Interview with Veronica Torres of Gorgeous Got a Gun

Early on you started as a solo musician. What are the advantages of having a full band now?

[VT] I did start out in the music industry as a singer-songwriter. As a solo musician everything is on you. When you are in a band there is a collective effort put into everything. This is particularly noticeable with playing shows. You feed off of
each others' energy and that makes playing live shows so much fun. With GGG, we also see the crowd feed off of our energy and that can be a really powerful experience that I think is hard to capture as a solo artist. It's really amazing to bring a song I've written into our rehearsal and see it being brought to life with my band members who all add their special element to the song. We are all there to support and push each other musically and personally. That whole team member feeling is definitely a big advantage to being in a band. 


The sound for Gorgeous Got a Gun is hard to put into a genre. It has its own unique sound. Do you you worry about genres when you write a song?


[VT] I try not to think about a genre or a certain "type" of song when writing music. I think something that makes GGG unique is that when a song is brought to the table, it automatically becomes "GGG-ified" when we jam on it together. If I put a restriction on my creativity while writing, I'm not going to be honest with my music. I think the writing process comes first and then we shape the song into its "sound." 


What has been your favorite moment of your music career so far?

[VT] There have been a lot of really cool moments for me musically. I would have to say a really huge moment for me as part of GGG was when we played at the Henry Fonda Theatre in Hollywood for the first time last year.  The Fonda is a venue where I have seen so many huge bands that I love. I couldn't believe that I was getting to perform on that stage. Also, anytime I see someone in the audience singing along to our songs it is a really amazing moment. 


What artists would you say have influenced you throughout your career?


[VT] This question is always tough for me since so much influence on my music comes from other music. Some that stand out are Jimi Hendrix, Gwen Stefani, Regina Spektor and Brandon Boyd. I think that if anyone has been an inspiration to me, it has been Gwen Stefani and Regina Spektor. They both embody so much passion and style that it almost hurts. It is so amazing to see women be themselves on stage and own it. When the 90s alternative music was all about frontmen here comes Gwen who was different than any other female singer at that time. She wore a wife beater and dickys onstage and really was "one of the boys." I think she really started to open the arena for females to take the lead in rock bands and definitely she is one of my favorites.  When I first heard Regina Spektor's album Soviet Kitsch, I was just taken aback. I really respect women that can play an instrument well and this girl was amazing at piano. Her message and songs were so inspiring to me and she became someone who I've followed very closely. The way she uses her voice as an instrument and how you really hear everything she is saying is amazing. 


How long have you been playing guitar for?


[VT] I've been playing guitar for about 10 years. 


If there was one thing that you could change about the music industry, what would it be?


[VT] Hmmm, I think the industry is changing in a positive way for musicians right now with so much "do it yourself" mentality. I feel it really pushes musicians to make better music. It has been great having fans and friends that are really supportive even in our current economy. All in all I would say I wish at a certain level that the focus could be more on the music and less on the politics that come with it, but hey that's life right? Got to roll with the punches and make sure you are continuing to do something you believe in. 


What is your ultimate goal for Gorgeous Got a Gun?


[VT] Ultimately, I really hope we can get to the point in our career where we can all focus 100% on music as a day to day and continue to make music for people to enjoy. A world tour wouldn't hurt either ;). 


Check out the new single from Gorgeous Got a Gun off their new EP that is being wrapped up now.
DLMG by gorgeousgotagun

Photo credits to Jason Speth for the first photo and Mitch & Brittany for the second.


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