What inspired the name of the band? What are your influences and are they the same as when you started out?
Hey! I’m Torie Jock and I am thrilled to be here! Well, my full first name is Victoria, but I’ve always gone by Torie. So Torie Jock is just my name … LOL! My major influences are Joan Jett, Cher, Alanis Morissette, and Amy Winehouse.
How do you approach songwriting? Are there any themes that you are keen to explore when you start off?
I rarely sit down for the purpose of writing. Sometimes if I am feeling particularly creative I will, but usually lyrics will come to me at random times. I always write from personal experiences, so if something happens, good or bad, I turn it into a song. I’ve been writing since I could write. When I was really little, my mom would tell me to write when I was upset, because I was a giant punk and was always pissed about something … LOL! She was meaning journaling, but I ended up writing songs instead. I remember just writing down key words because I was too little to know how to write full sentences. No one else would be able to look at my books and know what the hell I was trying to say, but I knew …
Why do you write the sort of music that you do?
I write what I feel. I hope that people can connect on a personal level to my music. I write what is true to me. I hope listeners can feel the authenticity when listening to my music.
How do you decide what songs to perform live and how do you transpose them into that live setting?
I don’t perform a ton of slow songs because I love to move and entertain the audience when I perform live. I do throw some slow songs in, but the majority of my setlists consist of upbeat music. Transposing into a live setting for me is just engaging the audience and entertaining them as much as I can.
What plans do you have for the future?
My new album, Damaged Goods, was released on November 5th! The album was co-written by me and my manager, Eric Gynan, of Leaving Eden. The album was signed by Dark Star Records/Sony/Universal Worldwide Distribution! I have a new music video in the works that I am super excited about!