Do you remember when you were 16 years old? I was excited for getting my drivers license, thinking about that girl in English class, and wondering what college to was right for me…sounds about average, and that’s anything BUT what the teenagers of Doll Skin are in to. These girls are wild and outrageous punk rockers who know that age doesn’t matter when you know how to rock! Not even old enough to drink alcohol, heck…some of them can’t even smoke, these underage musicians get waivers to own crowds of adults, letting people twice their age (myself included) know that rock isn’t dead!
Phoenix, Arizona is the place where these four young girls met, when Sydney, the lead singer and guitar, was in 8th grade. Something with these girls clicked while there were hanging out at “Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock” teen center after hours and Doll Skin took flight. An annual competition held there called “Proof is in the Pudding” shined a bright light on the 4 girls. That light was so bright that it caught the attention of David Ellefson, famed bassist of Megadeath. Ellefson signed them to EMG and produced the 4-some of rowdy, but extremely talented, kids for their first recording on the 2015 Christmas album that resulted from the finalists, all of which were under the age of 25, of this totally free music competition. Their rendition of “All I Want For Christmas” that resulted from that was incredible then I suddenly realized that I heard it all last Christmas. You might even recognize it as well. Little did I know that it was this very same up-and-coming punk rock band full of talented and spunky teens!
I had the opportunity to sit with these youngsters just before their performance at the House of Blues San Diego. The ladies wandered upstairs right after their sound-check, and looked like your typical teens hanging out together. These girls definitely know how to have fun, as there were all smiles and giggles as they walked up to the table. The most striking attribute they possessed was a confidence, not typical of their youth, as they sat down to chat. I asked them how excited they were to tour with Hellyeah and Sydney, the lead singer at only 16 years old, quickly retorted, “We’ve toured with them before, and they invited us back” with the elegance and confidence of someone who has been performing for years. Meghan, drummer and oldest in the group at 19, chimed in “We’ve done a handful of shows with them before.” I’m truly floored by the professionalism and maturity these bundles of energy have in this grueling industry. When most kids their age are idolizing Jimmy Page, Dave Grohl, and the like, this rowdy group of teens are on stage performing as though they’d learned from the rock gods themselves. They put on a cute and wholesome look during the interview; however, these Doll Skin maidens evolved into something fierce when they were plugged in.
The show was incredibly electric as they took the stage playing a mixture of their originals, available on their new EP “In Your Face Again” on their website dollskinband.com, and a couple of covers, including a rather impressive version of Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love.” If you’re ever in the Phoenix area, make sure to look them up to see if they’re playing around town in support of their album.
I talked to the girls about their album and the impetus behind some of the lyrics of of their most impactful songs. “Let’s Be Honest” is a down and gritty song that immediately shows off these girls skills with their instruments and also empowers you to recognize your differences and not be afraid of them. For their young age, this song seems to capture an understanding of self that many people have yet to grasp…and not surprisingly, the three youngest pointed to Meghan when asked who wrote it. “That was a collective effort,” Meghan quickly explains, talking about how their writing (and practice) sessions typically go…four teenage girls bouncing around thinking they are “superheroes” in control of their own destiny, which they clearly are. Lines for the song were thrown out randomly with each girl taking their part in looking for quality rhymes. Watching the video of “Let’s Be Honest” you get the idea for just how silly these girls are and how much fun they are having…and it’s contagious!
Once you get the feeling that these girls are punk rock, they hit you with a ballad that’s powerful and beautiful, taking on the subject of struggling relationships and the complexity of human emotions in “Blind.” Sydney takes claim for the writing of this tune as it relates to her sisters struggle through depression and how difficult it can be to communicate your feelings in this world. Her sister refused to talk and wanted to communicate only through writing. With the help of Alex’s understanding of complex chord structures, the punk rock quartet slowed down their tempo for a beautiful rock ballad not remiss of their punk roots.
Image: Brian Tierney / BackStage360
Not only do these girls possess the uncanny ability to nail down feelings to music, the arrangements are as technical and complex as tenured musicians. When asked about how they reach such a high proficiency, three of the girls immediately pointed to a reserved (until her guitar solo’s put her on spotlight and she goes wild) 18 year-old Alex, who they affectionately referred to as their “secret weapon.” Alex shreds on the guitar like a seasoned pro. Calling to mind solo structures from Page, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Slash all wrapped into this rocker who knows her stuff. She claims her magic came from a teacher in high school who she is convinced isn’t human. Wherever that magic comes from it flows into all four of these talented professionals. When they took the stage that night before Hellyeah, Doll Skin looked like THEY were the headliners as Alex commanded the crowd with “Weatherman,” a Dead Sera cover. The energy these teens showed on stage along with their confidence made you entranced with the punk rock these girls had.
I was stunned to hear a few chords that I knew instantly, when I realized it was the beginning of a Led Zeppelin song, these girls tackled “Whole Lotta Love” with a pace and fury that was unreal. I stood back and enjoyed as Nicole and Alex ran back and forth with each other while Sydney belted out the familiar Jimmy Page lyrics. Meghan held down the rocking blues-based beat while Alex primed up her axe for the solo…and it was extremely impressive. You can watch the video of that performance here.
These girls owned the night, and ran that stage. If you haven’t heard of them before, check out their website www.dollskinband.com and buy their album on Amazon
Doll Skin’ Owns Your Ears!
Big Jon / BackStage360
Images: Brian Tierney / BackStage360
LISTEN TO OUR INTERVIEW WITH DOLL SKIN:
