9+1 Q&A with The Fionas

What inspired you to first start making music? And how did you come to be in your current incarnation? Or if you prefer, a brief bio about you.

The Fionas are just me, Dylan Ray, doing all the playing and recording and “singing.” I’ve been making music since I was a little guy in Canada when I played the drums; I started just because playing music was fun and somebody told me musicians get lots of babes. I haven’t gotten any babes so lately it’s just all about fun. I haven’t really gotten any better at playing any of my instruments either. I want people to hear my music and be like “wow, that sounds good but it also seems really easy – I wanna make music too.” I think everybody in the world should make music if they have something sincere to say.

Now I live in Nashville and I’m making music with other folks too, there’s a big community here of nice people who like to dance and I’m incredibly grateful to be a part of it. Most of my music is either about love or my hatred for Republicans or things I’ve learned since I got sober a few years ago. There’s also some songs about my dog.

Provide us with some info about your latest release…

The Fionas just released two albums with Mystic Timbre, a DIY label based in Austin, TX. “Only the Best For You Baby” is a compilation of recordings I made in my apartment when I was 19-23 – without exception, they are all love songs. Tracks include 8-minute heartland-prog epics, short acoustic ballads, and self-indulgent glorified guitar solos. My favorite song is the opening track “Oh Sophie” – I’ll probably never write a song that good again.

The second album is self-titled, and contains 9-10 tracks (depending on whether you buy the tape or listen online) of me screaming loudly about romantic and political frustration into an old Guitar Hero Microphone held by my incredibly patient girlfriend. Topics include gun control, psychedelic Japanese animation, and learning to love people who sometimes make themselves hard to love. My favorite song is called “I Wanna Take Your Guns,” which is exactly what it sounds like. I hope you like it and it inspires you to take somebody’s gun and break it over your leg and / or send it into space.
You can listen to our albums on Spotify, or better yet, buy them on Bandcamp. All online sales benefit Planned Parenthood and all tape sales benefit RAICES to help get kids out of cages, which is a real thing that’s happening and needs to be stopped.

Which ones would you consider your main influences both music-wise & non-music-wise?

My main influence is Jonathan Richman / the Modern Lovers. His music is based around the idea that everything is worth singing about, not being afraid to love, and how good it feels to just rock the fuck out. The Modern Lovers made me feel like my music was worth making, and that as long as I sing sincerely then I’ll find people to connect with. Love is not a simple thing, but the music can be simple, so that other people can be a part of it too. Also Fiona Apple is fucking awesome and if you’re reading this please hit me up.

In what way does your sound differ from the rest genre-related artists/bands and why should we listen to your music? In other words, how would you describe your sound?

My music is special because I don’t give a fuck if anybody likes it, I make it for myself and anybody who wants to sing along with me. If you like loud guitars and songs about love and you hate Republicans, you’ll probably like my music and I’ll probably like you.

Please name your 3 desert islands albums, movies & books…

Albums: “The Modern Lovers” by the Modern Lovers, “The Idler Wheel” by Fiona Apple, and “Sound of Silver” by LCD Soundsystem.

Movies: “Moonrise Kingdom,” “Twin Peaks,” and “The Woman Called Fujiko Mine.”

Books: “Alcoholics Anonymous” by Dr. Bob and Bill W., “She Comes First” by Ian Kerner, and “The Idiot” by Elif Batuman.

Do you prefer studio or performing live and why?

I’m gonna take the cop-out answer and say I love both. I work as a professional sound engineer so the studio is my home, but I love playing live because I get to meet lots of kind people who will sometimes dance to my songs and there’s no greater feeling in the world. My biggest fan is Molly the Dog and she only gets to hear me in the studio, so there’s that to consider too. That’s a tough question.

Is there any funny-unique story you would like to share with us, always in relation to your music ‘career’?

I love that the word “career” is in quotes. Last night I went to my friend Julia’s birthday party and ran into this girl named Emily that I used to make out with. We fell out of touch last September and I figured I’d never see her again, so I wrote a song called “Emily Is An Art Girl,” which is exclusively about oral sex. When I saw her last night after 6-ish months, I was really happy to see her, but I was super uncomfortable until I told her I wrote a song about going down on her. She laughed and told me she was glad I felt so inspired by her anatomy, and then we went and danced together. That could’ve totally gone a lot worse; Emily might be the coolest chick I know.

Which track of your own would you point out as the most unique and why?

I can honestly say I don’t think anybody else has in the history of lyrics has ever written a lyric as good as “And you’ve made me an emotional vegan / I don’t need no pieces of meat / No, I’ll get wasted on your peaches,” which is in the first verse of “Breathe Easy.” How you feel about that lyric is a good litmus test to see how you’ll like my music in general.

Would you like to share with our readers your future plans?

Boy howdy I sure would. Now that I have a home studio that consist of more than just GarageBand and a bullshit USB mic, I’m releasing a new EP this summer of music that actually doesn’t sound like shit! I sure hope I don’t lose any artistic credibility in the process.
Also, I’m working with an incredibly talented human being named Julia Gomez, who is an incredibly nice lady and a profoundly talented musician. She’s doing all the songs, I’m just mixing and producing with her, so keep your eyes on Spotify for her new EP this summer. Also add us on Instagram and let’s be friends, I’m @thefionaz and @juliagomezmusic.

Free question!!! (Ask yourself a question) you wish to answer and haven’t been given the opportunity…

Who has helped you along the way in your totally excellent musical journey?

Wow what a good question. Big shoutout to my friend Kaylon, who saved my life when she found me drunk four years ago and helped me get into rehab where I got clean. I am forever grateful and will probably thank you in every interview I ever do. Thanks to the AA community and my friends Monty, Copelan, Ethan, Julia, Sam, Sophia, and my girlfriend Bella for making my life bearable and always believing in me. Thanks to my mom and dad because duh. And a big thank you to Anthony Pandolfino, the proprietor of Mystic Timbre, who gave my music a home. And thank you to you, person at LastDayDeaf, for giving a fuck and listening to my music. I hope everyone who reads this comes to listen along and rock n roll with me.

Curated by: Christos Doukakis

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