Red Carpet Spotlight: True Mother Records is Watching Porno

 Watching What? 

Yeah that’s right! If you’re in my hometown of Chicago right now, this is definitely something you want to check out! Let’s chat with these folks, and let’s start with Matt Wells from True Mother Records:

How did True Mother Records come into fruition?
After working on creating original music with my production partners for a couple of years, we
realized that there was no such thing as having any control or ownership of your music under a
traditional record label contract. We formed True Mother Records after deciding that we wanted to make our own rules about how to control licensing and ownership, but still giving our music a vast global release.

What does True Mother mean, and how did you come up with the name?
Chris and I, the two original members of Jaded Lover used to joke about who was the “true mother” of the cat at the original L.A. studio. Exclaiming in an English overdub-style anime voice “You are not his true mother, I am his true mother!” Then the name kind of stuck.

When did you first discover your love for DJing?
When I was 16 years old I was lucky enough to be around Chicago when there were some pretty incredible DJs at the raves/ loft parties that my friends and I were going to. (Which included the other half of Jaded Lover, Chris)
I was enchanted by watching the DJs and how they were able to control the energy of the room, creating such an incredible experience for everyone there— I had to learn to do it myself and bought my first turntables shortly thereafter.

Who is your idol?
I don’t really have one of those. I have deep respect, however, for musicians and DJs in the industry who are continuing to stay true to themselves despite the changing trends in music, and I aspire to reach success in that paradigm.

To who do you credit your successes in the music business?

I have had excellent support through my parents and am grateful to them for instilling the work ethic in me that they did. I am also grateful to the collaborators and other mentors who continue to work by my side on a daily basis to keep our creative process flowing.

How did you guys come up with the title song for your first joint single, “Watching Porno?”
The production duo of Jaded Lover (Chris Doria / Potions and I) were working on the original instrumental version of the song in LA, and Chris’s wife was in the other room teasing us about being at the computer for so long, and she was asking of we were watching porno. The song was then off-the- cuff named “Watching Porno” and this then inspired the lyrics written later, by
Abagale and Connie.

What is the secret to longevity like yours in the music industry?
Perseverance. It is the most important thing in the world. One of my favorite quotes that I could not possibly put better myself, is:  “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan Press On! has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.” (Calvin Coolidge)

Why is Cerise Rooftop at Virgin Hotel Chicago a favorite venue of TMR?
Blake and Romain and the whole Virgin crew are awesome, the location can’t be beat, and it is a great venue all around, the decor is pretty rad. There is nothing like the Chicago skyline as a view when you are performing up there, it is exhilarating.

NOW, let’s talk to SaraJeanne:
How did you get your start in music?
I’ve been singing since I could talk. My dad’s a musician (keyboard player/singer/songwriter), so I grew up with a lot of music in my life (and a recording studio in my garage). I did choir and musical theater as a kid, and actually ended up studying opera in high school and early college. I
also have some pop songs floating around the internet that I recorded with my dad when I was a teenager.

What do you do to keep your pop-star figure, SaraJeanne?
Haha can I get this question embroidered on a pillow??
Honestly? For the month leading up to the video shoot, I did boring, sensible stuff like avoiding processed food (cheese), not drinking, and not eating bread. I also worked out maybe 20 minutes to an hour 5 times a week — mostly yoga and free weights with some cardio and dance (I grew up doing ballet/jazz/modern dance). We’re such an independent operation I never felt
pressure to look a certain way, but it was important for me to feel good in my body so I could give a confident performance.

I definitely wolfed down a big plate of fried chicken with mashed potatoes and biscuits the night we finished shooting. I go between periods of being really health conscious and fit to totally slobbing out. I’m always searching for that healthy balance.

[Also See Pop-Star Diets @ https://smarturl.it/rockstarrecipes ]

 

What can your fans look forward to in the future?
Well, SaraJeanne and Jaded Lover have two new original singles in the works for the coming year.  I’m really excited about them because I co-wrote these songs with Matt. Writing is a huge passion of mine, along with music, so it’s always the most rewarding when I get to merge the
two. Right now, we’re working on video concepts for the first single, Soft School. It’s going to be really moody, dance-y, and fun!

We know you are in from New York City for this special release, but will Chicago get to see more of you?
I hope so! I’d love to come back to Chicago and do more shows!
Tell us about the making of the music video for Watching Porno.
So Jim McGibbon, who shot Watching Porno (and is now my manager), and I have been best friends since the 7th grade. He has also been successfully working in television for almost 10 years, so when we needed to make a low-to- zero budget music video, I didn’t even think to ask him. In a lucky moment of fate, he and Connie both were over at my place for Thanksgiving
dinner last year. Connie played the newly finished demo, and Jim totally volunteered to help us out!

From there, we started brainstorming concepts. We decided on a kind of before/after that showed people in their everyday lives, then later in their “porn fantasy lives.” The cheerleader thing was an homage to Toni Basil’s Hey Mickey.

How about You, Mark Gertz?:
Tell us how you and Wells teamed up?
Matt and I (aside from growing up in the same area in NW Indiana and actually knowing of each other as far back as high school, skateboarding together, etc) I think always knew of and respected each other and our respective work and music careers although never really being all that close other than acquaintances from parties in Chicago, he as music director or Reserve,
djing closely with another acquaintance of mine, the late DJ AM, and myself as part of Dark Wave Disco. We actually met no were properly introduced at The Standard Hotel in downtown LA were I (with Dark Wave Disco) were doing an URB Magazine event along with NY’s MisShapes. Then last summer I happened to be sitting at a bar in Valparaiso, IN, at (suffice to
say) something of a low point, and he was across the bar yelling my name. He was probably the absolute ONLY person that night that I'd have had any desire to speak to, haha. The rest is… history?

How does TMR and all of its components manage to sustain activity in multiple cities across the U.S.?
We are finally getting new tracks and releases into the hands of big name artists and have lots of interest from them to remix, collaborate,
etc. Also, Matt and I are gearing up to start playing higher profile events in Chicago for starters (hopefully the opening of Dior here, although that’s VERY unofficial this sec) as well as hopefully getting on the national and international festival circuit by next year with Matt’s production via Jaded Lover, as well as myself FINALLY releasing original work as well as dipping
my toes into the remix pool.

Good, I’ll have Latindian Style remix requests to send you! What’s happening that’s exciting in the future for you?
As far as what’s exciting for me in the future… Yikes, ha. I always, for better or worse, have stars in my eyes and grandiose ambitions and goals, some realistic, some maybe a hair out of reach but then again, it’s that mindset that made Dark Wave Disco what it was/is. I have very high hopes for the future of TMR, Jaded Lover, and my own personal work as well as my new
and current DJ partner and collaborator, Mr. Matt Wells! That and there is a (hopefully) new special someone in the record label’s, as well as my life that, well, I’ll hopefully have more to tell you about soon. The future’s looking bright!