Alexa Rae (drummer)

Alexa Rae is a drummer, songwriter and music producer. She has grown her Instagram to over 117,000 followers and had several videos go viral. Her current band, Pinktastic Plastixx recently opened for  English Beat and continues to grow their following. In this episode we discuss Alexa’s musical upbringing, people she’s worked with, social media and more!

00:00 - Intro
00:50 - California & Arizona Life
02:26 - Twin Sister
03:43 - Musical Influences & Learning Music
06:28 - Learning Drums & Drum Kits
08:05 - Berkee Online School of Music
09:37 - Writing Music & Collaboration
11:36 - Pinktastic Plastixx & Opening for The English Beat
14:23 - Playing Jams, Plus, Women in Music & Maya Karli
17:00 - Teaching Music & Working
18:00 - Social Media Strategy
22:36 - Viral Videos
26:00 - Other Page with Salem Darling
29:27 - Sponsorships
31:23 - Female Drummers United
32:04 - Inspiring Others
33:45 - Difficult Songs
35:21 - Upcoming Shows & Viper Room
37:03 - Sweet Relief Charity
39:40 - Outro

Alexa Rae link tree:
https://linktr.ee/alexa.drums

Sweet Relief website:
https://www.sweetrelief.org/

Chuck Shute website:
http://chuckshute.com/

Transcript

Chuck Shute: 0:00

Hey guys coming up on today's show, we have drummer Alexa Ray. Alexa has built up quite a following and presence on social media with over 117,000 followers on Instagram alone. She's also played in live bands, including her latest project pink tastic plastics, and she definitely has a bright future ahead. So get to know this very talented young lady. Our interview is coming right up. But real quick if you could please make sure you are subscribed to the channel on YouTube or wherever you're listening. You'll be sure to keep up with future episodes, including our year end specials. I would appreciate that Alexa Ray coming right up welcome Alexa Ray, how are you doing?

Alexa Rae: 0:52

I'm doing good. How's it going? Good. Good.

Chuck Shute: 0:55

Good. So yeah, I did a little research on you kind of hearing figuring out your backstory. So I want to let the hopefully the world or whoever takes the time to listen to this know more about you. So you're born in San Diego, but now do you still live in California?

Alexa Rae: 1:09

Yeah, I moved a little bit more north. I live in Orange County now. Okay.

Chuck Shute: 1:16

It's expensive. There isn't.

Alexa Rae: 1:19

I mean, it's expensive anywhere in SoCal.

Chuck Shute: 1:22

True, true. It's so beautiful. The weather is like perfect, right?

Alexa Rae: 1:26

Yeah. Where are you based?

Chuck Shute: 1:27

I'm in Phoenix. Well, technically Scottsdale, Arizona. So it's beautiful right now, in that but in the winter, but the summers are a little a little tough. They're harsher. You guys have more mild summers.

Alexa Rae: 1:39

I've been to Arizona a few times. And man that place gets like an oven. You can even go in your car in I've heard people have to use other methods to like start their car. No, no, it's I've never heard of that. I mean, I guess you could I mean, if you if you put your car in the sun and just let it bake. But you know, most people would park in covered parking or in a garage. I mean, yeah, sometimes when I get I remember when I used to have a job and my car would be in a parking lot. And then we just bake in the sun. And then at three o'clock, you get in there and you touch the steering wheel. It's like, Ah, it's hot. Like

Chuck Shute: 2:13

it's I guess so I guess. Yeah. Now I have a garage and I work from home. So I don't I mean, sometimes I go to the store, but usually your car doesn't get that hot and like a 20 minute period. So. Oh, yeah. Yeah. So you have a twin sister. I'm always fascinated by twins. I'm sure everyone was asked you. Did you guys ever switch places? I felt like they always twins always say No, we never did that.

Alexa Rae: 2:34

Oh, we did once like, like, yeah, in middle school, like we did. So like my sister had PE and then I had a history. And then we switched in middle school. And then the teacher caught one of the teachers caught on and it was funny.

Chuck Shute: 2:53

How did they cuz you guys identical, huh? How did they catch them?

Alexa Rae: 2:58

They just know what we look like. Like there's obvious differences, but some twins look so much more alike than like us.

Chuck Shute: 3:07

Okay, there's no she in the music at all, or she's in something totally different.

Alexa Rae: 3:11

No, she's does skating and she has like an office job.

Chuck Shute: 3:16

Oh, okay. And she likes that.

Alexa Rae: 3:19

Yeah, she just went to school for like, she does accounting and I'm just like, I can't do office jobs. Like I tried it. Like I had an internship at my mom's work a while ago and like when I was in high school, and I was like, I hate sitting down for so long.

Chuck Shute: 3:35

Yeah, no good for you. Were you guys competitive growing up though, or?

Alexa Rae: 3:40

Oh, not really. No. Okay.

Chuck Shute: 3:42

So you got into music? I think I heard you say your your greatest influence was Joey Jordan, son of Slipknot. Was that like the the thing that got you interested in music?

Alexa Rae: 3:52

Yeah, there was like a few factors like, that was one. It wasn't just like one person. It was just like, I was when I was like, younger. I was like, I want to learn piano and I got a piano when my parents got remarried. And we had an old piano, very outta tune. But I was like, and so I just went on YouTube to like, learn piano because my mom was like, I can't afford piano lessons. And then eventually, I had to convince her to learn piano lessons. And that really helped because I really needed to learn music theory from another help for like from another professional. And that really improved because I learned tan technique. And then I was like, bored in high school. I was like, I needed to join something. And so I joined I just jumped in and I did High School concert band percussion section. And I I just joined in there like you need to learn drums and like, okay, and so they taught me how to like it was really vague. It was just like, learn the rudiments like single strokes double strokes, five stroke roles and then with percussion, it was also mallet percussion. So I mainly at first I got mainly placed on the mallets and

Chuck Shute: 5:12

that those big like drums where you just have the

Alexa Rae: 5:16

O mallet percussion is like marimba and xylophone.

Chuck Shute: 5:19

Okay? Did you marching band where you hold the snare drum and just do that?

Alexa Rae: 5:24

No, we didn't have a marching band. My high school was like artsy, and we didn't have foot or like cheerleaders. Interesting. We didn't have that, like, and so like, I went to the first high school I went to is like, all about that Biden like it. So I just switched to the other school in the district. And it was all like, artsy, and like, band was considered cool. And same with like, drama. Like all the artists were, they were considered cool. Like, the cool thing.

Chuck Shute: 5:55

And this is in California. They're like, famous kids that are going to this school.

Alexa Rae: 5:59

Um, yeah, there's a few famous alumni. Like my mom went to my high school back in the day. And there's, I'm trying to think, oh, the, you know, Eddie Vetter from Pearl Jam. Yeah, he went to my high school. Wow. Huh. And then, which what went to the high my high school like the singer, went to my high school.

Chuck Shute: 6:24

That's really cool. So then you joined the band. And then that's when you kind of started learning percussion, then that led you to the drum set.

Alexa Rae: 6:30

And then I set up pretty quick.

Chuck Shute: 6:34

Okay, so then when did you get your first like, buy your first kit?

Alexa Rae: 6:39

Purchase? Right? Yeah, like, my mom would not even let me get drums. And I had a barber to get me an electric kit. And so I was like, almost 19 years old. So I was pretty, like later on, but I know. So what I had to do was just like, if there was a drumset, I was just like, I need to practice on this. And then I and then I had a practice pad, but it's just not the same so. And then I started doing the drum covers, like, I don't know, like, like, I did, like a few drum covers in 2018. And they were terrible, because like, it was a really bad drum set. And I deleted them. And like, the thing is, with that drum set, I was the, my technique was so bad. And so I was just like, illness. And then I upgraded to a significantly better one. And still, like technique wasn't that good. And then I finally got access to play more on my when I started joining bands, it really improved my playing. Because you gotta join bands, if you're playing drums to improve

Chuck Shute: 7:49

to work with the bass players, especially right isn't that you and the bass player have to be in rhythm together?

Alexa Rae: 7:54

Yeah, you really got to learn playing with a bassist or just a whole band in general to improve your musicianship by far.

Chuck Shute: 8:04

So when did you go? Because then you go to the Berklee College of Music, that it was like an it was an

Alexa Rae: 8:08

online? Yeah, I did the online school. How do you do

Chuck Shute: 8:13

online for music? That's gotta be really hard. I mean, they're not going to be able to show you how to do techniques and things can they?

Alexa Rae: 8:19

Well, I did, I didn't go for performance. I went for production because I went to a community college. And I was just like, I did music technology. And then I transfer for their music production program. So but another thing is, you don't have access to giant SSL mixing boards online. So another, but another thing is they taught you how to mix better. And just like, you know, how to produce better songs, like it was pretty helpful. And then I took drum electives. And then I took music, video editing as an elective, like stuff that like really helped me. And then I took keyboard classes, just like electives were like, helpful. And then I got better at editing videos from that class. But a lot of stuff I find out how to do is on YouTube,

Chuck Shute: 9:16

right, isn't it? I know, that's funny. Like, you can just edit. You can learn so many things on YouTube. Any question? You have asked it on YouTube, and there's somebody made usually more than one video about that.

Alexa Rae: 9:26

I know. Like, I know, they just like posted on YouTube. I kind of call it we call it YouTube University.

Chuck Shute: 9:35

Seriously. Yeah. All right. So what about writing music? Because you said that you've you've written some music. Some of it was, you said it was bad. You said it was weak and cringy that's your own music. But that's kind of the part of learning how to write music is you have to start from somewhere. And so the first things you write are often not that great, but then you get better with time, right?

Alexa Rae: 9:53

Yeah, like I I'm a horrible singer. So I like can't even sing too, for some reason, so I just kind of, like, you know, I just like, kind of come up with lyrics, but they're not good. So it's better for me to collab with another person, just because two brains are better than one, you know. So, with the bands I was in, we kind of just mainly, like, there was usually one person that wrote, like, the lyrics. And then I added drums and I, like made some suggestions on like, maybe we should stop at this one part, like, I was, like, all group effort. Um, you know, because that's how bands work. It's best if so, if you're all writing together, like have someone like, write out like, the lyrics and like, kind of a basic idea. And then use, like, have the band just like, rehearse and then see how it goes and just make some changes, change ups, and it's all good.

Chuck Shute: 10:57

Yeah. Do you write music on? Because you play the keyboard? So do you write music on the piano? Like, melodies and things?

Alexa Rae: 11:04

Yeah, I have. And, um, yeah, and then what I do is, what happens is a lot of people use a DAW so like a music producing software. So I use, like, for example, Pro Tools, Logic, Ableton, like so if you do that, it makes your life easier. So you can like, start mapping out your song on that software, and it makes your life easier. So rather than just try to memorize it in your head, you know,

Chuck Shute: 11:32

right. So yeah, let's talk about the bands that you're in that you've you've made original music. You're Are you in two bands, you're in the pumps and pink tastic plastics. Do they say that? Right?

Alexa Rae: 11:43

Yeah, people still are not in the pumps. No,

Chuck Shute: 11:46

that's over. Okay. So it's just pink tax. Pink tastic plastics is that it's explain what to my audience what this is. It's a Barbie core band. I don't.

Alexa Rae: 11:57

It's very image based, but like, in a cool way. So if you like pink, oh, she loves pink us lady in the world.

Chuck Shute: 12:09

So it's all like pink stuff. And like, it's you look like trying to look like Barbie dolls with Barbie like props and things?

Alexa Rae: 12:17

No, not really just wear pink, you know, like, so. But we do photoshoots at her house. And it's very Barbie base, you know, because she has all the pinks assessories every her like her apartments so pink. Like, it's so cute. And it just makes me happier. You know? Because pink is she goes.

Chuck Shute: 12:40

I didn't realize because I saw some of those pictures. Those are in her apartment. I thought that was like some sort of studio or something.

Alexa Rae: 12:45

No, no, it was her apartment. And it's so cute. And it's all pink. And there's all these little like her. Everything is pink in there. Yeah.

Chuck Shute: 12:58

So you guys open for the English beat. Is that right?

Alexa Rae: 13:01

Yeah, we did. Was that the biggest show you've done? Um, yeah, there was a lot of people. But more people showed up, obviously for the English beat. But some people got there early and then saw us play. Like, we went on seven. And then we played like a 45 minutes set. And it was really fun because the sound system was awesome. And yeah, we had our different drum sets. So they I use the house kit. And then I brought my cymbals and snare and the kick so and it was a great sound system. And it wasn't even that loud on stage. I didn't even need my earplugs. Hmm. And that's where,

Chuck Shute: 13:41

yeah, that's really cool. So are you have more shows like that, that you're going to try to line up? How do you because how do you get a show opening for national recording artists like that?

Alexa Rae: 13:51

I think it's I don't know, I I'm not part of the booking process. But that's all kitten she has a lot of connections. Like with booking agents, it's through booking agents. Or just people that like, tell her about opening up for bands or just like playing shows up the Viper Room or you know, it's all about knowing people. That's how a lot of bands get booked through these booking agents.

Chuck Shute: 14:20

Okay, yeah. And so that's that. Is that your main focus? Are you have any other bands that you're in right now?

Alexa Rae: 14:25

Yeah, yeah, I'm only that's my only band. As of now like, I've recently I play jams. I'm part of that gradient pink community and we play jams at the echo. It's all girls jam. It's an old girl. It's like gradient pink Life is like a community and network that empowers women in the music industry. And they're the CEO Shira, her name is Shira and she had a stage at warp tour when war was a thing called a shear Roll stage and it was just dedicated for women in music. So

Chuck Shute: 15:05

Oh that's really cool. Yeah that's that's definitely something like yeah cuz the band you're in the Barbie courts obviously it's all it's all girls that that in that band too. So that's definitely like a niche thing like you guys have that community because I know you. And you're also friends with the girls in plush right? Some of them I had Mariah on my show. That's a really great band.

Alexa Rae: 15:25

I met Yeah, I'm friends with I met Ashley and. And Bella at NAMM this year, and they were so sweet. I was just like, Man, I wish we lived in we all lived in SoCal. Like, because they're so sweet. And they're so talented. And I'm like, I need to see plush play next time. Because they don't they they toured once on the west coast, but I couldn't come to the concert. Sadly, I think I had band practice, but

Chuck Shute: 15:58

you actually do a tour together though. Like, wow, that would be fun. Yeah, plush. And,

Alexa Rae: 16:04

like, yeah, we can like open for them. And then like, and then have plush and another big band or whatever. Because I've never been on a tour like that's my next school, like, play drums on the tour. I've played with. I've been playing. I played in so many different bands, and I played with a solo artist, my friend, Maya, Carly. She's really talented. She has she does solo music and she grew a big following on Tik Tok. And her song has like a million streams on Spotify and leap played. That was her first show with a backing band live. We played in LA at this small club in Hollywood.

Chuck Shute: 16:51

What who's this person? What are the what's your name again?

Alexa Rae: 16:54

My Cara Lee.

Chuck Shute: 16:55

Okay, off to check that out. That's, that's really cool. so forth. So you've already experienced that in a lot of different bands. And now you're trying to grow this one that you're in, that's gonna be your main focus, but you also do teaching. That's, that's I think that's so smart. Because, you know, some people, some musicians have day jobs that like don't really relate to what they do. But does does teaching drums that help help you to get better at your own drumming?

Alexa Rae: 17:19

It does. Yeah, like, I was teaching on a studio and I was teaching online, but I kind of stopped because like, it's really hard to teach drums online on online now. So bad. So yeah, I teach kind of independently sometimes. But as of now, I I was getting into, I'm trying to get into photography now. And I'm doing like, just trying to play more gigs. And, um, and then I work at us. Now I work at a music school. And I run their social media account. And it's fun.

Chuck Shute: 17:58

Oh, that's really cool. So let's talk about social media, because that's how I found you. I think it's just randomly, I saw like, your Instagram videos, you make really good content. So just did it take time to learn that? Or how did you grow your Instagram so much? Because you're over like, 100,000 followers or something?

Alexa Rae: 18:14

Yeah. Yeah. So the cool thing about social media is we all get to connect and meet others on the internet. It's super cool. And so how I like so how to make better videos, is I had a really like, changed my setup. I had to get better lighting and get better at mixing and editing my videos. And then working out strategies, finding out what the best time suppose star what hashtags to use. And then earlier this year, and like last year, the end of 2021, a couple of my videos just started to go viral out of nowhere. And then the followers just kept going wrong. Wrong. I'm like, what is happening?

Chuck Shute: 19:02

Wow, that's super cool. So wait, what did you learn about the day or time to post because I thought I tried to look into that stuff, too. And they would say like, Tuesday, Wednesday, like 11am is a good time to post. So I would try to post that on. Like, I feel like this doesn't matter. Do you really notice a difference?

Alexa Rae: 19:20

It like so it was that way? And then it changed up on it always changes? And then um, so I've been trying it's kind of just trial and error I've noticed. So you have to kind of see if it works better to post in the mornings, or the afternoons or the evenings and I've noticed lately it's been the evenings. Yeah, the algorithm always changes up.

Chuck Shute: 19:47

Oh, that's so interesting. Yeah, cuz I feel like it's just like if you have a good piece of content, like, I feel like it's something about like how many people see it for how many people are liking and commenting. And if it starts To get a bunch of likes and comments, then they push that. And if it doesn't, then it just dies out and they kill it.

Alexa Rae: 20:05

Yeah, it's more about the engagement. Like more comments are better. The comments are better. Actually. I've learned it's better than the likes. It's so weird. Yeah. That makes sense. Yeah, to like, engage. I try to respond to people's comments. I get a lot. So I try to like, respond to every one. But it takes a lot of work. You know, I because I care about people. So I like respond. And then I've noticed that the save button is better. That's what I've heard. It's like, the most important features are the save, share and comment button, not the like button.

Chuck Shute: 20:45

No, that makes sense. Yeah. Because then it's the shares is putting it out there to way more people. What's the how does the Save button? Why would people save the video just to watch it later? Or?

Alexa Rae: 20:56

Yeah, I guess so. You just like, people save it to like, Watch Later, or like, get they get inspired. Or maybe just watch later. If they like your videos, like, I've saved people's posts. The reason why I saved one was like, because I liked them. And I want to like kind of get inspired by that.

Chuck Shute: 21:18

Okay, yeah, I only think I save as if it's like an oddly, it's enough. It's like the ads that I save, because I'm like, Oh, that looks cool. I want to buy that later. Like, especially for gifts right now for the holidays. I'm like, oh, I should say that it might be a good present for somebody. But I've never saved someone's just like video to listen to it. Because if I'm, if I'm on Instagram, like, I'll just watch this now. I guess if you're not in a place where you could hear though, maybe you want to listen to the sound someone?

Alexa Rae: 21:43

It's totally a game. Yeah, it's a game is. I know, there's so many talented people on the internet. But the thing is, it's you, I didn't realize we didn't realize we had to view marketing experts to be so considered successful. But it's all a marketing effort. You gotta like, know how to make your content better. And like, know what time, what kind of things you got to do that work better. So for example, you got to look at a post that did well, and kind of base your next piece of content on like, what, like, relate to it and see like if it and then that will probably do better than another idea. So a video that went viral. One of them was like, I was just like a video. It was like an eight second video, I was playing drums at a gig. And then I dropped my stick clue. And then I picked up another one. And then text I said, PSA to always bring extra sticks to a gig. Like, that's a PSA. And then I went viral.

Chuck Shute: 22:59

That's so funny and eight second video, and there's probably some that you spent so much time on getting the drum parts right for a song. And that didn't go viral. But this little one where you just drop a stick and pick up another one goes viral.

Alexa Rae: 23:11

Yes.

Chuck Shute: 23:13

I liked the one where you had, it was a funny video. And this is because you're doing a lot of cover songs, which is cool, but this one was like something that was kind of different than what you usually do. Where you did the funny video of things that annoy drummers. And it was really interesting because like in one of the things you said was when the singer counts. And I was like there's so many songs that do that. I never knew that when the singers like 1234 That's like screwing up

Alexa Rae: 23:37

the drummer. Yeah, in the band in general because like cuz it's harder to get the feel has like I need to get the field down better because like what if the singer doesn't have riddle? Like you gotta get the field out and like and like my tempo was pretty consistent but we don't I've played with click tracks live but the thing is you got to have like recording music out in order to get a clip track go in and that's when your band sounds really smooth.

Chuck Shute: 24:10

Yeah, did that video do well because that was that was a really good and then you had like these technical things when the drums like break and fall apart and then the other thing was funny is like when someone touches your drums you don't like that either.

Alexa Rae: 24:23

Yeah, and I was just like, that's happened like some drunk girl was on my drum set and I was like, get off was like the drums only Thank you. Thank you. Yeah, I happens because like, my drums are expensive and but like I just thought it'd be funny to put my cat on it because

Chuck Shute: 24:44

yeah, that was funny. That was a great way to show that but no so that did that video do well because I mean, it seems like that's better videos.

Alexa Rae: 24:53

Then like compare Yeah, did better for my most recent posts, cuz like I used to be getting like earlier this year I used to get like really viral videos, but I don't know the algorithm changes. So that did pretty well. And then um, the most recent one that did really well was my cymbal falling like it just fell. I was just it was me playing the I was doing a trash can ending like do boom cymbal falls.

Chuck Shute: 25:24

Oh, shit. Yeah, I saw that one. Yeah.

Alexa Rae: 25:27

And it did really well, because it was funny. And it was like eight seconds long.

Chuck Shute: 25:31

I guess that's the the key the shorter and just like

Alexa Rae: 25:36

yeah, you gotta be

Chuck Shute: 25:38

Yeah, man. Like people like to see people screw up. I feel like that's, that's one of my most favorite interviews people like, Oh, I love that one. Where the guy like you were was a terrible interview. I'm like, why don't why do you like that one? People love my terrible interviews. So it's funny.

Alexa Rae: 25:53

Ali.

Chuck Shute: 25:56

You have and you have another page social media page with a what's her name? Salem. Darling. That is a cool. I don't know if that's a stage name or her real name. But that's an awesome name. And she was on like the Kelly Clarkson show and stuff. And so what's your relationship with her? Do you guys have? Are you making music together? Is it just you're sharing a social media page?

Alexa Rae: 26:14

Well, someone made a fan page of us. Oh, that's what that is. Yeah, they made a fan page. And then like I one of our fans and supporters. Really nice person they like, grew like they started reposting our videos. And just a couple of them went really viral. And then they got more followers than me, which is hilarious. I don't know the algorithm blessed.

Chuck Shute: 26:40

Yeah. So you don't know Salem? You're not friends with her or anything? Well, I

Alexa Rae: 26:44

am friends are like a lot. And we were in the pumps together. And I like knew her before being in the pumps. And I'm like, I saw her on the Kelly Clarkson show. And then I was like, Oh, she's so cute. And then she's so talented. And then she joined. And then like, I and then I finally met her when she auditioned for the pumps. And I was like, Oh my God. And then I saw her play. And she was really good. And then then she was she joined the band. And then we both left it and then and then we started like, it was so funny. Her mom's like, you should just play tiny instruments as a video.

Chuck Shute: 27:30

Oh, yeah. Okay, saw those ones. Were you together? Yeah.

Alexa Rae: 27:33

So you should just play tiny instruments like, because it's fun, or like, Okay. And then we posted our first tiny instrument cover it was Seven Nation Army. Me on the really like the $5 baby drum kit. That's your breaks. And then her honor three string loop guitar that always goes out a tune. And then it and that one did really well. And then we posted the second one Enter Sandman. And then that one did better. And then the next one we filmed at my house outside. And that was even cooler. And this was when Stranger Things had Master of Puppets. We like constraint when your songs in a popular show or movie, it's going to be going up on the chart. And obviously, we've been Metallica fans for a long time. So we're not posers. So we're live lunch over Master of Puppets, because this will probably do well. And so that one went really viral. Because it was funny because we were I was on my baby drums and she was and she had a tune down and it kept going on to tune and the amp was feeding back. And it was crazy because like I had to use like, I use a an extension cable to get a guitar amp to so she could play outside and then for the drums I just had to make sure I wasn't overpowering. So a bit more work, but it was like, like literally a 20 or 32nd video of me intro and it was really funny.

Chuck Shute: 29:23

Ya know, those are good ones that you got sponsored. But do you get sponsored by a credit card? Is that what that

Alexa Rae: 29:28

is? Oh, okay, it was like a charging full card.

Chuck Shute: 29:35

Okay, so sponsorship like you get paid for that or how's that work?

Alexa Rae: 29:40

Yeah, it was like a one time deal. So I get some brand deals which is cool. So they send you a product and then you make content like a real for them and some stories and then you get paid and it's a cool charging card. It so horrible fits in your wallet. And then if you're like, and the thing is people just use their phones so much. So it's helpful if you're out of like a concert and you don't want to like, plug in a random outlet and stay there. Or you could just use a, your charging car or a portable charger. So that makes your life way easier.

Chuck Shute: 30:25

That's no, that's, that's super cool. So is that like a goal to is to get more of those kinds of like sponsorships? So you can just keep creating content?

Alexa Rae: 30:33

Yeah. And like, like, how about brands and spread the awareness like, that became so popular. And it's really fun, because I just get to like, work from home and like, make videos for the people for the companies. It's so fun. And but you know, it is actually some it is kind of hard work, because you got to make sure you're producing good content that will do well for their page. You can't just be like, record done, you know, figure it out, and you got to make sure it's good. And then like, get them to a prover and then post it at a good time.

Chuck Shute: 31:18

Yeah. And you made another page to call the drummers united. Do you still have that page where you made it with other female drummers?

Alexa Rae: 31:25

Yeah, but I like haven't been, I was so busy with it. Like, I was so busy. And I was like, I don't have time to manage this page. But yeah, we got it to grow a bit. But, you know, it hasn't been active. So. Um, so my plan is just to like, you know, I'm not it. I got maybe like, start again, but I'm just so busy. So maybe it's magic, because that would be helpful. And yeah, that's like, all the pages I have, personally.

Chuck Shute: 32:05

Yeah. So I mean, you must have had a lot of people reach out to you, other young women who have like you've inspired. Did any of you have you remember any of those messages? Anything that stands out to you?

Alexa Rae: 32:16

Yeah, I have Bella, drummer girl. She's super cute. She's like 10 or 11. And she's taking it kicking while doing so well on drums. And she came out to she was on vacation. And she's saw me and Salem. None of us were playing. But she came to a show. We were both fat. And we met Bella. And she was super, super cute. And her parents super sweet, like, supportive. I'm like, wow, I wish I was playing drums at your age. I was much older. But yeah, drums, but at the time, she's like a teenager.

Chuck Shute: 33:03

Yeah, you're still super young. That's really cool. That is interesting. I didn't realize you hadn't started the drums. But you started music when you were like really young. So you've always been involved with music, just not the drum kit until 19.

Alexa Rae: 33:15

Yeah, like, but younger, because I was just I learned how to play like, read the drum drum transcription like a teenager because it was helpful knowing piano and music theory. So I learned music theory, and then that helped me with playing drums. But more so I needed to work on the technique. Yeah. Yeah, so better technique equals better performance. Going faster being able to play harder stuff.

Chuck Shute: 33:46

Is there what is the hardest song that you've that you've had to play that the are you that you've been able to tackle least?

Alexa Rae: 33:54

Like live or just on a cover? Just on the cover? Oh, yeah. So I played like, like any. A lot of Slipknot songs are really hard. Rush songs. I was playing subdivisions by rush really hard because the timing signature changes, like anything prorogue is hard. And I'm trying to learn tools, a tool song. And that's gonna take me months, like drilling the holes. Yeah, tools really hard to play. Because there's so much going on and you have to memorize it.

Chuck Shute: 34:32

Yeah, cuz you're playing it exactly as the record.

Alexa Rae: 34:35

Yeah, that's why.

Chuck Shute: 34:38

So when you guys are doing your own music is that in some ways easier because you can just create whatever you want.

Alexa Rae: 34:44

Yeah, but you gotta memorize it like after you record it, like when it's not recorded, you can still add on and do some very small light switches like, but most of the time I play it completely how I wrote it, but When you're recording it, then you'll be able to play exactly how it is. So that's what happens. I just make sure I play like I make a part totally solid. And play it exactly how I play it, how I recorded it and wrote it.

Chuck Shute: 35:18

Gotcha. Do you guys have new music coming out or any new shows?

Alexa Rae: 35:23

So I think we're gonna be playing the Viper Room in February. And then I'm trying to think we might be playing the troubadour. It just depends on everyone's availability. And then, I don't know we might, I think we're gonna be playing the canyon again, and okwara hills. Um, but that's going to be next year. No more shows this year.

Chuck Shute: 35:48

Okay. So the you mentioned the Viper Room. Actually, I'm going to LA this weekend. And I was I was hoping to maybe hit that because I thought I thought the Viper Room was going on a business at the end of the year. Are they are they keeping it they find a way to keep because I thought they were turning into apartments or something.

Alexa Rae: 36:01

Yeah. Which is so annoying, like, so someone they were there was a really big petition. That's people sign in there were like, keep the Viper Room. And so they stopped it. They

Chuck Shute: 36:14

saved the Viper Room.

Alexa Rae: 36:16

I think it's still going to be open for longer than they said, Okay. They should keep it because the history gotta keep the Viper Room. They got to they should turn it. Because that's just sad.

Chuck Shute: 36:33

Yeah, or like, see my feet. My idea was like, if you put apartments over it and put the Viper Room on the bottoms, and just keep it there. mermans on top of it.

Alexa Rae: 36:43

That's what they might do. But good luck to the people living above the Vipers.

Chuck Shute: 36:49

You could soundproof it. I'm sure there's a way to do that. So

Alexa Rae: 36:52

architects gotta do that.

Chuck Shute: 36:55

Yeah. That's someone else's problem.

Alexa Rae: 36:58

That because we got to save the Viper Room.

Chuck Shute: 37:02

Yeah, very cool. Well, I always end each episode promoting a charity. You'd mentioned sweet relief. Charity. Is that this? I don't know if you know, is that the same one? They they came out with a CD. Like when I was a kid, the 90s. And it was had like Pearl Jam was on it and stuff is not the same. You know if that's the same one?

Alexa Rae: 37:19

I don't know. But it started in 1993, then probably Yeah. Oh, maybe probably that was like probably the first promotion of the charity. I'm not 100%. Sure. But yeah, sweet relief is great, because musicians are independent contractors, and the music industry, being a performer does not pay well. And you're not going to have health care that that's going to, you're going to have expensive health care. So what happens is, people go sweet, really sweet relief helps musicians cover health care costs and general financial aid. Like for example, during COVID people, like a lot of musicians were on unemployment, food stamps, etc. Like any like government assistance, because there was no shows going on. And that was their main income just so they were so sweet relief was helping them out. And um, yeah, people don't realize how little music pays.

Chuck Shute: 38:21

I know. And it sucks, because I just love music so much. And I think it's so important in the world. That's why I hate to see like when these schools Cut the music program. And, you know, I just think yeah, in charities like that, that we can help out and throw a little money towards the musicians so they can keep going and keep making music and creating art for the world. And it can inspire people and help people get through tough times. And I just love music. I think it's great. So that's a great charity. I'll put that website in the show notes along with your website and people can obviously follow you on Instagram. You have great content. There. It's fun stuff that I found you. Anything else you want to promote. Oh,

Alexa Rae: 38:58

yeah, I gotta update my website. I haven't done that in a long time. So out of date, but promotion? Nothing new. Nothing really like um, yeah, not now. Not really. Anything as of now. Like, I wish I had a song coming out, then. I would promote that boat. We don't. Okay,

Chuck Shute: 39:21

well, yeah, that's you got some homework, then work on those music and get it out. And then you can make the rounds on more podcasts?

Alexa Rae: 39:28

Oh, yeah, we gotta go in the studio too.

Chuck Shute: 39:31

Yeah, for sure. All right. Well, thanks so much for doing this. I'll get this episode out soon. And thanks so much. Thanks so much. All right. Bye bye. Okay, so there you have it. Alexa Ray, definitely a drummer to keep an eye on. I see great things ahead for her and make sure you're following her on social media. And the same goes with me and the show. Once again, I'll remind you to make sure you're subscribed. And of course your likes comments and shares help myself and the guests out as well. And I guess also the saves on Instagram We can help so make sure you're saving and I appreciate all your support. Have a great rest of your day. And remember to shoot for the moon.