Feature Friday - G String
Name
G String
Pronouns
She/her, They/them
Bio
G String is Talia (vocals, rhythm guitar), Tara (lead guitar) Julia Hill (bass) Saraluz (drums) and Raven (manager, previous bassist). We are a punk/grunge band from Montreal! We love to rock out and make music aimed towards a femme audience :)
Instagram
@gstringmtl
Where in Montreal are you located?
We all live in different neighborhoods (Downtown, Plateau, Verdun) but we rehearse in Saint Henri near Fattal Lofts, and most of our shows are in the Plateau area where the music scene is concentrated.
What do you love about your neighborhood?
Our favourite thing about our neighbourhood(s) St. Henri and Plateau area, where we rehearse and play, is the community present. This sounds cheesy but every time we attend or play a show, we get to be surrounded by familiar faces of people who support us, and who we support back. The music scene here feels like a big loving group of friends who all care about music and each other. There's something very pure about it.
I also think we are very much a product of the grungy / punk / diy vibe that is so distinctive to the Montreal scene. It has really rubbed off on me personally since I moved here and started going to shows, and especially since I started rehearsing next to TraXide. I think it’s impossible not to be influenced by the art and people you are surrounded by, and there are sooo many insanely talented musicians here. We get to just be friends and hangout with people we’re inspired by, it’s crazy.
It’s also very interesting to be in a band, (as well as a larger scene) that’s comprised of both locals/Francophones as well as people from other provinces and countries. This language and cultural mix is quite specific to Montreal and it makes for an incredibly interesting and inclusive space.
What’s your favourite art space in Montreal and why?
I don't know.... there are too many to choose from.... When it comes to music venues, we love L’Escogriffe and La Sotterenea as well as being able to put on shows in DIY spaces (our friend’s basement dubbed The Rat’s Nest is a fan favourite). I also love Foufs and the punk market that happens there every few months, soooo many cool artists there. Everywhere you turn in this city there’s something new and really cool and engaging to be part of. It can be so overwhelming at times, but in the best way.
Describe your art in your own words.
Party, party, die, die, die, die, die, die, die.
What have you been working on recently?
We’re recording an EP!!!! And have a tour planned !!!!!!! Soooo exciting. Our first single ‘Doghouse’ will be out in late March, and we are shitting our pants in anticipation. It's especially crazy for me (Talia) because I wrote all 5 songs on the EP on my own, and some of them I wrote years ago and had even played them with my previous band, so it feels like I have been through multiple lives with these songs. But when I brought these songs to G String, specifically Doghouse and Blacklight, the parts that my new bandmates wrote for them really clicked with me and resonated on a different level than before. These songs have very strong feminist undertones, so it feels a lot more fitting to be arranging and playing them with my femme bandmates who can relate to the subject matter more.
What sparked your passion for music?
Music is life bruh <3
Describe your sound.
Farting into my armpit and getting sued by Nintendo.
What does your creative process look like?
For the first 5 songs, I wrote them on my own and brought them to practice. Now, me and Tara write a lot of shit together. She’ll write a guitar riff, I'll put lyrics and melodies over it. Sometimes I show her my lyrics and she’s inspired. Other times I show her my lyrics and she pees her pants. Our record for writing an entire song is 9 seconds flat. Then Saraluz writes their epic drum parts into the song. My favourite Saraluz parts are the choruses of Party Party Die Die, Skankzilla, and Blacklight, they really bring the songs together and put the cherry on top. Our new bassist Julia Hill used to play with Tara in Whoredrobe and watching them come together again has been really exciting. There’s just such great chemistry happening at every practice. It's also insane to me that I get to play with 2 Whoredrobe members because I was so obsessed with them when I first joined the scene. Its like a #dream come true. Oh and of course Raven is our band mommy. She brings me pedialyte.
Who are your biggest musical influences?
Veruca Salt, Hole, AMYL AND THE SNIFFERS, Elastica, Garbage, Mannequin Pussy, L7, Babe Haven, Paramore
What do you love about playing live?
Wearing underwear over our pants.
Seeing the girls have fun, curating a space for queer people / poc / anyone who has historically been excluded from the music scene to have fun and feel comfortable, having fun onstage with bandmates/bffs, and the adrenaline rush.
I also love that every show is different, and you never really know what to expect until it’s actually happening, because the crowd’s energy totally influences how we perform. The best shows are when we can tell that the audience is having a great time so we can totally let loose.
We just love getting to perform and play because this has been our dream for years. It’s been so fulfilling and exciting to come together and be on stage with people who strive for the same thing that I do. There’s really nothing quite like looking around and seeing and sensing all this profound love and support.
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