Multi-talented musician Miss Randall is fresh off the release of her latest EP, Desertations Vol 1. BareBones Ent got the chance to chat with Miss Randall about her music, drums, and much more! Take a look below at what all we had to discuss when we met up with Miss Randall.
BBE: You have a lot of versatility in your music. Is it exciting for you to explore in varying genres?
MR: Thank you so much! I’ve always loved moving into different genres. I have to say that the underlying musical theme of my interest has always been to be moody, meditative, brooding, harsh, rocker, or dark. So even though I’ve made some pretty heavy stuff with Rusty Eye, dabbled in COCO-ish trailer music with “La Llorona Insidiosa,” played Latin Rock with Sergio Arau & Los Heavy Mex, or have done a shoegaze-y tunes with “The Crystal Ship,” It all makes sense, in my opinion.
BBE: Is there any specific genre you feel most comfortable or is it about the same for you when you branch to other ones?
MR: I think that I’ll always feel most comfortable in Rock which has a bit of Southern taste to it. I always bring in the Danzig, Dax Riggs, Cult, Doors, AIC, STP, or Gunner vibes into my thing. I can’t help it! I also really enjoy singing more ethereally, a la Cocteau Twins or Kate Bush. They are very big contrasts, I know, but they’re my yin and yang, sort of speak.
BBE: Aside from your versatility, what do you think it is about your music that helps you stand out to fans?
MR: Well, aside from the obvious singing drummer appeal, I think that many people have commented about how the hooks of my songs can be very catchy, that goes to the stuff I wrote for Rusty Eye. I love coming up with melodies that stick for days in people’s minds, like sickness (a good one though).
BBE: You play drums and sing. Which one did you really take to and fall in love with first?
MR: I was first a singer, so I would say that this love came through first. I’m half Hispanic as well and I’ve always been into rhythm and dancing, so when drumming turned out to be my other instrument (and you have to thank Rush and Tool for that), it was the perfect combo.
BBE: You recently released a new song “Heaven Doesn’t Want Me”. How did that song come together?
MR: That song came about in 2019 when I was opening my mind to creativity and possibilities outside of my band at the time. I believe that the riff came to me as I was walking on my lunch break in Century City, CA. I always find that walking is part of my daily ritual, where I can work out the stress and unwind, and where a lot of ideas come to my head. So I voice-recorded this one in particular with my phone (when this happens, I don’t care if people think I’m a crazy lady recording to her phone). So, I kept working on it for a week and presented it to CJ, a guitar buddy who I was jamming with at the time. We did a rudimentary demo in my apartment in West Hollywood. Finally, 2020 came about and I finalized the lyrics for it and shelved it until I was able to work on it again with session players in Portland. If it wasn’t for 2020, this would’ve been released already! Oh well.
[Check it out below and then read on!]
BBE: How have fans reacted to the song?
MR: I see amazing organic reactions on YouTube. Country demographics-wise, Argentina wins by far the most involved. I see great reactions from the US, UK, Canada, Mexico, and Germany as well. The reviews have been quite positive and folks are nailing the influences in there. After this Desertations, Vol.1 EP, I plan to release more songs in this vein in Vol. 2.
BBE: What is it like for you to have a song ready, but have to hold on to it until you can release it to the public? Does that anticipation really start to build for you?
MR: Oh, dear. It is truly nerve-wracking. I’m one of those anxious people and I love to get people’s reactions right away. But I’ve also learned that it’s best to wait until everything comes together and falls into place, with a proper setting, story, timing, and associated promos.
BBE: Now this is part of a larger project. Is there any information you can give us on that?
MR: My pleasure! This little EP contains 4 little songs that I was humbly able to self-produce and record in Portland; the first being “Heaven Doesn’t Want Me.” Now, moving along into “Hell Come Undone,” I go into more funky territory, bringing an upbeat tune in the vein of possibly Jack White mixed with Deep Purple. Then, we go into “Desertations,” which is a more country-ish Classic Rock tune (with a little bit of Prog, if you ask me) where I dive into mind-exploration in the vastness of the humming Desert (possibly inspired by multiple trips to Joshua Tree, CA). And finally, we go in “Everything Must End (A capella)” which eventually will be fully recorded with music, but for now, I think that the tune shines by itself as an ode to Janis Joplin’s Mercedes Benz.
BBE: How long have you been working on this?
MR: I would say that I seriously started thinking about these tunes in 2019/2020, but “Hell Come Undone” and “Everything Must End” may have had earlier versions in 2015. The thing is, I have many many more songs that are fully mapped out and drafted with piano/MIDI, it’s just that I’m a solo artist who unfortunately doesn’t play guitar, so I had to use session players. I’ve tried a couple of times to attach a dedicated guitar player, but somehow, it hasn’t come through due to their commitments to other bands or projects. So hopefully this EP is a testimony that I have persevered, and hopefully, someone will come along to be my James Hetfield to my Lars Ulrich (or my Gene Simmons to my Paul Stanley?). No matter what happens though, I won’t let this discourage me. I’ve got lots of music in me and it’s pretty much my life force.
BBE: What is the best way for fans to stay up to date on your music and connect with you?
MR: My website missrandall.com is pretty up-to-date. I’m also active on Instagram/FB as @missrandallmusic. I’m trying Threads here and there. I do random things on TikTok (although I should probably get better at it). All links are well put together here: https://ffm.bio/missrandallmusic
BBE: Anything else you would like to add?
MR: I am excited to say that I’m working on producing a full album with German guitar player and bandmate Waldemar Sorychta (Lacuna Coil/Samael/The Gathering producer). We have a single ready to go, but we are working on a plan of attack for the album. Stay tuned!
I also have a dark art electronic project with a Swedish LA friend, a set of mellower singer-songwriter Miss Randall songs in development, a second batch of Desertations tunes (as mentioned above), and a batch of Classic Metal songs, enough for an EP. On that note, you’re probably the first to know that I plan to release my NWOBHM-infused metal single entitled “Pagan Burial” on 11/24.
