TraCee brings the horror with SCRM Radio
It seems like there’s nothing TraCee (aka Tracy Lewis) can’t do: in addition to being a gifted singer-songwriter and running her own radio station (SCRM Radio), she is an incredible supporter of independent artists. Oh, and she’s also a huge fan of horror. I recently had the opportunity to interview TraCee and, in addition to some revealing personal tidbits, she also shared her thoughts on what the future holds for SCRM Radio. Enjoy!
Jonny Numb: What was your first exposure to horror (cinema or otherwise), and how did it affect you?
TraCee: My first contact with horror was…in a book of fairytales, [a story] about a clown. I was about nine at the time. I don’t remember all of the details, but I remember it made me uneasy, and reading it alone with my brother in the house, even in the daylight, the story was still spooky. I grew up in foster care, and when I went to live with my second foster mother, that was where I was really exposed to [horror].
JN: Did your exposure to this book/story make you gravitate more toward horror, or away from it?
TC: Toward it. It didn’t make me scared of clowns, either [laughs].
[My foster mother’s] library of books introduced me to Stephen King, Peter Straub, and John Saul. I wasn’t actually supposed to touch them – so I would sneak and read the backs and insides of them and then put them back so I wouldn’t get in trouble. I didn’t get a chance to read an entire book until I got into high school and could buy them myself, picking them up at book fairs.
But when I went to live in my second home, [my foster mother] made me watch horror films with her.
JN: Any memories of any films in particular?
TC: Oh gosh, there are many memories that stick out.
JN: Is there one that resonates most for you,TraCee?
TC: I would have to say I Spit on Your Grave. I was twelve at the time and it was Christmas morning. It was our family movie for the day. Needless to say, it made an impression.
JN:Holy Hell! Have you revisited the film later in life, or was that experience enough?
TC: I’ve watched it twice since then; original once, and the remake – I needed to understand what I was watching at that age.
The other films she showed me were: A Nightmare on Elm Street, Dressed to Kill, The Thing(she made spaghetti to eat while we were watching it), Night of the Living Dead, and Little Shop of Horrors(original).
JN: Have you revisited the other films? If so, what kind of effect do they carry now?
TC: The only thing that affects me about The Thing is the “head spider.” The ending sequence of Dressed to Kill is still effective and I love A Nightmare on Elm Street– otherwise, I am kind of immune to them.
JN: What about the “head spider” gets to you still?
TC: The whole sequence – the sliding down of the head from the table and the legs growing out. I had the same reaction [David Clennon as Palmer] did when it walked/scurried out into the open. “You gotta be fuckin’ kidding.”
JN: [laughs]I think everybody had a similar “You gotta be fucking kidding” reaction.
TC: Yes! And I was eating spaghetti when the “stomach” bit [Richard Dysart as Copper’s] hands off and the intestines/tentacles/whatever the hell they were started waving about.
JN: I always thought the churning “stuff” in Norris’ chest looked like linguine or something.
TC: [laughs] Right!
JN: Horror obviously bubbles in your veins, and you’ve taken your love of it and created SCRM Radio. What inspired that?
TC: Well, first there was another radio station, and I became a part of that station by submitting a story that I wrote and narrated to be played on-air, and then by taking over the interview shows. When the station owners decided to shut it down, they first asked if I wanted to take it over, which I agreed to, because there were other people contributing to the station, and I wanted to keep the platform active for them. Then it was suggested that I start my own station so that they could do away with [their] station totally. With the help of my co-workers, I came up with a name, and with the help of the former station owner, set up the website and station and everything that went along with it.
But I did change the format – I got inspired by Bleeding Critic – so I made the station horror-story-narration specific. And I reached out to narrators to be a part of the station.
JN: TraCee, do you have a certain criteria for picking the creative types who contribute to the station?
TC: I am a voice person, and since this is radio, I want people who have a voice for it, as well as a talent for [storytelling]. I look for contributors and hosts who create original content. I want narrators who can keep the listeners’ attention, so voice and the ability to effectively tell a story is what I look for, among other things.
JN: What other things, for example?
TC: People who have a genuine love for the art of radio theater, and artists who can write cohesive stories. Stories have to make sense. I’ve had stories submitted to me with the hopes of having one of my hosts/contributors narrate them for the station, and they made no logical sense.
JN: To some of your points, it makes me realize how “radio” as a concept – using your ears to create pictures in your brain, forcing you to be imaginative – is something that’s kind of lost in the YouTube era. Along with how a narrator can seduce the listener with their voice, luring them into something horrific.
TC: Exactly. I want SCRM Radio to be a station where listeners [can] tune in and unplug, you know? Just turn off the TV/computer (unless they are listening through their browser, of course), turn off the lights, and become immersed in a story.
JN: Do you have any short- or long-term goals for SCRM Radio that you can share? Anything in the works?
TC: SCRM Radio is about supporting independent artists. As such, I have been reaching out to authors and short filmmakers [and inviting] them to contribute to the station.
There are short films on YouTube, for example, that have had thousands of views – and that is awesome, but what if SCRM Radio could give them a way to reach an even wider audience?
And I think it is a way to tap into a form of creativity that is less expensive, and a different approach to creating content.
JN: That leads nicely into another question: both you and SCRM Radio’s Twitter accounts have a substantial and devoted follower base. But I also know you work full-time and have family to care for. TraCee, how do you find time to promote yours and other people’s work?
TC: Ha! That is simple: I don’t sleep. Well, I sleep a bit…but before I do, I am insanely connected to my phone. I am the only one running the station and all of my social media pages…so I am laser focused on my stats.
I check the station numbers religiously throughout the day, and am programmed to send out promotional tweets and updates throughout the day. My music and my station won’t get heard if no one knows it exists, and since I don’t have a marketing budget – or a separate marketing department (yet) – I have to make sure it gets done.
I’m like some sort of sleep deprived robot. [laughs]
JN: I believe it! I follow you and SCRM Radio on Twitter, and the activity is steady without being overwhelming, so I’d say you’re doing a fine job.
TC: Awww, thank you! Encouragement is a very welcome thing. Sometimes this can feel like it’s a bit overwhelming, and can be a bit lonely. There’s not a lot of people I can talk to about what I do and it be understood.
JN: I have one last question: you have an incredible singing voice. When did you discover your gift for song, and when can we expect a TraCee tour?
TC: Hopefully soon. I have been singing since I was about six. I joined my current label in 2013 and we have been working to get our music out for the world to hear. As an independent label without outside financial backing, it is an uphill climb but it has been an enjoyable and educational one.
I will be dropping two new singles, one in the late spring/early summer and one in the fall. I am going to be shooting the videos for them soon, and hopefully you all will love them!
JN: Excellent – I know Crash Palace readers and The Last Knock listeners will be looking forward to all of that, in addition to a horrific future with SCRM Radio! Any final message for listeners/readers?
TC: Don’t let your job be your final destination. If there is something you are passionate about, pursue it. And above all, no matter how frustrating it may be, even if no one sees or understands or cares about it but you – don’t quit. After all, it’s your dream, not theirs. It succeeds or fails based on how much effort you put into it.
You can find TraCee and SCRM Radio on Twitter @TraCee_tr and @SCRMRadio, and at the following links:
SCRM Radio: https://www.scrmradio.com/
Website: http://www.traceetr.com
Instagram: http://instagram.com/tra_ceetr
Facebook: http://facebook.com/traceetr
The Plot Sickens: Don’t miss Jonny Numb’s review of 68 Kill!
(Photos of TraCee and SCRM Radio via TraCee.)
Crash Analysis Support Team
Jonny Numb
(Aka Jonathan Weidler) has experienced enough pet and human death to justify several volumes of Pet Sematary fan fiction. He co-hosts THE LAST KNOCK horror podcast on iTunes, and can be found on Twitter and Letterboxd @JonnyNumb. In addition to Crash Palace Productions, he also contributes to Loud Green Bird.