Interview: Abby K + Single Review: “Rock The Rock”

Shannon Wilk – For my readers who don’t know you, can you introduce yourself?

Abby K – “Hi, my name is Abby K. I’m 17 years old. I’m a bassist and a vocalist from Charlotte, North Carolina. I have released 3 singles through the Orchard, a Sony subsidiary.”

Shannon – What was your first concert?

Abby K – “As much as I like to tell people my first concert was Kiss in 2014, it was actually to see Taylor Swift around 2012. I went with my sister and my parents and I sang Taylor Swift songs at the top of my lungs, but that is really before I got into rock music. I like to tell people my first concert was Kiss because that was the one I chose to go to.”

Shannon – The last time I interviewed you was almost one year ago. Can you talk about how you’ve changed since then?

Abby K – “The last interview we did was around August of 2019 and it was days before my first single was released. I was pretty unsure of myself and I didn’t know what I was doing. But since then I’ve learned a lot. I’ve grown a lot as a musician and as a person and I’m about to release my third single.”

Shannon – What has been your ‘go-to’ band to listen to during quarantine?

Abby K – “Oh that’s a good question. I’d have to say Halestorm because I get a lot of inspiration listening to Lzzy Hale and her extraordinary vocals, but also her writing and creative process are very similar to what I do. I think listening to Halestorm during these crazy times has been really helpful and kept me on track.”

Shannon – Today you released your latest single, “Rock The Rock”. Can you explain the story behind that song?

Abby K – “I wrote ‘Rock the Rock’ about 6 or 7 months ago after a couple events happened. Around Christmas time I was telling someone about my life and how I’m a musician and they told me it was just a phase and that I would become a doctor someday. That made me start thinking ‘how can I prove to them I’m serious about this?’ Then the top rock songs of the decade chart came out. I was shocked to see that there weren’t any real rock songs on there. Most of the songs flooding the rock charts are pop songs. While I do love these songs, they were very misplaced. I think the rock songs of the decade weren’t given the credit they deserved. I wrote ‘Rock The Rock’ to prove that rock ‘n roll isn’t dead and rock ‘n roll will never die.”

Shannon – How do you feel your sound has changed since the release of your debut single, “It Should Have Been Me”?

Abby K – “‘It Should Have Been Me’ was definitely not as rock ‘n roll as my music taste is. It was maybe 70% rock and 30% pop. While I do like to have melodies and choruses you can sing along to, I think that song was a little more on the pop side than what I am writing now. For example, ‘Rock The Rock’ is a full-on rock song. Of the three singles I’ve released, I think I’m getting more towards what I want my music to sound like.”

Shannon – What gear are you using these days?

Abby K – “Currently I’m using a Steve Harris Tech 21 fly rig. It’s super simple and easy to use and transport. I’m also using a Schecter Omen Extreme 5 bass. It’s the greatest bass I’ve ever played in my life. I love it so much. I’m recently endorsed by SpectraFlex cables because they work well and they are a great company to work with.”

Shannon – What inspires you to keep pushing forward in your career when you’re feeling defeated?

Abby K – “There are a few things I do to get my motivation back. I will say, during quarantine there have been a lot of ups and downs. It’s so different from what I’m used to. Some ways I try to move past that is I listen to my playlist with all my all-time favorite songs to motivate me to play bass. I also have a playlist with every song I know how to play on bass and honestly making that playlist was very amazing to see how much material I’ve learned over the past 4 years. The other thing which keeps me motivated is my friends. Shannon is one of them. During quarantine I’ve gotten in a really supportive friend-group of musicians from around the United States. That includes Diego (Vargas), Crispy (Borell), and Shannon (Wilk). We talk everyday and motivate each other.”

Shannon – What is your favorite instrument to play besides bass and vocals?

Abby K – “I really enjoy playing guitar. I just bought my first guitar. I’ve always had guitars but they’ve always been birthday presents and Christmas gifts. This is the first guitar I bought on my own and it is a Schecter Omen Extreme 6, so it plays very similar to my bass. I play it all day, everyday when I’m not playing my bass.”

Shannon – What is one band that is not together anymore that you would like to see live?

Abby K – “Motorhead or Black Sabbath or Rush.”

Shannon – What is coming up for Abby K in the future?

Abby K – “Honestly, the future is uncertain right now because of the times we are in. But hopefully 2021 will be a big year for me. I plan on going on a national tour and I plan to continue to release music. I will hopefully be working my way up to a full album. I know I’m about to start recording my next song to be released in October or November. All I know is I’m going to continue working on my social media and in the studio.”

Shannon – Anything else you’d like to include?

Abby K – “You can find me on all social media @abbykonbass and on my website www.abbykonbass.com.”