
It’s been a whirlwind year for one of our favorite local bands, Company of Thieves. The Chicago-based pop outfit signed to Wind-Up Records earlier this year, and has since expanded its hometown popularity to the national front. The combination of the band’s catchy pop hooks and relentless onstage energy, paired with the sultry charisma of CoT frontwoman, Genevieve Schatz, has thrust the band into the indie-rock spotlight. We caught up with the charming lead singer/songwriter, to discuss her inspirations, style, and highlights from the band’s exciting year.
Neph Basedow: Which classic and/or contemporary women in music have inspired you over the years?
Genevieve Schatz: I admire and am inspired by Aretha Franklin's power-house soul, Billie Holiday's grace, Nina Simone's headstrong attitude, Joni Mitchell's choice of words, Fiona Apple's honesty, and Bjork's imagination!
NB: You have a unique sense of fashion; I often look forward to seeing what you’ll wear on stage. How would you describe your sense of style and what inspires your fashions?
GS: Thank you! I would describe my style as moody and playful, almost doll-like, but the kind of doll you have had to patch up over the years with all sorts of different patterns, prints, and textures that were lucky to be discovered in your grandmother's old dress-up chest that was hidden away in the attic. Odd color and texture combinations inspire me, as well as emotions and cherished stories that need new life put into them.
NB: Being immersed in the musical world—having recently signed to a record label, joining national tours, fronting an otherwise all-male rock group—do you find that you are approached differently as a female musician? Do people tend to treat frontwomen any differently than men fronting bands?
GS: As a female musician I do feel like there is an obstacle course I have to go through every time I enter a club- the course mostly consisting of people's expectations and pre-conceived notions of what a female performer should be or is. I say “performer” because that is the time to perform the art that has been created. This makes a huge difference in the eyes of the audience. I mean, if they were to listen to the recording only and not see my physical self in the room, things would probably be different. Treatment varies all across the board and crosses the lines that have been drawn on the board.
NB: It has been an exciting year for Company of Thieves—you’ve signed to Wind-Up, toured, and traveled all year. What helps you keep your perspective while on the road?
GS: The happenings within my family, the desire to grow, the stories I read in books, hear in music, and learn from people all over our country, and the physical hunger you naturally get from traveling so much all help to remind me that I am only human.
NB: We Chicagoans were all watching, supporting a favorite local band, when you guys played
Carson Daly earlier this year. How surreal and exciting! What was the experience like?
GS: “Surreal” is a perfect way to describe the experience. We spent the entire day getting ready at the station- going through soundcheck, meeting the staff, eating, talking about the show, getting dressed—there was so much build up! We were nervous for hours and then there you are for 4 minutes playing a song you wrote to a camera crew and a live audience who don’t know who you are, but they happened to win tickets, and everyone is standing next to a guy (Carson Daly) who helped introduce via MTV some of our favorite '90s rock groups from when we were little kids. It was completely bizarre!
NB: Many of your songs’ lyrics seem quite personal and seem to capture and express growth and maturation, relationships, and the universal themes of struggle and progress. Is songwriting a cathartic experience for you? Do you write songs from a personal perspective?
GS: I write and sing because if I didn't, I would explode! The process is extremely therapeutic and the material is always personal.
NB: It’s now known that
Ordinary Riches is inspired, in part, by writer, Oscar Wilde. Do writers have a big influence on your writing in general? What other aspects of life inspire your writing process?
GS: If I read something that starts to turn the wheels upstairs then I will definitely explore the depths of those thoughts and they will be expressed in my own way. The process that people go through and the way in which they communicate, feel, and change the world- even if it’s their own world- inspires a lot of my writing.
NB: Which of your personal qualities do you think have helped you get where you are today?
GS: Well, for starters, I am a workaholic. I believe that when it comes to love and passion, it is all or nothing. I dive in and I don't turn back.
NB: You played a big part in the popularity of the debut EP of Chicago electro-pop outfit, Pretty Good Dance Moves. How did you venture into such a varied type of music? Do you plan to continue recording with them or are there other musical ventures you might pursue in the near future?
GS: Jimmy Giannopoulos was a friend and supporter of mine for a while and he approached me with the idea of making some music with him. I had always known that he was a very talented go-getter and so I got excited and agreed. He and Aaron Allietta presented me with a few demos to listen to and I instantly felt them. The whole experience was actually quite fast. I remember writing "Demons Dancing" in the studio just minutes before I recorded it with them. They were on a low budget and became crafty in the way they decided to record and where they decided to record- it was fun to be a part of that hunger. I do plan on making more music with them- perhaps when I get a break from the road! (Keep an eye out for their full length coming out soon.) Also, the Chicago band AM (American Taxi) is releasing their first full length early on next year and I am on that project too- what an honor!
NB: What’s next for Company of Thieves?
GS: Company of Thieves will be touring all over the U.S. this fall, spreading the lovin’, stopping over for a quick introduction to Europe, then taking most of December/early January to finish writing the new record, which will be recorded sometime early next year and released for your listening pleasure—yay!
A woman who embodies confidence and wonder simultaneously, Genevieve defines the Cheeky woman. She captures the essence of her own spirit in the words of the Company of Thieves’ song, “Oscar Wilde”—“live like it’s the style… waltz on your front porch.” Our sentiments exactly, Genevieve.
(Interview published at CheekyChicago.com)