For this month’s Stay Tuned, PATTERN sat down with Jessie Phelps, singer/songwriter, guitarist and drummer who has been in a variety of groups over the years including female duo Jessie and Amy, all-girl rock band The Clams, the blues/rock duo Ghosts of Kin and alt-rock band, Moxxie, just to name a few. We spoke with Phelps about her current venture as a solo performer and what we can expect for new music to come. Phelps played a sold-out album release show at the LO-FI Lounge in Indianapolis in April, debuting songs from her vault and sharing a very special performance with local fans as it was one of her last shows in Indy before her move to London.
The solo EP is called Pisces featuring a standout single of the same name. We asked Phelps to share a playlist of her songs of the summer, it includes hometown favorites the contemplative Indianapolis-based art rock group Public Universal Friend and indie synthpop group Manners, Please, as well as an eclectic and refreshing mix of old and new alternative/chill rock, folk-punk and indie pop.
Photography by Bram Epstein
Haley Collins: Tell us about your musical background.
Jessie Phelps: I grew up with a passion for music, listening to my dad’s classic rock tapes and playing my grandmother’s piano. By middle school, I was playing percussion in the band, and by high school, I was in the garage/punk rock scene. Once I learned to play the guitar, that’s when my songwriting took precedence over anything else. I immersed myself in writing music and it became my way of expressing myself throughout my teens. It helped me deal with my growing pains and teen angst, and I honestly don’t know who I would be now if I hadn’t been able to do that.
HC: Let’s talk about the mix you curated. What’s the mood? What should we be doing while listening?
JP: The mix I created is what I’ve been listening to this summer. It’s a happy, melodic playlist for winding down and taking a break from what’s going on in the world. It goes best with driving with the windows down.
HC: What artists, in Indiana and beyond, are you excited about right now?
JP: I can’t wait to see what’s in store for the local band, The Palace. I love seeing their live shows and I think they’re some all-around great, hard-working dudes.
HC: What music project are you particularly proud of?
JP: I’m particularly proud of my recent solo debut release of my EP, Pisces, this past April. It’s the first project that is all of my own, and my producer Ken Rose really brought my songs to a whole new level.
HC: What are you working on now?
JP: I’m currently working on a second EP that may even upstage the first. I’ll let the people decide that one.
HC: What are your interests outside of music?
JP: In my free time outside of performing, I like to work out, be outside whether it’s hiking or kayaking, and spend time with my wife and fur kids.
