I then add drums to the mix and see what
happens after that. I hate writing without drums – a song completely
changes once you put that in the mix.

With my solo stuff, I was the lone writer and the whole song had to be
playable alone on an acoustic guitar. Some artists find that “pure” and
“freeing,” but I felt very limited. I get stretched as an artist by
thinking about the song as a whole collage of sound, adding all the other
parts and heads in. I guess if you’ve always worn a costume, it’s
refreshing to strip it down, and likewise, I was always stripped down, so
now it’s refreshing to dress it up!

Do you think you’re ever go back to your folk roots?
I actually feel like my roots are in the music I’m playing now, as though
I’ve only just found myself after all this time. So I think I’ll keep
moving further in this direction as I explore rock, pop, punk and indie
more. I never really had roots in folk music – I was always listening to
Prince and Green Day while other people were talking about Mary Chapin
Carpenter or Johnny Cash. So this feels more natural to me and I’m
inspired now in a way I don’t think I was before. But I’m also terrible
at looking at the past – I never like what I did before! So who knows? I
can say that I love just writing a really good song, so that’s what I hope
will never change, regardless of the label or coating that gets put on it!

Alabama Shakes- Be Mine
Heartless Bastards- Parted Ways
Clare and the Reasons- The Lake
Smoosh- The World’s Not Bad
Meg Myers- Monster
Meiko- Between the Sheets
Phantogram- Don’t Move
Now, Now- Thread

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I first heard Hank and Cupcakes 2 years ago while looking for some cover songs for a show. I stumbled upon their version of Joy Division’s “She’s Lost Control” and I was mesmerized. I still think it’s one of the most brilliant covers I’ve ever heard. To me what sets Hank and Cupcakes apart is their live show. H&C features Sagit aka Cupcakes on drums and vocals with her husband Ariel (aka Hank) playing bass and looping everything else. What you get is two people creating an enormous sound. Words fail me on how fantastic their live shows are (check out a video below).

Their new album “Naked” will be dropping in June and I can’t wait. The new songs I have heard have all had a fantastic energy to them and in a word are amazing. Be sure to check out the new album and do not miss them when they go on tour.

I had the chance to ask Sagit Shir aka Cupcakes, a few questions.

Where did the name Hank and Cupcakes come from?

The name H&C is a consequence of the fact that we are both big Charles Bukowski fans. If you’ve read a Bukowski book, you know who Hank is. Cupcakes is actually one of Bukowski’s real life lovers. The idea for the name came up while we were watching a documentary about him called ‘Born Into This’ which we highly recommended

How do you approach your songwriting and where does your inspiration come from?

Songwriting for me is a daily routine, something that needs a lot of discipline and consistency. I try to start every morning with song writing – While my mind is still relatively uncluttered- The best songs come to me when I’m not being judgmental at the moment of writing and I just let the ideas flow out without putting any pressure on myself to deliver. When I manage to be in that open place, inspiration can come from absolutely anything.

You are a classically trained pianist. What prompted you to pick up the drumsticks?

My mother used to play rhythm games with me when I was very young so I might have had an early taste! But I truly fell in love with drums at a beach in Tel Aviv which I discovered when I was 18. It was a kind of hippie beach and every Friday they would have a huge african drums jam, playing into the sunset. I stumbled upon one of these jams and was immediately hooked. I came back to the beach every night that summer and learned to play with people who were always hanging out there jamming.

Recently in the comments for Liquid Mercury on YouTube, there were a bunch of people on there saying that you were copying Lady Gaga. How do you deal with critiques and criticism like that?

Truthfully, it makes us smile and even a little happy because it means that our music is expanding and reaching new people beyond our circle of fans and that is always a good thing. We encouraged our fans to respond to the comments but it was all in good humor. We’re very confident in our music and don’t feel threatened by this kind of criticism. On the contrary, if ‘Liquid Mercury’ reminds people of Madonna or Lady Gaga we take it as a compliment.

What can we look forward to in 2012 from H&C?

We’re hustling & bustling at the moment getting our new album -’Naked’ – ready for print and will be releasing it in June followed by a U.S and later European tour. We’re already hard at work on our next music video for the song ‘See Through’ and have started writing new material for our next album!

Karmin- Jar of Hearts (Christina Perri)
Screaming Females- If It Makes You Happy (Sheryl Crow)
Russian Red- Let It Be (The Beatles)
Holly Figueroa- Everybody Knows (Leonard Cohen)
Jayme Dee- Speechless (Lady Gaga)
Allison Weiss- Umbrella (Rihanna)
Kendra Morris- Can’t Tell Me Nothing (Kanye West)
Santigold- Proud Mary (Creedence Clearwater Revival)

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Bess Rogers is an in demand multi-instrumentalist who can be found playing with artists such as Jenny Owen Youngs and Ingrid Michaelson, but if you have not heard her music, you are missing out. I’ve been a fan of hers since randomly seeing her play at Rockwood Music Hall in New York City several years ago and I was blown away by her performance. Don’t miss her live if you get the chance.
Bess will be opening for Ingrid Michaelson at Terminal 5 in NYC on May 17th and will be at Hotel Cafe in LA in June. She will also have a video coming out soon for her song “Math and Science”. For more info and tourdates, visit www.bessrogers.com.

What’s the first song you remember hearing?
I don’t think my memory is good enough to answer that question! But if I could take a guess, I’d say it was In My Life by the Beatles. My mom used to sing that song to be as a lullaby and I always loved it. It’s remained one of my favorite songs and now I cover it on the ukulele.

You have played with a lot of great musicians but if you could form a band with any 3 musicians (living or dead), who would they be?
Oh man. I think that a band consisting of Robyn, Kate Bush and Weezer (Blue album or Pinkerton era) would produce some crazy awesome, super weird but insanely catchy music. Or on the other hand, they might all hate each other and make something horrible. But I think it would be worth a shot!

Where do you draw your inspiration from when you write songs?
Everything! There are so many things to be inspired by in this world. Sometimes it’s love, sometimes anger, sometimes evolution, the universe, quantum physics, mortality, The Real Housewives of Orange County, the list goes on and on. We all see the world in our own unique way, and I think the job of a songwriter is to express their individual perspective on life in a way that, hopefully, touches other people’s lives. That’s my goal, at least.

What’s the most embarrassing thing that ever happened on stage?
I’ve definitely forgotten how to play songs, broken strings and had to make small talk with the crowd for 20 minutes, been caught in uncontrollable fits of laughter… But none of that was really that embarrassing. I just always laugh at myself and then that way the audience is laughing with me instead of at me!

You’ve said in the past that you’re fortunate that you figured out early in life what you wanted to do. If you weren’t a musician, what would do?
My dream job, if it wasn’t music, would be to write for a comedy show. Maybe SNL or 30 Rock… something like that. I can’t imagine anything more fun that sitting around a table with a bunch of hilarious people and writing jokes. I’m sure it’s hard work too, but in my dream job fantasy it’s all fun.

Kaia- The Night Was On To Me
ZZ Ward- Last Love Song
Rae Morris- Back To Front
Lay Low- I Forget It’s There
Kat Edmonson- Lucky
Madi Diaz- Gimme A Kiss
Rosi Golan- Paper Tiger
Ariane Moffatt- In Your Body

Special Thanks to Ariel Publicity Cyber PR

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From the first moment that I heard Connie Lim’s voice, I was hooked. Her lyrics are amazing and her voice is pure. Words fail to describe how much I love her voice. She’s currently touring up and down the California coast and will soon be on her way to Nashville and then will be working her way up the East Coast. Be sure to check her out if you get a chance.

What was the first concert you ever attended?
My first concert was a puppet musical of Peter and the Wolf and I fell in love with the flutes and strings. It was such a magical experience that i still remember being 7 years old with my eyes wide open, loving each moment.

If you could form a band with 3 other people in it, who would those 3 people be?
Robin DiMaggio on Drums
Imogen Heap on synths and other ear candy sounds
Portishead on keys, bass, and guitar

How do you approach your songwriting?
Organically. I try to write simply and humbly. I don’t like songs that have too much ego in them. I like songs that are like gifts for people to think about their own lives, rather than mine.

You have a degree from UC Berkeley and studied pre med. What made you decide to pursue music and how has your family adjusted to the decision?
My parents took a while to accept my decision. In high school I trotted in my sister’s footsteps, taking AP courses, and landing on Honor Rolls year after year. I was ASB President and Homecoming queen, founder of a club that started a local breast cancer walk. I grew up ambitious and aware of my parents’ expectations for my future as a bright professional. They were devastated that I would throw my education away for the arts, but now see that I am channeling the same drive into what is my calling, and they could not be more happy for me. It was the hardest journey in my life, but the most rewarding. To get emails from my dad saying that he loves my songs is probably the best accomplishment in my life.

What’s in store for you this coming year?
A lot of traveling and breaking personal boundaries. Touring the east coast with a friend Jenn Bostic in June. Before that I will be living in Nashville to continue demoing and writing my new material. I’ll be pitching more songs to more established artists, and writing much like Hemingway did: iceberg words in oceans of ethereal harmonies and sounds. I’m planning more online streaming performances, and to also utilize the internet to get fans to help me fund my next couple of big projects: tours and ep’s. Currently I’m recording my next singles and am ready to continue pushing my musical boundaries.

Marissa Paternoster is the vocalist and lead guitarist for Screaming Females, a punk trio out of New Brunswick, NJ. They just released a new album called “Ugly” and the record shows a new depth to Marissa’s vocals and amazing layers of crunchy guitars, bass and drums. I’ve listened to the whole thing and I think it will definitely be one of my top 5 albums of the year.
Marissa took some time to answer a few questions right before kicking off their tour.

What was the first concert you ever went to?

I think the first show I ever went to on my own accord was a Weezer show in New Jersey. I honestly can’t remember a damn thing about the show except that it was a little bit boring ’cause there were seats and I felt trapped and I was standing next to some 20something that kept spilling his High Life onto my army jacket.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve heard about yourself?

Uh, geez, you’ve got me stumped.

You’ve done tons of artwork including album covers and fliers, who are your artistic influences?

My favorite artists include Frida Kahlo, Diane Arbus, Henry Darger, Louise Bourgeois, David Shrigley, Philip Guston, Cindy Sherman, Basquiat, Howard Finster, Cy Twombly, and B. Kliban. Just to name a few.

What makes you want to keep your songs with Screaming Females and Noun separate, especially considering Mike and Jarrett contributed to “Holy Hell” ?

When Screaming Females writes, we write and arrange the songs collectively. When Noun writes songs, it’s all on me. I started writing as Noun long before Screaming Females began, so a lot of those songs have been kicking around for a while.

How do you go about the songwriting process?

When Screaming Females writes, we get together in our practice space (wherever that may be) play riffs and improvise until something clicks. Then we will proceed to arrange the song however we see fit.

I’ve been a fan of Alyson Greenfield’s for over 5 years. In that time, I have seen her evolve as an artist and it has been an amazing thing to watch. She’s a multi-instrumentalist and she is constantly pushing boundaries and trying new things. I’ve been fortunate enough to get to know her on a personal level as well as work with her on her project, Tinderbox, an annual music festival that benefits organizations whose mission is to help develop the next generation of female artists.
It seems only fitting that Alyson Greenfield be the one to kick off the Friday 5 feature.

What was the first concert you ever attended?

Tom Petty

If you could form a band with 3 other people in it, who would those 3 people be?

Peter Gabriel, Thom Yorke, Billy Corgan

What are you listening to lately?

Lady Sovereign, Sufjan Stevens, Bjork, Dizzee Rascal, MIA, Michael Franti, Foster The People, Zambri, Regina Spektor

What’s the song(s) you’re most proud of writing?

“Uncharted Places” (my next single!) and “Spirit Soul” (a 10 minute song with a string trio and drums that hasn’t been recorded yet).

Your music has what I would consider to be a lot of feminist themes. Do you write about these things intentionally?

I feel like I used to write a lot about these themes intentionally a few years ago. Lately I feel like my scope of inspiration is wider, and while I still have songs with feminist themes I don’t feel as if I’m quite as focused on them as I once was. I’m more inspired lately just by being a human in general.

Alyson is currently working on the video for her single Uncharted Places and recently released a video for her brilliant cover of LL Cool J’s song “Mama Said Knock You Out” as well as “Michael Cera C​*​ckblocked Me at SXSW”. Check them out below!

Find Alyson at alysongreenfield.com, Facebook, and YouTube.

Ani DiFranco- Cradle and All (live)
The Lovely Eggs- F*** It
Candy Hearts- You and Me
Cheyenne Marie Mize- Wishing Well
Agnes Obel- Close Watch
Butterfly Boucher- Never Leave Your Heart Alone
Beth Thornley- Wash U Clean
Basia Bulat- Snakes and Ladders

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