Mariel Miele
this is part of a photo series i’ve been working on since 2011. it is a collection of photographs of badass women involved in metal, hardcore and the borderline metal/punk/avant-garde worlds. these are the people who make up the music scene. these are my friends.
Meet musician, artist and carpenter Mariel Miele (Lies Beneath, Vincent Price is Right, Eyes Like Cyanide).
What was your first metal experience?
Mariel Miele: Hmmm ... thats a good question, cause I can't really pinpoint that. I got exposed to music early on by my older sister. I was always into hard rock and grunge, but I think the first time I heard something really heavy and had that NEED to listen to more was when Korn's first album came out. That wasn't Pantera or Slayer heavy, it was different and dirty and in some ways provocative. Besides, in 1996 no one was really doing stuff like that yet, so they were definitely exciting to come upon.
How long have you been a carpenter? What attracted you to carpentry?
MM: I've been doing carpentry for 9 years now. It appealed to me when I was transitioning from non-union to union labor. I learned a lot about what carpenters do and how many facets of carpentry there are through a pre-apprenticeship program. Wood is warm and strong, you can shape it with your hands and make something beautiful and unique, or build structures of all sizes that will last for generations. It's a skilled craft that requires knowledge and practice through discipline, so becoming good at it felt like something I needed to accomplish.What advice can you give to women who may want to get into carpentry but aren’t sure where to start?MM: There are classes and workshops EVERYWHERE. I do continuing education courses at SVA to get the practice in with finer woodworking projects as well as metalwork. They're great for learning how to use power tools, and hand tools properly. You can also hit up that program I mentioned to join the carpenters union as an apprentice. I would say that if you're just looking to make furniture or sculptures, then stick with private classes or art schools. If you're into renovation work, commercial or residential building - then definitely go through the union. The name of the program is NEW (nontraditional employment for women).
What are your current music projects / bands you’re playing in?
MM: Right now I'm working with Lies Beneath (Brooklyn). Describing their sound is hard, its heavy AF, and has great grooves/riffage/hooks. They're complex rhythmically, but not without taste. I've been working with them for about a year on bass, and after our next show Ill be switching over to guitar. I have some material of my own I've been working on, and plan on recording that soon as well.
What are some bands from NYC/Long Island you feel like don’t get or didn’t get enough attention (when they were around)?
MM: Good question. VOD definitely. They got a little attention but never got BIG big, you know what I'm sayin? 40 Below Summer is another band I feel like could have gotten further. Any of the bands out there right now trying to make it work. Let's be real: the best musicians come to NYC to work. Chances are, whatever band is out there doing its thing, is probably worth some attention. Some of the best musicians I've worked with are from Long Island.