Image via Erika June Christina Laing<\/p>\n
Q+A with singer Erika June Christina Laing of rock band Working Breed on writing about relationships, opening for Jefferson Starship, and performing with wings<\/p>\n
Looking for a unique show? Check out Working Breed<\/a>. The art rock quartet\u2019s high energy set features costume changes, high kicks, and singer Erika June Christina Laing wearing giant blue light up wings. They are currently writing a follow up album to their successful sophomore LP, \u201cGaslighter.\u201d The band has played Pittsburgh\u2019s prime venues, including an opening slot for Jefferson Starship.\u00a0<\/p>\n Over a phone interview, I talked with singer Erika June Christina Laing about songwriting, opening for Jefferson Starship, and wearing light up wings onstage.<\/p>\n Band members: Erika June Christina Laing (Lead vocals, musical saw, trombone, synths), Michael Dugan (Lead guitar, backing vocals), Jake Churton (Bass guitar), and Tim College (Drums).<\/p>\n Starting Out<\/p>\n Josh: When did you start playing music?<\/p>\n Erika: I started trombone in 6th grade, I worked really hard in that capacity. My dad was a big time rock and roller guy. I saw it in my life, growing up it was part of something that seemed really cool to me, being in a band and writing songs.\u00a0<\/p>\n Josh: When did the Working Breed originate?\u00a0<\/p>\n E: In 2014, I met Mike Dugan, who is the guitarist in Working Breed. From the first rehearsal, we just were like, \u201cOh, this is a band project.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Live Shows<\/p>\n Josh: Any memorable shows?\u00a0<\/p>\n E: We opened for Jefferson Starship at South Park Amphitheater. Yeah, it was pretty cool. There were like 6,000 people there.<\/p>\n Josh: That\u2019s amazing. What\u2019s a Working Breed show like?<\/p>\n E: I think it\u2019s definitely hallmarked by energy. There\u2019s an eclectic nature to it. I wear a big cape that hides my outfit and then at the beginning of the first song I reveal it. Dugan\u2019s running around and doing all these crazy jumps while he\u2019s playing guitar. Jake Hurton plays the bass with us and the two of them really run around a lot behind me. It\u2019s very intense and chaotic. But we\u2019re really tight at the same time.\u00a0<\/p>\n Josh: Fans are getting entertained all over the stage.<\/p>\n E: Exactly. If you\u2019re gonna come spend some money or even just your time with us, I wanna give you a f*****g great experience. I want you to have dinner and a show.\u00a0<\/p>\n Creating and performing at the No Doubt \u201cTragic Kingdom\u201d Anniversary show<\/p>\n Josh: Last year you created the No Doubt \u201cTragic Kingdom\u201d anniversary show<\/a>.<\/p>\n E: Yeah thanks for writing about that.\u00a0<\/p>\n Josh: What was it like playing that show?<\/p>\n E: We knocked it out of the park. We had so much fun. Everybody there knew all the words. I\u2019d look in the audience and someone would be losing their mind with happiness. I had 6 costumes.\u00a0<\/p>\n Original songs<\/p>\n Josh: The song \u201cDeep End\u201d really sticks out. Was there any type of inspiration behind that one?<\/p>\n E: That song is actually the shortest song we ever wrote. It\u2019s this fun inclusivity kind of song. Let\u2019s get crazy together. Let\u2019s lose our minds together. Jay Canner is the person we recorded it with. I was doing these vocal takes and he said every time to do it more snarkier and bring out the inner cheerleader in me.\u00a0<\/p>\n Josh: Your inner Gwen Stefani came out.<\/p>\n E: (laughs) My inner Gwen.\u00a0<\/p>\n Josh: For \u201cBreak Free,\u201d did you write the lyrics or music first to that one?<\/p>\n E: I think the music came first. I remember very distinctly writing the lyrics to this album. I just sat down and wrote 3 or 4 of those songs all at once. I was going through a breakup. The real point of \u201cBreak Free\u201d is that sometimes our suffering in life comes from things breaking apart. You\u2019re trying to hold it together. It\u2019s like a flower that\u2019s blooming and you\u2019re trying to keep it closed like a bud, it has to bloom and then the petals have to fall off. It\u2019s just how life works and you can\u2019t hold it together. It\u2019s gonna hurt you to do that. You have to break free and let it go. You have to sing your song. The world wants your voice in it, you know, the world\u2019s incomplete without your voice.<\/p>\n Josh: Do you have any favorites to play live?<\/p>\n E: So when we play \u201cCrow\u2019s Nest,\u201d I put on these light up wings. And then I do this whole dance. The breakdown goes way longer and I run into the crowd with these blue light up wings. I bring people inside the wings and close them up.\u00a0<\/p>\n Josh: You say this nonchalantly, like, \u2018You know, I just bring them in with the wings.\u2019<\/p>\n E: (laughs) I do. I\u2019ve done it so many times, it does feel a bit nonchalant. I actually get a lot of really amazing feedback from that. It\u2019s special and intimate in a way. I pick different people to get in the wings every time.\u00a0<\/p>\n Up Next<\/p>\n Josh: What\u2019s next for the band?<\/p>\n E: It\u2019s time to put out a new album. We\u2019ve been working on new material and we\u2019re booking gigs. I hope we\u2019ll be in the studio by the end of the year.<\/p>\n Josh: That\u2019s exciting.\u00a0<\/p>\n E: There\u2019s nothing really better than writing music. I mean, playing it is such an honor. I love performing. I am in the moment more than any other time. I\u2019m a conduit of the universe and it\u2019s just happening. The magic is happening and it\u2019s so exciting. In terms of\u00a0music by itself, if for some reason I could never perform ever again, I\u2019d still want to be writing music because doing that is just so unique and special.<\/p>\n Check out music by Working Breed on streaming platforms<\/a> and keep up with their upcoming shows by following along on Instagram<\/a> and Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n Upcoming Shows<\/p>\n Check out last month\u2019s artist of the month here!<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThis content was provided by a local, independent contributor to Made in PGH, a lifestyle blog.<\/p>\n \t\tTags: \t\t\t\t Josh has been writing for Made in PGH since 2018, where he writes about upcoming events. He\u2019s a Point Park University graduate and teaches high school English. In his free time you\u2019ll find him playing guitar and writing new songs.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t<\/a> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tImage via Erika June Christina Laing<\/p>\n
Image via Erika June Christina Laing<\/p>\n
Image via Erika June Christina Laing<\/p>\n
Image via Erika June Christina Laing<\/p>\n
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\n\t\tJosh McCann<\/a><\/p>\n
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