Photo courtesy of Tiffy
Given the current state of, well everything in the world, its really not surprising that brash cynicism would be trending. Too much doomscrolling and a general lack of faith in the powers that be isn’t exactly a great catalyst for hope. However, cynicism can be really, really funny.
This is the case with the long-awaited debut So Serious from Southern California raised and Boston baked tongue-and-cheek “soft-punk” artist Tiffy. On the album, Tiffany Sammy rifles through emotional baggage, coming-of-age traumas and assorted icky feelings with a bone dry bravura capable of commanding a music hall and a comedy club.
With their debut out now, we chatted with Sammy ahead of their upcoming Boston release show at Deep Cuts in Medford to discuss the journey so far, pasta with garlic bread and just doing it…
Allston Pudding: What are you most excited for with this new release?
Tiffy: It’s been a long time coming. The songs have been done since the end of 2021. We’ve been playing the songs live for the past two years now, so I feel like a lot of people know them, but they haven’t been able to have them. So I’m just excited that people can have it and kinda close this chapter of Tiffy.
AP: Move into your next era…
Tiffy: I guess people aren’t usually excited for the end of things, but we’re ready. I’ve lived these songs so much already, but I’m excited for other people to have the experience with them too.
AP: When did you start working on this project?
Tiffy: So [this] album in general is kind of like a combination of songs. Some songs I had written at the beginning of the project in 2019. But a lot of them I wrote from 2020 to 2021. I sat down and demoed everything out and then we went to record it in 2022 in February. We er-I decided that what we were recording wasn’t sounding great, so we re-recorded everything in November 2022. But I’m glad we did it, because it came out a lot better. Then from November to January, 2023 was [more] recording and mixing but we still used a lot of stuff from the February recordings as well. So, yeah it’s kind of been a long, slow process that happened in bursts.
Photo courtesy of Tiffy
AP: There’s definitely both a Boston and Southern California vibe to your music, but which would you say more heavily influences you?
Tiffy: So yeah, I grew up in Southern California and that was super formative for me. Getting into music was listening to 90s rock on the radio and I feel like it was just different in California. Surf culture is a big thing and I was influenced by that, and I got into rock & punk at a really young age. I would go to house shows all through my teens, and when I moved here, I found the music scene. It’s a little similar, but a lot different. I do feel like I’m inspired by like 80s/90s Boston hard-core punk because in the 2000s & 2010s hard-core emo Pop-punk was big, and still is. But I mean, The Cars I love, that kind of pop-rock. The Pixies, The Breeders, all of that definitely was influential too, so I guess it’s both [laughs] which is kind of interesting.
AP: You work through a lot of social issues and modern feelings in your music. Which song would you say is your most cathartic, either to perform or to have written?
Tiffy: “I’m Not Equipped For This” was a really cathartic one to write, but also to play live, it’s a lot of fun. I wrote it when I was working a day job and I was really frustrated because my boss was like “you have to do it this way, blah blah blah…“ and I’m like “I can’t friggin’ do it man, back off”, but obviously I can’t say that right? [laughs] and that’s basically what this song is, screaming about that, and it’s fun. Then, last month we played a show up in New Hampshire, which is where this job was, and my old boss was there and I got to say “I wrote this song while I was working a terrible day job” in front of him, and it was all very full circle.
AP: As an artist, what is something you would say surprised you about the music industry?
Tiffy: I actually had a tough experience with an engineer recently, where they were really hyping me up. Then, we had an issue while working and I expressed it wasn’t going how I wanted it to and we have to fix it. They got super upset like, “I can’t work with you anymore and I’m blocking you!” Which honestly is super hurtful, like I barely know you. If I was dumb, I would’ve been seriously hurt by that but I’m not, I see you for your performative ‘BS’ and it’s just not cool…
AP: What advice would you say to other talents trying to make it?
Tiffy: Just get out there and do it. Know the reason why you’re doing something and do something you believe in. And be nice [laughs]. Be nice and don’t take shit too! I started this, I wasn’t even ready to play our first show when we did, but I did it anyway. Because you just get better when you do things. And I’ve met a lot of my really good friends just from playing music. I didn’t come up, already connected with people. I just met people from playing shows and constantly doing it. Just keep doing it.
AP: Who are you listening to right now? Who would you say your main influences are?
Tiffy: Pavement is probably one of my favorite bands. Even though I don’t sound anything like them, I just take a lot of how they do guitar arrangement and the dissonance they use. How Stephen Malkmus sings. I’ve been super into that band Slow Pulp for a while, really like their latest album. Japanese Breakfast, they’re huge.
AP: Who, out of anyone, would you want to perform with?
Tiffy: Pavement [laughs], Japanese Breakfast. I’ve been super into this band Mama. Slow Pulp, Palehound. Basically anyone on Polyvinyl. I like Ian Sweet’s new album, and Jay Som. Slothrust.
AP: There’s a dry humor which permeates your music, but you still find deep-rooted seriousness as well. Which side comes more naturally to you in your songwriting?
Tiffy: I’m very self deprecating and use humor as a defense mechanism, and that’s how I write. I feel like that’s a lot easier for me. When you have serious feelings, it’s like “Ew! I have serious feelings!” [laughs]
AP: “I must do something stupid!”
Tiffy: Yeah, “I have to make fun of them, somehow,” exactly! To mock it. I feel like I start in this really light sense, like I have this thing that’s really painful & traumatizing, but I’m gonna make it quirky & funny in some way. But I do feel like on “Don’t Take It Personally”, or “something for nothing”, or even some new songs I’m writing, I’m really focusing on the lyrics. Watching how I’m presenting them and how the feelings come across, and not necessarily being so sardonic about it.
AP: So, flip side of the first question, what are you most excited for following this new release?
Tiffy: I am super excited to play the shows. The Deep Cuts show is going to be awesome. It feels awesome to be able to play there. It’s brand new, everyone who works there is super nice. We’re gonna play with Lady Pills and Miss Bones who are awesome, Battlemode are going to DJ, so it’s just going to be a big party. I’m always writing and working on stuff, but I’m looking forward to trying out some different recording options with the next batch of songs. This album was kind of hodge-podge. We recorded the drums at God City in Salem. Then we recorded some guitars, the bass, synths & vocals here at my house. I mixed everything and had someone else master it, and it was just a lot of work. I’m ready to let someone else do the engineering. I’m looking forward to writing songs that are really meaningful for me, and recording them at a really high quality.
AP: You exude this cool, chill vibe. So, what would you say is an ideal evening for you after a long day?
Tiffy: Playing Minecraft… drinking some wine, maybe make some dinner. Like, pasta or something… with garlic bread. Maybe play some guitar. I’ve been watching MasterChef, that’s super fun too. Yeah… chilling, watching TV, and playing Minecraft.
For more information on Tiffy, including their upcoming show at Deep Cuts in Medford, click here and follow Tiffy on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter!