What's up, Inland Empire?

My name is Manny, and I'm your host.

Welcome to Rhythm Lounge, where we spotlight the top musical talent from across the Inland Empire.

You're in for another great show.

Everybody give it up for Ellie Gunn and the Firethornes When you tire of all the bright lights Pace that's killing and you're willing to stay home nights When your feet are back on the solid ground Look for me, I'll be around When the new crowd starts to bore you Just remember there is someone to adore you When you're weary of nights up on the town Look for me, I'll be around May not seem exciting the way those others do I'm emotion My devotion You will need someday as I need you When the kicks go that it brings you You will hanker for an anchor just to cling to When you've lived it up 'til it's got you down Look for me Look for me Look for me I'll be around Late at night and you're sleeping You'll hear my lonesome call and you'll feel my waiting lips barely touching you at all But it's only as real as any dream can seem I'll see you in your wildest dreams A thousand miles though I may be now I'm before you on my knees but a million miles can't erase the love you have for me A million miles it seems but you can feel my love light gleam I'll see you in your wildest dreams I'll see you You'll see me as though I were real I'll see you You'll see me as though you can feel my breath on your neck, the touch of my hand You'll awake in a room of steam I'll see you in your wildest dreams I'll see you you'll see me as though I were real I'll see you you'll see me as though you could feel my breath on your neck, the touch of my hand You'll awake in a room of steam I'll see you in your wildest dreams In your wildest dreams In your wildest dreams Ohhhh... Welcome back, Inland Empire.

My name is Manny.

This is Rhythm Lounge.

We are here with Ellie Gunn and the Fire Thornes.

Guys, thank you so much for stopping by and hanging out with us today.

Thank you.

So let's start with Ellie.

Let's have you introduce yourself and, explain what your contributions are to the group- band.

Well, my name's Ellie Gunn, uh- my contributions, I guess, would be vocals and sass for them.

I'll choose a lot of the songs, but also, I think it's pretty equal.

We- we I don't know.

bounce around from each other and see which ones we all like and contribution to.

You looking at it, honey, I like that.

That's awesome.

Tim, I play drums.

Scott, I play bass.

Jeff, I play guitar.

Nice.

Well, great to meet you guys.

And so it's kind of interesting, but you mentioned that you guys, the three of you met Ellie on Craigslist.

Tell me that story.

How'd that happen?

I just meet at, like, a Starbucks parking lot or something.

No, actually, we met at Jeff's house, which I always think about- yes, I'm going to go audition for a band with three men that I don't know I'm just like, at a house, and you're like, okay, I'm glad it turned out this way and not some other way.

Just kidding.

Yeah, so I just I was wanting to sing.

I grew up singing.

I'm more of a jazz background type of thing, but wanted to just continue singing, and I was looking up, seeing if there was any bands on Craigslist.

And then I was, I liked it.

I think it was an ad that Jeff put on there and I liked the style.

I like the idea and what the description was and reached out, and then eventually they sent me some songs and saying, okay, let's come and try these.

And then I did, and that was that.

So you three were already playing together.

Is that correct?

So what was your guys's sound like prior?

Would you say?

A fairly similar.

But I think obviously, you know, she brought her own sort of perspective to the group, so kind of blended that in.

But I had a pretty similar vibe.

Gotcha.

Okay.

And then, so what would you say?

Because vocally, you mentioned that you sort of started off when it comes to music.

You mentioned jazz.

What are some of your influences when it comes to vocals specifically?

Probably Ella Fitzgerald would be my favorite, but, I don't know Edith Piaf.

She had like such a powerful voice.

But then Ella had such a warm, rounded tone.

I think when I was younger, I always would say I want it to be the female equivalent of Michael Bublé, but again, a little bit more sass.

So yeah, I'd say those are probably some of my favorites.

How's the dynamics with you three?

And, Ellie is she is she fun to work with?

Hard to work with?

Be straight up with us right now, how is it?

What day are we talking about?

Yeah.

No.

We all get along really well and we're chill.

There's no pressure.

We're not you know, we're not really serious about it.

We just.

It's fun for us.

Things happen like this show and we appreciate it.

So when it comes to your guys's music and your sound, how do you guys explain and define your current sound?

What you guys played for us just now.

Yeah, kind of like a Quentin Tarantino soundtrack.

That's what we go for.

The twanging, sultry, spooky.

we bring some songs out and it's always very theatrical, so that's awesome.

Around Halloween And so the songs that you guys performed, the two songs that you played, what was the names of those and how did those come about?

What inspired those two songs?

So look for me was the first one, and I think, who was that, your choice?

Was that a Jeff choice?

It was a Tim choice, yeah.

Is your dad's choice okay?

Yeah.

There you go.

Again, the sound.

There's having the three piece, I don't know.

Lots of reverb.

Lots of reverb.

There you go.

When you mention reverb to explain to the audience what reverb is exactly and what it would sound, what it sounds like with reverb and what it sounds like without Jeff.

That's you.

Oh, yeah.

Reverb.

I mean, you can just hear it.

It's filling up the space.

It rings, everything rings longer.

Kind of, Motown.

They use it a lot in sound movie soundtracks.

You kind of hear it a lot.

Gotcha.

Echos fill the space And so planning for this show specifically, Gotcha.

I know you guys are doing three songs total.

You're ready did two.

You have one more at the end.

What, what what sort of determined what you guys are going to play today?

And how did you guys prepare for that?

Well, it was a text message of which three songs in our group chat.

And then I think that the first one and the second one, we're pretty unanimous Two of the Three stuck, and we changed- And the third one, which you'll find out, I kind of did a it was, it was less than five minutes when we decided these are the three songs.

So gotcha.

That was in the dressing room.

Yeah.

That's right.

Right before we just written.

No.

And as far as preparing for them, we just, I don't know, we have band practice once a week and went over those ones a little bit more and tried to flesh them out and shift them to for the setting.

But it's so I know you guys do a bit of live shows throughout Southern California, specifically the Inland Empire.

OC, I know you're from Loma Linda.

You mentioned Orange County, you guys from Rancho area.

And so when you guys are playing these live shows, do you guys always do you switch up your setlist often or do you guys do you stick with the format?

It's different every show.

Yeah.

And what determines that usually to kind of the venue So gotcha.

some of the stuff we played probably wouldn't go over in certain places.

So we adjust.

Gotcha.

And so you guys are going to stick around.

Right.

We have a part two of the interview.

You're going to perform another song at the very end.

And everybody watching, Thank you for tuning in.

We'll be back after the break.

Welcome back everybody My name is Manny This is Rhythm Lounge We're here again with Ellie Gunn and the Fire Thornes So you guys mentioned you've played in places all over the Inland Empire, Orange County We've got Three Stags in Redlands, You mentioned The Vault.

What's been sort of a standout moment in all of your guys' live shows that you've performed?

As of late or in the past, because I know you mentioned that you guys were playing together, and then you had a brief sort of hiatus.

Anything that comes to mind?

Well, I think we did a show at The Vault where we also did a live video, so we were taping all day and ended.

We finish the day by doing a live shows.

So that was that was that was fun.

I was probably one of the more fun things we did.

And we filmed it around Redlands too So it was like right before, like all ready for the show thing and like going here, they're filming whatever.

And I was like, all right, let's go.

And then went in and did more of it later, did a shows two hour show or whatever.

So speaking of you mentioned, you know, on camera in front of cameras, Yeah.

you guys are in front of cameras now, how do you guys like that as a band?

I know you guys mentioned- I can answer that.

Yeah, I don't like it.

So you I mean, it's funny because even when we were talking before we started rolling or shooting you, you seemed very comfortable and in your element.

Once the music started, I felt like and so, yeah, I love being in front of cameras.

I think that that's the truth.

But when I'm with them, like, I've had a lot of things where it's like, oh, you're doing a performance and you have a back track, there's something about playing with them that the minute that we start doing that, and that's the way it's been from the first time that I auditioned at Jeff's house was like, it was this very cohesive feeling of just like, what the- what just happened... And I'm the opposite, I prefer to just be in a basement playing guitar.

He wants to be in a smoky bar with no eyes on us, just setting the mood.

And so would you say then in in comparison, do you enjoy the process of making music just sort of for yourself more than you do for audience?

Or what- What's your take on that?

I think I do it for myself, yeah.

Got you.

Hopefully people listen to it or like it then that's a bonus.

That's a plus.

I like that.

I just- it's sounding like you're saying that for the very first time in life almost.

That's awesome.

No, no, I think that's great... We don't really try to cater to an audience or, you know- we don't we don't play music to make money and put on a show, you know, to do that for money, we just do our own thing.

So.

But we also do put on a pretty damn good show.

Gotcha.

So what would you say if someone ever shows up to a show that you guys are playing; I know you're playing at The Vault this weekend- No, The Stags this weekend.

This will air after that, but still: What would people expect from seeing you guys in person or what could they expect?

I mean, you just kind of have to leave it up to the audience, right?

I think they could expect to have us having a good time and sounding, I mean- We don't really- Yeah, I don't know.

What would you say?

Are people usually dancing?

No, I think it just sets a tone for an atmosphere.

Dancing?

Like we've had people say, you know, like, I feel like I was in a time capsule or I like, went in a time machine somewhere and I didn't want to leave where it's like the sound sounds old, but it's kind of new and we'll do covers and make them our own a lot of the time of songs that people know, but it's the way that we arrange it that it just like if you're watching, you're going to have a good time.

If you're sitting out in a conversation, you're going to have a good time.

I feel like it's a very sophisticated sound overall.

I can completely imagine or picture you guys playing at one of my favorite places.

It's called the Lafayette.

It's like a historic hotel in San Diego area.

And, I feel like you guys completely fit the tone for that spot.

So I would like to see all there at some point.

Get us a gig.

Yeah, okay.

And I'll try, but So anyways, we are we were talking about original music and you mentioned obviously you guys are doing a lot of covers inspired by the music you're playing isn't necessarily always inspired by film, but you mentioned film in like music, in that regard really inspires you guys.

But when it comes to your own sound that you guys are creating for, you know, forthcoming original music, what do you want that to sound like and what's going to inspire that?

I know that Jeff and I are kind of the two that these two are lovely rhythm gentlemen.

They're always kind of saying you to make the decision, and I know that Jeff has a very deep kind of, again, the dark, like the he brings more of the spooky type of thing.

I know, at least for the sound.

I would love to have it this way, but lyrically I want it to be a story.

I want to be telling a story.

Whether it's sad, a lot of our songs that we sing are sad.

And there's been a joke of that our album is going to be sad, songs make me happy, and so that's what it's going to be titled.

But emotive.

No, I want you to feel something.

I want you to experience something.

I want it to transport you somewhere.

When whatever that emotion is, I want you to be, like, right there, with the same kind of song that you have heard already.

You mentioned the word spooky.

A couple of times when that translates to sound and music.

What would you say sort of makes music spooky in terms of the lyrics and the sound or instrumentation?

Minor chords, I would say minor chords, reverb.

I want to say lyrically dark, but it could be in there.

I don't know.

I don't know, not afraid to say the truth.

Yeah.

In a poetic and I don't know.

So do you guys have plans to actually get started on this original music soon or.

I hope so, yeah.

Got it again.

It'll probably be Jeff and I doing kind of a back and forth of writing and seeing what comes from it, and then these two throw in there their vibe onto it or their part into it.

Well guys, where can we hear more from you?

Gotcha.

Where can we connect with you guys online?

If you can share your socials or, all of that good stuff.

Yeah.

Our Instagram is Ellie Gunn and the Fire Thornes There's an e, f i r e t h o r n e s in fire thornes.

Thornes with the s because there's three Because there's pretty easy to find multiples Maybe one day I'll get to be part of the fire.

I'll be a fire thorn.

Guys, thank you so much for joining us.

You're going to stick around for one more song after the break.

Everybody watching.

My name is Manny.

This is Rhythm Lounge.

Thank you so much for joining us.

We'll see you next time.

Never know how much I love you Never know how much I care When you put your arms around me I get a fever that's so hard to bear You give me fever when you kiss me, Fever when you hold me tight Fever in the morning and a fever all through the night.

Sun lights up the daytime and the moon lights up the night I light up when you call my name, and you know I'm gonna treat you right You give me fever, when you kiss me Fever when you hold me tight Fever in the morning fever all through the night Everybody's got that fever that is something you all know Fever isn't such a new thing Fever started long ago Romeo loved Juliet and Juliet, she felt the same When he put his arms around her, He said, "Julie, baby, you're my flame" "thou giveth fever" "when we kissth" "fever with thy flaming youth" "fever" "I'm afire" "fever, yeah I burn forsooth" Captain Smith and Pocahontas.

had a very mad affair When her daddy tried to kill him, she said, "daddy, oh, don't you dare" "he gives me fever" "with his kisses" "and fever when he holds me tight" "fever, I'm his missus" "so daddy, won't you treat him right."

Now you've listened to my story, here's the point that I have made Chicks were born to give you fever, be it Fahrenheit or centigrade They give you fever when you kiss them, and fever if you live and learn Fever, 'til you sizzle What a lovely way to burn Oh, what a lovely way to burn What a lovely way to burn What a lovely way to burn