Exclusive Interview with Theatrical Rock Scamps, Fable Cry

Fable Cry, the theatrical scamp rock band from Nashville, TN, draws inspiration, musically and poetically, from all things imaginative, mythical, and spooky. With colorfully haunting melodies and a flourishing sweep of the hand, they will weave their strand of tales and take you with them on a ride: from the eerie solitude of a dark forest to the wild seas, from the “tippy top of a windswept mountain pass to the grittiest alleyways of sordid scum!” They create a wildly unique experience and one that is not to be missed!

Their story began when Zach Ferrin first started putting his imagination to song. The year was 2010, and he was determined to take the music, art, and stories he had been cultivating and meld them into one great platform where he could share them. He and his sister, former member Kirstie Ferrin had half of what would become their first album written before they would have a title by which to call themselves. The songs were all rambunctious, melodic, and wrapped in themes of legend and myth. “Fable Cry” was born, and in 2011 they released their self-titled debut album. Between the two of them they played guitar, violin, accordion, drums, bells, kazoo, ukelele, banjo, and cello, and they tried their best to include as much of it as possible in their live shows, along with humorous intros, crowd participation, and twistedly playful “Story Time” between songs.

By the end of 2013, after 4 elaborate music videos, several national tours, and lots of writing, Zach decided that it was time to expand Fable Cry and build a band that could properly play these songs that were too big for him alone. That void was soon filled by a cluster of amazing musicians and they immediately hit the studio to record and release their first single/music video together in the Autumn of 2014 entitled “Fancy Dancing”.

With a full band now made up of Jo Cleary (violin, vocals), Scott Fernandez (bass), and Nic Giordano (drums), they could perform the songs the way they had always been written, packed with energy and dynamics, while maintaining (and inevitably amplifying) the band’s theatrics, costumes, makeup, and overall rakishness, and developing a new and matured sound that they came to call, “Theatrical Scamp Rock”. They spent the next few months writing and recording what would become their sophomore album, filled with songs inspired by life through classic horror tales, and originally spooky themes, entitled “We’ll Show You Where the Monsters Are.” After two more music videos to precede the album, it was released on August 25th, 2015.

Talk Nerdy With Us had the great pleasure of chatting with the wildly endearing Zach and the rest of Fable Cry.

Congratulations on your new video release,  Dead or Alive. It’s phenomenal.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXaBhOkUJwU]

You describe yourself as theatrical scamp rock. Can you tell us what that means to you?

Z: First of all, thank you – really glad you enjoyed the video! Theatrical rock is probably the obvious part, or at least easier to understand thanks to our predecessors. The “scamp” part of it, is a mix of attitude, intention, and roguish charm. We’re a bit whiley, a bit snarky, and a bit unexpected. We like to keep our audience curiously guessing.

When you started out, did you know you wanted to connect with the horror subculture?

Z: Well, yes and no. Our lyrics have always been influenced by fables, myth, and folklore, which are mostly made up of horrifying stories that often involve/end in death when you really break them down. With this last album, though, we really decided to dive head first into that, being less subtle with the spooky stuff.

Do you feel horror as a genre is finally coming into its own, and beginning to get the respect it deserves?

Z: Like anything, it comes and goes in waves. Someone tries something new, then it gets popular, and everyone does it until it isn’t new anymore and people don’t want it. I really am excited about where horror is currently between the movies and television and even music, although, there hasn’t been quite the same resurgence of popularity in the latter category. There will always be horror fans who also like music, though, so finding an audience hasn’t been too difficult. We’re getting close to another explosion of horror in music, though. I’m sure of it.

Have you ever played a major pop culture convention, like Dragoncon? If not would consider doing that?

Z: We would absolutely do it. Our tour schedules haven’t lined up as of yet, but we plan on making that happen. We love all of that stuff. 

Speaking of which, what are your touring plans this year?

Z: Doing some regional weekend runs throughout the Fall/Winter. Staying pretty light and close to home while we dabble in writing some new things… 

What is your current lineup and what instruments do you all play?

Z: I play guitar and sing lead vocals. Jo Cleary is on violin and vocals. Scott Fernandez on extended range bass. And Nic Giordano on drums.

Before the show, how long does it take you to put all your makeup on?

Z: It takes the same amount of time to put our faces on as it does to preheat an oven, and get a large pizza cooked. When the buzzer goes off, we better be ready to eat – naturally, saving the lipstick for after the pizza.

Describe the birth of Fable Cry.

Z: It was much like a normal birth, but twice as messy. I started the band in 2010 with the intention of putting all of the things that I loved doing into one thing: music, writing, performance, film, fashion, art. The rest of the band jumped on because each member enjoyed one or several of these aspects that make up the whole.

Do each of you have a favorite horror movie or novel or tv show?

Z: LOTS! But everything in the Evil Dead world. Favorite horror book is “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley.

Jo: Favorite horror movie is “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” (original). Favorite novel is “The Stand” by Stephen King. And TV show? Sailor Moon c’mon.

Scott: The First Hellraiser.

Nic: “Into the Mouth of Madness” starring Sam Neil, what more can you want.

Who have been your biggest influences?

Z: Just about everything we like sneaks its way into what we do. The other day at a show, someone said we remind them of The Presidents of the United States of America. I don’t see it at all, but they were one of my favorite bands when I was 7, so apparently it all sneaks in and sneaks back out in unexpected ways!

Our site is called Talk Nerdy With Us. Do you have any hobbies that could be considered nerdy?

Jo: Shouting from the back seat: Heck yeah I’m a level 10 mage.

Scott: I will LITERALLY disappear so I can watch Asians play a video game (NALCS).

Nic: The band Rush.

Finally, if you were interviewing yourselves what is the one thing you wish someone would ask you, and what would your answer be?

Z: Will you marry me, collectively. The answer is and will always be: we do.

 

 

Follow the band on their website and social media at:
www.fablecry.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fablecry
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FableCry
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/FableCry