INTERVIEW: The Velveteers
SAN ANTONIO, TX | OCTOBER 19TH, 2022 | BY DAPHNE STUBBLEFIELD
The Velveteers are an alternative, hard-rock band from Colorado consisting of Demi Demitro, Baby Pottersmith, and Jonny Fig. We had the wonderful opportunity to sit down with them before their headlining show in San Antonio to talk about their debut album, life on the road, and more!
I’m going to take it way back to the beginning. How did the band start?
Demi: Baby and I met when we were 15 and 16 at a concert. I had been wanting to start a two-piece band for a while so I was looking for someone around my age who had a similar taste in music and wasn't having a lot of luck finding anyone and then I heard about Baby through the music scene. We both really liked the same bands and bonded over that
Did you know you wanted to name the band The Velveteers or did figuring out a name take some time?
Demi: We spent like eight months trying to come up with the name because we were being super specific about it because we had a lot of friends in the music scene that would start out with one name and then change it a few months later. So from seeing that, we wanted to choose the right name because we didn’t want to change it. We really wanted something that was timeless and something we could put our own meaning to.
Something that captures people’s attention right away when they see you live is the dual drumming - when was that something y’all decided you wanted to do and when did y'all bring Jonny in on that?
Baby: Demi came up with the idea for the dual drumming - just wanting to have something that was a little more unique than playing as a two-piece. We wanted to find something that would look really interesting before you even heard us. Jonny had his own band and I drummed with his band for a while on and off, and then that band came to an end and we took Jonny in.
Your debut album “Nightmare Daydream” just turned one recently, congratulations! What was the process/experience of creating that record like?
Demi: It felt like it was a while in the making because there was all this material we had and we were in a transitioning period because of the pandemic happening and Jonny started playing with us - so at that point we were really just learning how to be a band. We had all these songs and Dan from Easy Eye wanted to work with us so we spent like 6 months at our house recording demos and going crazy and practicing every day for hours and hours.
I’ve noticed that being in charge of the creative process is important with you creating your own posters, cover artwork, and even music videos! Have you always had a passion for that side of everything?
Demi: We’ve always been pretty into that side
Baby: The first like 6 years of the band it was just us, no label/manager/connections, so Demi started making our own videos and it felt like it was an easy way to get a video that matched the song and vibe that we wanted. For our first album, we made a really big point to make our videos because we can put so much more work and dedication into it than anyone we could find elsewhere because no one knows who we are and at this point believe in our own music more than anyone else. So every video for this album, except for one, we made ourselves and shot it on Demi’s iPhone.
So is that something you’d like to continue to do as the band grows?
Demi: I think so, I think the visual aspect for the band from making posters, photoshoots, video shoots, is very much part of the artform and the creative process for us so I think it would be really cool to collaborate in the future with directors we really like, but we’re always going to have a pretty big say in what we do creatively.
Y’all have been on the road for a while now touring with and opening for some big names like The Black Keys, Greta Van Fleet, and The Smashing Pumpkins - how has that experience been, working with these large bands and being on the road so much?
Jonny: Being on the road is a big life change as opposed to being at home and working and then getting to go home. So for me personally, it was getting used to the constantness of it. And working with people like Dan Auerbach, it’s hard to describe, I’m just really grateful. Like opening for The Smashing Pumpkins, was nerve wracking because that’s one of my favorite bands, but once you get past that nerve wracking part it’s just pretty cool.
Has anyone given you any good advice while on tour or was there anything that stuck with you?
Demi: I think just watching people every night on stage, the bands we’re opening for, has taught us a lot - not that that’s really advice - but seeing how someone like Des Rocs works a room had a really big effect on us and our stage presence. Also getting support from the bands we’re playing with has pushed us and made us want to work harder
So it probably influences your headlining shows in a big way
Demi: Yes absolutely!
Baby: Yeah! Like seeing Des Rocs or Greta and seeing how much they put into their shows and seeing the level Greta’s at and the creativity they’re able to express at that level it’s super inspiring to be able to be on the road with them and be part of their shows. It makes you realize that that’s possible and something to strive for. When we open for really big artists like Greta or The Black Keys, when we talk to them, people always say it, but they’re completely normal, really chill and relaxed. Like the first conversation I had with Josh [Kiszka] from Greta was just about his shoes.
Going back to the album for a second because it did just turn one. It has such a unique sound that draws you in as a listener. What were some of your big inspirations musically/artistically behind that - or were you trying to just do something no one had heard before?
Demi: I think it was a mix of both. I knew the feelings I wanted to evoke behind the songwriting and I think that was one of the most important things with this album was that we all knew we wanted to feel magical and kind of like it was coming from this other world - like our world. We wanted to create this world around it. I think just the idea of creating something like that inspired a lot of it and helped create that sound.
So is that sound something you’re wanting to carry on with the next record or are you looking to take it in a different direction?
Demi: I definitely want to keep that feeling of the magic and it’s probably going to be in the same world but a little different.
That kind of leads into my next question. I know you’ve been on the road so much so have y’all had time to work on new projects or what does that look like when you’re on the road?
Demi: It’s pretty hard on the road at the level we’re at right now just because on all the days off we have right now we’re driving, but we have a little time off once we get back so we’re definitely going to take advantage of that and make some new things.
You just released a new track titled ‘See Me’ which is beautiful. Not only are the vocals so raw and emotional, but the message too. Do you find yourself doing a lot of self-reflecting when writing?
Demi: I think so, when I’m writing it goes both ways where sometimes it’s something that’s very close to me that I’m writing about and other times it’s coming from this other place that I don’t really have anything to do with it - like it feels like an idea floats down sometimes and I’ll write based off of that and then other times, like for ‘See Me’, it’s very personal.
Which song do you look forward to playing each night?
Baby: I look forward to but also dread slightly ‘Choking’ - I like playing that song a lot, I come out and do a drum thing with the audience during that song and before it happens I’m like “aw man I’m gonna like fall off the stage or something” but then once you do it it’s pretty fun
Demi: Mine is probably ‘Dark Horse’
Jonny: It changes, but I like ‘Beauty Queens’ right now
I saw y’all recently played the Kia Forum in LA which must’ve been so exciting. Do you have any bucket list venues you’d like to play in the future?
Demi: Definitely Red Rocks
Baby: It’s in our hometown and it’s almost like a universal answer to that question for any band no matter where they live, but not only is it like such a pretty venue, but it would be so cool because that’s where we’re from.
Who are some of your musical influences?
Demi: I really love PJ Harvey, Grace Potter, Nikki Lane is an artist that I’ve been listening to a lot recently - we actually met her a couple weeks ago and that was really cool, Stevie Nicks is also a big one for me.
Baby: I’m definitely inspired by different drummers, but for this specific band and the way we drum, it doesn’t feel like drumming in the way that you usually learn how to drum. We’re doing things that if you did it in a drum lesson they’d tell you not to do it - so I feel like I’m more inspired by wanting to feel out of control on stage and make the audience feel scared (in a good way) which I try to channel into the drumming.
Jonny: The only drummer I can think of is Glenn Kotche just because he sounds like two drummers sometimes.
Baby: I’m really inspired by Jonny while we’re on stage. I can be drumming and I’ll look over at Jonny and he’ll be having his arms really high and I’m like “oh I have to do that to” and I’ll have mine really high up and then I’ll look at Demi and Demi is going crazy and it just feeds of each other until the show ends and we’re all like passed out.
What influences your fashion on and off stage?
Demi: I like flashy things and going to thrift stores and finding things that's kind of weird and different. I just like stuff with sparkles on it that’s reminiscent of glam rock.
Baby: I just like to express myself through fashion and if I see someone when we’re traveling that looks cool I’ll mimic them or if I feel connected to it I’ll mimic it. On stage, that always changes for me. I'll be inspired by the glam rock thing and then I’ll change it to something else and then I’ll go back - so it just depends on how I’m feeling, my mood, and what part of me I want to express.
Jonny: I feel like I’ve just been trying to copy Julian Casablancas since high school. Do you know who Hasan Piker is? Yes! I like the way he dresses a lot.
What are some of your favorite things to do on your days off?
Demi: It’s gotten harder these last couple tours to do much of anything outside of driving, but eating food helps. There was a tour we were on before this one where it felt like we were barely eating any food just because there was no time to stop so I think on days off it’s cool we can go to a restaurant and actually sit down and eat something. There’s this place called Earth Burger, because Baby and I are vegetarian, so we’re gonna stop there on our way out tomorrow.
Baby: On the days we do have time to do something though, we’re usually really tired so there’s part of me that just wants to not do anything, but sometimes we’ll like force ourselves to go explore some place like a random church which makes the tour more fun - even if in the moment you’re super tired, it builds memories. It’s so easy to not want to do anything and rest, but the tour just flies by and you don't remember anything.
Demi: We went to Niagara Falls on the first part of this tour and that was really cool.
Who are some of the artists you’ve been listening to right now?
Baby: Nikki Lane’s new album. Her album came out the day that we met her. We played a festival and she was playing right next to us and she walked out of her greenroom and had a cigarette, walked up the stairs and put the cigarette out and immediately started singing the song - it was like a total rockstar presence. So we’ve been listening to her album a lot on repeat, it’s really really good.
So who’s in charge of the aux when y’all are driving?
Jonny: Yeah it’s usually me just playing stuff.
Demi: We’ve also been listening to an insane amount of murder podcasts.
I was actually listening to mine on the way over here - Crime Junkie
All: Yes! That’s the one we listen to.
So are y'all big true crime fans?
Demi: Yeah, I think especially on this tour because Halloween is just around the corner so it’s been a good time to listen to it.
Are y’all going to do anything for Halloween? Are y’all Halloween people?
Demi: I LOVE Halloween, but I haven’t been able to actually celebrate Halloween for the past like 4 years because I’ve been busy touring and stuff.
Jonny: Have you seen the movie Drive? 2011 with Ryan Gosling? Yes! I wanna go as that character!
Are y’all going to be home for Halloween this year?
Demi: We have two shows left
Baby: So we’ll be home for Halloween!
Demi: I’m gonna go to the pumpkin patch, watch a scary movie, and I’m gonna dress up this year
Jonny: I want to give out candy this year, I’ve never given out candy.
What song would you recommend someone listen to if they’ve never heard of The Velveteers?
Demi: ‘Dark Horse’ or ‘Father Of Lies’
Baby: or ‘See Me’, even though it doesn’t quite sound like the majority of our songs, it’s such a good song
Jonny: ‘See Me’ is my favorite song, but probably ‘Choking’ or ‘Father Of Lies’
Lastly, is there anything you’d like to let our readers know? About you, upcoming projects/shows, anything you’d want to bring attention to?
Jonny: We’ll have those Atlantic City shows with Greta
Baby: Yeah we’ll be closing out the year with Greta
Those are going to be fun shows. Y’all are pretty familiar playing with them so it’ll be pretty easy jumping back into it
Baby: Yeah I get least nervous to play their shows because their fanbase has so much energy and are really cool
Demi: Yeah we really like it when the audience gives us energy back, that’s definitely an important thing for us on stage
Baby: Make sure to support your local music scene as well. That’s how your favorite bands started so make sure to give them support!