How did we get here?: Kamila Glowacki
This is an interview with Kamila Glowacki. She has a 7" split with John Menchaca coming out in August. I'm not sure what to say in this little opening paragraph, but I've written an opening paragraph for every other interview so why stop now? Interview:JT: Going back as far back as you want, what musical projects have you previously been in including whatever stupid middle school band you had?KG: I was in like middle school and high school symphonic band. I played the oboe, but that’s not that cool. In high school I was in a band called The Catastrophes with my friends, but that was just a little thing we did for fun. We never really played shows except in our friends’ garages.JT: And was it a catastrophe?KG: Well I don’t want to say anything mean about it, but it was a good introduction of just playing music. But, the band that I really cared about, probably my favorite band I’ve ever been in. It was just me and my friend Hasumi Murase and it was called Girl Scouts. I just played guitar and she played harmonica and we just sang and stuff. It was just really nice. And then I guess into college I was playing in a band called The Island of Misfit Toys. I played in that for a little as well.JT: Great! So, one of the reasons I wanted to interview you was because we’re kind of from the same area. Were you a part of the northwest suburban Chicago music scene?KG: Um, I don’t know. Not really. Me and my friends, it was just very sheltered almost. It was just me and my friends making music with each other. I guess we just didn’t really know where to go for shows besides downtown Chicago and stuff, and that wasn’t even that often. I wasn’t nearly as active in music back then as I am now.JT: Was there any reason for that shift to being more involved now?KG: I mean it was something I’ve always wanted to be a part of. I’ve always been really interested in music ever since I was younger. I just didn’t really know where to look for stuff. I would go to shows and stuff, but they’d all be these much bigger shows. You didn’t know the people in the band or anything like that. You would just travel up there to Chicago and go to a big venue and see a show there. I didn’t really know as much about that closer-knit DIY community, but it was always something I was interested in. I just didn’t know how to enter into it, especially all alone. Then I got to college, and I met Aaron [Shults] and he kind of helped me find that music scene here that I’ve always wanted to be a part of.JT: So what kinds of big shows in Chicago did you go to?KG: Well me and my friend Kelly were really into ska growing up. We saw Streetlight Manifesto and bands like that.JT: Hey, me too. We probably were at the same show a few times. But moving on, you said you’ve always had this interest in music, but how did that all start?KG: Well my dad has always been really into music, and he always encouraged stuff like that growing up. But I think my real interest in the music that I listen to today and am a part of today came from my friend Emily in middle school. We were both obsessed with Nirvana, and she really helped me push myself further. She started playing guitar, and I started messing around with that. I got my first bass so we could play “In Bloom” for the 8th grade talent show. That’s where it began I guess.JT: To wrap up, do you have any cool inspiring music-related stories?KG: I don’t know. It’s a lot of pressure. I guess a little sentimental story for me is my brother has always been really into playing guitar and stuff, but we never really played music together. A couple years ago one of our cousins got married, and he was really into The Cure and stuff so we played a Cure cover set at his wedding for him. It was just really nice and fun to be playing with my brother and with my whole entire extended family there. I don’t know, it was just a cool experience.JT: That sounds nice. Thanks a lot for the interview, Kamila!