Word is circulating online about the shitty way in which Imelda May kicked off The Ettes from their US tour that was supposed to start in Boston. If you read the interview in which the Ettes are talking about telling Imelda "To watch her back", it is painfully clear that the band is speaking on some stage competition to help make a better show for both bands.
Who knows whether it was Imelda May herself or the road manager, but they did kick off the Ettes from a tour in which they could have received great exposure. We have posted several times how much we enjoy Imelda May's music, so hopefully with the bad PR her camp can realize their actions look quite shallow and vain. In our minds a high tide floats all boats. Imelda May should ask them back out on the road and even maybe a European tour to offer an apology. Forget talking trash, raise the bar and do it the right way. This goes out to the Ettes and oh yeah, every band better watch their backs as all of the bands we work with are stalking the stages as we speak!
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Read this article to show the context:
The Ettes are ‘Wicked’ cool
TODD OWYOUNG
The Ettes, from left, are bassist Jem, drummer Poni and Coco.
Lindsay Hames has always been weird. At least that’s what her
family says. According to the singer and guitarist for the Ettes, who
goes by the stage name of Coco, her father saw her band’s show and found
it in keeping with her character.
“My dad came to see us when we played Asheville, and my dad was like:
‘You’ve always been this way. You are so weird,’” she reveals with an
almost mischievous giggle. “In our house, I painted all the walls black
when I was like 10, and I’d always have the shades down like some crazy
cave den.”
Whether she realizes it or not, Coco has actually made a pretty accurate
metaphor for the most recent Ettes album, “Wicked Will.” And just like
“some crazy cave den,” it is dark and creepy, yet there is a playful
energy that might turn into a pillow fight at any moment.
“I like creeping people out, and I like being creeped out a little bit,” says Coco.
Many of the songs on “Wicked Will” have themes of sizing up opponents.
Hames jokes that she doesn’t start fights, but she ends them. “I like
all art forms when it has an air of menace about it,” she says.
Chips fall where they May
The Ettes are currently opening up for Irish rockabilly revivalist
Imelda May. Coco says that May is not necessarily an opponent that she
is sizing up; but still, she had better watch her back!
“We kind of rock the same, whether it’s a tiny club or a massive
stadium, we’re just polite about time,”says Coco. “We’re really good
about that, we just might be better than you, that’s all. We might blow
you off the stage and play a show that you can’t possibly come up
against, but we’ll do it in the time frame.”
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How the story came about:
Friday, September 30, 2011
The Ettes (and who the fuck is Imelda May anyway?!)
It was my fourth and last shift of the week at the bar, and I was feeling a little tired and fragile, just chatting away to my friend in an otherwise empty bar, when in walked three lovely people who proceeded to tell me the story of their night. They happened to be The Ettes, and instead of performing in Boston as they were supposed to that night, were having a drink at 200 Orchard. I mean, I love my work, and love working in one of my favourite bars in NYC, but I don't think I would have chosen drinking there instead of playing a gig...
So after serving them few drinks and introducing ourselves, it appears that The Ettes had been asked to support Imelda May on her US tour. Just fresh off another tour, they packed up there gear, rented a van and set out on the road again. Along the way from Nashville to Boston, a small interview was posted HERE. A little tongue in cheek, a little playful, but nothing harmful at all... But apparently Imelda May didn't appreciate it and kicked them off the tour. Yes, kicked them off the tour while they were already in Connecticut, having driven all the way from Nashville that day for the first gig.
Coco (Lindsay) explained that the journalist had taken her out of context, and basically changed her words so they sounded like she was telling Imelda to watch her back, but even so, the article just sounds playful! Was it really worth actually kicking them off her tour? What was she worried about? That they would actually be better than her and literally blow her off the stage?! Who gets scared of a little fun competition? Don't you actually want to have a good support band to warm up the crowd before you go on? And also, does she Google herself everyday and scrutinize every article that says something about her? Because this tiny article would never have been noticed if she didn't! And how many people actually bought tickets for the shows because they wanted to see The Ettes? What are Imelda's team going to do about that?!
Sometimes I just wonder what happened to rock n roll. Who cares about image? It's all about the bloody music... Or apparently it isn't for some musicians...
To me it all sounds like a big pile of terrible PR BS on the part of Imelda May and her team. Having had the pleasure to actually meet the members of The Ettes, and talk to them for a few hours, I found that they are the most lovely, down to earth and interesting people, and obviously never wanted to hurt anyone's feelings. They just wanted to play their music for their fans.
I just had to write about this as it made me so angry last night. I hope The Ettes get back to Nashville safely, are able to get some of the money they spent on all of this back, and are able to forget all of this crap. They didn't deserve this to happen to them. Even the journalist who wrote the article is mortified as he never meant it to be taken that way... I guess some "stars" think way too highly of themselves.
I still don't know who Imelda May is and really don't have any need to find out.
I hope they make it back to NYC soon - they were an absolute pleasure to meet and talk to, and made me want to visit Nashville even more now!
