We had the good fortune of connecting with Melody Maker and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Melody, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I think it’s less about risk and more about resilience. At this point in my life and career as a musician, every step feels like a leap. I was once told that the secret to success is to start and never ever stop. I’ve been going at it hard for more than half a decade and I plan to keep going until I die. Even at times when I feel like I am clawing my way through, I know who I am and what I bring to this world. Life is full of daily risks, but I choose to take them and am resilient through any hardship that comes my way. For instance, I sword fight as a hobby. Last week, I took a hard shot and fractured my strumming hand. Had to spend the evening in the ER just two weeks before one of the biggest weekends for our band (St. Patricks day is a big deal for folk bands). I found a stunt guitarist and the show must and will go on. Risk is inevitable. I’m all in, and I’ve bet it all on me.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’ve been around music for as long as I can remember. Started with piano as a child, had brief moment with bass, and landed on guitar around 14. I come from a long line of guitarists, reaching back to my great-grandfather. I can still hear the soft tones of my father tuning his guitar every single morning. He woke me and my sister up with music. Not only would he play his own music in Spanish, he would also play John Denver, Johnny Cash, and Jim Croce to name a few. When he gave me my first guitar, he taught me two chords: G and Em. I took those two chords and wrote about five songs with them, so he took me to get lessons at a local music shop that specialized in bluegrass and country. He also took me to get proper lessons from a world-renowned classical and flamenco guitarist. I am so grateful to my dad for recognizing my love for music and investing in it. Music has become such a wonderful part of my identity; not just because my parents named me Melody.

As an adult, I began to pursue music more seriously. I often joke that I was raised by drag queens as they were the first to give me a stage and an audience during this time. I played in between acts to give the queens time to change costumes. The love and acceptance in those spaces taught me how to be a bold entertainer and how to bomb with grace. I learned to not fear those moments when everything seemed to go wrong in the spotlight and continued to get back up on that stage, each time with a little more practice and experience.

One fateful night, I was drinking at a Viking themed mead hall (shoutout to Twisted Horn in Vista, CA) and there was this guy absolutely shredding on the mandolin. He was playing all the classic pub songs and I got up to dance. I gave him my card afterward and asked if he wanted to jam, and with that, our musical partnership was born. Our first jam sesh consisted of maybe three songs actually practiced, a twelve pack of beer, and about five hours of talking and good times. Not only is Chris an incredible musician, he is my best friend and a part of my family. We started playing folk duets around SoCal. One evening, we were playing at a house party and Chris realized a violinist friend was nearby for an event. Seth came over and the first song the three of us played together was a transcendent experience. We kinda looked at each other all thinking the same thing, “did we just form a band?”

2020 hit and we found ourselves, like many musicians, out of work while the world shut down. Being resilient – and bored – we started doing livestreams on our patios, balconies and parks. A bassist friend of Chris and Seth saw it and wanted in. He had just acquired an upright bass and dug the folky direction we were going in. Norm had played in other projects with the rest of the guys and joined with his drums soon after. Within a year, we became a bonafide band. The unique approach we took for our band, the Silk Button Butchers, has given us opportunities to play shows and festivals like Viking Fest in Vista, CA and Irish Fest at Biergarten in Huntington Beach.

We just wrapped up recording our very first album. We’re calling it The Butcher’s Bill which is old naval slang for a wounded and casualty list. This album is about love and loss, whiskey and retribution. We are extremely proud of it. It is literally my life’s work. We will be releasing songs online starting this month and physical cds will be at our live shows.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Our band members range geographically from Bakersfield down to San Diego so I’ll share all of our favorite SoCal spots from south to north.

I love the Torrey Pines Gliderport in La Jolla, CA. There’s a delicious little sandwich shop that sits on a cliff overlooking Black’s Beach. People hang glide and paraglide by jumping off the edge of the cliff toward the ocean. I stick with eating my sandwich because it’s a thrill just watching.

Luke likes getting his caffeine fix at Cosmic Bloom coffee in Vista, CA. It’s got an artsy, 90’s retro feel, much like our ultra-cool bassist.

Chris’ favorite spot in Orange County is Johnny’s Saloon in Huntington Beach, CA. It’s a funky little dive bar with an off-site kitchen that makes some truly excellent pizza.

Seth loves Troy Burgers #8 in Eagle Rock, Los Angeles, CA. He recommends the chili cheese fries! To digest those fries, he likes going to Amoeba records to walk around for a while and listen to new music.

Norm is big on camping and outdoors. His favorite spot to camp up north is Trona Pinnacles near Ridgecrest, CA. The unique landscape there has hundreds of natural spires that tower well over 100 feet high on a dry lake basin. It’s trippy looking.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
This is for everyone who has ever believed in me. From my dad who put a guitar in my hands as a kid and started my lifelong passion, to my mom who taught me how to sing killer harmonies, to the little girls at shows who look at me in awe and tell me they want to play guitar and do what I do too. I can never forget my wonderful spouse and those who love and support me on a daily basis. And obviously my band, who I am overwhelmed with gratitude for.

Website: https://www.silkbuttonbutchers.com

Instagram: @silkbuttonbutchers

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/silk-button-butchers

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/silkbuttonbutchers

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@silkbuttonbutchers6231

Other: bandcamp: https://silkbuttonbutchers.bandcamp.com

Image Credits
Yvonne Davis

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