3 Kisses: Press

Imagine a good old fashion college beer bash. You know the kind. You've probably been there many times. Out behind the dorm. With the band on the loading dock. Kegs of beer everywhere. Most everyone is either drunk, or dancing as if they were smashed. The crowd is wild. And the band is unimaginably loud. Back then, life was good! We thought tomorrow would never come. Well, folks, now you can relive those exciting days of yesteryear. And your children can learn what the lore is all about. 3 Kisses has provided us with the opportunity to have a good old fashioned college beer bash—but without the college & it's definitely BYOK (bring your own keg). 3 Kisses has recently released a new CD titled It All Comes Down To Me. Their press release describes their music as an ``idiosyncratic combination of alternative, pop, rock and punk filled with catch guitar hooks... Tumultuous lyrics delivered in a contradictory, bubbly, upbeat fashion has become a 3 Kisses trademark''.3 Kisses is composed of Tish Meeks (vocals, guitar), Tony Meeks (guitar, synth floor pedals, vocals), and Josh Tallerine (drums).3 Kisses is like a really great college party band, only better and much, much zanier. So now you can relive that kegger party of old—with or without the keg—just pop the new 3 Kisses' CD in your player, and start jumpin' and jivin'. You'll be glad you did. For a short while you'll be able to live like there's no tomorrow. If you like having fun, then It All Comes Down To Me gets a 5. If you're a sourpuss, then you get a big boot in the butt.

3 Kisses delivers a strong sophomore album with catchy tunes and a rockin' beat. Tish Meeks and company have unleashed frenzy, so hop along and join the ride!

One of the best compliments that I can give is that I've 1000's of CDs stacked high but It All Comes Down To Me stands alone in style. I also liked the in-your-face, heart-on-the-sleeve boldness and brass balls of the material and the way its honestly and 'having-a-great-time' delivered. Kudos de mucho!

If you go to the 3 Kisses website...and I know you will because I said you should...you might notice that they list their musical style as indie/pop/alternative. Well, if that's what they wanna call it, I won't argue with them. However, I caught their performance at the MMC and they were freakin' explosive. There was nothing pop or alternative about them. When they hit the stage...they rocked and they rocked hard...and I didn't have a drop of alcohol in me that night. So, I know what I'm talkin' about. Okay, sure, some of the tunes on their disc, "It All Comes Down To Me," may come off sounding like pop tunes. But, I still say they rock.

Now, I tend to view music a bit differently than other people and I may be way off base here. But, after watching their performance, well, vocalist/guitarist Tish Meeks, who's about as tall as I am, was a ball of fire on stage. She reminded me of a combination of The Runaways, Joan Jett solo and the late Wendy O. Williams. I don't know if anyone else would agree with me on that. However, that was my first impression and I'm stickin' to it. I'm gonna do a review on their album and I'm really gonna focus on it before I even attempt to write anything because I wanna do this band justice.

Drummer Josh Tallerine was great. He was a monster behind the kit. He beat the drums like they were rotten step children. Ah, what can I say...I'm trying to be creative here. Rhythm guitarist Tony Meeks is one talented dude. Not only does he play guitar. He was also playin' the bass with his feet...it was some pedal thing. Maybe they can explain it to you. I'm just a writer...I don't pay attention to the musical equipment. All I know is that they had a full sound and I'm sure part of that was due to his talent. Also...another band, who I will be writing about shortly, was short a member or something and Tony filled in at the last minute...or damn near close to it. I'm not sure what the circumstances were. But, when Cookie Cutter Girl took the stage, they sounded great too and I know he had a lot to do with that. You've gotta admire that...I know I do.

Anyway, this is another band I'll be writing about again and, hopefully, they'll return to Pennsylvania in February for MMC11. Speaking of which...they've performed at the MMC before. Once, twice...not really sure. I picked up a promo disc last year and it kind of got buried under a pile of other stuff. I found it before I went to the MMC this year and, once I heard it, I knew this was a band that I wanted to see and I did. I also felt like giving myself a swift kick in the ass for not discovering them sooner. Better late than never though...right? Anyway, click on the link below to check out their MySpace page. Also, check out the song that I have featured on my profile...great freakin' tune. Yes, that's 3 Kisses. God, I love that song. They performed it live and that one stuck in my head for the rest of the night. Okay, sure, it's a song about sex and I always have my mind in the gutter...at least I'm honest about it. But, it's still a great song and I'm sure you'll agree with me.

3 KISSES
Warner Robins' Dripdrop Cafe continues its campaign to become Middle Georgia's hip music mecca by booking this trio from Austin, TX. This time the Dripdrop is venturing beyond the acoustic singer/songwriter realm and into indie rock. Led by bubbly singer/guitarist Tish Meeks, 3 Kisses jumps from one high-energy style to another. Their originals include traces of just about every cool rock band with a female singer of the last 20 years, from the Cranberries to Luscious Jackson to the Breeders. You might want to go easy on the caffeine to avoid overstimulation.

By MILES SMITH/Staff Reporter
Since childhood, Letitia "Tish" Trimmer Meeks has had a love for music.

But while many kids have played piano, clarinet or violin in their formative years, few have made the leap that Meeks has made: forming an alternative band with aspirations of success.

Meeks and husband Tony, who recently moved to Brenham from outside Sacramento, Calif., formed a band named 3 Kisses in 2003. The band has been performing in gigs since early 2004.

Meeks said she and her husband have written their own songs since first playing guitar together when they lived in California.

"When we would sit down to play guitar together, we could never agree on what to play," Meeks said. "We had different tastes in music, so we would write our own music."

Meeks sings and plays guitar for the band, while Tony plays the guitar and the synthesizer while also serving as backup vocalist.

Jennie Rutherford, a 25-year-old British woman, mans the drums for 3 Kisses.

Meeks, who grew up in Amarillo, described her music as a sort of "alternative-pop" hybrid. The band has drawn comparison to several different bands from different genres of music.

The singer said she writes many of the lyrics, which are largely based on things she has experienced.

"We have a very unique sound that we've been told is appealing to a lot of people," said Meeks. "I write a lot of the lyrics about things that happen to me in life. A lot of them have a dark tone, but the music is upbeat and poppy.

"There's a contradiction of themes going, but that's what our fans like about us."

What 3 Kisses sounds like varies depending on the fan, Meeks said.

"We kind of have the '80s girl band thing going, like the Go Go's and Blondie," Meeks said. "But I've been compared to Gwen Stefani, and (our band) has been compared to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Cranberries and the Cars."

Meeks considers the band to be based out of Austin, where it does much of its performing and marketing, but the band is scheduled to perform in Brenham, where it has landed a monthly show at Otto's Ice House.

Meeks said she has a good fan base in Austin, but that the band is looking to expand beyond Austin.

"It's not unique to be a band from Austin, Texas and play in Austin," Meeks said. "Austin is saturated with bands."

Before her campaign to start her own successful band, Meeks worked in code enforcement for the city of Folsom, Calif.

Her duties were a far cry from that of a rock star.

"Our job was to keep the city looking good," Meeks said. "We made sure people didn't have junky cars in their driveways, made sure their pets were under control and (enforced) noise compliance (laws).

"We enforced building codes, and basically kept the town safe and clean."

Working to self-start a band is a tougher job than your average 9 to 5, however.

Meeks said she works most of the day handling the band's business decisions while taking care of her 3-year-old daughter and 5-year-old son.

"It's extremely difficult," said Meeks of her career change. "Most musicians are not really willing to do this much work. I'm a stay-at-home mom and I spend 14 to 16 hours a day on (promoting the band).

"You have to treat the band as a business. Most musicians don't know anything about business, so they are unable to help themselves. That gives us an edge. You have to be able to make this a full-time job."

Meeks said her kids don't mind having musicians for parents. The singer said her son actually exhibiting some musical talent even at age 5.

"They love it," Meeks said. "My son is already exhibiting an extraordinary amount of talent. He's already writing his own songs and playing drums.

"He writes about things that are not on a 5-year-old level at all. We don't push it on him, because we don't want to ruin it for him."

Meeks is serious about getting her band's name out there. 3 Kisses recently filmed a music video in Austin, and the group is gearing up to play at two well-known music festivals this year: North by Northgate in College Station and South by Southwest in Austin.

The video is currently being shown on the Austin Music Network.

The band also has a charitable mindset, as it devotes a portion of its proceeds to cancer research. The group plans to start its own breast cancer foundation this year, Meeks said.

3 Kisses has played at events such as the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure and at the Motive Bison Stampede to benefit the Leukemia Lymphoma Society.

The band is very charity-minded and cancer-conscious largely due to Meeks' history. In 1989, the singer's mother died after a battle with breast cancer.

Meeks has shared her experience with others in Chicken Soup for the Recovering Soul, and said growing up during her mother's illness has definitely affected both her life and her music.

"I feel I must use the talents that God has blessed me with to help others," Meeks said. "I love to play charity benefits. We've played for at least 20,000 race participants, and we've been asked to play again this year.

"Losing my mom, if you can survive that, you can survive anything. I don't think we ever get to the point in our lives where we're ready to see our parents go. It's definitely shaped who I am."

Meeks said she hopes her band continues to develop its fan base. The singer said she hopes to attract listeners and fans from all over the world.

"In 10 years, I hope we have developed a very large underground following," Meeks said. "We would love to do our music full-time and take our kids on the road with us with a tutor. Rather than have them learn history from a book, it would be much more fun for them to actually go to Washington, D.C. than read about it.

"I hope we can do an album a year, and I hope that we'll be attracting fans on a large scale."

For more information about 3 Kisses, visit its Web site at www.3kisses.com.



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Copyright © 2006 The Brenham Banner-Press
http://www.brenhambanner.com

ROCKIN’ MOMS Featured Artist Interview with Tish Meeks

Music Career History
Tiffany: At what age did you become interested in music?

Tish: I started piano lessons at the age of 7. My mom and grandmother wanted me to be a piano player, so I took lessons for six years.

Tiffany: Did you study music in school?

Tish: I had always wanted to play guitar, but we lived in a small town and there were no teachers available. I was unbelievably bored with piano, so I took up alto-saxophone at the age of 11. I played in the All-Region band and went to state all four years of high school, then continued to play my first year of college. I was also in the University Chorale in college. I graduated with a BS in Biology and chemistry minor. I thought I wanted to be a doctor, but I was doing it for all the wrong reasons. And I just didn’t have the courage to admit that what I really wanted to be was a Rock Star. It wasn’t until I got out of college that I finally learned to play guitar and it wasn’t until after I got married and had kids that I finally decided to put a band together.

Tiffany: Was there anyone who inspired or influenced you to pursue a career as a Musician/performer?

Tish: I would say there are three people who really inspired me to take the leap and start a band: Gwen Stefani, Andrew WK and Neal McCoy. They are all fantastic entertainers, their shows are fun to watch – they know how to engage the crowd. Every time I go see them, I think, “wow – I could do that”. And I always leave their shows feeling like I got my money’s worth. I’m one of those people who can’t stand paying money for a concert where all the artist does is sit up there acting all serious and self-important and play a show that sounds exactly like the CD. If I wanted to listen to the CD I would have stayed at home – ENTERTAIN ME!!!

Tiffany: What project/CD are you most proud of?

Tish: 3 Kisses is about a year and a half old, so we only have one CD, Wings. I’m pretty proud of Wings because I recorded the entire album on a Roland VS1880 in our home with no prior engineering experience. I learned as I went and with this album we’ve managed to gain airplay on over 400 college radio stations, close to 50 internet sites and in 14 countries (Eddie Russell, Lord Litter, Trevor Hyland, Angel Dehesa, Massimo Ferro, Mark Verbert, Rob MacArthur, Gi Dussault, Joe Kelley, Joe Vincent and Tony Currie – THANK YOU!) I’m amazed at what we’ve been able to pull off, thus far and it really encourages me to think of what we are capable of.

Tiffany: What performance(s) have you enjoyed the most?

Tish: I love playing the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure and the Relay for Life. We’ve done several of those in various cities and it makes me feel great to share the talent God has given me to benefit such an important cause. I lost my mother to breast cancer in 1989 so it hits close to home for me. Aside from that, we’ve had some exceptionally fun shows at Otto’s Ice House in our hometown, Brenham, TX; MMC9 in Harrisburg, PA, the Dirty Dog Bar in Austin, TX, Time Square in College Station, TX…there are too many to list them all. It would be a much shorter list to name the performances I’ve enjoyed the least, because we almost always have a fantastic time. We’ve got some great fans, too, and make more everywhere we go. I love you guys!

Tiffany: What has the website/internet done for you and your career?

Tish: The internet has given us an enormous amount of exposure to people who would have otherwise never heard of us. Sonicbids has been an excellent tool in furthering our career because I apply for all kinds of opportunities through them. Also, we recently got a major distribution deal through MusicGorilla.com, but I’m unable to discuss the details at this time. We’re currently in the process of giving our website a facelift. We’ll be making some big announcements on the site over the next couple of months. In addition to great sites like Rockin’ Moms, we’ve also enjoyed productive relationships with CDBaby.com, GoGirlsMusic.com, Indiemusicon.com, Indie-Music.com, RadioIndy.com, IndieArtistRadio.com, FemaleMusician.com, ‘nette Radio, Radio Crystal Blue, Mansion on the Hill, NTG Radio, FokkerRadio.com, NextBigThing.co.za, Bangee Music, TexasRadio1.com, TexasIndependentMusicians.org and again, the list goes on – I’m sure I’ve forgotten someone really important but we’ve got lots of helpful links on our website, www.3kisses.com, so you can always find great people to work with there. The Musician’s Atlas and Indie Bible are my two best friends.

Tiffany: Can you tell us about the meaning behind your band name, “3 Kisses?”

Tish: I got the name of the band from my son, Benji, who asks for “3 Kisses” when he goes to bed at night. We love the name because it has sentimental value and gives that much more meaning to our music.

Tiffany: From your experience what qualities do you think an aspiring singer/songwriter/mom/band/artist should have today to succeed in this industry?

Tish: Persistence, assertiveness and a positive, encouraging attitude. Those three things have taken 3 Kisses further than anything else we’ve done. For one thing, not everyone is going to like your music. And for another, you should thank everyone – even people who don’t like your music. Just because they don’t appreciate your style, abilities or perhaps don’t feel you are far enough along in your career to play their venue or festival or conference – whatever the case may be, doesn’t mean they will always feel that way. It is important to treat everyone with respect, value their time and be grateful that they take time out of their lives to listen to your music, review your CD, review your press kit, come to your show, etc., regardless of what their opinion about it may be. It is also very important to be able to offer something to your peers. You don’t want to always be asking for favors and not giving anything back. I find the “pay it forward” theory often rings true for me. I often am not in a position to help those who help me, but I am almost always in a position to help bands who are struggling, don’t have quite as much knowledge, or don’t have the connections to get ahead. Don’t be afraid to help others – they are NOT your competition. YOU are. By helping others, you are always helping yourself.

On being a Rockin’ Mom…
Tiffany: How has motherhood enriched your music?

Tish: My kids inspire me on a whole new level. I want to do my very best at this and take my music career as far as I can possibly go. This is my chance to show my kids that you can do anything you set your mind to, no matter how outrageous it may seem, and it gives me a great opportunity to teach them first hand about successes and failures and the courage it takes to keep after your dream. My kids hold me accountable without even realizing it. If I quit because it gets too tough, I’m teaching them that it’s okay to quit because something is difficult. So, you see my predicament – I have no choice but to stay the course!

Tiffany: What are the challenges that motherhood brings to you having amusic career?

Tish: Childcare is a NIGHTMARE! We used to have a nanny who lived with us and that was great. But she got homesick and moved back to California. It is very difficult on us when we play music conferences or festivals and have to be gone for several days at a time. Finding someone who we trust is the greatest challenge, then finding someone who’s schedule is flexible enough to keep the kids when we need to be out of town is the next obstacle. We haven’t had much help from our families, so we often find ourselves relying on friends to help out. (Thank you Steve, Beth, Lyric, Teryn, Linda, Amber & Taylor!)

Tiffany: Do your children come to see you perform live? What do they think of it?

Tish: Yes, we play a lot of family-friendly events so they get to see us play fairly often. Benji, my son, gets his feelings hurt if he isn’t asked to play drums on at least one song. So, we usually bring him up on stage. He’s 5 ½ and been playing drums since he was 3. He’s already writing his own songs and can’t wait to have his own band. Hannah, on the other hand, likes to see us play, but she is very shy and is more into painting, drawing and dance.

Tiffany: How do you make time to balance both careers?

Tish: We converted our very large master bedroom into a playroom/office. I work all day marketing 3 Kisses and the kids play right along side me. If they need me, I’m there. They are also gaining more independence – sometimes they prefer playing in their rooms to being in the playroom with me. We have family time in the evenings, swim in our pool, play basketball, go out to eat or play games. You can make time to do what is important to you and I’ve had a really easy time with balancing music and family.

Tiffany: Has being a Rockin’ Mom been positively looked upon by those in the music industry? Other Moms?

Tish: I think so. My husband is in my band and we are great friends, so we’ve been received very well. We banter and joke a lot and there’s not a lot of drama with 3 Kisses, so people tend to like to work with us. I think with other moms it just depends on the person. Some of my kids friend’s parents think I’m nuts, I’m sure. But a lot of women are empowered by seeing a wife and mother out there rocking out. It shows women that you don’t have to choose – you really can have it all.

Tiffany: Do you do all the promotion for your band?

Tish: I do the majority of the promotion for 3 Kisses because Tony and Jennie both have full-time jobs outside the home. They will each help with whatever I ask of them, but I try to handle as much of it as I can. Jennie helps out a lot with printing and hanging posters, she has been instrumental in getting us some very cool gigs and she talks about the band to everyone she meets. Tony also has gotten us some coveted gigs, handed out demos, printed and hung posters, etc. Really, the three of us are a great team. We all have the same vision and drive and we don’t forget to have a good time on the trip.

looking forward
Tiffany: Where do you see yourself a year from now?

Tish: The possibilities are endless! Things never turn out the way you expect, but I think we will be performing on a much larger scale, have a vast fan base, selling a large number CDs and digital downloads and getting a lot of attention from the industry.

THANK YOU for participating in this interview.
I know we are all busy and YOU ROCK!

Tiffany Petrossi
Rockin’ Moms, Founder

After a few songs, I decided to make my way up to 6th Street, where the street was blocked off to traffic and music streamed from every doorway, I didn't really know where to begin. It was either fate or good luck that brought me to Nunos, a long dark bar with a stage at the front. On that stage was a 3-piece band called 3-Kisses, who was fronted by the tiny blonde singer/guitarist Tish Meeks. Tish was jumping, dancing, prancing. And filling up the place with energetic rock and roll. I couldn't take my eyes or ears off of her, and immediately pulled out my camera and snapped off a few. Next to me was a pretty brunette in a black dress with a guitar case at her feet, who struck up a conversation with me and ended up changing the course of my whole SXSW experience. Her name was Tiffany Petrossi, and as it turned out she had just played a concert at the Troubadour Pub and was scheduled to play again that night at a restaurant called Y Bar & Grill. We hit it off instantly and when 3- Kisses ended their set the singer, Tish, Tiffany and I had a drink and a chat. Petrossi, a singer/songwriter from Northern California, is also the founder of RockinMoms.com, which is devoted to "promoting moms who rock"... which perfectly describes both Petrossi and Meeks, each the mother of two. Tish and her husband (and band-mate, Tony) moved to Austin to pursue their musical careers (www.3kisses.com).

**For the complete article, visit www.indie-music.com