October 14, 2025 • 35 mins
A candle lit in a tiny kitchen. A book of poems opened before the phone wakes the world. That’s where this story begins—at the border of dream and day—where Sara Mae Henke (The Noisy) learned to trust the spark that eventually leapt from the page to a microphone. We dig into how a poet’s routine became a musician’s backbone, and how community—slam circles, UT Knoxville’s scene, and a tight-knit queer network in the South—turned a good voice into a living catalogue of songs.
We talk about building an album like a neighbourhood: each track its own house with different colours, but all on the same street. Chappell Roan’s world-per-song approach hovers in the blueprint, while touchpoints span Mannequin Pussy’s snarl, Lucy Dacus’s glow, shoegaze haze, and the country DNA of a Maryland childhood soundtracked by Shania Twain and Carrie Underwood. The deluxe release, The Secret Ingredient Is Even More Meat, isn’t a victory lap—it’s a field report. Nightshade finally arrives from the original writing burst. Tony Soprano grows from an inward whisper to a communal hymn for grief. Morricone exists twice, riding from spaghetti-western swagger to true indie rock. Live tracks capture the Philly lineup breathing new life into the set.
Then we go stranger and truer: clown as a craft lens. Not costume, but consent—to be fully seen, to be in on the joke with the audience, to carry the thought you’d normally take back and turn it into a chorus. We unpack how embarrassment can become voltage, how idiosyncratic structures and non-traditional recording make room for surprise, and why intimacy with listeners beats suspicion. Along the way, we honour the collaborators who opened doors, lent gear, taught etiquette, and showed that independent musicians are some of the most generous people on earth.
If you’re curious about how poetry informs melody, how queer community shapes art, and how a deluxe record can map the life of songs onstage and off, you’ll feel at home here. Join us, subscribe to the show, and tell a friend who needs a spark. And if the music moved you, leave a review—what track hit first, and why?
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
colleyc (00:24):
Here we are, people.
FB Your Will podcast, seasonsix.
Can you believe it?
Six.
What started out as a crazy ideahas now evolved into 150
episodes.
It's nuts.
Sara Mae (00:37):
Congratulations.
colleyc (00:39):
Thank you, Sarah.
And I'm gonna bring uh my guestsright in.
I have Sara Mae Henke Heke,From The Noisy.
And they're such a great band.
I mean starting off, newrecord, the Lux coming out in
October.
And check the name of this guy.
So I'm gonna say it because Ilove it.
(00:59):
The secret ingredient is evenmore meat.
Coming October 24th, 2022,2023.
Sarah, this is a pleasurehaving you on here.
I've so enjoyed the versionthat was put out last year.
Let me get the date right,which came out in May of 2024,
(01:20):
where the even is not there.
So it was just the secretingredient is more.
And Sarah, I've really enjoyedthis deep dive on you because
you are a quite a fascinating uhindividual.
Sara Mae (01:34):
Thank you.
I appreciate that.
colleyc (01:36):
Has lots of creativity and inspiration, I think, that
you can inspire a lot of us andshare in that creativity.
I'd like to start these offwith a little look back in time.
I know that you're a poet.
I know that poetry was alwaysvery important in your life as
you grew up.
How did that evolve into youeventually seeking out a
(02:00):
master's in creative writing asa poet?
Like how how did that journeyhappen for you?
Sara Mae (02:07):
Absolutely.
Also, it's so great to be here.
So good to talk with you.
colleyc (02:12):
Yeah, I'm looking forward to it.
Sara Mae (02:13):
So I me too, me too.
So let's see.
I started doing poetry inundergrad.
And when I was growing up, Iwanted to be, you know, the next
great American novelist.
And then I got to college and Istarted to understand that
poetry could be like acompletely different thing from,
you know, if you're not someonewho's really interested in
(02:35):
poetry, you might think it'slike the Shakespeare's, it's the
Emily Dickinsons.
And of course, they'rewonderful, but I didn't know it
could be so present and sorelated to our lives right now.
And so I think like the urgencyof that really appealed to me.
So I came up in these slampoetry circles in undergrad.
I got really invested in thepoetry scene, in community
(02:57):
organizing around poetry.
And I, you know, I had to movea bunch of times.
So I finished undergrad.
I was in Western Mass.
I was in Minneapolis, and Icame back to Baltimore, and then
the pandemic hit.
And it was during that timethat I kind of came back to
poetry and like my writingpractice.
(03:19):
And it felt like grad schoolwas sort of this like North
Star.
And maybe even more than likegrad school, it was just, you
know, I really wanted acommunity of writers again,
having moved so much.
And it was just like it wasgetting up every day and writing
is like the closest thing Ihave to a spiritual practice.
And it was the thing I had thatwas like hopeful in that period
(03:44):
of my life.
Like writing something new feltgenerative in a time that like
nothing really felt new.
It felt pretty like flat andand isolated.
So it was like my routine thatI did for a while.
And then I got into grad schoollike just after the vaccine
started rolling out.
And so it was like thisexciting period of time.
(04:05):
And yeah, I mean, Tennessee iswhere I went to grad school.
I went to UT Knoxville, andit's sort of where I fell into
the music scene.
And I was really welcomed in.
And before I had a chance todecide if I believed in myself,
a bunch of amazing people likeencouraged me to do music in a
(04:26):
serious way.
So that's that's where we arenow.
colleyc (04:29):
That's pretty cool.
Sara Mae (04:30):
Yeah.
colleyc (04:31):
Lots of traveling, so like that's an exhausting
process, just that in anditself.
Um so uh is it fair to say thatthe poetry informed your music?
Like that's where uh thecreativity uh seed started in in
this in this writing, in thisroutine kind of ritualistic
(04:52):
writing of I'm very curiousabout that.
Like what what's your routinewhen you write?
Like if if it's just poetryspeaking, like you get up, you
what do you absolutely.
Sara Mae (05:05):
So for poetry, I feel like I'm only now finding my
writing routine with withsongwriting, but for poetry,
I'll get up before my partner.
I'll sit at when I was inKnoxville, I had this tiny,
tiny, tiny kitchen, and we hadwhat we called like our easy
bake up, and it was just sosmall.
But I would sit at the tinykitchen counter and I would look
(05:27):
out the window and I wouldlight a candle, I would read a
bunch of poetry, maybe it's anew book I'd picked up, or maybe
I'd look at some like literaryjournals I really liked, and I
would just sort of like get intothat mode of thinking.
And I like ideally like havenot looked at my phone yet, you
(05:48):
know.
It's like before the world canget to me, and I'm still kind of
coming out of my like dreamstate.
Yeah, I like that's when I wantto get to the page.
unknown (05:57):
Yeah.
colleyc (05:58):
Dreams like help to inform some of the things that
end up on paper.
Sara Mae (06:02):
I think so.
Like sometimes if I dream abouta certain thing, I'll try and
investigate that on the page.
I'm not so like, I feel likethere are some really amazing
writers who I love.
Like Jess Rizcala is like thisincredible poet.
She's the reason I writepoetry.
Like, she was one of the firstpeople who was like, you should
write a slam poem.
But she writes a lot aboutdreams.
(06:24):
And I feel like her the way shetranslates her dreams into
poetry is it's not so like, Idon't know, like didactic.
Like it's not just likeone-to-one.
Like, I feel like she is ableto write about dreams and bring
like the poetic voice into it inthis really exciting way.
But yeah.
colleyc (06:41):
Yeah.
And then where does thisintersection between music?
Like, when did music walk inthe door with with you doing,
you know, the poetry and theslams and like in walks music.
Sara Mae (06:54):
In walks music.
I mean, so I've been singingforever.
I used to sing with my sister alot and with my mom in the car.
And, you know, first time I gota solo, it was a four-line solo
in a play about Earth Day infourth grade, and it was this
(07:16):
big deal.
And I, you know, in highschool, I did some, like we had
like a jukebox show is like kindof my shorthand for it.
It was just like 20 songs or 40songs that are 20 years old or
older.
And so I did that through highschool.
But I I just like didn't haveand I I mean I played ukulele
(07:38):
and guitar in high school, but Ijust like didn't have any
confidence about it, slash likemaybe like I should, maybe I
should say I didn't have anyambitions about it.
unknown (07:46):
Right.
Sara Mae (07:47):
Like it was, I loved singing, and I knew that singing
is like something that wasspecial about me, but like I
maybe just didn't know what todo with it yet.
So I started really writingsongs.
When I was in undergrad, I wastaking guitar lessons with my
friend Jonathan.
And I feel like we started, Ilike got so bored with the
(08:08):
theory, and I feel like we justended up being like, this is
more time where we write songstogether.
So we were doing that a littlebit.
And then my friend Danny fromBoston, like we met when we were
both in school at EmersonCollege.
He was just so encouraging ofme, and he was like, You just
have this really great voice.
Like, I really think you shouldtry and write some songs.
(08:29):
You're a writer, like, we cando this.
He like, only in hindsight didI really appreciate, like, he
produced and recorded the secondEP, which is called Day Night
Dress, or is it called no, it'scharm bracelet.
Charm bracelet, that's sofunny.
It's that's the one, and hejust did so much for me in that
(08:50):
process.
And that came out by the time Ihad moved to Knoxville.
And it was around that timethat my friend Josh in grad
school was like, You have agreat voice, we should play
music together.
And so it really is like likepeople sought me out and
encouraged me in a way that likeI'm really lucky for because I
think if if no one had told methat this was meaningful, I
(09:12):
might not have had thewherewithal to do it.
So sorry, to answer your craftquestion, I think that I was
writing songs.
Poetry, I think I got so up inmy head about during grad
school.
And I think like this recordespecially, I was writing it
when I needed to get away frompoetry, when I needed to like
(09:35):
get out of the loops in my brainbecause I didn't know enough
yet.
And so it was all reallyintuitive.
And I mean, I feel like I goback and I look at the songs,
and there's like a lot ofsimilar structures from song to
song, and you know, I pick twochords and I play them back and
forth, and then like that's thesong, which is absolutely it
works out great.
Like you can yeah, you can havethis like so many talented
(09:57):
musicians around you who add tothat, and we can make like
interesting production choicestogether that like make the
songs more and more special.
And I think, yeah, now I feellike I'm working on the second
record, and I I'm starting tolearn a little bit more about
theory, and I've taken a coupleyears of piano, and I just feel
(10:19):
like I have this really, I feela lot more like empowered in
songwriting.
I have this like really strongfoundation, I think.
I'm it's starting tocrystallize and and sort of this
like central concept, which I'msure we can talk about, but
that's been really nice.
And I think now when I sit downto write a song, it's like just
give me like a few hours andI'll just play things over and
over and over again and and singas I go and like kind of see
(10:41):
what comes up for me.
colleyc (10:42):
Right, right.
And I think too, like I likewhat you're saying about like
where the poetry would get toomuch, and like music is that
kind of that release.
Yes.
And I feel that in the record.
I feel like it's it's light andtwangy at times, and yeah,
poppy at others, and you know,it just has this great feel to
(11:06):
it without being toodramatically like you know,
shifting from like jazz toambient.
Sure, sure.
It definitely plays around withstyles and and different kinds
of cultures as well.
And I was reading too as I waspreparing for this that
integrating your music into yourculture was something that was
(11:26):
important to you, obviously.
Can you kind of uh tell usabout that that crossroad of
when like from the queercommunity starting to like
embrace more of the music thatwas coming from that community?
And from what I read, you werea real you're a real troubadour
in that area where you reallywant the awareness to be there,
(11:49):
you know, and that it's not justan indie pot, you know, or it's
not just alternative, it's ouridentity, and you're trying to
like solidify that.
How do you go about doing thatso that awareness is out there
and that you're also like I meanyou're breaking walls down, I
(12:10):
find, which is super brave.
Where do you kind of find thatcrossroads and how do you how do
you embrace your community andbring it into others?
Sara Mae (12:22):
Thank you so much.
That's so sweet.
I think you know, I guess Ithink about community organizing
a lot with this, like therewere so many gay people around
me in Tennessee, which was solike lucky for me because I
(12:45):
think I was watching there's ofcourse like a southern culture
of like warmth and hospitalitythat is true and I think like
informed the way like the musicscene was there.
But then there's also this likeextra closeness of like gay
people in the South bandingtogether.
And so I think that's partiallywhy I don't know, I feel like
(13:09):
there are maybe moments when Iwas younger where I was like,
this isn't the most importantthing about me.
And I don't want to say it'slike it is the most important
thing about me now, but I thinkit's like it's worth
celebrating, you know?
And I mean, I like it was socrazy.
I had this moment the otherday, just as a quick side
tangent, where I was playingPorch Fest on my partner's
(13:30):
parents' porch, and there was ateenager, like a trans teen
there who had, I guess, seen ashow of mine last year, and they
came up to me afterwards andthey were like, Your music means
so much to me.
Like, this is so amazing.
And I'm like, that's likebeyond my wildest dreams.
Like, that is like what I wouldreally hope is like if this is
(13:52):
touching even this single childin this way, like they were just
saying, like, it's been such ahard year to be a trans person
and like your music, I listen toyour music when things are
hard.
So I'm like, I have wanted itto be this like life-affirming
thing.
And I just to kind of go back alittle bit to your question, I
(14:13):
think also like the recordwouldn't sound the way it does
without Chapel Roan.
And like, I feel like shereally like set up this.
Every song has its own specificuniverse.
And so, like, I think therecord is cohesive in that it
all has these kind of weirdproduction choices.
But like, yeah, each song istouching on a really different
(14:33):
genre.
Like, we were really thinkingabout Mannequin Pussy when we
were figuring out production fortwos.
We were thinking about LucyDakis for Grenadine, we were
thinking about, I mean, like, AGlass of Olives is a shoegase
song.
And then, you know, then Imoved up to Philly and my friend
was listening to my songs, andhe was like, I can't wait for
(14:55):
the noisy country record becauseyou so clearly have like all
this country influence.
And I think that was living inTennessee, but it was also like
growing up, I grew up inMaryland, and my my parents
listened to country music allthe time and danced to it.
And I feel like that's likealso like Shania Twain and
Carrie Underwood are like who Ilistened to growing up.
So I don't know.
(15:16):
I think that there is this sortof it feels like each song is
maybe this is dramatic, but itdoes feel like each song is
doing drag a little bit.
Each song is sort of trying onthese different like affects and
and and yeah, really specificvisual worlds.
(15:37):
Like I at this point, I've donemusic videos for so many of the
songs.
colleyc (15:42):
Some of them are out there too.
Sara Mae (15:43):
Like Yeah.
No, it's there's a there's abig range.
colleyc (15:47):
Yeah, totally.
But you get that sense of Idon't want to say over the top,
but I want to say like you'llnever see a video like this, you
know, like it's so original andso unique.
Thank you.
And it it kind of brings me tolike when you're when you're
(16:07):
looking to put a put a bunch ofsongs together, how do you like
what's that collaborativeprocess?
Because I mean, I'm looking onjust your band camp where I can
see uh all these amazing peoplethat are that support.
And I guess it comes back tothat community that other people
see this and want to beinvolved in it.
(16:29):
Even though we kind of live ina time where it seems like it's
under attack all the time.
Yeah, there it's that's notreality.
Reality is people are welcomingand and uh community is
important to all people,regardless.
How do you how do you welcomethose people in that helped you
with this record?
(16:49):
Like, how did that communitycome to be that helped create
this great record that and thedeluxe it's coming out in
October?
Sara Mae (17:00):
Yeah, I'm so glad you asked that question.
I feel like I was just lookingat the credits because my my
partner's a graphic designer, sohe was like making all the
cassette tape designs.
And the credits list is solong, it's just like I'm so
lucky that there's so manypeople that believed enough in
this project to be a part of it.
(17:21):
But so, so for the main, likethe original record, my
guitarist and dear friend JoshSorrell, who is like helped
write so many of these songs, hewas friends with uh Jacob
Lauder of Slow and Steady, whichI think that project is, I
think he he is like finishing upthat project and he's gonna
(17:42):
maybe start a new era, which isvery exciting.
But they knew each other fromprevious like music scene stuff
in Greenville, South Carolina.
And I just was really luckythat I feel like they kind of
taught me how to be a musician.
Like I really didn't know whatI was doing.
And that's like that's no shadeto me.
(18:05):
That's just like the reality oflike I hadn't really been a
part of a scene like thatbefore.
And I feel like I learned fromthem a lot of the like etiquette
of just like musicians are likeindependent musicians are the
most generous people in theentire world.
And like, you know, there waslike this a really steep
learning curve for me.
And also, like, I met Jacob, Ithink once before we stayed in
(18:29):
his house for a week and a halfand like recorded this record,
which is insane.
And like, and then theguitarist that we were gonna
have go on tour with us droppedout after we finished recording.
And like he had like an injury.
It was like it was so it wassuch a bummer.
But Jacob stepped up the daybefore we left for like a
(18:49):
week-long tour and was down todo it.
And and I should say too, like,my really good friend Ash Baker
was a big part of the recordingprocess.
Like he did so much on thatrecord, and he also was someone
who was really encouraging andand gave me confidence during
that process.
And I don't even know.
(19:11):
It's just like I feel like theywere family in the truest
sense.
Like there were some reallyhard moments.
I had a lot of self-doubtduring that entire process,
especially not knowing a lot ofthe technical things.
Like, I think I left thatprocess understanding that I
wanted to double down on likelearning about music theory and
just learning how to be.
(19:32):
I always say, like, I want tobe better friends with my
instruments.
Like, I wanted to get better atguitar, I wanted to get better
at piano.
I still really want to learnfiddle, but we'll see.
colleyc (19:42):
Interesting instrument.
It's fun.
Sara Mae (19:44):
It's really cool.
And I mean, like, there'snothing like being at a bar in
Knoxville, and there's this oneperson, Evie, who will like show
up at at like music night, andinevitably she'll know like the
person performing and she'll hopup on stage and just like by
ear, just start playing.
She's incredible.
colleyc (20:03):
I envy those people that it's so cool.
You know, they hear a song andthey'll just start playing right
along to it at the same time.
Wait a minute.
Sara Mae (20:13):
No, it's amazing.
colleyc (20:14):
Where are the chords?
Where are the they just uh it'sso cool.
Um I think that what you'resaying though about this with
commun like you build acommunity around your music to
help support your music and tolearn more about your music.
And now you're able to takethat community and share it with
the greater community.
Sara Mae (20:36):
Yeah.
colleyc (20:36):
I find that that is just like it's a very powerful
basically.
I I guess my thesis is bandsare communities, right?
And yeah, and when the banddoesn't exist anymore, then
there's no community anymore,right?
It's not like it transfers overto something else.
And when you when you kind oflike think about the next, you
(20:58):
know, the next step.
So you have this deluxe comingout.
Sara Mae (21:01):
Yes.
colleyc (21:02):
What what Sarah's the next?
Like where like you have thisamazing, it sounds like a really
tight community that'ssupporting you and encouraging.
And is that daunting in a way?
Or are you like, I love this?
Now we're gonna get going.
Like you thought that first LPwas something weight.
(21:24):
Like, where are you at?
So it's only what you can.
I don't want to reveal anysecrets that you have to oh, I
appreciate it, you know, justrelease-wise and stuff like
that.
But I'd love to where does thisgo?
Sara Mae (21:38):
Yeah, I mean, I think even a month ago, I might have
said it was really daunting.
I think like I have workedreally hard in the last month
through shows I played, throughclasses I've been taking, and
just like my general routinearound songwriting.
I I'm able to better see all ofthe blessings in my life.
(22:03):
Like, I think that there havebeen a lot of moments,
especially in the move to Phillyand like losing that that music
community in Tennessee and inGreenville.
Like, I yeah, I've had a lot ofself-doubt.
And I think that the new recordis gonna be called Goodnight
Hot Clown.
And I have been taking clownclasses while here in Philly.
(22:23):
There's a funny thing aboutPhilly is that we have
shockingly a vibrant clownscene.
So I've been taking all theseclown classes, and I have spent
the year like kind of meditatingon embarrassment and its role
in my life.
And I feel like this year I'vereally strengthened a lot of my
(22:46):
friendships with musicians herein Philly.
And I've been really lucky,like I've had to sub people in
and out for different showsbased on like availability, and
and I've also I've started tosort of figure out like who my
main collaborators are, and myreally good friend Daniel Sohn
and Nate Kim, I think are gonnakind of be with me for like
(23:06):
writing this next record.
But you know, we've beentalking a lot about like what
does clown look like in music,and not just in the like you go
on stage and you powder yourface kind of way, but like what
is it, what would it mean tobring like a clown sensibility
to songwriting?
colleyc (23:26):
I mean, I guess defining what clown is, right?
Like, what is that to us,right?
Sara Mae (23:30):
Like absolutely, and and I I think it's like just
this like bursting feeling.
Like it's like this part of youthat you're not censoring, that
you know, the I've been toldlike the clown elders say that
clown is who you would be iflike you were never told like
(23:51):
that's wrong, that'sembarrassing, that's bad.
And so I think like givingmyself moments to like feel the
full scope of feeling in a song.
I think there have been momentsin the past where in my
writing, what I'm trying to dois sort of polish a feeling and
like bring it to the reader orto the listener in a way that is
(24:12):
digestible.
And I feel like Hot Clown, it'slike I'm writing less
one-to-one, like confessionalstory, but I think I'm bringing
a certain bursting feeling, andI'm like putting it into this
like framework of clown.
So I think like it's beenreally fun to write lyrics for
(24:35):
this.
And it's been really fun to tryout different things in music.
And I think like having likeidiosyncratic songwriting is
like I'm I'm just feeling soexcited about the possibilities.
And I think working withDaniel, especially, who has like
Daniel and Nate just have theirmusic brains are absurd and off
(24:58):
the charts, and I think gettingto really try a lot of like
non-traditional approaches torecording, I think is gonna be
really fun.
So I think like letting myselfbe in a place of wonder about
writing again, I think is gonnabe really great.
colleyc (25:18):
And I like too that idea of a different perspective,
too.
Like, are you saying likelooking through the lens of what
we're defining a clown to be?
Like, are you approaching thesongs in that way?
Like that like they're playful,comical, light, uh surprising.
(25:39):
Like you want that aesthetic ofto embed itself with the song.
Sara Mae (25:44):
Totally.
Like, I think maybe a helpfulway of thinking about it is you
know how improv people are yesand.
colleyc (25:51):
Yeah.
Sara Mae (25:52):
I think clown is like it's like the thought that you
say out loud that you're like,oh, I wish I could take that
back.
It's like kind of I don't wantto say it's like first thought,
best thought exactly.
Like that's not how I'm writingthe lyrics, but I think it is
sort of that it's like thatwhat's going through your head
(26:13):
when you're trying to stopyourself from crying, where
you're like, the like when youfeel like the weight behind your
eyes and you're like, oh mygosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh.
It's like, how am I able totalk about the things in my life
that make me feel that way?
And how am I able to be honestin that?
And I think also one thing Ilove about Clown is that it's
(26:36):
about being in on the joke withthe audience.
And I feel like so much of mywriting in the past has been I'm
suspicious of my audience.
I, you know, all this stuffabout like the male gaze and and
like being like, I feel like Idon't know, Mitski is someone
who talks a lot about like beinga product for the audience.
Like I hate what she says,like, I hate when people like
take videos of me while I'mperforming, whatever.
(26:57):
But I think clown is this morelike generous and like almost
like an intimacy with anaudience where you're you're in
it together.
And so it's like, how do Iinvite the audience in in this
like generous and trusting way,and also allow myself to be
honest in that place and not tryand polish and manufacture and
(27:20):
and whatever else?
colleyc (27:21):
I love it.
I can't wait.
Thank you.
That'd be so cool.
So the the deluxe comes out,the secret ingredient is even
more meat coming out this month.
Yep.
What what is the differencebetween like what's the deluxe?
Can you kind of like where doesthe deluxe fit in in this
record?
Sara Mae (27:42):
Yeah, absolutely.
There's so much about it thatI'm really excited about.
So the new track Nightshadejust dropped, and it was like, I
think in the same burst ofsongwriting that the rest of the
record was written in.
It just like like just missedthe window for recording.
So I'm really glad it ended upmaking it on the record.
We reimagined Tony Soprano.
(28:03):
The original is super intimateand internal.
And this one is a lot, it's alot bigger, and it feels a lot
more like a communal experienceof grief.
And the new neckline is thislike it to me, it's like me
reaching towards Chapel Roanbecause the original neckline
was really intimate.
And there was a performance Idid with my friend Josh where he
(28:26):
played, they had there was likea standing piano at the venue,
and it was like just me and him.
And I feel like that's kind ofhow we based the production for
that song.
But this neckline is like,yeah, poppy and exciting, and
it's sort of my like pink ponyclub, like same chords the
entire song.
So, and then we've got theselike live tracks, and and I
(28:47):
think that was really coolbecause that's the live band
I've been playing with inPhilly.
So I think it's also showinglike the life of this record all
the way through.
And so that it then it alsoincludes the very first single
before the record even came out,like the original version of
Morricone, which was like yeah,more like country spaghetti
(29:07):
western.
And I think like the newerversion of Moricone that came
out on the full-length record islike a true indie rock song
that was like kind of thebrainchild of of the producer
Jacob.
It's really cool.
colleyc (29:18):
Yeah.
Great record.
I haven't heard the the Luxtracks, but I've been listening
to like I mentioned before.
Just such a great, greatrecord.
Sara Mae (29:29):
Thank you so much.
colleyc (29:30):
What happens with this into 2026?
So it drops.
Do you head out on the road atall, or do you have a launch
show, or is there anything youcan tell uh the listeners as to
what's coming down?
Sara Mae (29:43):
Yeah, we're gonna do a bunch of shows in November.
So I think we're gonna do aspecial release show at
Lingerette.
We really wanted to dosomething at a record store so
that it makes the cassettes feelkind of special.
So that'll be at Lingerette,which is just a Loved records
right here in Port Richmond onNovember 9th.
(30:03):
I think we're also gonna beplaying Philamoca on November
5th for the Philadelphia TenantsUnion.
So it's gonna be kind of twodifferent like flavors of the
songs because one's gonna be amuch more intimate show.
I think a bunch of friends aregonna come and sing Tony with
us.
And then after that, there is athere's a tour I'm planning
(30:27):
with a couple of friends thatmight be deeper into the winter.
We're gonna all, it's three ofus, and we're gonna play in each
other's projects and go on theroad as like three bands.
So I think that'll be probablytouring through the south.
colleyc (30:41):
So yeah.
So there's a lot coming fromthe noisy down the road.
Lots of more collaboration.
A new interesting record isslowly coming into the lots of
exciting things coming down theroad.
I'm excited for you.
Sara Mae (31:03):
Thank you.
It feels like an exciting time.
colleyc (31:06):
Yeah, absolutely.
Absolutely.
I'm really happy you put thisrecord out.
I'm even happier there's adeluxe.
This has been so fun talkingwith you.
I really appreciate it.
Sara Mae (31:16):
Thank you so much for having me.
I really appreciate it.
colleyc (31:19):
Yeah, it's been such a I mean you're you're very
insightful and I love yourwords.
Like you take time to thinkabout what you want to say.
Sara Mae (31:30):
Thank you, thank you.
colleyc (31:35):
The record dropping.
Check it out, check it out.
If you see the noisy show, goand watch it and buy it.
The t-shirt or cassettesupport.
Sara Mae (31:49):
Thank you, Chris.
It's been so fun.
colleyc (31:53):
Like a folded atlas, you said you were looking at the
audience.
Back to be colour road maps,car windows opening.
(32:24):
It touched your shoulder, andyou reached back for me.
Was the air between us hungry?
Or was it only me?
You tell me not to cheat yourhand on my knee you tell me not
(33:01):
to check your hand on my kneethat I used there's certain
kinds of restraint Space BravitySparnit got carried away in my
(33:29):
blue dress.
You started practicing distancebetween my legs, we bend now is
practicing quiet my hips to thehighway.
In calling it space, restraint,remember the pulsing moon over
(34:19):
the rough pumples.
How you went up ahead?
Where the dead fields werequiet.
We were meadow walking, thetrees were reaching out, the
(34:47):
grass was sleep breathing,everything felt like crying.
Here we are, people.
FB Your Will podcast, seasonsix.
Can you believe it?
Six.
What started out as a crazy ideahas now evolved into 150
episodes.
It's nuts.
Sara Mae (00:37):
Congratulations.
colleyc (00:39):
Thank you, Sarah.
And I'm gonna bring uh my guestsright in.
I have Sara Mae Henke Heke,From The Noisy.
And they're such a great band.
I mean starting off, newrecord, the Lux coming out in
October.
And check the name of this guy.
So I'm gonna say it because Ilove it.
(00:59):
The secret ingredient is evenmore meat.
Coming October 24th, 2022,2023.
Sarah, this is a pleasurehaving you on here.
I've so enjoyed the versionthat was put out last year.
Let me get the date right,which came out in May of 2024,
(01:20):
where the even is not there.
So it was just the secretingredient is more.
And Sarah, I've really enjoyedthis deep dive on you because
you are a quite a fascinating uhindividual.
Sara Mae (01:34):
Thank you.
I appreciate that.
colleyc (01:36):
Has lots of creativity and inspiration, I think, that
you can inspire a lot of us andshare in that creativity.
I'd like to start these offwith a little look back in time.
I know that you're a poet.
I know that poetry was alwaysvery important in your life as
you grew up.
How did that evolve into youeventually seeking out a
(02:00):
master's in creative writing asa poet?
Like how how did that journeyhappen for you?
Sara Mae (02:07):
Absolutely.
Also, it's so great to be here.
So good to talk with you.
colleyc (02:12):
Yeah, I'm looking forward to it.
Sara Mae (02:13):
So I me too, me too.
So let's see.
I started doing poetry inundergrad.
And when I was growing up, Iwanted to be, you know, the next
great American novelist.
And then I got to college and Istarted to understand that
poetry could be like acompletely different thing from,
you know, if you're not someonewho's really interested in
(02:35):
poetry, you might think it'slike the Shakespeare's, it's the
Emily Dickinsons.
And of course, they'rewonderful, but I didn't know it
could be so present and sorelated to our lives right now.
And so I think like the urgencyof that really appealed to me.
So I came up in these slampoetry circles in undergrad.
I got really invested in thepoetry scene, in community
(02:57):
organizing around poetry.
And I, you know, I had to movea bunch of times.
So I finished undergrad.
I was in Western Mass.
I was in Minneapolis, and Icame back to Baltimore, and then
the pandemic hit.
And it was during that timethat I kind of came back to
poetry and like my writingpractice.
(03:19):
And it felt like grad schoolwas sort of this like North
Star.
And maybe even more than likegrad school, it was just, you
know, I really wanted acommunity of writers again,
having moved so much.
And it was just like it wasgetting up every day and writing
is like the closest thing Ihave to a spiritual practice.
And it was the thing I had thatwas like hopeful in that period
(03:44):
of my life.
Like writing something new feltgenerative in a time that like
nothing really felt new.
It felt pretty like flat andand isolated.
So it was like my routine thatI did for a while.
And then I got into grad schoollike just after the vaccine
started rolling out.
And so it was like thisexciting period of time.
(04:05):
And yeah, I mean, Tennessee iswhere I went to grad school.
I went to UT Knoxville, andit's sort of where I fell into
the music scene.
And I was really welcomed in.
And before I had a chance todecide if I believed in myself,
a bunch of amazing people likeencouraged me to do music in a
(04:26):
serious way.
So that's that's where we arenow.
colleyc (04:29):
That's pretty cool.
Sara Mae (04:30):
Yeah.
colleyc (04:31):
Lots of traveling, so like that's an exhausting
process, just that in anditself.
Um so uh is it fair to say thatthe poetry informed your music?
Like that's where uh thecreativity uh seed started in in
this in this writing, in thisroutine kind of ritualistic
(04:52):
writing of I'm very curiousabout that.
Like what what's your routinewhen you write?
Like if if it's just poetryspeaking, like you get up, you
what do you absolutely.
Sara Mae (05:05):
So for poetry, I feel like I'm only now finding my
writing routine with withsongwriting, but for poetry,
I'll get up before my partner.
I'll sit at when I was inKnoxville, I had this tiny,
tiny, tiny kitchen, and we hadwhat we called like our easy
bake up, and it was just sosmall.
But I would sit at the tinykitchen counter and I would look
(05:27):
out the window and I wouldlight a candle, I would read a
bunch of poetry, maybe it's anew book I'd picked up, or maybe
I'd look at some like literaryjournals I really liked, and I
would just sort of like get intothat mode of thinking.
And I like ideally like havenot looked at my phone yet, you
(05:48):
know.
It's like before the world canget to me, and I'm still kind of
coming out of my like dreamstate.
Yeah, I like that's when I wantto get to the page.
unknown (05:57):
Yeah.
colleyc (05:58):
Dreams like help to inform some of the things that
end up on paper.
Sara Mae (06:02):
I think so.
Like sometimes if I dream abouta certain thing, I'll try and
investigate that on the page.
I'm not so like, I feel likethere are some really amazing
writers who I love.
Like Jess Rizcala is like thisincredible poet.
She's the reason I writepoetry.
Like, she was one of the firstpeople who was like, you should
write a slam poem.
But she writes a lot aboutdreams.
(06:24):
And I feel like her the way shetranslates her dreams into
poetry is it's not so like, Idon't know, like didactic.
Like it's not just likeone-to-one.
Like, I feel like she is ableto write about dreams and bring
like the poetic voice into it inthis really exciting way.
But yeah.
colleyc (06:41):
Yeah.
And then where does thisintersection between music?
Like, when did music walk inthe door with with you doing,
you know, the poetry and theslams and like in walks music.
Sara Mae (06:54):
In walks music.
I mean, so I've been singingforever.
I used to sing with my sister alot and with my mom in the car.
And, you know, first time I gota solo, it was a four-line solo
in a play about Earth Day infourth grade, and it was this
(07:16):
big deal.
And I, you know, in highschool, I did some, like we had
like a jukebox show is like kindof my shorthand for it.
It was just like 20 songs or 40songs that are 20 years old or
older.
And so I did that through highschool.
But I I just like didn't haveand I I mean I played ukulele
(07:38):
and guitar in high school, but Ijust like didn't have any
confidence about it, slash likemaybe like I should, maybe I
should say I didn't have anyambitions about it.
unknown (07:46):
Right.
Sara Mae (07:47):
Like it was, I loved singing, and I knew that singing
is like something that wasspecial about me, but like I
maybe just didn't know what todo with it yet.
So I started really writingsongs.
When I was in undergrad, I wastaking guitar lessons with my
friend Jonathan.
And I feel like we started, Ilike got so bored with the
(08:08):
theory, and I feel like we justended up being like, this is
more time where we write songstogether.
So we were doing that a littlebit.
And then my friend Danny fromBoston, like we met when we were
both in school at EmersonCollege.
He was just so encouraging ofme, and he was like, You just
have this really great voice.
Like, I really think you shouldtry and write some songs.
(08:29):
You're a writer, like, we cando this.
He like, only in hindsight didI really appreciate, like, he
produced and recorded the secondEP, which is called Day Night
Dress, or is it called no, it'scharm bracelet.
Charm bracelet, that's sofunny.
It's that's the one, and hejust did so much for me in that
(08:50):
process.
And that came out by the time Ihad moved to Knoxville.
And it was around that timethat my friend Josh in grad
school was like, You have agreat voice, we should play
music together.
And so it really is like likepeople sought me out and
encouraged me in a way that likeI'm really lucky for because I
think if if no one had told methat this was meaningful, I
(09:12):
might not have had thewherewithal to do it.
So sorry, to answer your craftquestion, I think that I was
writing songs.
Poetry, I think I got so up inmy head about during grad
school.
And I think like this recordespecially, I was writing it
when I needed to get away frompoetry, when I needed to like
(09:35):
get out of the loops in my brainbecause I didn't know enough
yet.
And so it was all reallyintuitive.
And I mean, I feel like I goback and I look at the songs,
and there's like a lot ofsimilar structures from song to
song, and you know, I pick twochords and I play them back and
forth, and then like that's thesong, which is absolutely it
works out great.
Like you can yeah, you can havethis like so many talented
(09:57):
musicians around you who add tothat, and we can make like
interesting production choicestogether that like make the
songs more and more special.
And I think, yeah, now I feellike I'm working on the second
record, and I I'm starting tolearn a little bit more about
theory, and I've taken a coupleyears of piano, and I just feel
(10:19):
like I have this really, I feela lot more like empowered in
songwriting.
I have this like really strongfoundation, I think.
I'm it's starting tocrystallize and and sort of this
like central concept, which I'msure we can talk about, but
that's been really nice.
And I think now when I sit downto write a song, it's like just
give me like a few hours andI'll just play things over and
over and over again and and singas I go and like kind of see
(10:41):
what comes up for me.
colleyc (10:42):
Right, right.
And I think too, like I likewhat you're saying about like
where the poetry would get toomuch, and like music is that
kind of that release.
Yes.
And I feel that in the record.
I feel like it's it's light andtwangy at times, and yeah,
poppy at others, and you know,it just has this great feel to
(11:06):
it without being toodramatically like you know,
shifting from like jazz toambient.
Sure, sure.
It definitely plays around withstyles and and different kinds
of cultures as well.
And I was reading too as I waspreparing for this that
integrating your music into yourculture was something that was
(11:26):
important to you, obviously.
Can you kind of uh tell usabout that that crossroad of
when like from the queercommunity starting to like
embrace more of the music thatwas coming from that community?
And from what I read, you werea real you're a real troubadour
in that area where you reallywant the awareness to be there,
(11:49):
you know, and that it's not justan indie pot, you know, or it's
not just alternative, it's ouridentity, and you're trying to
like solidify that.
How do you go about doing thatso that awareness is out there
and that you're also like I meanyou're breaking walls down, I
(12:10):
find, which is super brave.
Where do you kind of find thatcrossroads and how do you how do
you embrace your community andbring it into others?
Sara Mae (12:22):
Thank you so much.
That's so sweet.
I think you know, I guess Ithink about community organizing
a lot with this, like therewere so many gay people around
me in Tennessee, which was solike lucky for me because I
(12:45):
think I was watching there's ofcourse like a southern culture
of like warmth and hospitalitythat is true and I think like
informed the way like the musicscene was there.
But then there's also this likeextra closeness of like gay
people in the South bandingtogether.
And so I think that's partiallywhy I don't know, I feel like
(13:09):
there are maybe moments when Iwas younger where I was like,
this isn't the most importantthing about me.
And I don't want to say it'slike it is the most important
thing about me now, but I thinkit's like it's worth
celebrating, you know?
And I mean, I like it was socrazy.
I had this moment the otherday, just as a quick side
tangent, where I was playingPorch Fest on my partner's
(13:30):
parents' porch, and there was ateenager, like a trans teen
there who had, I guess, seen ashow of mine last year, and they
came up to me afterwards andthey were like, Your music means
so much to me.
Like, this is so amazing.
And I'm like, that's likebeyond my wildest dreams.
Like, that is like what I wouldreally hope is like if this is
(13:52):
touching even this single childin this way, like they were just
saying, like, it's been such ahard year to be a trans person
and like your music, I listen toyour music when things are
hard.
So I'm like, I have wanted itto be this like life-affirming
thing.
And I just to kind of go back alittle bit to your question, I
(14:13):
think also like the recordwouldn't sound the way it does
without Chapel Roan.
And like, I feel like shereally like set up this.
Every song has its own specificuniverse.
And so, like, I think therecord is cohesive in that it
all has these kind of weirdproduction choices.
But like, yeah, each song istouching on a really different
(14:33):
genre.
Like, we were really thinkingabout Mannequin Pussy when we
were figuring out production fortwos.
We were thinking about LucyDakis for Grenadine, we were
thinking about, I mean, like, AGlass of Olives is a shoegase
song.
And then, you know, then Imoved up to Philly and my friend
was listening to my songs, andhe was like, I can't wait for
(14:55):
the noisy country record becauseyou so clearly have like all
this country influence.
And I think that was living inTennessee, but it was also like
growing up, I grew up inMaryland, and my my parents
listened to country music allthe time and danced to it.
And I feel like that's likealso like Shania Twain and
Carrie Underwood are like who Ilistened to growing up.
So I don't know.
(15:16):
I think that there is this sortof it feels like each song is
maybe this is dramatic, but itdoes feel like each song is
doing drag a little bit.
Each song is sort of trying onthese different like affects and
and and yeah, really specificvisual worlds.
(15:37):
Like I at this point, I've donemusic videos for so many of the
songs.
colleyc (15:42):
Some of them are out there too.
Sara Mae (15:43):
Like Yeah.
No, it's there's a there's abig range.
colleyc (15:47):
Yeah, totally.
But you get that sense of Idon't want to say over the top,
but I want to say like you'llnever see a video like this, you
know, like it's so original andso unique.
Thank you.
And it it kind of brings me tolike when you're when you're
(16:07):
looking to put a put a bunch ofsongs together, how do you like
what's that collaborativeprocess?
Because I mean, I'm looking onjust your band camp where I can
see uh all these amazing peoplethat are that support.
And I guess it comes back tothat community that other people
see this and want to beinvolved in it.
(16:29):
Even though we kind of live ina time where it seems like it's
under attack all the time.
Yeah, there it's that's notreality.
Reality is people are welcomingand and uh community is
important to all people,regardless.
How do you how do you welcomethose people in that helped you
with this record?
(16:49):
Like, how did that communitycome to be that helped create
this great record that and thedeluxe it's coming out in
October?
Sara Mae (17:00):
Yeah, I'm so glad you asked that question.
I feel like I was just lookingat the credits because my my
partner's a graphic designer, sohe was like making all the
cassette tape designs.
And the credits list is solong, it's just like I'm so
lucky that there's so manypeople that believed enough in
this project to be a part of it.
(17:21):
But so, so for the main, likethe original record, my
guitarist and dear friend JoshSorrell, who is like helped
write so many of these songs, hewas friends with uh Jacob
Lauder of Slow and Steady, whichI think that project is, I
think he he is like finishing upthat project and he's gonna
(17:42):
maybe start a new era, which isvery exciting.
But they knew each other fromprevious like music scene stuff
in Greenville, South Carolina.
And I just was really luckythat I feel like they kind of
taught me how to be a musician.
Like I really didn't know whatI was doing.
And that's like that's no shadeto me.
(18:05):
That's just like the reality oflike I hadn't really been a
part of a scene like thatbefore.
And I feel like I learned fromthem a lot of the like etiquette
of just like musicians are likeindependent musicians are the
most generous people in theentire world.
And like, you know, there waslike this a really steep
learning curve for me.
And also, like, I met Jacob, Ithink once before we stayed in
(18:29):
his house for a week and a halfand like recorded this record,
which is insane.
And like, and then theguitarist that we were gonna
have go on tour with us droppedout after we finished recording.
And like he had like an injury.
It was like it was so it wassuch a bummer.
But Jacob stepped up the daybefore we left for like a
(18:49):
week-long tour and was down todo it.
And and I should say too, like,my really good friend Ash Baker
was a big part of the recordingprocess.
Like he did so much on thatrecord, and he also was someone
who was really encouraging andand gave me confidence during
that process.
And I don't even know.
(19:11):
It's just like I feel like theywere family in the truest
sense.
Like there were some reallyhard moments.
I had a lot of self-doubtduring that entire process,
especially not knowing a lot ofthe technical things.
Like, I think I left thatprocess understanding that I
wanted to double down on likelearning about music theory and
just learning how to be.
(19:32):
I always say, like, I want tobe better friends with my
instruments.
Like, I wanted to get better atguitar, I wanted to get better
at piano.
I still really want to learnfiddle, but we'll see.
colleyc (19:42):
Interesting instrument.
It's fun.
Sara Mae (19:44):
It's really cool.
And I mean, like, there'snothing like being at a bar in
Knoxville, and there's this oneperson, Evie, who will like show
up at at like music night, andinevitably she'll know like the
person performing and she'll hopup on stage and just like by
ear, just start playing.
She's incredible.
colleyc (20:03):
I envy those people that it's so cool.
You know, they hear a song andthey'll just start playing right
along to it at the same time.
Wait a minute.
Sara Mae (20:13):
No, it's amazing.
colleyc (20:14):
Where are the chords?
Where are the they just uh it'sso cool.
Um I think that what you'resaying though about this with
commun like you build acommunity around your music to
help support your music and tolearn more about your music.
And now you're able to takethat community and share it with
the greater community.
Sara Mae (20:36):
Yeah.
colleyc (20:36):
I find that that is just like it's a very powerful
basically.
I I guess my thesis is bandsare communities, right?
And yeah, and when the banddoesn't exist anymore, then
there's no community anymore,right?
It's not like it transfers overto something else.
And when you when you kind oflike think about the next, you
(20:58):
know, the next step.
So you have this deluxe comingout.
Sara Mae (21:01):
Yes.
colleyc (21:02):
What what Sarah's the next?
Like where like you have thisamazing, it sounds like a really
tight community that'ssupporting you and encouraging.
And is that daunting in a way?
Or are you like, I love this?
Now we're gonna get going.
Like you thought that first LPwas something weight.
(21:24):
Like, where are you at?
So it's only what you can.
I don't want to reveal anysecrets that you have to oh, I
appreciate it, you know, justrelease-wise and stuff like
that.
But I'd love to where does thisgo?
Sara Mae (21:38):
Yeah, I mean, I think even a month ago, I might have
said it was really daunting.
I think like I have workedreally hard in the last month
through shows I played, throughclasses I've been taking, and
just like my general routinearound songwriting.
I I'm able to better see all ofthe blessings in my life.
(22:03):
Like, I think that there havebeen a lot of moments,
especially in the move to Phillyand like losing that that music
community in Tennessee and inGreenville.
Like, I yeah, I've had a lot ofself-doubt.
And I think that the new recordis gonna be called Goodnight
Hot Clown.
And I have been taking clownclasses while here in Philly.
(22:23):
There's a funny thing aboutPhilly is that we have
shockingly a vibrant clownscene.
So I've been taking all theseclown classes, and I have spent
the year like kind of meditatingon embarrassment and its role
in my life.
And I feel like this year I'vereally strengthened a lot of my
(22:46):
friendships with musicians herein Philly.
And I've been really lucky,like I've had to sub people in
and out for different showsbased on like availability, and
and I've also I've started tosort of figure out like who my
main collaborators are, and myreally good friend Daniel Sohn
and Nate Kim, I think are gonnakind of be with me for like
(23:06):
writing this next record.
But you know, we've beentalking a lot about like what
does clown look like in music,and not just in the like you go
on stage and you powder yourface kind of way, but like what
is it, what would it mean tobring like a clown sensibility
to songwriting?
colleyc (23:26):
I mean, I guess defining what clown is, right?
Like, what is that to us,right?
Sara Mae (23:30):
Like absolutely, and and I I think it's like just
this like bursting feeling.
Like it's like this part of youthat you're not censoring, that
you know, the I've been toldlike the clown elders say that
clown is who you would be iflike you were never told like
(23:51):
that's wrong, that'sembarrassing, that's bad.
And so I think like givingmyself moments to like feel the
full scope of feeling in a song.
I think there have been momentsin the past where in my
writing, what I'm trying to dois sort of polish a feeling and
like bring it to the reader orto the listener in a way that is
(24:12):
digestible.
And I feel like Hot Clown, it'slike I'm writing less
one-to-one, like confessionalstory, but I think I'm bringing
a certain bursting feeling, andI'm like putting it into this
like framework of clown.
So I think like it's beenreally fun to write lyrics for
(24:35):
this.
And it's been really fun to tryout different things in music.
And I think like having likeidiosyncratic songwriting is
like I'm I'm just feeling soexcited about the possibilities.
And I think working withDaniel, especially, who has like
Daniel and Nate just have theirmusic brains are absurd and off
(24:58):
the charts, and I think gettingto really try a lot of like
non-traditional approaches torecording, I think is gonna be
really fun.
So I think like letting myselfbe in a place of wonder about
writing again, I think is gonnabe really great.
colleyc (25:18):
And I like too that idea of a different perspective,
too.
Like, are you saying likelooking through the lens of what
we're defining a clown to be?
Like, are you approaching thesongs in that way?
Like that like they're playful,comical, light, uh surprising.
(25:39):
Like you want that aesthetic ofto embed itself with the song.
Sara Mae (25:44):
Totally.
Like, I think maybe a helpfulway of thinking about it is you
know how improv people are yesand.
colleyc (25:51):
Yeah.
Sara Mae (25:52):
I think clown is like it's like the thought that you
say out loud that you're like,oh, I wish I could take that
back.
It's like kind of I don't wantto say it's like first thought,
best thought exactly.
Like that's not how I'm writingthe lyrics, but I think it is
sort of that it's like thatwhat's going through your head
(26:13):
when you're trying to stopyourself from crying, where
you're like, the like when youfeel like the weight behind your
eyes and you're like, oh mygosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh.
It's like, how am I able totalk about the things in my life
that make me feel that way?
And how am I able to be honestin that?
And I think also one thing Ilove about Clown is that it's
(26:36):
about being in on the joke withthe audience.
And I feel like so much of mywriting in the past has been I'm
suspicious of my audience.
I, you know, all this stuffabout like the male gaze and and
like being like, I feel like Idon't know, Mitski is someone
who talks a lot about like beinga product for the audience.
Like I hate what she says,like, I hate when people like
take videos of me while I'mperforming, whatever.
(26:57):
But I think clown is this morelike generous and like almost
like an intimacy with anaudience where you're you're in
it together.
And so it's like, how do Iinvite the audience in in this
like generous and trusting way,and also allow myself to be
honest in that place and not tryand polish and manufacture and
(27:20):
and whatever else?
colleyc (27:21):
I love it.
I can't wait.
Thank you.
That'd be so cool.
So the the deluxe comes out,the secret ingredient is even
more meat coming out this month.
Yep.
What what is the differencebetween like what's the deluxe?
Can you kind of like where doesthe deluxe fit in in this
record?
Sara Mae (27:42):
Yeah, absolutely.
There's so much about it thatI'm really excited about.
So the new track Nightshadejust dropped, and it was like, I
think in the same burst ofsongwriting that the rest of the
record was written in.
It just like like just missedthe window for recording.
So I'm really glad it ended upmaking it on the record.
We reimagined Tony Soprano.
(28:03):
The original is super intimateand internal.
And this one is a lot, it's alot bigger, and it feels a lot
more like a communal experienceof grief.
And the new neckline is thislike it to me, it's like me
reaching towards Chapel Roanbecause the original neckline
was really intimate.
And there was a performance Idid with my friend Josh where he
(28:26):
played, they had there was likea standing piano at the venue,
and it was like just me and him.
And I feel like that's kind ofhow we based the production for
that song.
But this neckline is like,yeah, poppy and exciting, and
it's sort of my like pink ponyclub, like same chords the
entire song.
So, and then we've got theselike live tracks, and and I
(28:47):
think that was really coolbecause that's the live band
I've been playing with inPhilly.
So I think it's also showinglike the life of this record all
the way through.
And so that it then it alsoincludes the very first single
before the record even came out,like the original version of
Morricone, which was like yeah,more like country spaghetti
(29:07):
western.
And I think like the newerversion of Moricone that came
out on the full-length record islike a true indie rock song
that was like kind of thebrainchild of of the producer
Jacob.
It's really cool.
colleyc (29:18):
Yeah.
Great record.
I haven't heard the the Luxtracks, but I've been listening
to like I mentioned before.
Just such a great, greatrecord.
Sara Mae (29:29):
Thank you so much.
colleyc (29:30):
What happens with this into 2026?
So it drops.
Do you head out on the road atall, or do you have a launch
show, or is there anything youcan tell uh the listeners as to
what's coming down?
Sara Mae (29:43):
Yeah, we're gonna do a bunch of shows in November.
So I think we're gonna do aspecial release show at
Lingerette.
We really wanted to dosomething at a record store so
that it makes the cassettes feelkind of special.
So that'll be at Lingerette,which is just a Loved records
right here in Port Richmond onNovember 9th.
(30:03):
I think we're also gonna beplaying Philamoca on November
5th for the Philadelphia TenantsUnion.
So it's gonna be kind of twodifferent like flavors of the
songs because one's gonna be amuch more intimate show.
I think a bunch of friends aregonna come and sing Tony with
us.
And then after that, there is athere's a tour I'm planning
(30:27):
with a couple of friends thatmight be deeper into the winter.
We're gonna all, it's three ofus, and we're gonna play in each
other's projects and go on theroad as like three bands.
So I think that'll be probablytouring through the south.
colleyc (30:41):
So yeah.
So there's a lot coming fromthe noisy down the road.
Lots of more collaboration.
A new interesting record isslowly coming into the lots of
exciting things coming down theroad.
I'm excited for you.
Sara Mae (31:03):
Thank you.
It feels like an exciting time.
colleyc (31:06):
Yeah, absolutely.
Absolutely.
I'm really happy you put thisrecord out.
I'm even happier there's adeluxe.
This has been so fun talkingwith you.
I really appreciate it.
Sara Mae (31:16):
Thank you so much for having me.
I really appreciate it.
colleyc (31:19):
Yeah, it's been such a I mean you're you're very
insightful and I love yourwords.
Like you take time to thinkabout what you want to say.
Sara Mae (31:30):
Thank you, thank you.
colleyc (31:35):
The record dropping.
Check it out, check it out.
If you see the noisy show, goand watch it and buy it.
The t-shirt or cassettesupport.
Sara Mae (31:49):
Thank you, Chris.
It's been so fun.
colleyc (31:53):
Like a folded atlas, you said you were looking at the
audience.
Back to be colour road maps,car windows opening.
(32:24):
It touched your shoulder, andyou reached back for me.
Was the air between us hungry?
Or was it only me?
You tell me not to cheat yourhand on my knee you tell me not
(33:01):
to check your hand on my kneethat I used there's certain
kinds of restraint Space BravitySparnit got carried away in my
(33:29):
blue dress.
You started practicing distancebetween my legs, we bend now is
practicing quiet my hips to thehighway.
In calling it space, restraint,remember the pulsing moon over
(34:19):
the rough pumples.
How you went up ahead?
Where the dead fields werequiet.
We were meadow walking, thetrees were reaching out, the
(34:47):
grass was sleep breathing,everything felt like crying.
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