Q&A: Janette Valentine of Shroud Eater, Playing Churchill’s Friday
Janette Valentine at Churchill's Pub, photo by Lisa Martin Owens
At Janette Valentine’s day job, it’s all press-on eyelashes, pin curls, high glamour, and behind-the-lens flattery as the creator of Terribly Girly Photography. But outside the 9-to-5, she serves as the bassist in Miami stonery-sludge outfit Shroud Eater. It’s the dirty rock and roll yin to her otherwise primped girlie-girl yang.
Together with guitarist/vocalist Jean Saiz and drummer Felipe Torres, she creates the sonic equivalent of landing your boot in some dank Florida Everglades muck — it’s dense, it’s thick, and you don’t know exactly what had to die in order for it to be made but you’re happy to be enveloped in it just the same. Janette Valentine caught up with Salty Eggs for a quick Q&A just in time for Friday’s Shroud Eater show — a bill they’re sharing with Floor, Post Teens, Holly Hunt, and Sure Charm at Churchill’s Pub — to discuss five totally random questions including pre-show rituals and future plans.
In three sentences or less, tell us why anyone within earshot of Churchill’s Pub will be blissfully happy come Friday night around 11 p.m.? Who are you most excited to see?
Anyone within earshot of Churchill’s, who’s managed to escape the crackheads, will be most excited to succumb to the sonic abuse that the bill promises to deliver.
I’m definitely stoked for the full-on Floor experience, as I’m sure everyone will be come Friday night. And I’m always excited to see our pals, Holly Hunt, because they always serve up a heaping serving of heavy that lifts my spirit.
Do you have any surprising pre-show rituals? I secretly have this vision of you girls (and dude) singing along to Nicki Minaj at the top of your lungs parked inside that big-ass tour van.
Who’s Nicki Minaj? And pre-show rituals? Nothing exciting. For me it’s mainly: remember to pack all your shit, grab the smokes, bring beer money, take a deep breath, and get ready to have some fun.
What’s the most random thing someone has come up and said to you after a show?
Honestly, at that point I’m normally too tequila-drunk to remember!
Do you think there is anything to South Florida’s steamy, swampy landscape that lends itself nicely to the Shroud Eater sound? If so, what’s your favorite spot to go for musical inspiration?
The heat and humidity double-threat in South Florida keep us nice and pissy. This always makes for a heavy jam. I’d say being in the car driving through the streets of Miami can inspire some pretty angry shit.
What’s next for Shroud Eater?
Well, after Friday night we’re hopping in the van and driving up to Tallahassee for Fresh Fest on Saturday, which we’re very much looking forward to. Late March we’ll be in the recording studio with Jonathan Nunez, as we work on a four- to five-song EP. Then April 14 we’ll be playing a killer show with Weedeater, ASG, and Cough … soooo stoked! May finds us playing You Are Doomed Fest II in Orlando and a mini tour through Central Florida with Holly Hunt. At some point soon, our singer/guitarist Jean will be undergoing throat surgery and any plans after that are, for the time being, unknown. We are hoping she’ll have a speedy recovery so we can continue to keep this train a’ rollin’ soon. Let’s put out good vibes!
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