The Pretty Reckless Set to Return to Northern Invasion 2017

It’s almost that time again! Northern Invasion is just around the corner. We’re exactly one month away from tens of thousands of fans invading Somerset, Wisconsin as part of the World’s Loudest Month!

Returning to Northern Invasion 2017 are The Pretty Reckless. I had the chance to speak with vocalist and founder Taylor Momsen about the band’s most recent tour and what it means for the band to be playing the largest U.S. rock festivals in 2017.

Revenant Media: The Who You Selling For Tour took you all over the world from October ’16 to March this year in support of your latest release. You get to take a solid month off before returning to the road and hitting up some massive festivals for The World’s Loudest Month.
How did you spend your down time?

Taylor Momsen: I guess first I try to get my body to figure out what time zone it is. Then there’s putting your life back together, it tends to fall apart when you’re away so long. Then it’s back to music and business. Rehearsing, making videos, writing and strategizing.

RM: When The Pretty Reckless headline a show, you have more time to draw the crowd into your music. You can open with Follow Me Down, shift into Since You’re Gone, and by the time Oh My God has led to Hangman, the crowd is utterly enthralled and under your spell through the end of a 12-15 song set. Generally speaking, festival setlists can be half the number of songs. How do you narrow down what you’ll be playing for tens of thousands of fans?

Momsen: It’s hard. You want to play things you enjoy and still give people what they want to hear. Your songs live tend to run five to seven minutes in length so when you are only playing 45 minutes there’s not much room to play with. We try to do a powerful quick set with enough hits in it for the people who aren’t familiar with deeper album songs. Really it comes down to just blasting through as much as you can and leaving all your energy on the stage

RM: At what point did it really sink in for you that your music has had and will continue to have such an immensely positive influence on so many people?

Momsen: I don’t know if that ever actually sinks in. There’s moments when you think about it and it’s overwhelming. These songs that you write in your bedroom suddenly become these things that people are relating to, it’s very powerful. But there’s so much focus involved in making music I tend to not think about that kind of thing until it happens

RM: As a fan, what most excites you about playing festivals? Whether they be radio festivals like a Rockfest, or Northern Invasion? Will we see you side stage watching the other performances also?

Momsen: Well specifically on these festivals, it just so happens that Soundgarden will be on a lot of them. I’m a huge (understatement) fan of theirs so it’s like having free passes to your favorite band night after night. I’ll definitely be watching. Festivals are great because you get to see so many bands you normally might not have the time to catch

RM: Lastly, The Pretty Reckless were one of the most highly anticipated bands to play the second stage of the inaugural Northern Invasion of 2015. What expectations are you excited to surpass when you return to Northern Invasion this spring on the main stage?