Today
I have been given the opportunity to interview the organizer of one
of Portland, Oregon's finest upcoming Doom/Stoner Metal fest that is
STUMPFEST. A self proclaimed – 3 day festival of “fantastic
amalgam of music, bro love and art” -
that has some brilliant bands this year – YOB, Red Fang, Trans Am,
Lord Dying, Black Pussy, Diesto, NORSKA and Chron Goblin to name but
a few.
Who
is the person behind this awesome festival. It's today's guest –
Rynne Stump. I thought I would catch up with Rynne to get the full
lowdown on this awesome Stoner/Doom Festival and see what makes this
hugely talented lady tick as she is person of many talents.
So
lets get started...
Q1
– Hi, Rynne. Thanks for doing this interview. How are things with
you today.
Doing
pretty good, thank you! Thanks for interviewing me!
Q2
– Today's interview is mainly to talk about your brilliant festival
– STUMPFEST. Can you give our readers a brief history on how the
festival came about? What was the original idea behind it all?
I
was active in Portland's music scene when I moved there in the early
2000s. Music is my life and there I felt such a strong bond in the
musical community (that was no doubt in place well before I moved
there). It is still thriving and growing! Portland is vibrating with
life and creativity. So many talented artists and musicians in such a
small place doing what they love and it shows! The quality of music
there is second to none. People believe in their sound and craft it
honestly from their heart and souls. They believe in their sound and
with that is artistic integrity, which lends itself to musical
transcendence that we as observers and participants get to tap into.
When
I lived in Portland every night you could hear amazing bands and meet
amazing people! Those times are a huge part of my life still and I
love
doing a show to celebrate this love. To bring everyone together
again, new friends and old with a supercool vibe is also the main
idea. STUMPFEST is about music, art, love, community, brotherhood and
connection! Let's not forget FUN.
Q3
– How many STUMPFEST's have there been so far?
This
will be the third STUMPFEST! I can hardly believe it!
Q4
– It's primarily focused on the Doom/Stoner Metal scene from
Portland, Oregon over 3 action-packed days. Was that always the
intention to feature bands from Portland's vibrant Hard Rock Scene?
The
intention was to be able to see my friends and bands I love!
Especially the ones I do not usually get to see often down here in
LA.
LA
isn't really known for its heavy music scene, is it? Which is sad
that I have to drive to POMONA to see anything decent. One major
reason why I intend on doing a biannual STUMPFEST, one in Portland in
spring and one in LA in fall—all hinging on negotiations with a
proper venue of course.
This
year’s bill is unique to each night! That’s what is so cool about
it; it’s not just one set of styles. It’s a total amalgam of all
genres. I intend on keeping it this way, as I am a lover of all
music, as long as it’s good music.
Q5
– It seems you have a killer line-up this year. Did you choose all
the bands to perform yourself or do you have requests from family and
friends on who they would like to perform.
I
choose all of the bands, selfishly without question. I do ask the
bands how they feel, though—it’s important to me that everyone be
comfortable. I did receive quite a few requests this year, too, which
rules! 98% of the bands on the bills I know really well and/or have
worked with in some capacity in the past. There seems to be an
instant connection with the ones that I don't know all that well. No
band just gets added to the bill to fulfill space or whatever. There
is direct intention for every band to be there.
Q6
– When I interviewed Red Fang last month they told me the festival
is being held in a 300 capacity sized venue. WOW. That will be an
intense and intimate show. Especially with YOB who I have seen in a
similar environment in the UK.
Yes,
Mississippi Studios is a very intimate venue. They have been amazing
to us year after year. I enjoy the atmosphere and it provides for a
more communal gathering. Moreover, the quality of sound is KEY and
that place is amazing.
Q7
– Obviously a lot of hard work and planning is needed to plan this
sort of festival. How long did it take you to arrange this year's
festival?
I
usually start early November. I cast the net wide with my band
requests so that by the start of the new year I have a pretty good
idea of the structure of each night or however many nights are
needed. I have enlisted my amazing sister Sara in the process— she
keeps me organized and beyond. My dear friend Cat Jones from Southern
Cross PR has been a huge help this year with PR and press. Basically,
there is NO way I could do this without them at this point. My friend
Chantelle Hylton is a guiding light as well. She opened this door for
me years back and has always been a huge force in STUMPFEST.
Q8
– How has the audience and bands’ reactions been to the festival?
It’s
important to me that the audience feels included! They are the reason
we can continue doing this year after year. I feel like we've
accomplished that connectivity as the bro-love vibe gets more intense
each year! I try to keep costs low so that we can keep ticket prices
reasonable. I want everyone to be a part of this thing! After all,
its OUR community and we are building something new that isn't based
on contracts and B.S. its based on friendship and teamwork and
connection. “Real connection, not pretend,” to quote my band
leader Craig Elkins.
Q9
– How did you became involved with music overall? As I know you’re
active in other areas of the music industry.
Music
has always been my life! I started singing bluegrass with my father
when I was 3 with my sister Sara. He had an extensive vinyl
collection, too, and my house was filled with musicians all the time.
My parents would have a huge Labor Day music festival at our house
every year. I believe music is ingrained in my spirit from this.
When
I moved to Portland in early 2000s I hooked up with Chantelle Hylton,
who ran Blackbird Booking. She and I became close and she gave me odd
jobs at first, like running posters and random door gigs. Soon after
she moved to Berbati's Pan and asked me to become her assistant;
There I worked production and booked some gigs. I met a lot of
amazing people who are still dear friends! Chantelle is a huge reason
why I do Stumpfest. From there I met my boyfriend, Danny Carey. That
set me in a completely new direction and on a wild adventure! Now I
do an Internet radio show called the Children of Saturn Monday
nights, I am a printer, I also shoot underwater photography and some
band photography for TOOL amongst a flurry other things. Mainly I'm
with a man who lives and breathes music! I am immersed in it and we
see everything! I love jazz fusion now and a lot of music I was never
really exposed to before.
Q10
– Is music a big passion or part of your life? As you're involved
with The Children Of Saturn. How did that show come about?
The
Children Of Saturn began as an idea for a magazine, something I could
print and use to knit my friends together. Eventually I was offered a
radio show by Radio 23 in Portland. I used that as the medium
instead! It's been so fun to interview people like David Yow and Joe
Barrissi! Having dudes that have created some of my favorite
inspirational albums come on the show and play music that inspires
them is unreal. Also, to see that we are all connected by music is
the key and I LOVE to sit and play records.
Q11
– I am a huge fan of the Portland Doom/Stoner/Sludge Metal music
scene. There are too many too mention. What are your thoughts on the
music scene there as it's producing some killer bands?
As
far as I know Portland has been doing that since well before I moved
there in 2001. It’s just a magical place with people who believe in
their sound, how they sound and their artistic integrity.
Q12
– Which bands are you most looking forward in seeing at Stumpfest
this year? Or is this too hard of a question to answer?
it
is most definitely a difficult question because I chose all of them!
I’m excited to see bands I have not yet, like Ancient Warlocks,
Drunk Dad, Honduran and Life Coach with Jon Theodore of Queens Of The
Stone Age! However, bands like TRANS AM, RED FAND and YOB that are
just insanely talented, huge and awesome live in such an intimate
venue is rather tickling to me.
Q13
– I have checked out your excellent website, The Stump Factory.
WOW. You have some beautiful photographs on there. I know photography
is another passion of yours. How did you become involved with that as
you have taken some excellent pictures there?
Thank
you. Actually photography did not come to me as my idea. I started
scuba diving about five years ago with my best friend Camella Grace,
who is an incredible photographer. She urged me to do an underwater
photography course with her in Bonaire. One day I saw some squid and
starting shooting like mad and that was it. Now I’m hooked.
Q14
– When did you start your own musical journey? Which bands and
musicians do you currently listen to now? Any particular faves?
My
musical journey began at birth with my father. He forced his varied
taste in music on us! I listen to all of it. I love all music as long
as it's good. I totally love old progressive rock, I love good jazz
fusion and particularly good drummers!
Q15
- What things do you love most from the Sludge/Doom/Stoner Metal
scene?
I
love the humble supportive community most of all. I find that within
any community there are inevitable downsides, part of being a human I
suppose. However, I really feel the supportive nature of this scene
is one of its greatest strengths.
Q16
– If you could change anything within the Sludge/Doom/Stoner Metal
Scene. What would it be and the reasons why.
I
would like to aid in making Los Angeles a more metal/doom/stoner
friendly place for bands to play. I want to sort that out with a
biannual STUMPFEST, spring in Portland and fall in LA, thus giving
more bands opportunities to be heard live around here.
Q17
– If you could provide any advice on someone wanting to start their
own music festival. What would that be.
Assemble
your crew and care a lot about them. Be honest and don't be afraid to
bust your ass for bands because so much of this is making people
happy to play, happy to create an stoked to be there. Of course, it
helps to know the business a little and have a bunch of great friends
that contribute to that.
Q18
- We are massive Vinyl Heads here at Sludgelord. Do you have any cool
records in your collection?
I
have Neil Merryweather’s Space
Rangers that I am listening to
right now as we speak. It kicks major ass. I have the best colored
ISIS vinyl collection any girl could dream of and I have my coveted
TOOL Lateralus
picture disk with my name written in it and a special heart from my
D.C. in the wax. I also have a red wax copy of Aja
by Steely Dan, which is also in my top 10 bands of all time. There
are more but…I could be here forever.
Q19
– Obviously you're quite an expert at putting gigs and festivals
together. If you could put together your ultimate festival line up.
Which bands would you include? They can be from any time period.
Wait
a minute, I could be here all night…. I’m a huge Stones fan so I
would say the '72 version of the stones, Zeppelin, Zappa with Bozzio,
Gong, Magma, Sleep, Yob, Judas Priest with
Simon Phillips on drums, ISIS, The Euroboys, King Crimson with Adrian
Belew, Sir Lord Baltimore and FLOOR….that sounds good to me for
now. This was an entirely unfair question by the way.
Q20
– Well Rynne, Thanks for doing this interview. Best of luck with
the festival. Makes me wish I was in Portland for those 3 days. Can
you tell our readers what to expect from this year's festival?
A
fucking good time!
All
the Best Rynne. Best of luck. Keep up the excellent work. Thanks
to Cat Jones at Southern Cross PR for arranging this interview.
Written by Steve Howe
Written by Steve Howe
