Ayla Tesler-Mabe

Transcript

Speaker 1:
Welcome to Ernie Ball Podcast. It starts now.

Evan Ball:
Hello, I'm Evan Ball, welcome to Striking A Chord, an Ernie Ball podcast. Today we have Ayla Tesler-Mabe on the program. Ayla is a young rising guitar player who started gaining traction early on on YouTube and other social media. She was a founding member of Calpurnia, a band fronted by stranger Things star Finn Wolfhard who plays Mike Wheeler on the show. And she is the lead singer and guitar player of Ludic, hailing from Vancouver, British Columbia. Ayla and I were able to meet up for a quick chat a few weeks back at NAMM. NAMM being the big trade show for musical instruments, pro audio, all things musical that happens in Anaheim, California every year.

Evan Ball:
So we talked about her influences and how the video game Rock Band actually inspired her to learn guitar and pursue her own music. We talk about releasing singles versus albums, which is of course a big question in the age of streaming and we talk about her experiences playing in Calpurnia and in Ludic. Just a quick note, if you'd like to stay in touch with future episodes, please subscribe to this podcast in your preferred podcast app. Also, feel free to email us at strikingacordaternieball.com. Maybe you have a guest request and if the stars align, maybe we can get that guest on the show.

Evan Ball:
All right, let's get started. Ladies and gentlemen, Ayla Tesler-Mabe. Ayla Tesler-Mabe, welcome to the podcast.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Thank you so much for having me.

Evan Ball:
All right, so we're here at NAMM. For those of you who don't know, NAMM's the big yearly convention in the music industry, so it's crazy time here in Anaheim, California. So how has NAMM been so far?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Well, I've only been here for about an hour, but it's been spectacular as always. Of course. Yeah, I mean, obviously every time I come back, I think the shock of being in such an overwhelming environment, it subsides a little bit. But obviously it's like a massive music store and it couldn't possibly be any cooler.

Evan Ball:
Yeah.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah.

Evan Ball:
And the people watching isn't so bad either.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah. I think this is the best place to go to just see the most crazily dressed people.

Evan Ball:
It is. I feel like it's unfortunately calmed down a little bit. So when I was a kid coming here, when hair metal was in charge, it was just out of control.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah, no, luckily a lot of people still are trying to emulate that hair.

Evan Ball:
It's still there. NAMM's always a place where you can see it still alive.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
I've seen at least 10 men who look exactly like Frank Zappa walk by me.

Evan Ball:
I saw some guys that were dressed up like Chewbacca. I don't know if you saw them.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
No, unfortunately not. I will keep my eyes out because that would make the whole experience that much better.

Evan Ball:
Only at NAMM. So when did you start playing guitar?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
I started playing guitar when I was 12. Yes.

Evan Ball:
Oh, okay.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah. I mean, I got my first guitar when I was younger, when I fell in love with the Beatles and the game Rock Band, I'd be playing it and I was like, I want to be just like these animated rock stars up on the screen, playing music and having a great time. And I took a few lessons. I was very fortunate that my parents supported me in getting a cheap Squire knockoff, not the best guitar I've ever played. But yeah, I guess when I was young I tried it out and I enjoyed it, but not enough to really stick with it. But it wasn't until I was 12 that I really just fell in love.

Evan Ball:
Okay. I would have assumed, because you've already done so much and you're 18 now?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah, I'm 18.

Evan Ball:
That you started when you were like two. But okay, 12.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah.

Evan Ball:
So you have millions of views on your YouTube channel.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah, it's crazy.

Evan Ball:
When did you start using that platform and also how did and does YouTube play into your career?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Well, I started on Instagram first when I was about 13 or so. You can still see some of the early videos, but unfortunately some of the earliest videos I took down, which I regret now. But yeah, I sort of started Instagram in the hopes that when I would eventually start a YouTube, I could sort of tell people to check it out and hopefully a few of them would do so. And yeah, I suppose my first YouTube video was posted maybe when I was 14. And I obviously am not super active on there, but I've just been posting a few videos here and there and I've been so overwhelmed and shocked by how many real life doors that's open for me. It's amazing how the internet is-

Evan Ball:
Yeah. What kind of example?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Well, like Ernie Ball for example.

Evan Ball:
Okay.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
I mean, my video was found by this guy who was part of the brotherhood of the guitar, which obviously you may know as the group of young up and coming guitar players who are supported by Ernie Ball and music man. And through that this kid showed the video to the guy in charge, Robert Knight, the legendary rock and roll photographer. And yeah, from there he helped me get involved in the company.

Evan Ball:
Do you think YouTube is a good tool for young musicians?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Oh, without a doubt.

Evan Ball:
Or any musician I guess, yeah.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah, I mean some of the biggest musicians on the face of the planet right now I think got their start on YouTube.

Evan Ball:
Yeah. So exposure. What about as a revenue stream or is that-

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
I don't know too much about that actually, to be honest.

Evan Ball:
Yeah.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
I know that there are obviously companies that will take a cut of what you do and somehow help you get more revenue. I haven't really explored that, but yeah, sort of like in other areas of the industry.

Evan Ball:
You don't have ad revenue on your channel, do you?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
I do have ad revenue but obviously all of my videos, because they're covers, are flagged.

Evan Ball:
Oh, gotcha.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
So the label gets, or the distribution or whoever owns the publishing rights, they'll get a cut of that. But yeah, I'm obviously not really doing it for the money there.

Evan Ball:
Yeah. And were your parents pretty supportive when you got online and started doing this stuff?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Oh yeah. Just looking over to my dad right now. Absolutely. Yeah. My parents, I could not be more lucky to have just the most wonderful, supportive parents. And yeah, they never pushed me. I mean, they're not musicians. They love music and they really appreciate music. But yeah, they just were really supportive of me finding my passion.

Evan Ball:
So you found it on your own, you don't have siblings or parents that had guitars around?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Well, I do have a brother, I mean, I think he's one of the most musically talented individuals I've ever encountered. But he's more in the area of theater and amazing actor but also amazing singer and bass player and all that. But we would just play rock band, the video game together and we just loved playing the game. But I think I was the first one who started actually trying to pursue stringed instruments. At that time he was playing the piano a little bit and taking some lessons.

Evan Ball:
So you're at a point in your life where you just, did you graduate high school recently?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
I did. Last June. Yeah.

Evan Ball:
Last June, okay. So you're at a point where most people are deciding what their next chapter looks like. In an alternate universe where you never came across the guitar, do you ever think about what that might look like?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
I do think about that a lot, actually. It's a really interesting thought to entertain. I definitely think that being creative and being artistic is just an intrinsic part of who I am. But I think that I would love to explore psychology and philosophy more. And I mean I think that's something I'm kind of doing anyways now, but it would be interesting to see what kind of career I could create with a philosophy degree, which is probably impossible, but it would be an interesting challenge and see that would bring my creativity into play as well because I'd have to find a way to make a career in a field where you can't really do that. I guess it's helpful for others.

Evan Ball:
I would think philosophy majors should be hire able in a lot of places.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Oh, course. Oh no, I agree. Yeah. Yeah. I mean it's so helpful in every other area, I guess it's just hard when you're looking for a job as someone who's just a really good thinker and then people don't know what to do with that.

Evan Ball:
Were you always really driven? Like when you first picked up the guitar, not very first, but in the beginning, were you goal oriented where you said, I want to get to a certain place or was it more of an unguided process where you'd just pick it up, play it and eventually you get good?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
I think there was this thirst to be like all of the people that I am so inspired by and I would spend a lot of time listening to the music that I loved and just want that so badly just to create music like that that could move even one person as profoundly as that music has moved me. I guess it's like I needed to keep practicing and I still feel that because I mean obviously, I mean, I'm further along than I was before, but I have so much more to do and accomplish. And I do recall many times when my parents had to tell me to stop practicing because I'd just be playing for like 10 hours straight and they're like, you haven't been outside in five days. What are you doing?

Evan Ball:
Yeah. Would dad say you're a pretty driven person?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
He nodded.

Evan Ball:
I think that's a yes.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Well, my dad's a pretty driven person. So I have people to look up to. He's crazy, he's race car driver, sensei, doctor extraordinaire.

Evan Ball:
Really?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
And a wonderful human being.

Evan Ball:
Yeah. Maybe he can be the next podcast.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah.

Evan Ball:
Sounds interesting.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
I think he should be doing the podcast right now, you'd rather hear from him.

Evan Ball:
Sensei like Karate? Oh, okay. All right. And what kind of doctor?

Speaker 3:
I'm a psychiatrist.

Evan Ball:
Oh, wow. Okay.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah.

Evan Ball:
You had some interest there.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah, yeah. Well my mom's a psychologist so I definitely had a lot of that influence, and still do.

Evan Ball:
So until recently you were in a band called Calpurnia.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Indeed, yes.

Evan Ball:
Okay. And that's fronted by Finn Wolfhard who is the lead in the Netflix hit Stranger Things. Mike, right?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah.

Evan Ball:
Mike Wheeler.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
That's the character name.

Evan Ball:
So how did that come about?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Well, back in the day there was this music program that I did for a few years in the city called Before They Were Famous Rock school. It is just a great program and the teachers were wonderful.

Evan Ball:
How old are you here at the camp?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
At this camp, the first time I went, I was probably nine or ten.

Evan Ball:
Oh, okay.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
I think I was playing bass when I went to the camp the first few times. But yeah, I did it in the summer and during the school year as well. And then one time I did the camp with Finn and another guy named Malcolm. And from there we became friends back in those days and we played music together and yeah. So obviously his career-

Evan Ball:
You met at the camp?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah, we met at the camp.

Evan Ball:
And then was there a discreet moment when the band actually formed, or was it just friends jamming at first?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah, it was just friends jamming. And then his career obviously sort of took off and he at that point had the desire to put a band together.

Evan Ball:
Okay, so were you already playing before Stranger Things broke?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Well I was playing, yeah, music way before that for sure.

Evan Ball:
You were. No, but as Calpurnia or with those members?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah, just jamming though, not as an official band or anything.

Evan Ball:
Okay. So then the TV show came out and then Calpurnia got officially started after that?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah.

Evan Ball:
Okay. How did the Weezer connection come about?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Oh, yeah.

Evan Ball:
You had the take on me video you guys did.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
That was crazy. That was just a crazy experience through and through. How did that come about? I believe it's because we did cover a few of their songs. We did El Scorcho at our first ever show and obviously throughout the time we were together we'd play it at some shows. And then Say It Ain't So also became sort of a regular cover song we did. And then we did a Spotify Session where we did a cover of it and I don't know, maybe that was what started the connection and I don't even know for sure.

Evan Ball:
Okay so that cover happened before you did the Take On Me video.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah.

Evan Ball:
Okay.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
So maybe that was it.

Evan Ball:
Yeah.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah, and then we just got this email that they were adding a few, or just an extra day at the end of our tour, we did a tour of the States and we would just stop in LA and film a music video for Weezer. I was like, okay, that's crazy.

Evan Ball:
So cool.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah. It's so cool.

Evan Ball:
The Say It Ain't So cover. I love your guitar interpretations on that.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Thank you.

Evan Ball:
How did you guys come to think about approaching that song? Like to do your own version? Was there a lot of deliberation or did it just kind of come together naturally?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
I think it's safe to say in that specific project with Calpurnia there was never really any deliberation about anything at all. We just put our own touch on it by the fact that we play our instruments differently than Weezer would approach the song.

Evan Ball:
Right, right.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
I guess it just created something somewhat different. But still obviously I think a pretty faithful rendition of the song as well.

Evan Ball:
Yeah, yeah, it's great. Okay so now you're in a band called Ludic.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Indeed.

Evan Ball:
And you already had Ludic together before that, were you already playing with these guys?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah.

Evan Ball:
Okay.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Ludic sort of started at the exact same time or maybe a little bit before actually, because I mean I obviously was jamming with Fin and Malcolm. And then Jack, the bass player from Calpurnia, separately for a long time. Jack's actually I think the first person I ever really played music with.

Evan Ball:
Okay.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah. But that was sort of a totally separate thing. And then with Ludic I met Max and Rhet, the brothers at a jam. And I think we started jamming together officially before Calpurnia, like officially became sort of a band.

Evan Ball:
Okay, yeah. So where did the name Ludic come from?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Well, it's funny, Max and Rhet, they had the name before I even met them because they have a band that they're in called The Escapes and they've been playing together for years and years. But they themselves also wanted to sort of go off and just do something a little different for themselves. And I think it was their mom who came forth this idea that the way they were playing music was spontaneous and undirected and playful, which is literally the definition of the word Ludic.

Evan Ball:
Okay.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
And so yeah, they had that. And I think that project was already sort of brewing for a long time. And then they met me and then it kind of just made sense to add me to that. And I'm very grateful that they did so.

Evan Ball:
And so writing wise, genre wise, is this more of a direction that you're comfortable with? Because you're doing a lot of the writing with Ludic, right?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah, I mean we all write together the three of us a lot. I mean obviously some songs are more coming from an idea I initially started, sometimes it's more Max's idea and then obviously Rhett takes it to another level with adding the groove elements, all that. But I'd say it's definitely a very fundamental part of my artistic expression. I mean, obviously I still love rock and roll and I think that's absolutely an avenue I will always want to explore and continue developing in.

Evan Ball:
Yeah.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
And that being said, I feel like the rock and roll spirit can be brought to any style of music.

Evan Ball:
Yeah, so how would you describe your current music?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah, I would say generally just art pop maybe, but I guess it has elements of pop, but I think it's more the art part that is sort of defining the sound. Because I think through us incorporating a lot of soul and jazz and funk, it just sort of becomes something obviously very different from like a pop song.

Evan Ball:
Yeah, yeah.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
So yeah.

Evan Ball:
Do you prefer writing lyrics or music, one or the other?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Well, I definitely find the music part easier. I think I'm such a perfectionist and I love writing so much and it's not that I don't enjoy writing the lyrics, I just find that that takes a lot more time and sort of trying to chisel away at what am I trying to say and what is the best, most poetic but also artistic way to say it I suppose.

Evan Ball:
Yeah, I hear you. So what are Ludic's goals? Do you guys set like a 2020 resolution or anything?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
I mean over archingly I guess the resolution is just build off of the foundation that we've been trying to establish so far. And obviously it's very much songwriting driven. Like we just want to write the best songs possible and put out as much music as possible. And obviously we have an album written. It's almost done in the recording process, but we do have to finish a few more songs. But we've already started writing the second record. Just perform as much as possible and I guess see what opportunities arise.

Evan Ball:
Yeah.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah.

Evan Ball:
All right. Let's take a quick break. Come back and talk about releasing music in the streaming age, your influences and beyond.

Evan Ball:
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Evan Ball:
So you've put out singles so far, correct?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Mm-hmm (affirmative), yeah.

Evan Ball:
What's your philosophy on that? Is that kind of the way to go instead of doing it an entire album?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah, it's interesting. I mean we've been trying to do as much research as possible and I guess analyzing the people who are successful and trying to figure out why are they successful and what are they doing? And obviously it's a very different world now in how music is being put out and consumed and it definitely appears to be more single driven than ever before. I think albums still have a place and a lot of people still love albums, but I think no one's going to listen to an album unless they already are in love with the artist.

Evan Ball:
Yeah.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
And so I guess the singles are the way to make people hopefully fall in love with you in some way.

Evan Ball:
Yeah. What about recording though? Is it less efficient doing one at a time or are you recording more singles at once and then releasing them slowly?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah, well we do have songs that we recorded a long time ago that we're just putting out when we think it's the right time to put out.

Evan Ball:
Yeah.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
I guess we so far have only been recording in smaller sessions, like one or two songs at a time, so I can't speak to whether or not we'd have a more efficient experience recording it all at once. Though we're going to be doing that in a few weeks actually in February just to get the last part of the album done.

Evan Ball:
Yeah, I just interviewed Ilan Rubin and his band, The New Regime recorded an album and decided to break it up into fourths. So he'd release four songs, wait a few months, release another four. He recorded it as an album. It's just he figured people could digest it easier if they just take four songs at once and then there's something new and he kind of stayed fresh that way too.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah.

Evan Ball:
And then eventually after you have the last bit out, he'll have it as one single album, I guess on Spotify.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah. I mean that's a really interesting strategy. I actually think we considered something similar to that, just sort of what would happen if we put out two EP's worth of songs. But I think what we've found too is it kind of games the system a little bit to have song by song because I don't know the algorithm, the Spotify algorithm seems to like singles, which is interesting.

Evan Ball:
Yeah, that is.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah.

Evan Ball:
Good to know.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah. I mean, don't quote me on it, I would do your own research just in case I'm wrong.

Evan Ball:
So who are some of the bands that Ludic has played with so far?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
We this year had the opportunity to open for Snarky Puppy, which was crazy. And Brittany Howard, which was so crazy and also Catfish and the Bottlemen, which was really cool because obviously I haven't heard too much of their music, but I know that a lot of people love them. But yeah, I mean obviously Snarky Puppy and Brittany Howard are so influential to us and they're wonderful people. I mean, when you get to meet your heroes and they're actually great people, I don't think there's anything better than that.

Evan Ball:
That's so great. So how did you get to open for them? Management, did they-

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
I guess, well we don't have a manager at the moment, but our booking agent, he works closely with a lot of the guys from Snarky Puppy. And how did the Brittany Howard thing come about? I don't know. I guess they just reached out and it ended up working and that's about it.

Evan Ball:
And so they reached out to you, what an honor.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah. Well, we reached out to them first.

Evan Ball:
Okay.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
And then they reached back.

Evan Ball:
They accepted, yeah.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
They accepted our reached out hand and that's just great.

Evan Ball:
Yes. Who were some of your favorite guitar players?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Well, cliche answer, but for good reason. Jimi Hendrix obviously for every reason, just as a songwriter, as a performer, as an artist, fashion icon. But most of all, just the way he played guitar, groundbreaking and soul just oozing from every note. Incredible, incredible artist. Who else? Many people. Wes Montgomery, B. B. King. It's hard because there's so many guitar players that I love. It's hard to choose just the select few. But yeah, definitely people like that I've always really looked up to.

Evan Ball:
Okay.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah.

Evan Ball:
How about albums that were really influential for you?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Okay. Well I can think of a lot, but just lately I've really been thinking about how much I love the album Countdown to Ecstasy by Steely Dan. Amazing guitar work on that album. Just amazing and amazing songwriting. And I just fall in love with that album more and more every time I listen to it. And I just love Steely Dan very, very much. What else? Inner Visions by Stevie Wonder, obviously just spectacular songwriting. It's just amazing. It's crazy how good of an artist Stevie Wonder is. Love him.

Evan Ball:
So you're drawn to the older stuff?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah, definitely. I mean, I listen to a lot of older music for sure.

Evan Ball:
Okay.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
I love a lot of artists that are coming out now.

Evan Ball:
Anything pop in your head for an artist?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Well, Brittany Howard I think is incredible. She put out an album this year, her first solo album, because obviously she was doing the Alabama Shakes stuff, which is amazing. But her solo record that she put out this year I think just moved me so profoundly. It was just amazing, amazing music.

Evan Ball:
I'll check it out.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah. And Angel Olsen put out an album called All Mirrors, which I think also has amazing songwriting. Very Scott Walker-esque with just like very avant garde string arrangements and just really, really wonderful songwriting.

Evan Ball:
I should probably ask you about guitar strings.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Sure.

Evan Ball:
Which ones do you play?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Well I like the classics. Just what, yeah, regular slinky.

Evan Ball:
Regular Slinky?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah, exactly.

Evan Ball:
Ten to 46.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Exactly what's on the table right now, if you wanted to see if that was it, it is it. That's exactly what you would find in my basement. Yeah.

Evan Ball:
The most popular for a reason.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah, it's true. I mean, I obviously do have a few guitars with other string gauges, just if that suits the guitar better or I'm just in the mood to try something different. But yeah, I like the feel of ten's, gives you a little bit to fight against, just a little bit. But I'm a very vibrato and bend oriented player, so I hate having to sing and also do like a gnarly two-step bend at the same time. But it hurts and then you can hear it in your voice and it's just, it's not good. And I've tried it and I don't want to ever do it again. So tens are great.

Evan Ball:
How about singing? Have you always sung?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah, I mean I definitely think that the past year or two I've really tapped into sort of what I want my voice to sound like. And it's not like I'm choosing what I want my voice to sound like, but I mean like sort of tapping into what my individual strengths are and what makes my voice unique and trying to just build upon that. And there's this really interesting philosophy that I heard when I did a music program at the Musicians Institute in a few years ago. And I think this applies to all aspects of music, but the teacher was saying that you could be a Jack of all trades, which is amazing. Or you could just find what your inherent strengths are and just become the master of your own corner of the universe.

Evan Ball:
Yeah.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
And so, I mean, there are some unbelievable singers out there. There are obviously some unbelievable guitarists out there that just have technical ability in spades. And I so admire that. And I think that it's incredible that people can do that, but I personally don't really ever feel a drive to be that person. So I guess it's sort of trying to tap into music.

Evan Ball:
At the end of the day it's hard, it's music, it's not the Olympics, there's no objective markers.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Unless that's what's important to you, but I mean, I guess, yeah, for me it's like songwriting focused and definitely what's the most expressive and emotional soulful kind of way.

Evan Ball:
Like you said, you want to move people.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah, exactly.

Evan Ball:
Yeah.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah. So I guess it's sort of finding out what is Ayla's sound and just trying to master that as much as I can.

Evan Ball:
All right.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah.

Evan Ball:
Ayla Tesler-Mabe. Thanks for being on the podcast.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Thanks for having me.

Evan Ball:
Thanks for tuning in to Striking A Chord, a podcast presented by Ernie Ball. Thanks to Ayla for being on the podcast. It's nice to get some young blood on the show and we look forward to watching her career continue to unfold. If you'd like to contact us. You can email [email protected].

Evan Ball:
If you had to pick one country for your band to get big in besides say the US and Canada, what would you choose?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Have to be Japan.

Evan Ball:
Really?

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
We were actually having this conversation yesterday. I think Japan is just such a splendid country. The culture and the people and the way people appreciate music there is just incredible.

Evan Ball:
Yeah.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah.

Evan Ball:
That's funny, I have the same thought, but I've never been there.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Yeah, I've never been there either.

Evan Ball:
What I know of the culture, and it seems like it'd be so fun to be in a band in Japan.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Oh yeah.

Evan Ball:
Interesting.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Such a fan of the food.

Evan Ball:
Oh yeah.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Oh yeah.

Evan Ball:
I'm going to have to put your level up a little.

Ayla Tesler-Mabe:
Okay. Sounds good.