Blogger Spotlight: Christie Laabs and Sadie Q. (Hip In Detroit)

Hello and welcome to the beginning of a brand new work week. We have been working on the features you will see in the coming days for well over a month, and to be perfectly honest we believe it may be some of the best content we have produced to date. We build this blog as a way to inform and inspire the future leaders of music, which is exactly what we aim to do with the posts you will see in the days ahead. If you have any questions regarding the content of this blog, or if you would like to learn more information about the services offered by Haulix, please email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

We have run well over 100 interviews with bloggers and professional music journalists over the last year, but not once in all that time did we ever craft a feature quite like the one you are about to read. For the first time in the history of this blog we have interviewed two influential minds for a single feature. Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to Sadie and Christie, the two music loving souls behind the Hip In Detroit.

I cannot recall the first time I stumbled across Hip In Detroit, but it did not take long for me to realize whoever was behind it needed to be featured on this blog. Where many sites focus their efforts on bringing additional attention to already buzz worthy bands, or trying to lock down features with national headliners, Hip In Detroit exists to support and promote a local seen that is thriving with talent that has largely gone unnoticed outside the 313 area code. From concert listings, to album reviews, interviews, photography, and even the occasional sponsored event, Hip In Detroit is the must-visit digital hub for every person hoping to make the most out of their time in the Motor City. 

It’s hard to say what I expected when I initially reached out to Sadie and Christie, but many of the responses given in the interview below brought a smile to my face. In a time where it seems everyone is out to make a name for themselves, these two dedicated music supporters have made it their mission to help others succeed. If you would like to learn more about their efforts, please make it a point to bookmark and frequent Hip In Detroit. Additional questions and comments can be left below.

H: Why, hello there! Thank you for joining us. Before we begin, please introduce yourselves:

S: Hi- my name is Sadie. I am a blogger who writes about the Detroit music and entertainment scene. I grew up in Sterling Heights, Michigan and fell in love with music at a young age. I met Christie in junior high, we immediately bonded over music and her mother took me to my first rock and roll show when I was 12.

C: I’m Christie. I also grew up in Sterling Heights. I love music, my dog, and pizza. That about sums it up!

H: We have been running this blog for over a year at this point, but I am fairly certain this is the very first time we have featured two people in the same interview. It’s a little nerve-wracking, but i think it will turn out great. Let’s start with a basic question: Who was your first musical obsession? Bonus point if you share an early ‘fangirl’ story.

S: Courtney Love today, tomorrow, and forever. I heard Live Through This in sixth grade and my life was  changed.  I starting wearing baby doll dresses, barrettes, and red lipstick and became obsessed with grunge. Last year I had the privilege of preforming as Hole with a band called Destroy This Place during the Creepy Cheapy event  at The Crofoot and I got the chance to photograph her when she came to town. Those were the two coolest fan girl moments I have ever had. My stomach was in knots because I was so close to my idol. My brother actually knows the words to Miss World from hearing me scream them in my bedroom so many times on repeat when we were growing up.  

C: Mine was definitely White Zombie. I was obsessed. I have an older sister, so that’s how I was first introduced to the band. I don’t think she ever thought it would lead to the life I live. haha. My sister had a White Zombie sticker in her closet that said Zombie 666 and Sadie and I used always go in her room and look at it. It was obviously the coolest. Once I started listening to them, they quickly became my favorite band. I would headbang my heart out at their concerts and did the same when Rob Zombie went solo. My biggest fangirl story would probably be when I met him at Harmony House at 9 and John R. I don’t remember how old I was, but I know my mom had to drive us and I definitely cried when I met him, like most girls would for the Backstreet Boys or something.

H: How about the first album you each purchased with your own money?

S: I received Green Day Dookie as a gift, that was my first tape. I went out that same week and bought Offspring Smash with my own money. I wasn’t allowed to listen to them so I had to sneak them in the house and hide in my closet with the volume down low to play the tapes.

C: I remember buying a Guns N Roses single cassette tape really young, but I can’t remember what song it was for. I also remember buying the Wayne’s World soundtrack at a pretty young age.

H: First concert?

S: Soundgarden at The Palace

C: Of course there were the kiddie concerts, like The Elephant Show at Meadowbrook or New Kids on the Block at The Palace. I saw The Beach Boys more times that I can count with my family, and yes Uncle Jesse was on the drums a couple of times. First rock concert though I think was White Zombie and Pantera at The Palace.

H: Okay, now that we have warmed up a bit we should dive into the good stuff. Tell me, what is the origin story behind Hip In Detroit?

S: I’ll let Christie tell that one.

C: I have worked at a local TV station for years now and my friend Nick and I produce a show there that was meant to cover events in the Metro Detroit area. Well, we quickly got the reins tightened on that. So, I was hearing about all of these awesome things (film openings, events downtown, etc.) going on and was so bummed I couldn’t take a camera out and cover them. So the initial idea was to get our own camera and do just that, but put it on the internet. Becca (that used to be part of Hip In Detroit) is also involved in this show I’m talking about. Anyways, the idea brewed for about a year or so and I had mentioned it to Sadie to see if she would want to be involved. Then over time the idea evolved and I said why don’t we just cover the stuff we already are going to and that we like. So, then that idea brewed for a while and we just didn’t know when or how to actually start. Finally, one day Sadie had enough and said, you know how we do it, we just start. So the first thing we covered was the Solid Dudes Premiere that was coming up that week and the rest is history. So that is the novel that is the start of Hip In Detroit.  

H: As lifelong residents of the mitten state, what lead you to focus solely on the city of Detroit? Why not expand to feature events from around the state?

S: We do cover events outside of the Metro Detroit area at times, but it’s rare. Our focus is on the unique music and entertainment scene in Detroit. We live in a place where you can see a good band play live any night of the week at multiple venues, it’s not like that in other cities and it’s special.  Plus, were a city coming back from some hard times, I feel honored to be chronicling its rebirth.

C: I love Detroit and have for years. As soon as a I got a car I was driving down to shows at The Shelter and St. Andrew’s. It is such a unique place and has so many hidden gems both in the city and in the surrounding suburbs. We’ve covered a lot, but we have only scratched the surface.

H: What were your initial goals when you launched the site, and how would you say they have changed – if at all – over the last few years?

S: To portray Detroit the way I saw it, as a hip fun place to be.  To contradict the view that most media outlets had and the way our city was being portrayed, and simply to tell others what’s we think is hip in Detroit these days.

C: I think Sadie put it best. One thing that has always bothered me is the amount of people that say they, “don’t go to Detroit”. Why? There is so much they are missing out on! We are giving people reasons to head down to Detroit and to just go out in general. Plus, there are so many great bands in this city that weren’t getting the attention they deserve. Really, there are so many things in general in this city that aren’t getting the attention they deserve.

H: How would you describe the content found on Hip In Detroit to someone who has never previously heard of your site? Bonus challenge: Limit yourselves to a one sentence description.

S: When you’re looking for something fun to do tonight head over to the website and find out what’s hip in Detroit. Duh 🙂

C: Hip In Detroit covers the aspects of Detroit that you aren’t going to see in the mainstream media.

H: I always love when I stumble across sites like yours because I believe it’s incredibly important for people to support their local scenes. How often do you highlight the talent from your region in comparison to the national acts who travel through?

S: There’s no formula. That’s what’s cool about having your own platform. Christie and I decide  what we want to cover. We read press releases, talk to our friends, and cover whatever our little hearts desire. I prefer to cover local things because every outlet will cover the bigger acts, we want to have something special.

C: We mainly focus on the local scene. Although we do cover national acts from time to time, it’s usually someone we’re huge fans of or we know our readers are really into.

H: Who designed your site? Logo?

S: Logo Monster Free Design. Check her out, she’s amazing. I’ll let Christie explain the creation of the actual website.

C: Becca Friedman that used to be part of Hip In Detroit came up with the all of the initial designs, logos, stickers, buttons, site layout, etc. She still continues to help us when she can, but when she stepped back from working with Hip In Detroit, we went to Monster Free Design to update our header and logo. She created our latest sticker too!

H: I noticed there is only a single ad space on the site. Do you have plans to add more? If not, have you develop any additional methods of monetizing your efforts with Hip In Detroit?

S: There’s more than one, and if people are interested in advertising with us they can reach out to us at hipindetroit@gmail.com.

C: If there’s anyone out there that just wants to throw some cash our way so we can do this full time, that would be awesome! We have header and sidebar ads available currently. We have started working as an affiliate with some companies, but we would LOVE to work with Detroit based companies, especially those that we are fans of. Our ad prices are really reasonable and we even have weekly rates available that would be great for bands pushing a release show or bars hosting a big event. Just email us. We are open to ideas. Oh yeah, we also just added a “donate” button to our site. A lot of people kept suggesting it, so after being reluctant for a while, we finally did it. It’s surprising how quickly the expenses add up when you are doing something like this!

H: Based on the last question, I am going to assume you do not profit from the site currently. With that in mind, what keeps you motivated to continue posting day in and day out?

S: I love it, writing, music, and Detroit are my passions, I can’t imagine not doing this.

C: Exactly. I can’t stop and I won’t. I love what we’re doing and even more so, I love that people read it and appreciate it. Plus, as Sadie mentioned earlier, it’s amazing having your own platform to say and do what you want.

H: What is one thing you know about music blogging now that you wish you could go back and time and tell your younger self prior to launching this site?

S: People will read what you have to say and the internet is a rough place, expect to be judged harshly.  Some people will love you and some people will hate you and there is nothing you can do about it. Know who you are before you put yourself out there.

C: It is A LOT of work.

H: What is one piece of advice you would offer to aspiring writers who are reading this interview and considering launching a site of their own?

S: Just do it, there’s nothing to lose and everything to gain.  

C: Totally. Just do it. Your start up costs are minimal and whether one person or thousands check it out, at least you tried.

H: In terms of growth and continued development, what do you feel are the biggest obstacles Hip In Detroit currently faces?

S:  We cover a very specific niche. We need to expand what we cover or get more people interested in this niche.

C: Yeah, there are other blogs out there that cover some of the same topics as us from time to time, but focus more on things like the Red Wings. That’s just not us, but it definitely hurts us in terms of growth and reaching a larger audience.

H: What is the biggest misconception people have about Detroit? How about the biggest misconception of the Detroit music scene?

S: That Detroit needs to be saved. She’s a big girl, she will be just fine.

C: Biggest misconception about Detroit, that it’s a scary place. The music scene, that there isn’t a Detroit scene anymore. Quite the opposite, there are a ton of bands and actually a few separate scenes instead of one united one. So, I guess in a way what people say is true. Regardless, the scene(s) are really solid and support each other and new bands. This is especially the case for the Punk/Metal scene.

H: We cannot do this entire interview and not promote some artists. Who are your favorite regional acts at the moment?

S: Tunde Olaniran, James Linck, Flint Eastwood, The HandGrenades, Wilson, Break Anchor, Destroy This Place, and Nice Hooves probably top my list.

C: Against The Grain probably tops the list. The HandGrenades will always be one of my favorites and hold a special place in my book too. Other than that, definitely Break Anchor, Snakewing, Beast In The Field, I have been listening to Frank White’s newest album an unhealthy amount lately, George Morris & The Gypsy Chorus, Rebel Spies, this list could go on forever.

H: If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?

S: I miss the way it used to be,. I know that’s a lame statement to make, but I miss albums having a release date and going to the local record store to buy the album. I miss record stores.  I miss album covers being iconic and music videos that changed fashion and impacted pop culture. I miss rock stars and performers taking over the stage, not just getting up there and singing. I miss the realness of rock and roll and I would like to see it come back.

C: I guess I would say that I miss having music in the spotlight like it was when we were teenagers. There really isn’t MTV anymore. And sure, bands make music videos, but they are mainly viewed on the internet. Is it really even possible for bands to reach a high level of success anymore? I mean, back in our day if a band made it they were selling out place like The Palace. Now a days, only pop stars and bands that have been around for 30 years play the giant arenas. The way a band “makes it” now is by playing a major fest.

H: What are your ultimate career goals?

S: I would love to see hipindetroit.com become the go to place for Detroiters and out of towners to find out what is happening and where to go. As far as dreams for future coverage, I want to interview Dave Grohl, Joan Rivers, Hugh Hefner, and Howard Stern. Personally, I just left my position as a social worker to pursue a career in marketing and social media. I’m trying to get my foot in the door and start the next chapter of my life.

C: If we could turn Hip In Detroit into our full time careers, that would be a dream come true. Until then I will just continue making television and hustling in the freelance world. Haha

H: Okay, I think that covers everything. Before I let you go, do you have any final thoughts or comments you would like to share with our readers?

S:

C: Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to us! And a huge thanks to everyone that has helped us and worked with us along the way! We definitely have to say a special thank to Ryan Collins and The Swellers, they have been huge supporters since we started. To the readers, thank you so much for actually reading what we write and for watching our videos! It means the world to us! And to people that haven’t checked out hipindetroit.com, head over and give it a try. You might find your new favorite band or restaurant, or you might even find out about something awesome going on this weekend that you didn’t know was even happening. Last (before the music starts rolling to get me off the stage) if you have any suggestions or think we should cover something, we’re always open to ideas. Email us at hipindetroit@gmail.com!

James Shotwell