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INTERVIEW:

Sara Radle of FRED SAVAGE FANCLUB

 

> 1. Please State your name and age. 

Sara Irene Radle - 22

> 2. For those who don't know, what exactly is Fred Savage Fanclub? 

Fred Savage Fanclub is a project I started because I had written some songs that were a little different from what we do in Lucy Loves Schroeder. Out of curiosity I went into the studio and recorded seven of them, playing all of the instruments. I didn't plan on putting a CD out, or anything. It was kind of just a thing to do for fun. When Chad and Jessa (She's Gone Records) asked if they could check it out, I gave them a copy. They approached me about putting it out as a full-length, so I went back into the studio and recorded a few more songs, and the rest is history, my friend.

> 3. When did you decide you wanted to do a solo album? 

Oops, I guess I should read ahead before going off on tangents. See answer to #2.

> 4. What were some of your major influences while you were writing songs for the FSFC "Jelly Beans with Belly Buttons" ? 

The record is kind of a collection of songs I'd written over about 3 years, so I was influenced by whatever I was listening to at the time. To name the bigger influences... Liz Phair, Elliott Smith, The Muffs, The Monkees, Hole, The Breeders, The Beach Boys, That Dog, Weezer, Mary Lou Lord, and The Ronettes.

> 5. It must have given you a lot of freedom to do what you wanted to do, being that you were the only one writing songs for FSFC. How did that feel? 

I think a lot of the cooler stuff happened in the studio. I had basic parts written for each song, and it was cool to be the only one there recording and writing parts of songs as I was recording them. I especially enjoyed the freedom to go crazy with the vocals. I like a lot of harmonies in songs, and I was able to do more than I'm able to do with Lucy Loves Schroeder. I try to not get too carried away with vocals when recording with LLS because I don't want to do too many things that we don't do in our live show.

> 6. How long did it take to record the album? 

The second batch of songs was recorded about a year and a half after the first one, but as far as actual time in the studio, it took four days.

> 7. I've noticed several short sound clips at the beginning of some of the songs. What sort of significance do these have to you? 

The first one is from an "Alice in Wonderland" read along tape I used to listen to as a kid. I like it because it talks about a girl being in a new strange place, and a good portion of the songs I picked for the record have to do with a lot of big changes that were going on in my life at the time. The second one is of my little brother, Gabriel, and I. I have all of these tapes we recorded together when we were young. We used to just tape us hanging out, or make fake news shows with fake commercials. I just chose that one because I thought it was funny. The third one is where the title of the record comes from. The woman singing is my mom, and the clip is taken from a song she wrote about me. When I was young I used to draw circles with little dots in the center of them on my mom's knees. (Don't ask me why, because I don't know). I would tell her they were jelly beans with belly buttons. The last clip is me when I was about three years old. My mom was trying to get me to tell an original story on tape, but every one I told was just my own version of "The Three Bears." It was the three raccoons, or the three munchkins, or the three rabbits. All of the clips are from my childhood. This record has a lot to do with growing up and all of the shit (AKA boys) you have to deal with in the process. So I thought it would be cool to kind of off-set that with clips from when I was a child.

> 8. Who are/were some of the most influential people in your life?

 My family. Almost all of us are musicians, so growing up in a home where people are constantly playing music, you're bound to eventually pick up a guitar or sit at the piano and give it a try. My parents have always been very understanding and supportive of me and my music. I think I've been really lucky because of that.

> 9. Are you in any other bands? If so, what are those bands? 

I sing and play guitar for Lucy Loves Schroeder, a punk/pop band.

> 10. Do you plan on doing any other releases as Fred Savage Fanclub? 

I think so. I have many more old songs that didn't get put on this record, and I'm writing new ones all the time.

> 11. Additional comments here: 

I've put together a band, so FSFC will be able to play live shows sometime in the near future. My favorite part is that there will be three guys singing back-ups, so my dream of being able to pull off tight live harmonies just might come true. I'm going to make them do choreographed dance movements and everything.

OTHER MISCELLANEOUS QUESTIONS

> 12. If you could be any animal in the world, what would you be and why? 

Cat. I am a definitely a cat person. I have four. So does my housemate. Our house is a jungle. 

> 13. What is your favorite color? 

Red, blue, yellow. 

> 14. What is your favorite food? 

Sugar. 

> 15. What are cooler, cats or dogs? 

Shit, I did it again. See #12. 

> 16. Favorite TV show? 

The Wonder Years, of course. I've recently gotten into watching the Twin Peaks series on tape. Sesame Street will always be a favorite. I could watch that show all day. Especially the old-school episodes they show on Noggin late at night where Maria looks like she's 15.