FOLIOIs there anything sexier than a self-assured woman kicking out some raw, fun-loving rock ’n’ roll jams? Multiply that by three and you’ve got Orlando band Wet Nurse, made up of Vanessa Brewster (drums) and twins Nina (guitar/vocals) and Susana Chaplin (bass/vocals). Active since 2010, Wet Nurse has built a rollicking reputation for themselves across Florida by spreading their infectiously melodic message one sweaty, hyperkinetic show at a time. And lucky us, these three pop-punk prophets visit St. Augustine on Aug. 18 to celebrate the release of their debut full-length, “Daily Whatever.” Folio Weekly caught up with Brewster to talk about twin vocal magic, the band’s straight-shooting goals and its abiding love of St. Augustine.
Folio Weekly: How did Wet Nurse originally come together?
Vanessa Brewster: The twins started writing songs, and a girl I played roller derby with worked with Nina and mentioned they needed a drummer. I stopped by to jam, we hit it off, and we played our first show less than a week later.
F.W.: Is this everybody’s first band?
V.B.: This is the first band for Susana and I, but we’ve both been musical in some capacity. Nina has an extensive history in bands like The Angst, Tall Simon & the Short Stories, and her other band, Tam Tam the Sandwichman & the Magical Sugar Cookies.
F.W.: On Wet Nurse’s Facebook page, your genre is simply listed as “Fun.” Is that the main motivation?
V.B.: For sure! We play shows that we’d want to see as music fans and always have a grand old time. That’s why we’re coming back to Nobby’s to have our record release party. The owner Dave [Wernicke] and the kids that come out definitely know how to party!
F.W.: What influences go into Wet Nurse’s sound?
V.B.: Your influences shape your songwriting and musical ideas, but everyone wants to create something fresh and original. We’re always inspired by new records people introduce us to, as well as classics like TacocaT, Mean Jeans and Dead Kennedys.
F.W.: How well do Nina’s and Susana’s voices work together?
V.B.: [You] just can’t beat those sibling harmonies, man. What’s cool is that their voices aren’t stuck to one register and don’t sound exactly alike. I don’t know what it is about twins, but it’s definitely an advantage.
F.W.: Does “Daily Whatever” represent the band’s first recorded material? If not, do you think it’s a big step forward?
V.B.: We’ve got a cassette EP and a 7-inch vinyl split [already] under our belts. We recorded the new LP with Alastair St. Hill in Tampa at WMNF Studios, and in terms of sound quality, it’s definitely a major step forward. We tracked all the instruments live together in the main room and just overdubbed guitar solos and vocals. We worked out a lot of songs in the studio, as well, since the majority of them were not played live first, which was different for us. I think we worked the hardest we ever have to make it perfect and hope it shows.
F.W.: The new album’s coming out on Italian label Astro Girl Records. How did that relationship happen?
V.B.: Our friend Mandy was in a band that’s on Astro Girl’s parent label, Surfin’ Ki. She always talked about how amazing they were, so I sent them some of our demos and they were immediately down to make something happen. It was awesome to have that support and encouragement during recording and mastering.
F.W.: Is the all-girl aspect of Wet Nurse the band’s defining draw?
V.B.: It’s usually the promoters’ and venues’ first thought to bill us as all-girl, and we’re totally down with that — it helps get people out. But we generally like to let the music speak for itself.
F.W.: How much touring have you all done?
V.B.: Our upcoming U.S. tour will be the first time we branch out of Florida. We did two weeks around [the state] last summer and play every weekend either around town or in various Florida cities. We all like to travel, so it works out.
F.W: You’ve played St. Augustine plenty in the past.
V.B.: We always have a blast [there]! The crew is so tight-knit, and we love seeing friendly faces miles from home. We’re excited to share our record release with our other favorite set of twins, The Dewars, so everybody better come out on the 18th and mosh that place to the ground.
F.W.: Any grander ambitions beyond that?
V.B.: We’ve grown the band organically so far and plan to continue on that path. Success is all relative — who knows where we might end up? Right now, we’re playing awesome shows, making music together, and we’ve got supportive friends and family. So I think we’re doing all right.
Nick McG
themail@folioweekly.c
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