What’s it like being a pregnant drummer on tour?

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So sure, there are rockstar moms … but then there are mamas who are quite literally rockstars! Like Trish Naudon here, drummer for a band out of New York City called The NATCH — and also due to become a mama in August. I tracked Trish down to ask her a few questions about how she manages to mix the perfect cocktail of rockstar and mama — and how her fetus likes it when she’s playing the drums!

Trish, is this your first child?
Yes, and we just found out yesterday it’s a little girl with long fingers and we’re psyched, maybe she’ll be a bass player;-) – she’s due Aug 19, 2010 and we’re naming her, Myla Sol.

Tell me a tiny bit about your band.
We’re The NATCH, from NYC a trio with a smoking guitar player, Chris Thomas a sassy bass player Paris Mancini and me, Trish Naudon on the drums. We’re a year old next month and have been on four tours this past year to the Midwest, Northeast and South. We’ve been very lucky and have been sponsored for most of our tours and now we’re finishing up our recording of our debut CD due out this Summer 2010. Some say we sound like a mix of The Clash meets The Breeders, Pixies & The Police — we love hearing that!

Where’s the tour going?
May 1st we play a benefit show for The RED CROSS in Danbury, CT then off to the Boston Walk for Hunger to 44,000 people which will be our second appearance as The NATCH and our first anniversary show. Then we head over to the Midwest with a sprinkling of gigs on our way to Cleveland, OH to play with our good pals at a JIB Machine Records Showcase and Chicago to play a big benefit show for the Veterans of America sold out show. We’re super excited to be able to squeeze in these shows as I’ll almost seven months pregnant – yikes.

Were you daunted by the idea of going on tour while pregnant?

I know this is hardcore and gross but I just made sure to have my little bucket near my drum set at all times.

LOL! Well, at first when I was about 2 months we had a Midwest tour in the middle of January and I had fierce morning sickness coupled with bronchitis, which was tough. I know this is hardcore and gross but I just made sure to have my little bucket near my drum set at all times. Even watching the mosh pit and beer smell made me instantly sick feeling but the minute we started playing I felt really good — so the key was to not stop playing. My band mates were awesome and my right foot never stopped thumping my kicking drum. Otherwise I really enjoyed being on tour and seeing all our friends making new ones.

Does the baby respond when you’re playing?
Fully! I didn’t know what it was at first. After a couple hours of practice when we’d take a break I would feel this tempo-like beat in my belly and then slowly figured out she was moving to the music for a good 20 minutes after we had stopped. I even saw an ultra sound with her moving around as if she was dancing! Apparently music is really good for babies and thank goodness because she gets a lot of it. My husband likes to rest his acoustic guitar on my belly and play a sweet tune for her in the mornings.

What’s the biggest challenge of being a pregnant rockstar?
Stage clothes! Honestly all has been really normal except for the growth of my belly and trying to figure out what to wear on stage. As a drummer, I usually like to wear as little as possible because I get so hot … but now my body has taken on a mind of its own. RockStarMoms recently endorsed me and hooked me up with some SWEET rock clothes that I now live in, seriously! I’m so happy I can still look like I’m part of my band. Cool maternity clothes are really hard to find for rocker gals. The other challenge is dealing with my growing boobs! I’m normally small up there and now I really gotta strap them down.

How do you think your career will change once you have the baby?
I’m sure we’ll have some down time playing live and touring for a few months but we’ll continue to write songs and record. We’re lucky to be a very prolific band and we’re already planning on recording our second CD for a Fall 2010 release. We’ve even talked about getting a bigger touring vehicle with room for a baby helper to go on tour with us, we’ll see. It’d be great to have her on tour with us and only be separated for the time I’m on stage — that would be awesome!

How will it stay the same?
I’m hoping we’ll continue to write and rock it out as much as we can – it would be weird not to. Since this is our first baby we know things will change a bit but I suppose we’ll just have to see how much we can actually juggle. I’ll have to keep you posted on that one.

What advice do you have for other rockstar mamas?
Eat well, exercise and be healthy and you’ll be able to keep rocking! Oh yeah make sure to let other people carry your gear and enjoy the ride!

Comments on What’s it like being a pregnant drummer on tour?

  1. loved reading this story and checking out your video! I'm a rockstar mom myself (vocals and bass in a 3-peice band called Alicehttp://www.myspace.com/aliceband), and now that I'm 33 weeks pregnant we've taken a little break. I loved rocking out pregnant with little baby Everleigh dancing inside. She absolutely dug heavy bass! One of my biggest challenges was playing guitar over my huge belly. I also could totally relate with you about the lack of cool maternity clothes and the suddenly giant boobs issue. Another thing I stuggled with rocking out while pregnant? Staying up late enough for our gigs! Typically we don't hit the stage til 10:30PM or later, and that was a bit rough on old mom 🙂 Best of luck to you, your band, and little Myla!

  2. I love reading about this! My mom and dad were full-time touring musicians with a band called Guadalcanal Diary when I was in her belly. She says her tummy was all bruised up from where I'd kick to the beat of her bass. They were my first show (9 days old!) and my first tour when I was 2 months old. Momma's ideology was that if the circus could do it, she sure as hell could too! I did have my road nanny to help out. The weirdest thing was through the wonderful fan base, word spread quickly that I was tagging along and people would have signs with my name on them! I became Guadalbaby Lil (the name that was on my own little laminate) and everyone agreed that bringing a baby along was a good PR choice!

  3. Hooray! Love this post, thank you… I'm a singer in a quirky rock band that favors elaborate tribal-ish steam-punk-leaning costumes on-stage and I'm currently working on getting pregnant. Already thinking about what in the world I'm going to wear on stage when my ensemble usually includes a corset… 😮

  4. What an inspiration you all are! I’m a bass player from Adelaide, South Australia, and I’ve just hit the 18th week of my pregnancy! I’m 25 and this is my first, I’m still playing music and loving it and am looking forward to going on a short tour with a kids theatre company where I’ll be acting and playing bass and guitar at 29 weeks pregnant! (http://www.patchtheatre.org.au/fbyt.htm)!!!
    I love knowing that I’m sharing these wonderful experiences with my baby and that he/she (don’t know yet!) is developing in a creative environment!
    Go rock moms!!!
    Check out my other bands:
    http://www.illiciteve.com
    http://www.myspace.com/immermann
    http://www.myspace.com/thevenicewhalers
    http://www.myspace.com/triozampano

  5. Hi Gals!
    I’m 33 wks/8 months preggers now and just played my last show at the Ideat Village Festival last Sat night and felt great! And just got off touring the Midwest at 30weeks and loved every crazy minute of it. Part of me wants to keep playing shows but my logical side says to chill out which I’m now going to do. I’m still playing with my band at our studio, writing songs and finishing our recording of our debut CD. I’m not sure what to do with myself if I don’t keep it up;-) plus I think I’d go nuts without it…you know how it is. I’m working on a journal and will post a link here when I’ve got it up.

    Thanks again for your comments – YOU ALL ROCK!

  6. Hey everyone! I’m 11 weeks- been playing live music/recording for almost 20 years, so this pregnancy development has been a shock to my musical system! I cried and cried and just thought it was over. (Hormonal drama!) So glad to read all your stories and to know it is still possible. So far I’ve just been plowing through my first trimester. Luckily I haven’t been sick… just extremely tired. But once I hit that stage, all my tiredness and fears go out the window. I feel like I’m enjoying it even more- taking more risks- it’s been pretty wild. My bandmates are so supportive, too… thank goodness. I’m still worried about the last month and then of course when the baby comes. It seems impossible at times but I guess it’s just best to cross that bridge when I come to it. It’s threatening in a way. Music has been my life- since I was born- what a tremendous transition! Thanks for sharing your stories, ladies. I feel better already. xoxoxo

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