Don’t Blame Me, Blame Betty!

By Brandon Caylor

From riot grrrl tribute act to original high-energy rock band, Blame Betty is winning over hearts everywhere they perform. You’ve heard of them, right? That is no doubt because guitarist/lead vocalist Brooke Sobol is a non-stop promotional machine, not to mention one heckuva performer! Along with Jason, Matt and Ray, they have been very busy writing original songs and performing at just about every locale that allows live music, be it clubs, bars, or roller derby bouts.

Blame Betty may have started out as a tribute band, covering songs from the likes of Betty Blowtorch, L7, and Joan Jett, but they have since grown into their own unique little beast. And what’s with the name, Blame Betty? Where did it come from?

"The band began with three friends who shared a love for a band called Betty Blowtorch," Brooke explained. "We tossed a few ideas around, but since Betty brought us together, it didn’t take long for us to decide on Blame Betty!"

What was it like transforming from a tribute band to an original act?

"It’s been awesome!" Brooke said. " It was a little scary at first. We had a very unique niche, playing riot grrrl cover songs nobody else was playing and people DUG it! We got a lot of great attention because of the covers – despite the stigma associated with most cover bands. And I had no idea if we could even write songs or if people would like them. But once we started writing, we realized we could actually write some pretty cool songs! And we totally love it. So now we’re fully focused on writing original songs, and it’s taken us in a great direction. We still play some covers, because the crowd loves them and so do we, but now we’re seeing the crowd also liking our originals! It’s an amazing feeling, looking out in the crowd and people are singing along or rockin’ out to songs we wrote!"

Since Blame Betty is a female-fronted band, do the guys feel like the band is looked at differently? This time Matt Vijeh (guitar) answered.

"First thing guys say to me is, ‘Female singer? Oh, is she hot?’ To which I reply, ‘come to the show and find out.’ Women tend to be more open to seeing a hard rock/punk band that is female fronted. It seems to be a common sentiment amongst them (women), at least in my experience. The point is to get these people to a show. As far as band matters, I don’t view Brooke as a woman, but as a fellow musician. So there’s no sweetening up the guitar licks. Gender’s not an issue."

And how about Brooke’s experience with playing in a band full of guys? Do they burp and fart a lot?

"Oh my god! The guys never burp, let alone fart!" Brooke explained. " I am totally the burper! The louder the better, and if I’m anywhere near my microphone, lookout! Farting at practice is apparently frowned upon. But this one time, we were right in the middle of a song, and I dunno, I had Taco Bell for dinner or something, and a silent one slipped out. You know those hissing kind that burn a little? I tried to play it cool, but oh my god – I was drowning in a cloud of stench in my little corner! I was totally cracking up while trying to sing and play, but they didn’t know why. Apparently they didn’t smell it. I completely lost control and couldn’t even get through the song, so I had to fess up."

How does Blame Betty define success as musicians? Drummer Jason Osika answered.

"For me, it’s just finding a group of people you can stand to be around day to day and just playing music and being able to share it with other people."

Ray Hilliard (bass) added, "For me, personally, it’s all about the songs. Sometimes success could be as simple as figuring out a bridge or transition, or creating something from scratch that you’re really proud of. As long as people keep coming to shows, singing along with us, and we are able to give our best effort in writing and playing, that’s all you can ask for. I’d be happy with that."

And what’s next for Blame Betty?

"We’re going to record an EP in August," Brooke said. "We’re pretty excited about that. After that, more shows! Our original music is going more in the direction of high-energy rock & roll than punk, so we’ll just have to see where that takes us. I’m always pursuing playing with bands I personally like, be they local or national bands, punk or rock. I love a good line-up that makes the fans want to show up for the first band and stay through the last band."

If you have never had the opportunity to catch this band live, make sure you take the time to do so. They play with a lot of energy, they’re fun, and you’re guaranteed to have a great time. In watching them, they clearly display their love of music and performing, and that love quickly spreads throughout the audience. Be warned ahead of time, Brooke is not afraid to catch you off guard and sing right to your face! I do speak from experience.

Head on over to www.myspace.com/blamebetty to find out when and where they’ll be playing next.