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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (June 6, 2003)
junflAW l J— f f | p 39 1 Checkin' in with Chieko What a breath of fresh air is this talented Portland musician by K aty D avidson i n a time o f deep post-postmodern self-consciousness, it seems an anomaly to encounter someone with wide eyes and boundless soul. This in mind, it’s a real treat to meet Leila Chieko, a truly earnest queer Port lander. A songwriter who puts beautiful ly sincere lyrics to hard-rocking music, the 26-year-old drummer and guitarist was bom in Hawaii and has lived in Oregon for eight years. She plays drums and sings with Portland hand Vivian’s Keeper as well as with her very own Leila C hieko Triti, accompanied by Asher Fulero on keyboards and V K ’s Joanna Agee on harmony vocals. Both hands are per forming at Portland Pride 2003. 1 0 0 3 Rea,tor s<i»c. 9 . Basie Rig*** K D : Describe your songwriting process. L C : Songwriting is almost always a cathar tic experience. It is the arena in which I co n front my emotions, bare my soul and com e to find resolution. I usually begin with a rhythm guitar part or riff. I start humming a melody over it, and slowly they become words.... They appear abstractly, or I compile old phrases scribbled down on Post-It Notes that float around in various noteHxrks. After a little bit I’ll ask myself, “O K , what is this song aH>ut.r’ From there I’ll solidify the stanzas, adding the necessary phrases that make S ie r r a ** o reg °n Katy Davidson: How did you get involved in music? Leila C hieko: l was bom into it. My dad is a musician, and one o f my earliest memories is being caught by a smiling dad as l sat behind his massive drum kit, my tiny toes dangling 2 feet above the flixir with gigantic drum sticks in my 3-year-old hands, enchanted by the fascinating racket I was making. Multitalented Leila C hieko performs with both her bands T he instruments that seemed to at Portland Pride 2 0 0 3 come naturally to him— and to me, eventually— were the drums and guitar and also, the song cohesive...they are always written being Him and raised in Hawaii, the ukulele. and shaped after the music has been created. T he ukulele became my main focus for most of my childhood. You could often find me alone in K D : Name some of your favorite musicians. my rixim, content for hours exploring rhythms LC : Stevie Wonder is a huge inspiration to and chord structures. me— multi-instrumentalist as well. He’s an incred ible drummer, you know. He is filled to the brim I eventually graduated to the guitar around the age of 12. However, l wasn’t satisfied with with soul. His voice is like thick, warm, golden rays learning only one instrument at a time, so this of painful healing sunlight. He makes me weep. age found me sonically traversing the full drum Soundgarden is very influential. I identify so kit as well— now that my feet could reach the much with their music...tricky, clever riffs, amaz kick pedals. I never tcxik lessons nor had any ing drum parts. Matt Cameron’s my favorite formal training. I learned hy ear, emulated other dmmmer, and my fave singer is Chris Cornell. musicians and immersed myself in listening with Lots of pain in his voice, too, and what a rockin’ rapt attention to my parents’ album collection. range! He’s rough hut sexy and smooth. K D : W hat’s attractive about music to you? Describe the feeling you get when you really get into the groove. LC : Music is the movement of blood through my veins. Music pours out of me so fluidly that it feels more natural than speaking. I absolutely love performing. Getting into that “zone” is like medi tating; it’s calming and centering yet so exhilarat ing. I believe that performing live, making myself visible and vulnerable, invites people to have an intimate connection with my music. This is essential. I need to move people with music and have my emotional integrity reciprocated. M *K eS K D : How do you like the Portland music scene? L C : I like that there are tons of music venues and lots and lots of bands. Musicians seem to be really supportive o f each other. I am really only familiar with the folk/pop scene, and I think it’s great. I think the songwriter-in-the-round thing should come back; I think folks got burned out on it, hut it could be resurrected. I wish that all venues would adopt the no-smoking law. K D : How about being queer and living in Portland? L C : It is so easy to be queer in Portland. W e’re everywhere! [Laughs! Portland is a very comfortable place to be out. K D : How do you identify? Lesbian? Queer? Pansexual? Something else? L C : I identify as queer and in love. J D You’ll fall in love with LEILA CHIEKO when she performs on the Triangle Stage as part o f Vivian’s K eeper at 1:50 p.m . June 14 and solo at 4 :2 5 p.m . Ju n e I5 . K a TY D avidson is a San Francisco free-lance water. Club C o««"“ p r o te S c t tY ° ° 0° ^ 8 o nn S llig n t s r#Ceeper When you buy or sell a home with me, you'll know your dollars are helping support a greater cause. I contribute at least 10% of my earnings to community and environmental organizations. Millynn James Broker, Graduate Realtor Institute ABR: Accredited Buyer's Representative 1 f \ f ip | ’j H » ' 5 0 3 .3 30.H O M E (4 6 6 3 ) -.iu'Vl- U 1. 8 0 0 . 8 2 5 . 9 9 4 8 w w w . m 1 11 y n n . c o m * R^M/^X equity group E m a il: m illy n n (a )< io l.co m impress: working with pride for 23 years Call us today, and let us impress you with what we can do for you. 503 . 281 . 8688 . full-service printing 2 37 Northeast Broadway / 5 0 3 .2 8 1 .8 6 8 8 www.impress-usa.com
