LOCAL LOVE: LYRID POSTED:: November 25, 2020
FILED UNDER::
Local Love
FILED UNDER:: Local Love
Although the name “Lyrid” may not be initially familiar to WMSE listeners and fans, “Warhola Cats” and/or “DJ Era” might be…local musician Elisabeth Gasparka is both a former WMSE DJ (“Era”) and the leader of local pop group, Warhola Cats. For years, Gasparka has been pairing wise lyrics with baroque-leaning pop and more often than not, has played the role of lead vocalist and guitarist but has never had the spotlight fully to herself. Recently, she’s ventured to write some solo material in these quieter months of no shows and fewer get-togethers with band mates. Her first offering is a tribute to a Bay View haunt, “Seminary Woods”. WMSE asked her to chronicle its creation.
You’re not the first Milwaukee musician to write a song about the Seminary Woods in St. Francis – it’s pretty inspirational! How many times have you considered writing a song about this beloved place?
Wow, I need to know what songs you’re referring to…I feel like Sigmund Snopek must have one. Honestly, I never imagined writing a song like “Seminary Wood Shrine.” I give this special place full credit for casting a spell. But the ground was laid after Warhola Cats recorded Eros +Vibes. At that point, I wanted to shift and give my energy over to writing songs that were more tender and life-giving.
You mentioned to Milwaukee Record that you had some specific musical goals for 2020 – did the pandemic help or hinder these goals?
It helped, modestly? I’d hoped to gain more experience as a backing vocalist and to find the space to work on my songs outside of Warhola Cats. Fortunately, I front-loaded progress before the lockdown set in: I was invited by Josh Evert early in 2020 to contribute backing vocals to a wonderful project he and Derek DeVinney were working on– a forthcoming album by “Dinner Set Gang.” I was writing a good deal in the spring and summer, and the communication around the project led to working with Josh virtually on my song.
You’ve been involved in many musical groups and you’re typically the front-person of those groups. What was the holdup on releasing your own, solo material?
Working fulltime in arts fundraising is a big factor. There were also a number of extraordinarily tough years for my family, where I had one foot on the East Coast, and one foot here, and I was just trying to survive. Rather than push myself and my material, it was more natural to continue to treat music as a mostly private outlet, and work on some as a creative, social activity to share with some of my closest friends and bandmates.
At the risk of letting down all womyn everywhere, the truth is that the world of production has always been intimidating to me. But for this track I learned a little bit and recorded bass, vocals, backing vocals, bells and auxiliary percussion at home– so, that’s a first step. I look forward to being more knowledgeable, and being able to record and share more.
Although “Seminary Wood Shrine” is solo release, you did have quite a few collaborators. What did they bring to the table?
Josh is a generous producer, but he also contributed synth, piano and most significantly, the drums on the track. I didn’t record the original bass/vocals track on a grid, but he was able to divine these beats that interact magically with what I recorded. I’m really lucky to have had his talents, and some of the incredible artists from his pod helping to make the song all that it could be. Treccy MT and D’Amato both added backing vocals that are sensitive, lovely, and bring a fullness that the song was really calling for.I wrote an electric guitar part for the song, and Stephen Strupp (Soda Road, L’Resorts, Sat Nite Duets,) was kind enough to perform and elaborate on it. I also persuaded my husband Neil (who is not a musician, but notably a DJ who used to hold court at Circle-A as “the Nile,” and whose music collection I used to heavily draw from in my WMSE DJ days) to play a few sweet trombone notes on the song.
Is the first song a prelude to an EP or a full-length?
I want to give each song within this project the same focus I gave to “Seminary Wood Shrine”. Hopefully, I’ll get faster at it all, but I intend to enjoy the process. I think I’ll know more once a few more songs are completed. For now, I am approaching it one song at a time.
These past few months will mean different things to many people – what do these times hold for you, specifically?
I’m thankful that my loved ones have all remained relatively healthy, and that I am employed. By the grace of these facts, this time has been, in part, a chance for me to reset. I ended 2019 by writing a song called “The Dance of the Alewives” that feels prescient to our world now. Here’s the chorus and bridge:
“I’m taking time off for healing
I’ll get my love on the road
I’ll let my hair fly like a banshee
And give face to my soul
I’m taking weight off from the inside;
I’m letting sun on my skin
With every truth I don’t compromise
With every lie I won’t take in
Treading the hard-booted wasteland;
A special-made hell
You know it’s easy to get better, It’s not so easy to get well
But you can put your time into anything
While you’ve got the time.”
For me, this time has burned off some illusions. The gravity of this moment calls us to think about our lives, who we want to be, and what, if anything, we could stand to let go of by the time this is over.
What are you doing (besides writing music and walking in the woods) to keep sane? What advice can you offer your fellow Milwaukee musicians and music lovers in these times?
Get enough sleep, eat healthy, tasty foods, and pick up a new instrument if it feels right! I started drumming over the summer. I also just picked up an old Wurlitzer spinet piano and put it in my kitchen. Makes my eyes well up, to think of having a party again, some day, and singing in a throng around the piano.
In terms of other advice for this time: be bold enough to reach out and initiate a conversation with someone you admire, or want to learn from. And on the flipside, be open to engaging with someone who reaches out to you for wisdom. Just about anything you can do to move your body and to generate endorphins is a good use of your time. Dancing comes to mind. It’s helpful for processing stress, can be a great workout–and it’s free! And, you can do it while tuning in to your favorite DJ on WMSE.
Find Lyrid’s debut single, “Seminary Wood Shrine” over at her Bandcamp page. Keep supporting (and loving) your local artists.