interview: kerry davis, two tears

Previously of The Red Aunts, Kerry Davis is now working on a part-solo/part-collaborative project, Two Tears. The punk/garage rocker had a chat to lip about life, music and feminism.

Describe Two Tears’ sound in five words or less.
Bananarama + Kim Deal + Pussy Galore.

Was there a particular moment or artist that made you want to pursue music when you were growing up? Who were your early influences?
I grew up in a  suburb of NYC and have a brother who is 5 years older than I am. He had a killer stereo in his room and pretty much introduced me to music. He had mixed tapes with Bow Wow Wow and Yellowman, he saw The Cramps at The Peppermint Lounge and brought that record home and my head spun. He gave me a Clash record when I was in the 7th grade and I saved up some money from my paper route and bought a drum set about that time and played along to Go- Go’s  records.

I always loved music , but I didn’t think I could be in a band until my brother took me to see the Lunachicks at CBGB’s when I was about 18 years old. I didn’t think girls were “allowed” to do that. Crazy, right?

Why did you decide to collaborate with a ‘rotating cast of musicians’ for this project? Do you prefer working this way to having a constant band?
I didn’t decide, it just happened as the most difficult thing about forming a band is getting everyone to commit and sacrifice their schedules. I was lucky that my first and only other band, The Red Aunts, made that choice and we stayed together for about 7 or 8 years and made a lot of recordings.

I also have been living out of the US on and off for the past 6 or 7 years so the lineup has changed depending on where I go and who can come with me. I think there have been about twenty to thirty different people in the Two Tears. Whatever needs to be done to continue to play , I guess.

What are your other interests/passions?
Oh, the usual chick stuff….art, kittens, puppies, coffee, going to dinner, fashion, boys (haha).

Who do you most admire?
Pedro Almodovar and my friends. And my dad.

Do you think the music industry has changed in its reception towards female musicians over time?
No. But… I think I’ve had more opportunities as a female my scene because it’s more interesting to watch women than men. We’re different. There are less of us and therefore it’s more special. Of course, if I weren’t any good, it wouldn’t matter what my sex was.

What does feminism mean to you? Do you consider yourself a feminist?
It means a lot to me and everyone I know is a feminist, men and women. I could go on and on and on about this, but it’ so vast. I lived in the Middle East for a few years and my perspective has radically changed. I was treated well there, men would open doors, let me pass in front of them in the line at the supermarket. I was never cat called or shouted out in the street there. I lived in Paris and am in New York City now and the way men speak to women makes me want to puke. I also think the new “burlesque” scene is despicable and stupid, unless the girls are truly dancers and have good costumes and don’t have a Betty Page hair-do and lots of shit tattoos.

Is there anything you’ve always wanted to be asked?
Yes, “Kerry, would you like a billion, zillion Euros and an apartment in Paris, LA, and NY and a 1970 El Camino painted lime green with glass packs and a Vespa? And a new amplifier?”