(Originally appeared in Mutant Renegade Zine #11, Summer 1999)
Syd is the singer for the Dayton band Morella's Forest. Morella's Forest has been described as everything from shoe gazing noise pop to candy pop with a new wave quirkiness to an undulating ocean of sound. They started when Shawn Johnson (lead guitarist) and Sean McCorkle (bass) came home to Dayton after being in Seattle for about five years. They put up flyers around town for a lead singer and in a strange twist of events, a friend of Syd's, Greg Reynolds, saw the flyer and suggested to Sean and Shawn that she try out for the band. The guys called Syd and the rest is history. Syd adds ethereal vocals and catchy lyrics to the fuzzy multi-layered guitars and a churning back beat. I met with Syd one evening in the early Spring to discuss the band and the direction they are heading in.
Morella's Forest has released three CD's on Tooth and Nail records. They have received praise for their latest release, "From Dayton with Love", for "their infectious melodies, noisy guitars and rip roaring rhythm section." They are often compared to the Jesus and Mary Chain, Belly and My Bloody Valentine. Morella's Forest is also a great live band. They have a strong fan base in Dayton and other portions of the country. They usually play at Canal Street Tavern when in Dayton, so I hope to see you at the next show.
The journey into Syd's brain begins...
Hobbies: I like to watch movies
Favorite bad 80's flick: The Breakfast Club. It reminds me of the 80's.
Do you believe in ghosts: I did one night. I don't really know. I never really totally put my finger on that.
Favorite car: Late 50's Corvette
Favorite Teen Idol: Shaun Cassidy
What is your poison: Clocks and time pieces.
Biggest accomplishment of the band: Getting signed to a record label and putting out CD's.
Musical goals: To stay creative and to make better music.
Significant moment in life: Sometimes people say you saved their life because they listened to a certain song and that's really wild. It's a trip. One person said that they liked Oceania a lot and that it had a lot of meaning for them.
Injuries received from bass player during concerts:
1. Hit in the back of the head by bass neck.
2. Slammed bass neck into back of shoulder.
3. Knocked a microphone into her mouth after a swift move while he was playing bass. The microphone hit her in the teeth and busted her lip.