I saw the “The Runaways” movie and I was getting into Joan Jet…and I was like “Wow”, that looks so cool to play rock music with a bunch of women…

Tiffany Beamer

Vocals, Rebel Queens

We chatted with the Rebel Queens, in the midst of an era that is saying, “Rock is dead” comes a band of fun-loving women that will make you remember the best of rock n roll! They combine the snarl of Joan Jett with the soul of Led Zeppelin, catch them locally at Pearl Street Brewery.

Transcript
Amy Gabay 00:05
We chatted with the Rebel Queens. In the midst of an era that was saying rock is dead comes a band of fun loving women that will make you remember the best of rock and roll. They combine the snarl of Joan Jett with the soul of Led Zeppelin, catch them locally at Pearl Street Brewery. You can find more conversations, food reviews, live music and events on our website lacrosselocal.com. I’m Amy.

Brent Hanifl 00:27
And I’m Brent.

Amy Gabay 00:28
And this is La Crosse Local.

Tiffany Beamer 01:01
My name is Tiffany Beamer. I was born just a suburb of Minneapolis called Andover. Very exciting place. Then what was the other question?

Brent Hanifl 01:14
Basically, just what you know what led you down the road of being in a band like this?

Tiffany Beamer 01:18
Yeah. Oh, boy. That’s a long road. You know, in high school is probably like the first time I thought about like, oh, it’d be really fun to write music and sing and do things. But I just never thought I was good enough for, could never like do something like that. So I didn’t start doing it until my early 20s. Yeah, I just decided to do it. All of a sudden, I got influenced by more rock singers. I was like, yeah, you don’t have to sing super pretty. You can also just like, you know, sing, let it out. However you want. So yeah.

Danielle Pearson 01:50
I’m Danielle Pearson. I’m from Duluth, Minnesota, what up two, one, eight. And, let’s see, I thought playing the drums was like syllables, and like hitting syllables, like happy birthday you know, like stuff like that. And then, so I figured, since I was really good at doing that, I would play the drums. And then I figured out right away that that’s not how you play the drums. Yeah, I’ve been playing since fifth grade or so. But yeah, I think the Beach Boys inspired me to start playing the drums and I kind of went from there.

Brent Hanifl 02:27
Do you guys have similar musical influences? Or is it something that you’re extremely different?

Tiffany Beamer 02:32
Well, we both grew up, you know, in the mid 90s, early 2000s. So there, you know, there was so much different music happening at that time, like all at the same time. So, you know, we all kind of grew up with the same stuff. So we have the appreciation for those things. It’s kind of hard to say because like my personal bands that I enjoy don’t even necessarily really influenced me with my own music. I don’t know do we? Who do you, who influences you to for like, musically?

Danielle Pearson 03:00
Ah, I have no idea.

Tiffany Beamer 03:05
Well the Beach Boys you had said.

Danielle Pearson 03:07
Well I said that. Yeah.

Brent Hanifl 03:08
What’s in your car right now?

Danielle Pearson 03:10
I had the Trailer Park Boys on in my car. I’m in my car on the way home. But music before that, oh, we grabbed the Dolly Rats. We were listening to the Dolly Rats yesterday. So that was kind of fun.

Tiffany Beamer 03:23
Yes. I mean, growing up, the first person that influenced me was Gwen Stefani. I have no doubt. That was the first concert I went to. So that was like a big influence, like, in my life. Just seeing somebody work the room like that. And just, she was just amazing. So that was that was really my first like, wow, this is amazing.

Brent Hanifl 03:46
What was the impetus for the Rebel Queens? Like, how did it all come together?

Tiffany Beamer 03:50
Yeah, that, like I said, I’d kind of been interested in doing music for a while. And then what pushed me over the edge actually, I was I had just recently graduated Music Business School, and I was doing stuff for other bands at the time. And then I saw the Runaways movie, and I was getting into Joan Jett and stuff more. And I was like, wow, that just looks so cool to play rock music with a bunch of women. So that was when I was like, alright, I’m going to do it and start a band. And then I just found people to play with me. Craigslist and mutual friends and things like that.

Brent Hanifl 04:25
Being around for what you said going on 10 or 10 years last year. What was the experience? Were you playing a lot before that was experienced with COVID and everything like that?

Tiffany Beamer 04:36
Yeah, I mean, we play average about five shows a month. It seems like a long time ago. And also like yesterday. Yeah, I mean, it kind of we were supposed to play St. Patrick’s Day of 2020. And then that was like the day everything shut down here in Minnesota. So then we didn’t play for I think we played did we only play like one show during the pandemic? Yeah, we played one show in August that year, and that was it. And then we just reconnected like after we kind of could I think it was like, around when we started writing and recording our last EP, we started getting back together and everybody was still into it. And it just kind of fell back into place, thankfully, because a lot of bands that seems like broke up or found that they weren’t necessarily as passionate about making music as they once were. We did other things, but then it was just really great to be back.

Danielle Pearson 05:24
Scrap booking, sticker books, finger paints.

Tiffany Beamer 05:28
I probably should have scrap booked or something. But I did not.

Brent Hanifl 05:31
What was the you know, for that last EP, and also you have a single coming out. What’s the process for recording and writing for you guys? Do you bring songs to the room or everybody works on it, or?

Tiffany Beamer 05:42
A variety depending on the song. The last EP, I mostly wrote, like, kind of bones of the songs before bringing it to the band, kind of when we were here, at home. And then everybody just kind of contributes their parts. And we all just put it together. And then all of a sudden, before you know it, it’s just done. It’s actually kind of crazy, like thinking guys, like you’d start with this. And then all of a sudden, you’re just like, okay, I think this is done.

Brent Hanifl 06:14
So, Rock Warrior, what’s that song about then?

Tiffany Beamer 06:17
So that song, I wanted to write a song. So rock and roll has just kind of been on the outskirts, and people have been saying rock is dead and all these things, and it’s kind of phased out of a lot of like, you know, mainstream things like, they think it’s too like aggressive for a lot of mainstream things. And then, yeah, and people when I was doing interviews, people were like, oh, yeah, you’re like, you know, carrying the torch for rock and roll. And I was like, oh my gosh, that’s just like, sad. Like, people think that you know, it doesn’t it isn’t really a thing anymore. But I mean, when you play rock music for people, especially live, they just I think they just get into it. Like I just don’t really see that myself. So I just wanted to write a song that was introduced to rock bands and rock fans and just celebrate it.

Danielle Pearson 07:23
Celebrating rock and roll.

Tiffany Beamer 07:24
Yes.

Danielle Pearson 07:25
You could have named it celebrating rock and roll.

Tiffany Beamer 07:29
I mean, that’s cool. That’s cool.

Danielle Pearson 07:31
That’s the next song.

Tiffany Beamer 07:32
Next song, we have a lot of things that have rock and rock and roll in.

Brent Hanifl 07:38
So you have a show coming up at Pearl Street Brewery. What can people expect from your live shows?

Tiffany Beamer 07:42
Yes, we’re so excited to get to La Crosse. Gosh, just a lot of really fun. Fun stuff. Well, Danielle, why don’t you talk about it. I’ve been talking this whole time.

Danielle Pearson 07:52
That’s perfect. That’s how I like it. Um, it’s what you what to expect. Hair, my hair will be down. A lot of hair flipping, a lot of guitar solo in your face. Sometimes she licks the guitar. That’s pretty cool. Just yeah, a night of fun with five females. You can’t get better than that.

Tiffany Beamer 08:14
Everyone will have a good time, probably.

Danielle Pearson 08:16
Yeah, for sure.

Tiffany Beamer 08:18
We’ll make sure.

Brent Hanifl 08:19
So it looks like you got kind of a tour going on here. What’s next for you guys are you going to be touring a lot more or do you have plans for more music or what’s coming down the road?

Tiffany Beamer 08:28
Yeah, we’re kind of just take things as they come really. But uh, yeah, we’re gonna put out the new single, that’s gonna be the same day April 1 as the Pearl Street Brewery show. And that kind of just kicks off some traveling shows. That was definitely that was actually a goal that we had in like 2020 or 2021. And it just didn’t really pan out, so we’re making it happen in 2022. We’re playing at Rock Fest in Wisconsin. That’ll be really fun. Just looking forward to a great spring and summer.

Brent Hanifl 08:57
So April 1 to Friday 7pm people gonna head to Pearl Street Brewery. If people want to find out more just check out your music or your videos, what’s the best spot for them to go to?

Tiffany Beamer 09:08
Go to rebelqueens.com and then we’re also on you know all the social media, Facebook, Instagram, Instagram @rebelqueensband.

Danielle Pearson 09:17
MySpace.

Brent Hanifl 09:18
MySpace.

Tiffany Beamer 09:19
You know MySpace.

Amy Gabay 09:25
La Crosse Local Podcast is a production of River Travel Media. Do you have an interview idea you’d like to share with us? Message us on Facebook at La Crosse Local. Find out more about us at lacrosselocal.com and you can subscribe to the La Crosse Local Podcast on your favorite podcast app. If you like us, rate us five stars. We appreciate it.

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