spk_0: 0:11
We are talking about STITCHED UP HEART, a band that's rising and rising fast every day in the music business. It is a badass metal, metal fronted band by a woman by the name of Mixi. Uh, her first name's Alecia, but we know her best is Mixi, and you guys should really check this stuff out. New album, 'Darkness' Band Name STITCHED UP HEART is the band name and, ah, they have this track on there by the name of 'Lost', which came out sometime last year in 2019 featuring none other than Sully Erna of Godsmack. Isn't that badass, awesome. So we had the pleasure of speaking with the front woman of STITCHED UP HEART, Mixi. She spends time with us and thanks the fans, for the endless support for her band STITCHED UP HEART. And she's Ah, and she's a very, very down-to-earth person I can tell by the by the phone call. So anyways, let's play a track off of 'Darkness'. Here is a song called 'Warrior' check it out. . Isn't that a badass song, 'Warrior' STITCHED UP HEART out of California L A. that is, and Let's go ahead and check out the interview with Mixi. First of all, thank you guys for tuning into THAT METAL INTERVIEW PODCAST with myself James. Thank you, guys for your support. And here it is. Our interview with Mixi. Enjoy. Congrats on your latest record. 9 tracks century media. Uh, talk to us about this record song writing all that.
spk_1: 5:30
Oh, yeah. Um, Album's called 'Darkness'. Did I think 11 tracks for this record and we released it a little bit differently than most. Um, I think rock bands usually release albums where we released everything kind of month by month. So each song would come out a month and then another month, and then you get maybe two songs in a month, and, um, it's kind of like a waterfall kind of effect. And, you know, it was, you know, it's got the rock and electronic with a little like kind of touchy melody vocal vocally in very introspective lyrics.
spk_0: 6:09
Where'd you guys record this at?
spk_1: 6:11
we did a lot of tracking songs throughout, Um you know, the year basically kind of just threw paint. We really, really tried to expand our creative mind and explore different territory that we weren't used to. We recorded in Los Angeles what we did most of the writing in Los Angeles, and we ended actually recording it in Phoenix, Arizona.
spk_0: 6:37
How did the band start up and who came up with the cool name STITCHED UP HEART? Because when I first heard the name, I mean, that's that's a cool name right there.
spk_1: 6:46
Ah thanks I actually put the band together in 2010 off a musical and emotional heartbreak, and I almost gave up music because I came out that elated, you know, live the dream. And I was just so like, just destroyed. And I couldn't figure out whether or not I can take myself back up again. And finally, you know, we I decided you don't want to stitch up my heart and put it back together. And that's how the band started.
spk_0: 7:18
Well, I gotta tell you that's a catchy, catchy name.
spk_1: 7:21
Thanks.
spk_0: 7:22
I read your bio. It says the place where you wrote 'Monster' was a creepy place. A black cat gave birth to 2 albino cats and you felt possessed. Is it true?
spk_1: 7:37
Yeah. Yeah. It was actually the first direct the first song for the album 'Never Alone', which is our previous album. Um, we the place we were recording was like this 32nd level Mason, uh, studio. And he had, like, all these spell books and all this weird, uh, like just, you know, like herbs and spices and stuff. And, um, yeah, there was a black cat, a mama cat. And then there's two albino cats, but it's like but like kittens, they were running around, too. So it was, like, very interesting. And of course, there will be cats involved because I do a lot with kitten rescue and stuff like that. But yeah, it was one of those feelings when you're creating stuff where you feel like it's coming from somewhere else and you're not actually like the words and the thoughts and the song, like the way that I was singing the delivery just felt like it was coming from a totally different place.
spk_0: 8:44
Really? That that's spiritual right there. That's cool. Um, what inspires you to write songs? What's your inspiration?
spk_1: 8:52
I'm usually inspired by whatever is happening in life. Right At the time that it's being written, I try to, think of Well, first, I usually start with, like, a meditation trying to think of, like a something that can reach people in the deepest play. A costly can just try to say the right things to really kind of touch people's soul in a way lyrically, um, and, uh, typically come up with, like, a subject matter that I want to sing about. Um, like some words that I really like that I write down and it's kind of blossoms based off of that the music and how the music is making it feel.
spk_0: 9:36
I see, you're you're very active on social media. That means a lot to the fans.
spk_1: 9:41
Really, I never feel like I do enough. I want I feel like it such a great platform to be able communicate with as many people as possible, even though you can't like see each other, especially right now. But I think that if somebody that I really like, like responds to something that I post your comment on their social media, somebody that I'm inspired by, um, it makes you feel good inside. And so my goal's really just try to at least, you know, like a comment. Like all the comments and respond as much as I can respond I can't respond to everyone, but I try horrible at inboxes. I cannot respond to messages If you check like our Facebook message response Timing. My personal page is probably zero. Um, but like when that comes to comment and I try to, you know, least post once a day and, um, yeah, I do my best. They just I always feel like there's a lot more to do. But I do my best.
spk_0: 10:42
Here's a maybe a personal question. How did the name Mixi come about?
spk_1: 10:47
It's kind of a long evolution, actually. Originally, originally it was a band name, um, put a band together out in Florida and it was a spelled different M E X I on when I moved up to L. A. That kind of ended up evolving into my name somehow. And then I kind of spelled the m i X I and it just turned into something totally different. And I don't know, it just happened.
spk_0: 11:18
Great collaboration with Sully of Godsmack last year. How was that experience? I mean, I'm a GODSMACK fan, and I'm sure a lot of metal heads are How was that experience?
spk_1: 11:30
Yeah, Yeah, he's awesome. I mean, I have gotten to know Sully over the years We just become really, really good friends. And, um, he's the kind of guy that just tried to go above and beyond to help like the little the underdog um. So I think that if he believes in something, or he feels like positive about something, he wants to help. Um and we just became really good friends and he uh. I asked him based off management was like, Hey, would you want to see if you want to think he wants this thing on any of the new the new songs on the new album And I'm just like Okay, sure. Uh, So I asked and he, It's like, Yeah, as long as it's the right song, you have to be the right song. It was like, Okay, cool. So you know, we've finished the whole record. Finally, I was listening to 'Lost', and I thought, Maybe just want to be good, but there's this, like, heavy your part that I think he would could sing over that could be could be kind of cool. And I sent it over thought, Just to see what he thought. And he said he loved it and, um, I flew out to Nashville and tracked we tracked his vocals because he didn't want to just email me. Felt like that was in this instrumental. So, uh, and after we were done tracking the vocals, he's like, So who's gonna sing my part? And I was like, Oh, you know, one of the guys in the band could sing it or, you know, preferably for whoever we're out on tour with. Like if you wanted to do it, that be great. Like you want the tour together. I was thinks best. Uh, so then the tour kind of happened like that? Yeah, he definitely went around the entire system like we didn't even have a booking agent at the time. And he like when I worked really, really hard to get on that tour, him personally, him and his manager and his booking agent. So it was, uh it was really cool That happened.
spk_0: 13:20
Well, I would have been star struck. I would've been like wow.
spk_1: 13:22
Yeah, it's kind of like when things like that happen, you almost don't believe it's really happening. So, uh, it was really cool. It was really cool. Probably. It was definitely the biggest tour we've ever done.
spk_0: 13:36
Another artist I want to bring up the tour with Sebastian Bach got postponed, obviously, for what's going on. Are you a fan of Sebastian or 80's stuff? 90's stuff?
spk_1: 13:46
Yeah, really? Absolutely. I mean, luckily, the dates are still happening in most of the cities that were originally planned for now for the fall. Just to make sure that this thing is last too long. Um, at least the fall should be good. Hopefully, uh oh, yeah. So I love you know, the first album, SKID ROW has some serious, like, iconic songs on there, you know? And I think Sebastian Bach is insanely talented, and I'm looking forward to see these songs performed live because there's just like their hits, you know, And there it'll be really, really euphoric.
spk_0: 14:25
Absolutely. Well, I'm a fan, too. So best gig and worst gig for you.
spk_1: 14:31
Best the best gig. I always go with ship rocks, which is like this cruise ship that has a bunch of like rock bands on it, and they kind of take over the whole entire thing. And we've played it a couple times, and it's always super fun. And worst gig was probably this, like, uh, like a basement in the bottom of this kind of drug house in Joplin, Missouri. Um, and it was just a big mess. Uh, yeah, it was not nicest show ever.
spk_0: 15:07
I guess it happens to everyone. I mean, there's, uh there's good gigs and bad gigs and this and that. So it's cool.
spk_1: 15:12
Oh, yeah. I mean, we we toured on our own, like we booked their own tours for, like, five years first started out, and we would play anywhere that we could possibly get a show. You know, it just leave. I wrapped the tour out, and then we basically send email every venue or bar in the community and say, Hey, can we play? Give us like gas money will be happy. Feed us give us gas money and we'll be good. You know, uh, so we did a lot of playing nobody. Sometimes we even just even the bar staff was the only people in the beginning when we first started touring. So way are grateful if there's even a couple 100 in the room, you know, that's just really cool. So I think it just takes time and touring and never giving up. So you can get to the point where you get to play tours like Sebastian Bach and GODSMACK.
spk_0: 16:05
Absolutely. Well, you guys are doing the right thing. You're going the right the right path for sure. What's the future of STITCHED UP HEART? What's next? I know you got a brand new album. What's the next thing the fans can expect?
spk_1: 16:21
Um, well, obviously, as soon as we can get back to touring, we got a bunch of festivals that are planned for later this year. And, um, we're trying to get out of the continent because we've been to like, only places we've been Canada and Mexico aside from the United States, you know, toured the U S so much we want to try to try to expand out and see the world, you know, But, um, so that's partially my personal goal, um And then we've been writing new music as we've been home. I mean, I think that this what's going on in the world is gonna definitely create some awesome music since we got some free time, you know.
spk_0: 17:02
Right? Um, any message you want to send us and your fans listening to this podcast, something you want to tell your fans.
spk_1: 17:10
I think that one thing that I tried to at least put some sort of message out there in the world. Is it, Um, try giving back a little try to, you know, do something for you know, the person next door. If you find something that you're passionate about, maybe get involved in the community, like for me, like to foster bottle baby kittens and try to get them old enough and healthy enough to be adoptable. And that's just what I'm passionate about. But if you are passionate about veterans or, um, you know, coolness or something like that or the doctors and nurses that need face masks right now, do something positive to try to, help the world a little. And I think if everybody does, a little something in this world would be a better place.
spk_0: 17:59
Awesome. That's an awesome message. Probably the best I've heard right there. Well, thanks. Thank you. Mixi. Thank you for making time. I appreciated on behalf of myself here and our podcast. Thank you for taking little bit of time to talk to us
spk_1: 18:13
Yea, man. Thanks for taking time with me.
spk_0: 18:16
We sure hope you guys enjoyed our conversation with Mixi Alecia of STITCHED UP HEART. A great great badass American rock'n'roll metal band. You guys gotta check it out. Brand new album. Check it out. Pick it up. 'Darkness'; stream it, download it, support STITCHED UP HEART support all bands out there because nobody is working. There are no open clubs, bars, theaters, stadiums, etcetera. So all of the musicians, the whole music business is at home doing nothing much, but just doing nothing. So if you guys want to support Ah, these people, all these musicians that bring music to you to your years and videos to your eyes, go on to their websites and purchase merchandise purchase T shirts or whatever you want to purchase hats, koozies, shirts, Whatever you want to purchase, just support. Support the musicians, I guess. All genres, you know. But in this podcast we're featuring STITCHED UP HEART, so log onto their Web site support, Mixi and the guys brand album 'Darkness'. Hope you guys enjoyed our episode of THAT METAL INTERVIEW with JAMES. And, um, don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel. Don't forget to tune in to our online radio station JROCKSMETALZONE.COM 24/7 Rock metal and don't forget to keep it metal!
