Rocky and The Wildcat Interview for Casting Couch Zine
Words: Nillie Welson
Photos: Julie BishopÂ
 Local Austin favorites, Rocky and The Wildcat have been around. The first time I saw them was in a backyard in south Austin. Rocky was sitting on a couch that looked like it was dying. Jimmy on a chair next to her. The wooden porch was dilapidated and looked like it wanted to just give up and cave in. I knew they were an adorable couple, but when they began I wanted to know what the fuck was going on. Where did this beautiful soulful magic come from? So, I sat down with them and asked them, what the fuck is goin’ on?
Nillie Welson: What’s yall’s story? R: We met in 2010 at Caleb Dawson’s birthday party. I was 19 years old. I have been singing all my life, but I was very shy at the time. Jimmy eventually talked me into singing with him. A few years ago Jason McNeely asked us to play a Gram Parsons tribute set which really set the tone for our duet.
NW: How did you chose the sound or style of music you play? R: I don’t feel like I’ve really figured out what style I play yet… whatever we sound like at any given time is probably a product of the music we’re into at the moment, and it’s bound to change before long.
NW: Where ya originally from? R: I’m from right outside of Houston and spent a lot of time growing up in Galveston. I love the ocean and being in the water. Jimmy is from just outside of Huntsville, Texas. He was born in his folks’ house.
NW: How has your upbringing influenced your music? R: My family really likes music. Especially my mom who was an opera singer and plays piano very well. They always encouraged me to pursue music and I took a lot of voice and dance lessons. I was really into musical theatre when I was a kid. J: My dad listened to old country blues cassettes all the time when I was a kid, and my mom pushed me to learn violin and be smart. Sorry ma.
NW: What are your musical inspirations? R: Mama Cass Elliot, Etta James, Nina Simone, Emmylou Harris, Harry Nilsson, Ronnie Spector, Mary Beth Richardson, Linda Ronstadt, Bessie Smith, Victoria Spivey, Suzi Quatro, Sara Ostovar J: A buncha fools like Bob Dylan, Harry Nilsson, Gram Parsons, Timothy Steven Corey Parsons, the Shangri-Las, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Mississippi John Hurt, Memphis Minnie, Greg Cartwright, Dory Tourette, and Tim Curry
NW: What are your frustrations being a band in Austin? R/J:Â Parking.
NW: Rocky, have you faced discrimination being a woman musician? R: I think you face discrimination being woman in general. It is difficult but I don’t let it discourage me.
NW: How do you guys manage livin’ and workin’ together? R: We unwind very well together.
NW: What does your writing process look like? R: I thank the muse for paying me a visit, typically while I’m in the car. I come up with a melody and some lyrics and bring it to Jimmy who is so adept at song writing and he helps me finish it. J: Rocky writes songs and brings em to me, and I just slap a couple chords and stops in here and there.
Rocky, why so much shakin’ onstage? I love it! But I’m curious because it matches your voice so much. R: Probably nerves.
NW: What bands are you personally obsessed with locally and generally? R: I listen to a lot of old records. I’m obsessed with Mamas and Papas “If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears.” I listen to it over and over again and never get tired of it. I think I know every harmony and vocal part on the record. My Karen Dalton record “In My Own Time” has been getting a lot of play lately as well. And of course The Byrds “Sweetheart of the Rodeo,” which we named the studio after. Also I listen to the Flamin’ Groovies and Suzi Quatro when I exercise. Been very into Flamin’ Groovies. J: For local acts, I’ve been seriously enjoying JD Clark and Rich Hands lately. If I listed every band I’m deeply fascinated by, it’d take up too much page space I think, so I’ll just say this: Check out Tim Curry’s song “I Do the Rock”.
NW: What bands or projects are ya’ll apart of? R: Jimmy is in the Bad Lovers, The Wolf, Dick Sex. We both play in Bobby Jealousy and in our duet act, Rocky and the Wildcat.
Who decorated sweetheart studios?! It’s adorable. R: A lot of work was put into remodeling the place by Jimmy and me, and his brother Seth Gibbs, and Travis Beall and Alli Anderson. We all added our personal touches, but Travis and Alli were especially active in the overall design and feel of the place. We have a very colorful, sort of Peewee’s Playhouse vibe. It’s our very own grownup clubhouse.
NW: Who does what at Sweetheart Studios? R: Travis, Seth, and Jimmy are engineers. Alli and I take care of the social media accounts and do a lot of little things to keep the place running well and looking nice. I do backing vocals for some folks that come in as well. We are all multi-instrumentalists and we’ve been playing as studio musicians on some projects. Also our friend Sara Castro has been helping a lot with our social media presence, which is awesome because the rest of us are inept and stubborn when it comes to the internet/the future in general.
Deborah White: Jimmy, you and your brother are both studio engineers. Did you grow up in a musical family or how did you two become interested in studio work? J: Yeah, most of my family is interested in and/or capable with music. My older brother Ben also plays in bands when he’s got time. Us kids (four boys and a sister) were brought up taking music lessons, learning violin and piano and some others. My folks keep a pretty fantastic record collection, and I discovered a lot of great rock n roll, country blues, and folk at an early age thanks to that. Ben and Seth started recording when I was still real young, first on a Fostex four track machine, and later on the family’s crappy Dell desktop computer. I think it just started as a way to fight boredom; we were raised in the country, with no neighbors nearby and 5 channels of static-ey TV, so we had to come up with ways to keep busy. I just followed along with whatever the other guys were doing I guess, being the youngest brother.
DW: What disgusting things do you do when you’re not writing music together? R: Taking care of 2 dogs and a cat which can be gross. We also cook together a lot and watch a bunch of horror movies of varying quality. Also, every year, we look forward to the Halloween Issue of “Martha Stewart Living”. J: Feedin’ our boogers to the dogs, that’s all I can think of right now.
DW: Is it hard to balance being in multiple bands, working and being in a relationship? R: We get to spend a lot of time together even though we are working. And the work is usually fun. Singing harmonies with someone you love is the best thing to me. Although I wish we could take more vacations together. J: Nah
DW: What’s the strangest thing that’s happened to y'all at a show? R: One time we were playing at a birthday party, and the guy who’s birthday it was grabbed my tambourine and started pulverizing the cake with it. J: Yeah, that was pretty funny.
Well there you have it folks! There’s clearly a lot of talent and love between these two. It makes for a undeniable chemistry that is birthing some of the best music out of Austin instead of birthing stupid babies.Â
For a print version of this interview plus loads of other awesome band interviews and photography purchase Casting Couch Zine here:Â http://castingcouchzine.storenvy.com/
