Mindee Jorgensen

My 2019 Favorite Live Bands!

December 21, 2019December 31, 2019Mindee JorgensenLeave a comment

Howdy Friends!

I wanted to share with you some of my stand out favorite bands I played with in 2019. There are so many great bands I shared the stage with this year, but these ones really impressed me. They are bands that kill it live and they also happen to all feature slaying drummers (suprise! Lol.) Go check them out, you won’t be disappointed.

The Pats Pats

The Pats Pats made an epic overseas trek from their hometown of Tokyo Japan to play Los Angeles in October. It was their first time here and they did not disappoint. Cute, fierce and catchy, they wowed a Halloween house show over-packed with excited new fans. The main members are Akiko on guitar and Midori on bass, with both on vocals. They have a rotating cast of top notch drum mates, bringing hard hitting Kotarods with them on this trip. They write solid rocking pop songs about love, girl time, and donuts.

received_445523559409812

Fox Medicine

Towards the end of 2019 I played 2 shows with Portland based noise rock band Fox Medicine. This dynamic duo describes themselves as “Bubblegum doom,” and that is pretty accurate. Full toned guitar lines that dance around between sludge and rock meld with dominant drums that can both keep the groove and impress with fast fills that fit the songs perfectly. All this under the charmingly aggressive vocals of guitarist Nee make for a one of a kind sound experience.

Fatty Cakes and The Puff Pastries

Fatty Cakes and The Puff Pastries take the term “girl band” to a whole new level, showcasing ferocious full on female force. They have a fun and playful vibe but are not afraid to call people out on their shit. Each member is a powerful presence, and combined they are an unstoppable force. Fronted by Fatty Cakes, who plays an electric ukulele, the group commands your attention through-out their whole set. The vocals can be catchy and harmonious, but there is always the presence of punk rock attitude.

Conan Nuetron and The Secret Friends

Charismatic front man Conan Nuetron put together a talented cast of musicians that brought some very heavy rock to Los Angeles. He writes songs that are catchy yet complex, and pure rock n roll. His live show is filled with enthusiasm and intensity.

Duderella

You all need to experience the immense wall of sound that is Duderella. You would never guess that this band is a 2 piece. They embellish on the stoner rock sound by spicing it up with their own unique flare and lots of sass. Wild drumming and thunderous bass explode from the stage when Duderella starts to play.

All Souls

All Souls combine memorizing guitar riffs, haunting vocals, and roaring drums to create a dark sound and omnipotent presence that lingers with you long after they exit the stage. The 4 veterans of rock that make up All Souls have been progressing quickly, opening up for bands such as Tool, The Jesus Lizard, and Melvins.

I can’t wait to see what bands 2020 brings my way!

Done is better than Perfect

December 15, 2019January 6, 2020Mindee JorgensenLeave a comment

Hello 2020!!!

20190925_210540

As the new year and new decade approaches, it seems like a good time to reflect on all that has happened in my life the last 10 years, and to plan for my future. hummm…

I can be very hard on myself, feeling like I am not accomplishing anything. Feeling as thought I am lazy, stagnant and stuck. My perfectionism gets in the way of me putting out there what I create within my head. I can be so self critical. I have huge ideas that I never put into motion. I have stories I never finished writing, and songs I never finished recording.

IMG_20190726_105102_229

If there is one thing I want to change in 2020, it is my creative block. I want to create! I want to finish my solo album, the songs that have been swirling inside my head for so long, but are never shared with others. I want to create my own drumming business to where I don’t have to rely on a day job. I want to create a way to reach more people who want to play drums and to give lessons to as many as possible, and create an online drum course to inspire people to use drums to heal and help with stress and anxiety, just as drumming as done for me. I am ready to write a book. I want to travel the world and earn a good and sustainable income through preforming music.

Despite the self sabotaging feeling that I am not creating or moving fast enough, if I look back on this decade I have actually accomplished many things. 2010-2019 has been the most successful decade of my life I must say, and I have so much more to do.

I moved to Los Angeles in July of 2009, so I have successfully sustained myself as a resident of Los Angeles for the last 10 years. For a gal from Iowa who didn’t know anyone and hardly had any money when I moved here I guess that is something. Sioux City didn’t suck me back lol.

20191223_214351

I have been in a long term relationship with a smart and wonderful guy who keeps me laughing, takes care of me when I need it, supports my goals and dreams, and keeps me in constants awe of his musical abilities. I get to share a comfortable apartment with my best friend, an adorable senior dog Elvis and hamster named Meatloaf.

20190208_003818

This was also the decade I discovered the wonderful world of hamsters… (RIP- Dizzy, Ashes, Cheddar Bear, Rex, Little Nugs, Blanket, Fiona.) If only those adorable hand held teddy bears lived longer…

I became in Aunt to an adorable Nephew named Liam! I got to be a maid of honor in my sister Quinn’s wedding which was an extra special honor for me.

I got a killer tattoo of a hamster drumming. I also got a nice car, bass guitar, video camera, and computer.

I had a Podcast called The Hot Box that I did with one of my favorite people in Los Angeles, Mary.

Musically, this has been my best decade so far.

In the past 10 years I have recorded…

3 EPs!!!

20191125_111501

(Dangerously Sleazy Photo by @whatmariesees)

Dangerously Sleazy- Bad Things Just Happen and Sleep Apnea

ModPods- We Are So…

2 full length albums!!!

Azteca Frame’s- Azteca Frame

ModPods- No Strut

and played drums on a split 7 inch with Dale Crover Band!

On top of playing hundreds of shows in Los Angeles, I toured the country and the world!

2- full US tours

3- West Coast Tours

I toured Europe once, Japan twice, and have been to Canada more times than I can count.

I played live on the radio multiple times.

20191219_020019

I preformed live with 8 different bands, and recorded with 5.

I had the honor of playing drums for one of my favorite drummer’s solo project, The Dale Crover Band, and I got to tour opening for 2 legendary bands Melvins and Redd Kross!

20181219_113736

I filmed many music videos.

I got to be in DRUM! magazine.

Tom Tom Magazine

Interviewed on one of the best drumming podcasts around The Trap Set.

I went to NAMM multiple times.

I was featured in a documentary on female drummers Beatkeepers.

I started seriously giving drum lessons and get so excited to see how far my students have come and grown in their drumming. I am blessed to have each one of them and look forward to gaining more students in 2020. I love teaching drums!

20191217_193725

I received an Associates degree in Journalism without taking out any student loans. DEBIT FREE BABY!! I have also done a good deal of writing, music articles, stories, personal memoirs, ect.

I also started Therapy and took the steps to confront and heal from trauma and grief, and live a successful life despite depression and anxiety.

received_2144306039198810

I have made so many great new friends this past decade, from all over the world! I am so grateful to everyone I have met, and also anyone who has supported my musical journey by seeing me play live, listening to my music, following me online, ect. THANK YOU TIMES A MILLION!!

Well…I mostly wrote this to remind myself that I am progressing, I am moving forward in life, I am healing from trauma, I am growing into my best self, and all the positive stuff I am trying to mindfully focus on. Kinda sentimental about this past decade, it has been a good one.

As always, I am grateful for my top notch health and drumming abilities, my family and friends, the epic experiences I have had, and all the abundance in my life…

Did you hear…

September 7, 2019September 7, 2019Mindee JorgensenLeave a comment

Hello Friends!

I have been busy with music, which is great! Working hard on my passion and reaching my dream of being a full time musician. I am super grateful for all the support I get from friends and family! Thanks to everyone who buys or shares my music, and to all my drum students!

The New Dangerously Sleazy EP was released 8/23/19. Grab a copy on Bandcamp or find us on Spotify, iTunes, Amazon, ect…

We had a great time doing some shows to support the release! Our good friend Louie filled in for a show while Altair was busy seeing The Cure. He did a killer job and it was fun to jam with him again. Thanks Louie!

My first recording with The Dale Crover Band was released last month too! It is part of a split 7 inch with Conan Neutron and The Secret Friends for his Protons and Electrons compilation. I am still overly stoked and in slight disbelief that I get to play drums for one of the best drummers!!

20190813_202237

I have been getting some hardworking new drum students (and my veteran students are killing it as well.) My time slots are filling up quick, but I still have a few open! Do you want lessons, or know someone who would like to learn? Please send them my way! I am trying to fill 9:30-10:30 PM on Tuesdays, 3-4 PM on Fridays, and 5-6 PM on Fridays. I give lessons in person in East LA, or on SKYPE!

ModPods are almost done with the recording process for our next full length. The songs are spectacular and I am stoked on how this recording is coming along. We have been playing a handful of them live, and you can catch us on Saturday 9/14/19 at The Highland Park Bowl in Los Angeles. We are also playing the Joan of Rock festival in Brisbee AZ on 10/19/19.

20190907_152101

In other life news, I am searching for a mini van, hoping that a fine working and affordable Toyota Sienna appears in my life soon. I also want a new snare drum! I am getting ready to adopt a baby hamster and as always, giving Elvis the senior pup lots of love!

20190907_121141

Screenshot_20190726-135752

20190831_201015

New Album, New Interview, New Video!

August 4, 2019August 4, 2019Mindee JorgensenLeave a comment

Dangerously Sleazy has announced our EP release and Tour!!

8987638569745874955

There is nothing I love more than playing the drums hard, fast, punk rock, in your face style! Dangerously Sleazy is where my drumming passion and power come out full force. So, I am extra super stoked that our new EP is ready to be released August 23rd, AND we are doing some shows to support it. If you haven’t taken the time to check out D. Sleazy, hit up our website and check us out now.

Dangerously Sleazy sleep apnea ... front

Our album “Sleep Apnea” will be available for download on bandcamp all over the globe starting 8/23/19, for those of you who can’t make it out to a show.

I was recently a guest on The Jyneration Nation Radio show! Jyn is a killer drummer herself, so it was cool to get to talk about our passion together.

Last week Sleazy played The Redwood, and our friend Deb Frazin took some high quality footage of our song “Green Powered Energy.” She also snapped some cool photos.

IMG_20190726_105102_229

Stay tuned for more Sleazy news, we have some interviews in the works to support our new release.

…AND don’t forget to hit me up if you need drum lessons!!!

PEACE FRIENDS!

Help me find a new Snare and listen to this interview!

June 16, 2019June 16, 2019Mindee JorgensenLeave a comment

I have a question for my drummer friends!! I am looking to get a new snare drum. The one I have now is the basic wood snare that came with my Yamaha Stage Custom kit. I am thinking I would like something metal? I play a lot of punk music, so something that has a lot of power and cut through. What are some of your favorites for playing this style?

My price range would be around 250. Send me some suggestions!

Tama Metalworks Snare Drum is one I saw at NAMM and really liked.

I was also looking at this DW Black Nickle Snare

Also!!! I was recently interviewed on The Trap Set with Joe Wong. It is one of the top drumming podcasts!!

The Trap Set Interview

It was a huge honor and I am grateful to be part of the list of amazing drummers he has had as guests on the show! Listen to the interview if you haven’t already, and check out some of the other interviews he has done with other great drummers! His episodes are always interesting and insightful.

We discussed a lot about my childhood, and my childhood trauma. Up until a few years ago, I rarely acknowledged what I went through or how much it affected me. I locked a lot of feelings and memories away. I started therapy a little over a year ago and it has helped tremendously. I feel less guilty, I have processed a lot of grief that was kind of just stagnant inside me, that I pushed away as I tried to be tough and pretend it didn’t bother me as much as it did.

Drumming really is what helped me overcome the pains of my childhood and awkward teenage years, my issues with my step mother, and my lack of self esteem. It gave me goals to focus on and work towards. It was an outlet for anger, pain, sadness and depression. It has been a driving force behind my path of healing from mental issues. I didn’t really expect to talk about this so much, but I am glad I was able to express some of what I went though and show how drumming has been such a positive in my life.

Hit Like A Girl- Supporting Women Drummers

April 17, 2019Mindee JorgensenLeave a comment

Hey there friends! As you know, I live for playing drums. It is my favorite thing to be doing, and always cheers me up when I feel down. It is my therapy and creative outlet. It is what I do best.

Anyway, every year there is a special contest for girl drummers, called Hit Like A Girl.

I don’t usually enter, as I am not very competitive and also sometimes have trouble putting myself out there. Self esteem issues and feeling like I don’t deserve attention as much as others has always been a deterrent for me, but I am currently working hard to overcome these issues.

However, I was convinced to enter this year by a friend. Not so much trying to win, more so to get myself out there, and connect with and support other lady drummers.

There is a large community of women drummers, and it is wonderful to see them supporting and encouraging each other.

Especially when starting as a new drummer, it can be hard to share yourself with others. Fear of criticism can be a hard deterrent to overcome.

So I just wanted to share a link to my page on the Hit Like A Girl site. You can vote for me if you like, or just check out the video and bio.

As well, there are many other great ladies to support. It would be wonderful to check them out as well, and maybe leave an encouraging message for them. I am always impressed watching the category of young drummers.

Thanks for reading this, and thanks to everyone who supports me in my lifelong drumming journey.

Hit Like A Girl Page

Super Sunny Christmas Tour!

December 30, 2018January 3, 2019Mindee JorgensenLeave a comment

I recently returned from an amazing tour adventure. Playing drums for The Dale Crover Band!! This is still kind of mind blowing for me. He has been a favorite drummer and influence of mine for years. I am very honored and grateful to be a part of this band.

We did 12 shows in 15 days, opening for punk legends Redd Kross. Steve McDonald of Redd Kross also plays bass in the Dale Crover Band, as well as Toshi Kasai on keyboards and guitar. Dale plays guitar, and at some points in the set he plays a Tama stand up cocktail kit. I get to double drum with him which is CRAZY AWESOME!!!

The songs are great, and everyone traveling in the tour was a pleasure to be around. The most comfortable and drama free tour I have ever been a part of. I felt pampered sleeping in my own bed every night and getting to shower every day.

There is a link to a full Dale Crover Band set below….

https://youtu.be/JSvND-XmiQ4

We started in San Diego at The Casbah, a venue I have never been to but have heard so much about. It was a really fun night.

The next day, after a treacherous drive through dense fog in the the mountains, we rocked in Phoenix. I got to hang with my Sioux City homie Kim. She actually was the promoter who booked my first band’s first show ever! In the morning, Toshi hit his head on a tree and unintentionally decorated his jacket.

Next was Vegas, where we played the outdoor stage at the Beauty Bar. It was cold out, but I still wandered off to get myself some ice cream.

Ventura was a really great show too! My ModPods bandmates came out to that one. It was in a biker bar. Then we had a drive day and arrived at a lovely Air B+B that we stayed at for 3 days. A huge house, surround by nature. It was very cozy.

The next day we played in Santa Cruz. This show ruled because Roy McDonald, a former Redd Kross drummer, showed up and him and Dale did Redd Kross double drums on a couple of songs!

Dinner in San Jose. Photo from Jason Sharpio

Next was San Jose. Buzz of the Melvins showed up, which was a pleasant surprise for sure! We all went out to dinner, and I believe the Basil Chicken I had that night was my favorite meal of the tour (BTW, this tour was filled with long drives where we only had time for gas station snacks, and due to post sound check time constraints, lots and lots of pizza.)

The next day we were in Sacramento at Holy Diver. Earlier this year, ModPods played that venue opening for Melvins. So it was the one venue that I had been to before. In the summer, the back room was super hot. This time, it was a bit chilly.

We then had a two day drive up to Bellingham WA, where we stayed the night before heading into Canada to play Vancouver. Luckily we had a super easy time crossing the boarder, both ways. It is usually more of a hassle getting back into the US, but that went unusually smooth this night.

Then it was Portland!! This show was super fun, and a lot of people are big Dale Crover fans there!! The venue, Mississippi Studios, was really nice and comfortable, had great food, and the sound woman did a killer job! The whole Portland set is up on youtube for you to check out. https://youtu.be/JSvND-XmiQ4

At the hotel after Portland, we had a funny parking mishap, where the van/trailer got stuck around a car. We didn’t hit the car, but somehow the corner of the car was right between the van and trailer. A tow truck came and actually pulled the van and trailer sideways to get us free.

Redd Kross rocking a sold out show in Seattle

Seattle was next, and the show was sold out! I was very stoked to play here because I got to hang out with my best friend, and amazing drummer, Joe Ross! After our set, it was so crowded we couldn’t even get to each other through the crowd until the show was over. Luckily, we were staying right in his neighborhood, so he got to ride back with us and I got some quality hang time with one of my longtime hometown friends.

After another driving day we played in SF. It was my first time playing Slim’s and that venue is great. It is ran by the same people who run The Great American Music Hall, so we were treated very well. Lots of back stage room, snacks, and a great dinner.

The last show was in Tustin. Saw a lot of friends since it was so close to LA. My newest drum shredding student Heidi was there, and I also saw Tony and Meg from All Souls. Arrived back home at like 2am to my lovely boyfriend and dog Elvis.

It was such a good time, I just wish it could have been longer. It was filled with lots of great memories and new friendships! Looking forward to doing it again. For now though, it’s back to the day job….until next time!!!! I can’t wait to make music my full time career.

Santa Cruz Air B+B
Photo bob Hanham
Photo Bob Hanham
Photo by Toshi

Tour time!!

November 14, 2018November 14, 2018Mindee JorgensenLeave a comment

I have some exciting news!! I will be doing a fun West Coast Tour this December, drumming for The Dale Crover Band!!

We will be on the road December 5th through the 20th. Opening for the legendary Redd Kross!! Check the dates, and get tickets at http://Www.reddkross.com/shows/

Also! Before we hit the Road, Dangerously Sleazy will be doing a special show in Los Angeles on Friday November 30th, aka MY BIRTHDAY!!! So be sure to come out to The Airliner!!

Hope to see lots of friends during my holiday musical adventures.

Saving the Day…light.

November 4, 2018November 12, 2018Mindee JorgensenLeave a comment

Oh Man! Today is my favorite holiday of the holiday season!! Daylight savings time “Fall Back” addition.

I have been looking forward to this one for at least a week and a half now. Tonight it is here!! It’s the perfect Holiday!

No social obligations surrounding it. No need or expectations of spending money on gifts. Definitely not one of those commercial holidays. Just that one precious extra hour that you are given by some weird Time God…but only after he steals it from you in the spring.

The Kung-Fu Panda Debacle

October 21, 2018October 21, 2018Mindee JorgensenLeave a comment

So, when I was attending Valley Community college earning my AA in Journalism, we had a movie review assignment. During class, we watched the movie “Kung-Fu Panda,” and were told to write a review of it.

Well, part of me was kind of like “Why in the hell are college students reviewing a children’s movie?” “What audience am I writing this review for?” Plus, I was feeling sick that day, and slightly annoyed by the assignment.

Anyways, I wrote a review that wasn’t necessarily bad, a bit disgruntled maybe, but I thought it was pretty spot on and honest. I basically didn’t say it was the greatest movie ever, and how it was mostly fat jokes.

The teacher would anonymously read writings out loud and ask the class’s opinion on the pieces. Well, the class DID NOT like my “Kung-Fu Panda” review. They were so shocked and offended that someone didn’t completely enjoy this movie, or had anything negative to say about it. No one knew it was I who wrote this review.

I kind of thought it was hilarious how the whole class had their panties in a bunch over my review. I told Manny about it, and now we occassionally joke about the “Kung-Fu Panda” review. When we scroll past it on nexflix or whatever, he always says “Oh look, it’s your favorite movie ever!”

Well, I found the review on my computer and thought I would share it to see what you all think? Am I really a monster for turning in a negative review of a children’s movie as a college assignment?

20181020_232314