One of the most entertaining performers I have had the pleasure to see in Hollywood is The Fabulous Miss Wendy. She has the whole package, insane talent, a great performer and tremendous sex appeal. Put it all together and it’s a lethal combination.
She picked up the guitar at ten years old and has been rocking out ever since and even has a new album coming out. She has had her ups and downs but her persistence had earned her a great deal of respect in Hollywood. I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Wendy at the NoHo Dinner in Hollywood, had some coffee and talked to her about her success and how she has arrived where she’s at today.
THR: What did you start performing professionally?
Wendy: That’s a hard question, you have to define professionally, but I started as soon as I could, even before I was old enough to get into the clubs. As soon as I understood I could play the clubs I was playing clubs. I made fake IDs too ( laughs), my brother taught me to use Photoshop so I took my ID, I changed my birthday and I printed it up. I used it to buy cigarettes, I got my nipples pierced with that thing. I used it to get out of school for lunch because lost my real ID, and the security guard finally caught me and brought me into the principal’s office, They asked me why I did that and they just couldn’t figure it out but they never even thought to look at my birthdate! (Laughs)All they did was take away my off campus privileges. So I used that to get into the clubs and the bouncers never noticed. I don’t think they even really looked; they just let me play! (Note to underage readers: do NOT make fake ID’s)
THR: What has influenced you to be the artist that you are today?
Wendy: Well for one, I don’t know if you know this, but I had a full spinal fusion and two back surgeries so I have metal rods going up my back; ill never have bad posture!
THR: so you really are Metal!
Wendy: Yea! I think the fact that I had the surgery makes me a better artist because at 14, most girls are thinking about what color shoes to wear, what kind of makeup to put on or how to look for Johnny Prom Boy and I was chillin in a back brace. I had no choice but to disappear into my art and practice guitar. I never had to worry about being cool and I’m so glad I didn’t! I like being a real person because when someone’s trying to impress, you just feel it off them in their music, and it usually sucks. It’s all about being true to yourself.
THR: What are some of the achievements your most proud of so far?
Wendy: Well, so far, in chronological order, not importance, I’ve dropped out of Musicians Institute, I’ve done a performing tour for the troops in Iraq, I recorded with Gerald Casale from Devo, and my music was on 6 VH1 reality shows…
THR: how did you score on that?
Wendy: They found me online, that’s was pretty cool. Let’s see, I was in Guitar World recently, I just did and interview with Guitar International. I just did a record with KimFowley that im really exited about…lets see what else, i'm going to be on Playboy Radio so I’m pretty excited about that. What's really awesome right now is that I’ve been getting on the news lately and in a lot of newspapers. The SLC tribune, Flint Tribune, Good Morning Utah was cool; they wanted to do a human interest story on me! I’ve also created a bunch of videos for my last record like 'Crazy Fucked Up Bitch’ ( where she makes out with another hot chick, if you haven’t seen it) and ‘Jailbait’, ‘Call Me Fabulous’ . I love Traveling, so playing 48 states and touring with Slash was cool.
THR: What motivates you to stay productive?
Wendy: There are times I get so frustrated and hate everything I ever wrote so I have to write new material. I’ve been influenced by the regimen of the soldiers when I was performing for the troops in Iraq so I feel I have to channel some of that energy and military discipline I picked up when I was performing in Iraq. All I wanna do when I pick up a guitar is write and I have to discipline myself to promote and perform.
THR: What are some personal goals you've reached?
Wendy: Artistically, I’ve definitely been reaching new levels .My new thing is writing a song completely in my head from start to finish and I’m able to put it down, so I’m proud of that. I've laid in my bed, stared at the ceiling and created all the different parts and melodies and polyrhythms, and then I’d take it to a digital device and lay it all down. Although I don’t like to think of music as the Olympics, I do practice like an Olympic swimmer. I spend a lot of time taking care of my instrument and practicing scales, I try to go through a strict regimen every day, I work out and stay flexible-I’ll never get carpel tunnel!
THR: Where do you see yourself down the road?
Wendy: Well, One, I’m from San Fernando Valley so I like it Warm, 2: I’m skinny and I get cold easily so I like the heat ,and 3 I have metal rods in my back, when it gets cold it sucks so I like the heat! I was inspired by the movie ‘The Endless Summer’ so my goal is to travel around the world from tour to tour following summer. You’ll always know when I’m in town cause that’s when the band comes, I see it pretty clearly.
THR: Understanding that being a real success means having a certain amount of commercial viability, how do you balance that with what you want to do artistically?
Wendy: This is something that came up very recently. You know I changed some lyrics as the result of some urging, because someone I respect and trust very much suggested I do it. He thought it would help with song placement. At first, a big part of me did not want to do it because I had fought so hard for so long to maintain integrity, and still I fight and it’s still my decision, I get the final say but in this case, it was one or two words. I was thinking, well its one or two words and I respect this person and it helps make some money to change a few words, well, there are people who have worked very hard for me for a few years now and I want to get them paid so for them I would do it, for me, if it was just me on the line and I didn’t have anyone working for me, I would say " Fuck no, I don’t give a shit!" but I have people who are depending on me, you know and they have to pay their rent and I take care of them. I would lean commercial but not too much, because that’s not what I’m about; it’s not just about me anymore.
THR: What do you consider ‘selling out’ and what is simply achieving success?
Wendy: I think selling out is becoming so detached that you’re not even interested in what you’re doing anymore and you don’t even want to listen to it anymore. When it’s all about the money. that’s selling out.
THR: I think it very cool that you understand that it’s no longer about you and you need to provide for someone, but at the same time, there moments when you just have to stick to your guns, right?
Wendy: Oh definitely. That same person has suggested that I do something musically and I sail hell no, so if it’s something that made me queasy every time I sand it, I would not do it, I don’t know if I could do that. I get accused of selling out all the time because I like to make pop music. They tell me, “Oh you need to be more metal” but I’m not metal, I mean just I’ve done stuff that is metal-like. Metalheads are always trying to out hard core each other and it’s not about that. Like all the bands called Death Smash, or Bloated Corpse. Its like, “Dude, why are you trying to be so miserable? Its entertainment!” I don’t think people are entertained by depressing shit. , I mean, how long are you going to be pissed off about your parents!? As far as selling out, on the inside, you know what your doing is right. So I don’t listen to those people. Making people happy is what’s it’s all about for me, making music and giving people music.
THR: How did you start getting people to your shows and build your audience?
Wendy: Well, I just got out there, and that got the ball rolling. I did a lot of open mics, coffee shops, started recording and you know, I just pushed it and followed up on people who asked me to do things, I took advantage of all the opportunities people gave to me you know?
THR: That leads right into my next question; what is your most successful promotional strategy so far?
Wendy: My most successful marketing strategy is being in control of my own product and not letting anyone taking control of my career. Every time it was a real bad move. I’m not saying that I regretted it because regret is a waste of time honestly, I definitely learned a lot. I would say to anyone reading this but you definitely have to take control and if anyone makes you feel that you’re not in control, get the fuck out, if anyone ever says my way or the highway, take the highway, because there are cute boys and good weed, and there is money on the highway. If anyone says that to you, there’s more money on the highway than there is with that person.
THR: More specifically, besides booking shows, what has been the best way for you to get your music in front of people?
Wendy: Some of the most old fashioned shit imaginable. I never see anyone on the Sunset Strip handing out flyers! People tell me I’m the hardest working girl in Hollywood just because I hand out flyers, and no one else does it. I’m like, “You know how many bands have stood on corners and handed out flyers?”
THR: Mostly because were in the digital age, but what about the digital media like Facebook and Twitter?
Wendy: Well it’s just not the same. Facebook doesn’t get people out to the shows as much, I’ve used Facebook, and it does help, but a lot of artists think it’s the be all and end all, and it’s just not. You have to get the fuck off of you couch and make people aware of your music. you can’t expect someone else to do it for you, you gotta get out there. I was just talking about this on an interview did recently with Joie Blaney for Inside Out Radio, on Radio Titans, The question was “ what’s you biggest disappointment was that I thought there was a knight in shinning armor, realizing that out of necessity, I had to learn to be a good leader. If you told me a few years ago it would be like this, I’d be pissed, I’d have said, “ You mean no one's going to do everything for me and make me famous?” but now that I did it, I’m glad. I think the more success you can achieve on your own, the more control you have over your music. Now when VH-1 approached me to do music on some reality shows, I had to form my own company that paid me and now I get a publishers check and a writing check, and I still get the royalties for writing the songs. Unless someone has really taken your career to unbelievable levels, you shouldn’t give up your publishing rights.
THR: What are you expecting from your musical career?
Wendy: I don’t really have a lot of expectations of what should be happening. A lot of people confuse success with an overnight thing that just happens. You have to work at it. Success is a lifetime thing. I focus more on how happy I make people. It’s not for me, I’m not getting on that stage for me, I’m getting on stage for everyone else. I give em everything I can, so I don’t worry about expectations, its not about me, it’s about music lovers.
THR: Who has been the most exiting person to work with?
Wendy: Kim Fowley definitely. He’s been in the scene his whole life and he’s an amazing producer, and he's so funny! He’s very talented and comes from a musical family.
THR: How vital are the big record companies?
Wendy: They have their place, but they are becoming obsolete. Everything they can do, you can do yourself. I know eventually I will have to sign with someone, just to take it to the next level, but it’s been great being an unsigned artist and taking 100% of the money and doling it out myself. I mean, I’ve sold 8,000 records on my own, that’s not chump change! Of course 30,000 have downloaded illegally! But you have publishing, merchandise, licensing so it's the whole package, it not just units sold to me, Its about getting into iPods and into peoples playlists. You know, I just want to entertain people. On one interview I was so comfortable that I told way too much. I was like ‘Oh NO!” but then I just said fuck it; It is what it is, if I fall, at least it’s entertaining. If I look like a buffoon, I don’t care as long as it makes people happy, I did my job.
THR: From a business woman’s perspective, what is the most critical aspect of your career?
Wendy: Its caring about the music lovers. Just the other day, someone came up to me and said, “Oh I loved the show so much, I wish I could just take it to a record producer and get you noticed.” And I said, "You're the person I want to talk to, it’s you that I’m doing this for."
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