We were lucky to catch up with Crowd the Airwaves recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Crowd the Airwaves, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
One of our most meaningful projects was the release of two EPs: “Scars” in 2019, and “Nihilist” in 2020. We wanted to experiment with spacing out the releases of our songs, as well as feature one track each by both of our vocalists. Recording was done at Otter House Studios, with mixing and mastering done by Alex Santullo. Our best “studio magic” happened during the recording of “Rose Tinted Pillars” on the Scars EP, where we incorporated multiple instruments. “Rose Tinted Pillars” is one of our more technically complex songs; it begins with a sultry, bluesy sound, which builds up in volume and intensity towards a strong, hard rock finish. For this, we tracked additional viola, djembe, and acoustic guitar parts, and wove them seamlessly into our original song to create one of our best instrumental arrangements to date. The song “Under” off of the Nihilist EP, a popular sing-along song of ours for its upbeat vibe and emotional, honest lyrics, was probably our most highly anticipated track out of the four. Both album covers were illustrated by Christina in-house under her art direction, alluding to metaphors that can be heard in our lyrics.
Of note, our recording was done prior to COVID-19 quarantine in 2020. The pandemic definitely threw a wrench into things; especially our promotion, as we were unable to perform a live release show as planned. We did hop on our share of virtual performances during that time!
Our new releases went on to receive positive feedback and unanticipated recognition. “Nihilist” went on to receive a nomination for “EP of the Year” at the first annual Wavy Awards in 2021. The Wavy Awards (or “Wavys”) is an event celebrating diversity and equity in the entertainment industry. As three queer women, we were honored to be nominated and to represent our local scene. Despite us not achieving the award in the end, we still had a great time seeing our album art projected onto the big stage, and connecting with so many talented people.
Crowd the Airwaves, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
Crowd the Airwaves is a New York City metro area-based band comprised of Heather Lee Marvin (vocals; bass), Christina Elliott (guitar; vocals; viola) and Lizz Hudman (drums; percussion). Crowd the Airwaves has been a band for nearly 11 years now, with Heather being the official founder, Christina being co-founder, and Lizz being the band’s drummer for 8 years. We describe our music as “fierce, in-your-face mix of garage rock, punk, and alternative pop” and have not committed to one particular genre. Our sound is inspired from some of our favorite musicians and bands, including Foo Fighters, Anberlin, and Lady Gaga. In essence, Crowd the Airwaves is just like a good drink: strong and sweet up front, and feeling it later.
Our humble beginnings began in 2013, when Heather and Christina were hanging out as friends and suddenly asked each other, “why haven’t we started a band yet?!” The two of us held our first official practice in a Queens College lecture hall along with members of our original line-up. From there, we anchored ourselves at our very first practice space in Queens, noodling around with some covers and ideas for original songs while we were still establishing our sound and image. Since then, we have played shows throughout the tri-state area, making a name for ourselves in the local rock scene.
We are three women with a lot to say! As individuals, we each bring great things to the band aside from just our musical talent. Heather has a boisterous personality, and exudes charisma and showmanship. Christina is an experienced marketer, directing the brand and the image that Crowd the Airwaves is going for. Lizz brings technique to the center of what we are doing, which has resulted in a tight, but well-rounded sound.
Heather has been singing since she could talk. Music has always been very important to her, and it has been a constant fixture in her life ever since. She is a classically trained opera singer who has studied at a high level, and has performed internationally and studied under professional vocalists (including Tony Bennett!). Crowd the Airwaves allowed for a departure from operatic vocals to a transition towards a more gritty, punk rock sound. The departure of a former member also led to her becoming self-taught on bass. Throughout her musical career, it always came back to her wanting to connect with people. Her philosophy is that music is a universal language everyone can speak, which is what gravitated her to music in the first place. In Heather’s words, “it feels more unnatural not to!”
Christina is a creative individual through and through, from music to visual arts and design. Her family, consisting of many artists and musicians, supported her from day one. She first started making music on cheap electronic keyboards without having taken lessons. At age 6, she learned to play the viola in her school orchestra, and continued to perform competitively both solo and in various ensembles until the end of high school. During this time, she balanced music with being a multi-disciplinary visual artist as she pursued her education in art and design. By day, Christina is a full-time graphic designer, but she still considers her role in the band a job in its own right, with her additional responsibilities being the band’s in-house artist, designer, and marketer. Despite never having formal training on guitar or vocals, she is self-taught in both, and is constantly learning!
Lizz, in her words, “can’t not make music!” For her, not making music is not an option; music is everywhere, so she has to do it. She started as a percussionist, with years of experience in her school marching band and a background in theater. Having lived in Florida for many years, she asked herself at one point, “What if I was a drummer in Disney World?” Then the metaphorical sun came out, and she thought to herself, “Florida fuckin’ sucks! I don’t want to live here, and I don’t care how cool that job would be!” Lizz eventually moved to New York to pursue her education, but she never left her musical roots behind.
One thing that we are proud of is the fact we each have classical music backgrounds. Because we had limited opportunities to perform after high school, we were excited to jump at the chance to make music again. Our classical training, knowledge of music theory, and ability to read and write sheet music has helped us better communicate with each other during the writing phase of our songs, which we consider a major advantage that sets us apart from many projects in the local music scene.
In addition, we are proud of our teamwork, and the fact that Crowd the Airwaves is a true democracy. While Heather was the one who initially started the band, we still maintain veto power and we make our executive decisions as a team. We are accommodating, and we are always there for each other both as business partners and friends. Not a lot of people are lucky to work with their best friends or family without hating each other after! Because of this, we have been a band for nearly 11 years, which speaks to the quality of our teamwork and longevity.
Crowd the Airwaves makes music for real people, and about the real problems that people face. Common themes in our lyrics are personal experiences, such as romance, our day jobs, and the regular lives that we live. We do not come into our creativity with the mentality of proving to our audience how “good” we are; we aim to build a true connection to our audience to make them feel seen. We want our fans to take away the fact that they aren’t alone when people think that nobody can hear them. Our music is always there to provide a gentle “sonic hug.”
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
We think there are a few solutions to this issue:
– The revival of publicly funded arts, such as the National Endowment of the Arts (NEA), and the now-dissolved Works Progress Administration (WPA), which have historically been underfunded and/or dissolved in favor of money going towards “useful” government agencies. Public funding grants financial relief for creatives by providing stipends, employment, education, and leadership opportunities. The life of a “starving artist” is not something that all of us can be, or are willing to choose for ourselves; in fact, many artists feel driven to quit art entirely. Artists are capable of making money; they just need to be given an opportunity to!
– Fighting back against gentrification and the hold it has on high cost of living areas by getting involved in local politics; specifically in New York City. As of 2023, New York City is tied as the third most expensive city in the world, while the borough of Manhattan is officially the most expensive place to live in the United States – double the national average. As a result, we have lost dozens of music venues and creative spaces, and many artists have been displaced from the city entirely, all for one common reason: the inability to keep up with the rising costs of rent. Attending community board meetings, voting in local elections, and participating in affordable housing activism are only some of the ways we can fight inequality and support our neighborhoods.
– Understanding that artists and creatives are real human beings, whose time is our most valuable asset. In turn, we as artists and creatives must understand our own self-worth and power. Corporate greed tends to drive the system on a larger scale, which is not something we can easily control; but on a smaller scale, there are many things that we can do on a non-systemic level to bring about change. Collaboration, networking, and supporting small businesses and independent artists are critical. This could be as large as throwing a community charity event at your favorite venue or space, or buying those cute handmade earrings from a local exhibitor!
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
A big lesson that we had to unlearn was to let go of the notion that our initial goals for the band would stay the same way we envisioned it in the beginning. Change is inevitable; it’s a universal truth, but it’s not something to be afraid of. Your “comfort zone” is a measure of how much pain you’re willing to take before you change something. Embracing change will only make you a better person and artist in the long run.
In our 11 years as a band, we have gone through multiple line-up changes; not because anyone was a bad person, but because our individual circumstances changed. This ultimately resulted in fundamental incompatibilities between each bandmate that prevented us from being the best project we could be. Early on, when the band drafted its first “contract,” we included an “absolute dedication” clause, up to and including potentially losing our day jobs in favor of the time and dedication it would take for Crowd the Airwaves to be our sole source of income. Nowadays, we are working at our own pace, and we are just grateful for the opportunity to make and perform our music! By embracing changes in both our line-up and our goals, we were able to bring Lizz on board, resulting in a consistent lineup since 2016. We believe this is truly a testament to our longevity as a band, and we are so grateful for those who have supported us over the years!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.crowdtheairwaves.com/
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/crowdtheairwaves
- Facebook: http://facebook.com/crowdtheairwaves
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/crowdtheairwaves
- Other: Bandcamp: https://crowdtheairwaves.bandcamp.com Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/132L9TZTG8LhFsr7inxdly
Image Credits
Walter Perez; Insomniac’s Dream Productions; Andrew Chow