There is something about a band with a strong female lead singer. It has an edge to it and New Years Day loves that edge! Kind of like “Fuck you, we will kick your ass.” I sat down and talked with guitar player Nikki Misery before their show at MECU Pavilion last week. We chatted about the band, touring with Godsmack and the new single “Shut Up”.
Brandon (TSS): The last time I photographed you, it was on your last tour with Halestorm and In this Moment. What differs from that tour and this tour with Godsmack?
Nikki (New Years Day): This is our 2nd day on tour with Godsmack. We did 3 legs with Halestorm and In this moment. Most of our fans are fans of those bands already. The first show we did with Godsmack hardly anybody knew us. It always like going into a fight. I’m going to win these peoples attention.
TSS: How did that go?
Nikki: I thought is was awesome. I always feel great. Whether they love us or hate us. I am always up for a kick ass show.
TSS: With your new album Unbreakable, it has a great band feel, it sounds like you all are clicking as a band. What was the recording process like? Did you go in and bang it out all together or were you guys separate.
Nikki: It is a bit of both. Frankie and I have day jobs and shit like that. the label has Ash going to different songwriters. A lot of people say well so you don’t write your own songs, they get it mixed up. That’s wrong. What these songwriters do is bring out your ideas and things that you didn’t know were inside you.they pull it out of you. It was super cool.
TSS: Almost like therapy?
Nikki: Very much so. We had a lot of time to sit together and really obsess and marinate with each song and get it the way we want it.
TSS: The song “Shut Up” has a different cadence then any other song on the album. Did you find that difficult to change it up?
Nikki: Yes and No. The seeds were planted when we did that Punk Goes Pop cover “Gangsta” from Suicide Squad. So Ash started to like that dance vibe and just bring in some hard rock, so you can still bang your head and shake your hips. Us going into that was one of the easiest processes ever. That song was written in a day. It was funny, it was one of those things when we were done Ash was like, “do you guys like this”? And we were like, “Oh my god, Yes”!
TSS: This last question was more for Ash, but maybe you can help me with it. Being a male dominated genre, hard rock, do you think she finds it hard to deal with being a female in the lead?
Nikki: It definitely at times. I remember we were looking for labels at the time, we were just freelancing little creeps. Someone said “no we already have a female singer”. We thought, “what does that have to do with anything?” What about the whole musicianship, lyrics, look, image, everything else besides the gender of one person in the band? I couldn’t believe how backwards the industry was. But what I do love is that we will always be these punk rock kids and if someone disrespects Ash onstage, their going to get knocked the fuck out and kicked the fuck out by Ash!
TSS: Thanks so much for taking the time to talk with us. We are excited for the show!
Nikki: Yeah absolutely.
Well there it is! Go to New Years Day’s website and be sure to catch one of their many shows in the area! Click here to see a list of tour dates!
Also, check out their new album Unbreakable. Thanks to Nikki Misery for taking the time to chat with us! Enjoy the following photos from their show at MECU Pavilion on July 14th opening for Godsmack. All photos copyright and courtesy of Brandon Amos.
