♪♪ >>From the second floor of the Orlando Public Library, welcome to Melrose in the Mix, our series of live recording sessions from here at the Melrose Center.

Hi, everyone.

I'm Jim Myers.

Today's session features the Chotchkies led by singer and lyricist Jeannine Gage with Michael Rizzo on guitar, Thuan Nguyen on bass, and Tyler Land on drums.

The Chotchkies has become a fixture in the Orlando music community since forming a few years ago.

They describe themselves as a greasy mix of rock and punk with the toe tapping charm of honky tonk and country.

Before the session, we had a chance to talk to the band about how they formed, how they found their sound, the influences they each bring and more.

♪♪ >>Here I am standing naked in front of you.

This is me, now what are you going to do?

Look at me with love or say you want something new?

You cant take my pride away from me.

I give myself the right to be free.

You dont decide what you get to see.

Every time you leave I have to question myself.

What did I do, how did I fail your test?

You make me feel like just one of the rest.

Then I see that I can do it when I put my mind right to it.

I cant depend on anyone else moods.

You may say that Im the stupid one, but I have love when all is said and done.

Look at you, youre always on the run.

♪♪ Every time you leave I have to question myself.

What did I do, how did I fail your test?

You make me feel like just one of the rest.

♪♪ I walk these streets alone and its cold out there.

Strangers ask me where you goin?

I say, Im just trying to find my way home.

♪♪ Its not the home that it used to be.

Youre not there and neither is he.

Everything I own is here on me.

May not look like much but its okay.

A little help gets me by day to day.

Then Ill stand on my own and do it my way.

Ill stand on my own and do it my way.

Ill stand on my own and do it my way.

Hey!

Hey!

You know, like I said, it started out it was going to be an all female band for no other reason other than I just like lifting up fellow women and musicians.

So for me, Chrissie Hynde, of course, is a huge influence, and I think for sure her songs hold some sway over me.

But mostly it's just, you know, kind of comes naturally.

And I think our songs, we have a lot of country sounding songs, we have a lot of punk rock sounding songs, and they kind of come organically.

This one's for Dave.

♪♪ You dont come to me in darkness, you dont come to me in light.

But I hear your voice in all your favorite songs, the ones we used to play so loud all night.

With a Jack Daniels in my hand and my memories of you, Ill play all those old punk rock bands and believe that you are listening too.

HR, Black Flag, Buck Pets and the Minute Men, Fire Hose, Bad Brains, Flogging Molly and the Descendents.

Theyre playing all your favorite songs.

And I will listen to them all night long.

Meat Puppets, Ignite, the Menzingers and Lag Wagon, Gun Club, Dead Kennedys, Mad Caddies and a Wilhelm Scream.

Theyre playing all your favorite songs and I will listen to them all night long.

♪♪ The music that you wrote lives on in us.

You were a smartass punk too.

All my favorite songs are yours.

And in this mad world, they keep me close to you.

Bloody Mary, DOPE, Rosy C, and Disco Biscuit.

Bloody Mary, DOPE, Rosy C, and Disco Biscuit.

Youre playing all my favorite songs.

And I will listen to you all night long.

Yeah, I will listen to you all night long.

I have to give a shout out to Jen Ivey.

She was a local musician here in town.

Her and her husband Jim have moved to Portland since then, but we started kind of messing around and we were thinking about kind of an all girls band and but we had trouble finding other women who were available to play with us.

So we did the next best thing and we got Michael and he came in as a guitar player.

Jen was on bass and this is what year was this Michael, 2018?

>>It's been a while.

>>Maybe, I think, yeah, maybe 2018, 2019.

And so Michael was a perfect fit and then Jen left town, and so we sought out a new drummer and a new bass player.

There's been a couple since before we settled on these-- >>That's right there's different incarnations, right?

So.

>>Yeah.

>>I think we're like the fifth generation, right?

>>So Thuan we just knew him from the local music scene and we found him and Tyler was gotten, as all drummers should be gotten off of Craigslist.

♪♪ Why won't you listen to what we had to say?

Why does your hate guide you every single day?

You are blinded by a thin flag of deceit.

Its easy to see through but you just wont believe.

♪♪ Let me ask you this, what exactly is wrong with loving our brothers and getting along?

What are you scared of, that you might take a fall?

Theres blood on the streets because you dont want anyone else as tall.

As history shows, all you fascists are bound to lose.

We can make this a better place if youd only choose.

♪♪ Sometimes I wish we should all stand together, Kumbaya this world and make it all better make it better.

But, your flags and your guns make you look small.

Theyre not weapons, theyre just coveralls for your insecurities that are keeping you mad.

You don't believe its you whos to blame for what you do not have.

If any person walks down a street, you can walk it too their footprints leave nothing but room for you.

Why dont you try walking side by side?

You might find your fear is nullified.

As history shows, all you fascists are bound to lose.

Then this will be a better place for those of us who choose to refuse the hate in you.

Again, the Chotchkies it goes back to Jen Ivy.

It was her name that she had come up with.

And when Michael started sitting in with us and stuff, it wasn't his favorite name, I think.

But you know, what I said was I think Michael maybe would have preferred something a little more rock and roll or more serious.

But what I had followed found through all that was it always put a smile on people's faces.

They always thought that was a great name.

And so we decided to keep it.

There was a lot of thought about-- >>Well, yeah, we did.

>>We did have a lot of thought.

We had-- >>A brainstorming session we just couldn't find-- >>We could not find another name-- >>That was better.

>>So yeah.

>>And people seem to like it.

>>They do people love it.

>>Yeah, I started yield to the fight.

>>We wore him down.

>>And I really, I just.

I was like, you know, if, if, if the universe is telling us that that's a good name and people like it, then yeah, you can go with that.

Yeah.

Even leave the ego out of it.

You know?

>>I ran it by some of my snobby friends in New York and they loved it.

They once I once I-- >>That was the ultimate test.

>>New York City, we're in.

♪♪ We found a great place and we moved in together.

But then we broke up ‘cause nothing lasts forever.

She came along after we were through, but still shacking up, too lazy to move, she stole his heart, he was on the moon.

Then my boyfriends girlfriend stole my living room.

Yeah, my boyfriends girlfriend is my new roommate.

How did this happen, I havent even had a date.

Ugh, my boyfriends girlfriend.

My boyfriends girlfriend.

My boyfriends girlfriend is living with me.

Im always finding her panties on the floor, I hear things I shouldnt hear from behind their door.

She calls him honey and holds him tight while I sleep through my lonely nights locked in my room this is how I feel.

My boyfriends girlfriend makes me the third wheel.

Yeah, my boyfriends girlfriend is my new roommate.

How did this happen, I havent even had a date.

Ugh, my boyfriends girlfriend.

My boyfriends girlfriend.

My boyfriends girlfriend is living with me.

Tell us about it Michael.

♪♪ ♪♪ It used to be me in there with him now theres a stranger in there with him.

I dont want to be in there anymore, but this living arrangement is weird for sure.

Threes Companys got nothing on us.

My boyfriends girlfriend makes me want to cuss.

Oh damn it.

Yeah, my boyfriends girlfriend is my new roommate.

How did this happen, I havent even had a date.

Holy smokes.

I can't believe it.

Dag Nabit.

Is living with me.

She's got to go.

I was here first.

It stinks.

Is living with me.

>>My late husband was a musician here in Orlando in the local music scene.

And he wrote songs, of course, and just I never for some reason did that while we were together.

Music for Dave was kind of a private thing almost, you know.

And so after he passed away, I was left in the house with a lot of instruments, and so I picked up the ukulele, which he had gotten for my daughter, who was away at college because that was the least intimidating to me.

And so I said, you know, I can either sit at home and watch TV and eat ice cream every night, or I can try and do something new, you know?

And so I just went to YouTube and took some lessons and watched some things about how to play.

And it did it was a definitely a big part of my grief process and helped me get through that.

And the first iteration of me being in a band and stuff was the ukulele-ins which started out with just a group of friends, my friends who were helping me, and we would get together on Sunday afternoons and just jam and play never traditional ukulele song, mostly rock and roll songs.

But and then we got asked to play somewhere as a band, and we did that a few times.

And then for the last seven years, we've been having youth jams all around Orlando where anybody can come with an acoustic or a small percussion instrument and play along with us.

It's the most fun ever.

♪♪ Lady Liberty has thrown her lamp down, put on boxing gloves said lets go a round.

Uncle Sam is loading his gun.

Says Im a shooting until I have won, Yeah.

The Capitol is bleeding, the White House is aflame.

The colors of our flag well, theyre causing pain.

Weve armed them with the punches we throw.

Its a big brawl we are all taking blows.

Red, black and blue.

Im so red, black and blue.

Im so Red black and blue from fighting with you.

The Eagle used to soar oer the land of the free.

Now hes dropping bombs like its World War three.

AR 15s for sale on every corner.

All the moms and dads are now all the mourners, yeah.

I spend my days on travel websites looking at other countries, Portugal looks nice.

But Im so battered, tired and sore, yeah.

Red, black and blue.

Im so red, black and blue.

Im so Red black and blue from fighting with you.

This used to be a land made for you and me.

Now all I see are those yearning to breathe free.

♪♪ This used to be a land where all our dreams come true.

Now what I see are those dreams are for the few.

All those old men and religious ladies try to tell us what to do about babies.

They carry flags say "dont tread on me" while theyre stomping on my liberties.

Democracy has been fully concussed.

From sea to shining sea, the rich are eating us.

The Forefathers are rolling in the ground.

Say why you punching us, were already down.

Red, black and blue.

Im so red, black and blue.

Im so red, black and blue from fighting with you.

Im so red black and blue from fighting with you.

Red, white and blue, make us fight for you.

I have so many issues issues, ish issues.

I have so many issues issues, ish issues.

If I tell you about my issues, will you listen?

If I say whats deep down inside me will you care?

If I tell you Im super sad will you make me your mission?

If I tell you all my secrets, will you share?

When I drink too much, oh, do you hate it?

When I say the wrong thing, is it too loud?

When I screw up again do you think that Im just fated to being nothing better than I am right now?

I ask myself, will I ever change?

Will I be alright if Im rearranged and take care of my issues.

I need to take care of all of my issues.

I have so many issues issues, ish issues.

I have so many issues issues, ish issues.

♪♪ If I dont care about myself will it make me happy?

If I stop watching the news will I be okay?

If I play The Who till I cry will that be sappy?

Is it better to play The LadyBits everyday?

When I make a decision, oh, will it matter?

When I remain silent will you be mad?

When I state an opinion is it only chatter?

When I leave the room will anyone really be sad?

I ask myself, will I ever change?

Will I be alright if Im rearranged and take care of my issues.

I need to take care of my issues.

I have so many issues issues, ish issues.

I have so many issues issues, ish issues.

Theres Paranoia, anger, anxiety, hypochondria and over-sensitivity, bitterness, addiction and victimhood.

Impulsiveness and lots of shoulda woulda coulda, bossiness, rage and vanity, selfishness, greed and jealousy, pride, depression and laziness I cant even name all the rest.

I have so many issues issues, ish issues.

I have so many issues issues, ish issues.

♪♪ But it's really the ones that put a smile on people's faces that I enjoy playing the most, you know, and just that, you know, look, you can be out here whether you were doing this five years ago or not, whether you've never done it.

You know, music brings joy to people.

And so we're just so happy.

And I feel so privileged to have amazing musicians supporting me and us being able to go out and do this and make people, you know, if they just want to have fun.

>>Yeah, I agree.

I'm hoping people just have a good time and feel the, you know, that we're being honest and what we're presenting to them is something of ourselves.

>>Right.

>>Emotions.

Emotions for me.

Yeah, that's my goal.

As a as a performer, I want I want I want some emotion to be conveyed.

>>Thanks for joining us for this episode of Melrose in the Mix, featuring the Chotchkies.

We'll see you again soon with another live recording session from here in the Melrose Center at the Orlando Public Library.