Latisha Mawhiney (Bound and Quartered)
I first met Latisha back in 2017 when one of my old bands played Auburn, NY whilst on tour. Latisha and her husband Randy were front row, center, headbanging and supporting the whole time. We talked for awhile after that, and I instantly fell in love with their collective energy. Latisha really supports her fellow artist, and just has a genuine love of guitar and metal. Latisha and Randy were playing in the band, Rip Open the Sky, back in those days. They tore the venue apart that night and I was hooked on the vibe those two bring to shows instantly.
Moving forward, I remember thinking Latisha was really shy during her humble beginnings on stage, but now that Bound and Quartered (Southern Tier Slam) are back, I’ve never seen her happier and freer inside her element. This is particularly exciting for me because I’ve been trying to interview Latisha for a few years now and it has finally worked out between our schedules. Let’s get into it!
1. Congratulations on being back in the scene with Bound and Quartered! To kick this off, what would be your honest review of “The L” (new venue in Horseheads, NY) since you played your return show there with some bigger bands?
Ah yes! Thank you, it feels great to be back.
The fact that our very first show back was at The L opening up for Worm Shepherd, Entheos and Oceano was an honor and an eye opener. This new and upcoming venue is definitely popping and everything I expected it to be. Everything from the communication to the actual production was handled in the most professional manner. The crew was fantastic to work with, we had so many extra hands to help carry our gear on stage so load in and tear down was smooth. Load ins were very fast leaving so much time for a clear and concise sound check. When you voice what you want to hear in your monitors, they meet your needs. I’ve never played at a venue where I didn’t feel like the little guy, we were treated as equals even among the national acts we were playing with. Last but not least, let’s not forget how beautiful and roomy that stage is. I am telling you the venue from front to back is the real deal.
2. How has BQ’s music changed since the very beginning, if at all?
Oh gosh yes, our music is definitely changing considering the new arsenal we’ve equipped since our return. With recruiting Cody Lange from (Mass Casualty) or what we like to call him Mr. Sweeps and Cameron James from (Spit Nickles) our very own Bam Bam 3000.
Of course we will keep our base sound that the original members created, but with spice. I’d like to think that we are only going to get heavier, but keep dipping into the more technical realm of riffage. From the very beginning we wanted to write what we felt in that moment, from what was influencing us during that time. Which is why not one song has the same vibe as the other, it keeps things fun and fresh.
3. When you guys all get together and chat about music, who are some of your common favorite bands in the BQ camp?
Another huge reason why the band as a whole writes and plays the way we do is because of the widespread influences from each member. While there are many mutual ones such as Suicide Silence, Rose Funeral, Veil of Maya, Job For A Cowboy, Decapitated and As Blood Runs Black. There are those random guilty pleasures that each of us jam on that help shape us as musicians as well.
4. What’s the best advice you can give someone joining or starting a band for the first time? (go with your gut)
The best advice I could give anyone joining/starting a band is to put in 100% effort. You deserve it, your bandmates deserve it. That means; practice at home, practice together, promote yourself, promote your band and keep growing! Learning is uncomfortable and that’s where you get progress, being in a band is a constant learning curve. You wont get something from nothing and that’s what requires your effort.
5. When going through your playlists, who have you been listening to the most over the past couple months?
On a serious note I’ve noticed that when I am trying to grow as a guitarist I level up on listening to bands that discourage me because they’re just that good! I say discourage very lightly because it also drives me to try harder. So as of lately I have been listening to Archspire, Brand of Sacrifice, Shadow of Intent, Enterprise Earth, The Partisan Turbine, Rings of Saturn and Infant Annihilator. All of which are just nasty all the way around. I eat, sleep and work with these bands on rotate I swear.
6. Talk about any gear you’ve been thinking about adding to your arsenal lately.
Ooof! I just said recently I have to stop buying gear lol! BUT! This does not mean it cannot be on my mind. Recently I just started playing a Strandberg Boden live with my new Peavey 6505+, you can’t really go wrong with that set up, but i’m sure many will know this is not light by any means. Previously I was playing with a Schecter Hellraiser Hybrid C-7 and the change to the Strandberg is insane as weight goes. As of right now I am all about lighter gear and that leads me to being curious about diving into the Line 6 Helix floor processor. I’ve heard many ranting and raving about these and have seen some bands live with some absolutely crushing tones coming out of these and just watching them tear down after a set and not hearing them grunt from lifting this up only makes me want it more!
7. Did you start off as a guitarist, or did you play other instruments beforehand?
I actually started off playing drums very horribly far away from everyone else when I was around 11 years old, which actually led to a hilarious trade for my very first guitar, a B.C. Rich Warlock. I had no idea what to do with it! So unfortunately it actually collected dust for a while. Shortly after that I accumulated a rinky dink first act bass and joined my first band. The Side Show Killers, while that didn’t last long my love for music has been started. The passing of my father really pushed this passion to keep playing and keep learning until I landed a position in Corrosive Impact which I would count as my first real band.
8. Who are your favorite guitar players off the top of your head? (any genre, list 5-10)
This list consists of guitarists and bassists who have influenced me over time, I was raised around rock, heavy metal and death metal so I definitely went through a wave of favorites through out my entire life.
#1 Kenny Foskey bassist of Stuck on Goofy (My Dad) my very first experience with live shows, first case of whip lash from head banging and first attempt at mosh pits (laughs)!
Wayne Static (Static-X)
Fallon Bowman (Kittie)
Slash (Guns & Roses)
Al Glassman (Job For A Cowboy/Despised Icon)
Dominic Forest Lapointe (Beyond Creation)
Ryan Martini (Mudvayne)
Miguel Rascon (Coal Chamber)
Daron Malakian (System of a Down)
9. As a guitarist, talk about some of the other musicians you’ve worked with over the years who have really challenged and improved your playing.
I feel like everything happens for a reason, during the time of it actually happening you don’t understand why, but in the end it all just makes sense. In the timeline of working with other guitarists I see a growth period with each and every person. Starting with my uncle in (Side Show Killers) while he was the guitarist and vocalist he kept rhythm and taught me timing along with him while I played bass. What seems simple now, didn’t seem very simple at the time because during that uncomfortable learning curve I didn’t let “not knowing” discourage me. My next experience was playing bass in (Corrosive Impact) working alongside Robert Day is a work out. If you don’t know who he is check his page along with his new project with the man himself Mike Marlinski in (Creator Undone). Anyways, Rob for the longest time was the only guitarist while I was part of the group, so I played in a fashion where we still had a strong powerful sound even without a rhythm player. Playing this way helped me be more comfortable to move around on the fretboard as opposed to just following root notes. I tell you what he made me put some work in and I am forever grateful to him. Little did Rob know he actually sparked the guitarist in me to come out and play which ultimately led to (Bound and Quartered) being created. Working alongside Jared Barto who used to be in (Rabid Panda) and was our original lead guitar player. I was not prepared to work with someone who was highly influenced by some of my favorite deathcore bands. The learning that took place from switching from bass to guitar was DIFFICULT. It took a lot of patience and drive to want to keep up with Jared. I can say this was the first time I could actually jam with someone and work off from them and generate a fantastic song. I definitely have to give a lot of credit to him for helping craft me into being the guitarist I am today. Like I said before everything happens for a reason and I went through the various learning curves to finally make my way into working with our current guitar player Cody Lange. The fun has just begun and I am ready for my fingers to sweat and finally get to see the fretboard like he does.
10. Talk about any future plans (shows, recording, etc.) that BQ have planned that you’re allowed to discuss!
Bound and Quartered has a lot planned for the upcoming months.
September 29th we’ll be on stage with Rivers of Nihil at the Montage Music Hall
-(Hellebore, Shepherd of Rot, Sastruga)
October 8th we’ll be at the Mohawk Place celebrating 10 Years of Sacrilege with Vile Tyrant
-(Blasphemous, IATT, Thou Shalt Not, WALDHEXNOfficial)
October 22nd we have a Halloween Bash at F’N’A’s with The Metallic Onslaught
-(Damages, Course of Extinction, Inhumatus, Polybius)
November 5th we’ll be back at the Montage Music Hall opening for Enterprise Earth
-(Reapr, Vulcan, Habits Have Teeth, Order of the Dead, Shepherd of Rot)
During the winter months we will be recording and getting our music out there finally for everyone to hear, NEW and OLD material.
Photo: A Cullen Photo*
To grab a physical copy of this interview along with others in our October 2022 issue of Wretched Sound, click the zine cover below! Thanks for all your love and support for this publication over the years!
welcometothemetal.wordpress.com 