Rick: Categorize TTV’s musical style/genre for us.
Heather: People tell us that it is not that easy to describe. A little this a little that. We usually call it “Dark Rock” because it is definitely moody and dark and it is definitely a rock band. That seems to fit OK. However, there are definitely aspects of Metal, Goth, Electronic, etc.
Rick: TTV have a unique sound. What influences do each member bring to the overall musical style of TTV in your view?
Heather: Eric is the electronic factor because he handles most of the programming. Mark is the old school rock guy and Joe is the goth “Cure”-ish factor. I don’t really know what part I play. Maybe the moody, emotional influence, I guess.
Rick: What was the first song that TTV wrote, as a band?
Heather: I would have to clarify the line-up, though. The very first TTV songs were ones that Eric and Steve had written and that I put lyrics and melody line to. “Falling In” was probably the first. “Broken” and “Numb” were also among those early songs. The first song that I personally brought in to them was “Butterfly”. But with the present line-up of me, Eric, Joe Joe and Marky, I think that the first one written was “Beautiful”.
Rick: Where do the “dark” lyrics come from? i.e.. Beautiful, The Damage?
Heather: Butterfly. All these songs are true stories about myself or someone that I am close to.
Rick: Is that where the outward emotion that you display when you sing songs like Fingertips comes from? Do you relive those experiences when you sing the songs?
Heather: I absolutely relive them. Fingertips isn't even about me but it is one of the most horrible stories that I sing about. I don't tell anyone. Even the boys in the band don't know most subjects. They know only a few. I have to protect the people that the songs are written for because these are things that were told to me in confidence. So, just because I choose to relive someone's nightmare, it doesn't give me the right to tell their secrets. Even if I told "what" it was about, I could never say "who" it was about.
Rick: Do you remember your first live gig with TTV? Tell me a little about it.
Heather: You know what? I don’t remember. I know of three early shows that all had weird stories attached and I know one of those was the first but I don’t know which. There was the sport’s bar where the idiots wouldn’t stop playing air hockey while I was trying to sing. Or the night that Eric’s crazy ex-fiancé AND my former band all showed up for the sole purpose of freaking us out. Or the show where our former guitar grabbed the mic right out of my hands so that he could scream from the stage across the room at the sound woman. Yeah, right in the middle of the show. Actually, I think they were the first three so take your pick!
Rick: Why do you think that TTV have been so well received by the Goth/Alternative crowd?
Heather: I think it has a lot to do with the lyrics and the grooves. The Lyrics have pretty dark subject matter and programming is not too Industrial sounding. Just cool, trippy grooves, I think.
From: https://www.soniccathedral.com/zine/index.php/band-interviews/287-Tapping%20The%20Vein%20Interview
