Interview By: Emma Sikes
Note to reader; every question I asked, the band answered in complete unison, that is why instead of indicating which girl said what, I have put “Chalk Talk”. They spoke and thought as one. I must say it was sort of freaky in the beginning, but in the end I believe it truly encapsulates their genuine synchronicity and dedication to their craft of girl banding. Enjoy the downright delightful gigglefest that was the long awaited Chalk Talk Interview.
Emma Sikes: Word on the street is you’re the coolest band ever, Do you have any Tips N Tricks on how to remain cool?
Chalk Talk: Don’t practice, ever. Also give everyone in the band DJ names, and listen to Mask Off by Future, constantly.
Emma Sikes: May I ask what your DJ names are?
Chalk Talk: DJ Chain Mail is our best one.
Emma Sikes: How did you guys meet? What’s the herstory of Chalk Talk?
Chalk Talk: We went to School of Rock together and everybody there liked metal. We were like “wait we like Indie Rock music. (Nina’s voice emerges)" I went over to Fia’s one day in 10th grade and we were jamming and I said 'Oh I wrote a song, let's do something with it'. I played guitar and sang, and Fia played the drums and we wrote a bunch of songs just the two of us because we didn’t know you needed to have a full band. We thought we were the White Stripes or something. Our first show was super lowkey in my backyard, then months later Stella and I met in creative writing class, and we asked if she could play the keys, because she’s a classical pianist, she was essentially playing synth bass on the keyboard. Then we played our first real show at my house and it got rolled, but we made enough money to record our album. Katie was there but she wasn’t in the band yet. Then she transferred to Stella and I’s high school and joined the band and started playing bass. We played at our Prom, and at Katie’s house and eventually real venues in San Diego.
Emma Sikes: I would argue playing at Prom is the realest venue there is.
Chalk Talk: It was on a yacht and we were competing with a silent disco.
(Fia’s voice emerges) The whole time I was worried I’d drop my drumstick into the ocean.
Emma Sikes: Is girl rock back ? Did it ever leave? Is girl rock foreva?
Chalk Talk: It’s not back, but it's probably forever.
Emma Sikes: What does girl rock mean to you?
Chalk Talk: We don't know what girl rock is. But we feel like all of our songs are about having crushes that won’t ever work out, and people say that crushing is girly so therefore, we ARE girl rock.
Emma Sikes: Do you feel responsible for the shelf life of girl rock?
Chalk Talk: Well Chalk Talk is never ending, but we also don’t think we’re responsible for anything, except for being the coolest.
Emma Sikes: Have any of you ever slept with a fan ? You got groupies?
Chalk Talk: Eventually everybody will be a fan, and we sleep with everybody, so…
Stella’s boyfriend is our number one groupie, he makes unironic lip-sync videos to our songs, it’s awesome.
Emma Sikes: When performing on tour how do you dress yourselves, do you each have a color scheme you stick to ?! What is the dress 2 skirt 2 pant ratio ?!
Chalk Talk: We wear whatever, sometimes we wear skirts over pants, and dresses over pants, and we’re also into wearing tear-away pants.
Emma Sikes: Have you ever felt the need to crowd Surf?
Chalk Talk: We would love to. We feel our fans would have our backs, physically, spiritually and emotionally.
Emma Sikes: I now have a Question from a fan : Olivia Catanoso
(local Savannah fan & SCAD student) wants to know How your experiences away from your hometowns have impacted your new music?
Chalk Talk: Well the songs are based off of voice memos we’d make and send to each other and we mashed those together to make demos. Then we’d see each other for a week and record as much as possible. All of our areas have such different music, so other musicians definitely influenced us, too.
Emma Sikes: Where are all your “areas” located?
Chalk Talk: LA, Berkeley, Savannah, and New York, we’re a rectangle.
Emma Sikes: Your Social media presence is awesome! Was the not-so corporate posting style intentional? Follow up : Do you all have the Instagram password?
Chalk Talk: It’s unintentional, but we love shitposting. (Nina’s voice emerges) We used to all have the Instagram password but then I got logged out. (Fia’s voice emerges) No, it’s because Nina once posted a video of her talking post getting her wisdom teeth taken out, so we changed the password. (Nina’s voice emerges) Yeah, I’m not logged in anymore.
Emma Sikes: Right, you just might take your wisdom teeth out again and post something, you can’t be trusted to shitpost.
Did you have any alternate band names before you eventually landed on Chalk Talk?
Chalk Talk: Flowers to Mars, we were 14, that’s when it was just the two of us.
(Katie’s voice emerges) Guys should we change our name right now?
Emma Sikes: I think it’s too late now, you’ve played Prom with the name so it’s officially too late to change it, people will get confused.
Do you think it’s weird to write/hear modern slang in songs? I’m personally on the fence about whether words like slay or rizz should be in a song.
Chalk Talk: Like Fanum tax?
Emma Sikes: Exactly like fanum tax.
Chalk Talk: Love it, We think it’s cool but don’t know that Chalk Talk could get away with putting "rizz" in our songs. Off the record, the next single is called Skibidi Toilet.
Emma Sikes: Do you listen to your own music or put it on at a party? No judgment, you made it, and it’s awesome so why not.
Chalk Talk: (Stella’s voice emerges) I used to listen to it in order to memorize it, for practicing purposes. (Band speaks in unison) Whenever we feel sad we listen to it. We recently listened to our first album, which we don’t do that often, it’s still good and awesome so other people should listen too.
Emma Sikes: And lastly, what kind of atmosphere should people expect when they come to Lodge of Sorrows on the very American Holiday Jan. 6th at 7:30 to hear you play?
Chalk Talk: They should be afraid, cuz we are going to rock them.
Emma Sikes: You’re storming the capital that is Lodge of Sorrows.
Chalk Talk: You can expect a few things when you come to see us in concert; Fear, Shame, Guilt, International Visas, Chips, Hollywood Ryan (our Roadie), and viruses (the good kind).
It was truly a blast and a half getting to know Chalk Talk, their concert in Savannah on January 6th at Lodge of Sorrows at 7:30 is shaping up to be the event of the century, so do yourselves a favor and be there. As if you needed any more reason than that, BOOBEES will also be selling our new merch that night at said venue. So come rock and shop and cop fresh threads from your favorite girl band and your favorite lady pub(lication). ROCK ON, Chicks!
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