Note: The below story was written by Cassandra Mullinix. You can check out all the great stuff she has going down on her Facebook page, or, if you’re so inclined, you could follow her on Twitter.
As the name implies, Bad Seed Rising represents a new generation and the career beginnings of four young professional musicians. From babies who were likely using their bottles as microphones to teens whose lives revolve around the Frederick School Of Rock, the members of Bad Seed Rising have come together not only as a band of musicians, but also as best friends.
They are set to play The Shindig festival this Saturday in Baltimore with other big names such as Jane’s Addiction, Rise Against and Clutch.
Front woman Francheska Pastor had a few things to say about the band, being a teenage musician, and The Shindig festival itself.
Bad Seed Rising just released their debut album, “Charm City,” and their hard rock sound identifies them with other bands that they have toured with like Daughtry, 3 Doors Down and Halestorm. Because the band members are so young, it would be easy to say that they are attempting to emulate these icons. But that’s not really the truth, explains Francheska.
“Right now, we’re still trying to figure out our sound, but the boys and I have an idea of what we want,” she says. “We all have different influences. Mainly for Mason, Aiden, and I, we’re into bands like Of Mice & Men and The Story So Far. Louey likes classic rock. So, we all have different views and great ideas when it comes together.”
The band also isn’t swayed too much by the Electronic Dance Music (EDM) craze sweeping the nation’s youth right now.
“We’re not really interested in pop culture so much,” she explains. “We have our amps. We have our guitars. We have our drums. We don’t have any computers out there. We don’t like to use them because we find it very inorganic and we like it to be raw.”
The members of Bad Seed Rising are just as much best friends as they are band mates. Francheska speaks highly of the genuine nature of her “boys.”
“My bandmates aren’t afraid to be themselves,” she says. “If you see them acting the way they act, that’s just truly them. They’re not afraid, they don’t hold back. They’re 100 percent real and I can keep it real with them and they can keep it real with me. I learned so much off of them and they are so young.”
Bad Seed Rising’s next tour kicks off in November and whether the venue is a high school auditorium or an arena stage, the band is enthusiastic about playing them all.
“The venue doesn’t really matter as long as you have a great crowd,” Francheska says. “Actually, a great crowd doesn’t even matter. You always have to bring your A-Game.”
She does have a personal preference, though.
“I like smaller venues like the Ottobar,” she says. “I haven’t played a show like this, but I’ve seen concerts at small venues and I love it when the crowd gets thrown up on stage. That’s the kind of stuff that I like. Barricades, I hate barricades. Get rid of the barricades.”
If most of us recall our teenage years, we could hardly focus on our homework much less a music career, so where does Francheska’s motivation come from?
“I’ve never really asked myself that,” she answers. “I feel like I was just born to play music. I remember being six and having a tiny plastic guitar and microphone and just jamming out to music. I’ve always wanted to play music. I find music as an outlet. You can do whatever you want with music. You can say whatever you want. You can make sounds however you want.”
Being a normal teenager would seem to be a difficult task with all the success of the band, touring, recording and practicing, but Francheska seems totally at ease with her lifestyle.
“This is my normal teenage stuff,” she says. “When I go home, I go out with my friends and study school work. It’s not that difficult, really. The most fun I have is when I’m out with my boys on stage.”
She recognizes that she is still definitely growing up.
“Personally, I feel like within the last year I’ve grown so much mentally,” the singer says. “I’ve learned so much from the boys and I’m more accepting of others. This year, I’m really stoked that I can be accepting and chill.”
And if she had one piece of advice to give other young aspiring musicians, it would be this:
“Don’t listen to anybody. Forget what anyone says. Advice is nice, but take it when you need it. Go with what you want. It’s what’s inside. It’s not about what other people want.”
Being a teenage musician does have its perks. This weekend, the band gets to play with some iconic artists and it’s obviously a highlight for them.
“I am so pumped about playing for the third year in a row and seeing all the old friendly faces,” Francheska says. “I’m excited about seeing my girl from Halestorm, Lizzy Hale. I’m excited to see Jane’s Addiction; I’ve been in love with Jane’s Addiction since I was a kid. The Shindig festival is just so bomb. Everyone there is just so cool.”
