Jennifer Herrema of RTX

 

Singer, songwriter, producer, artist, writer, and model Jennifer Herrema seems to be an extreme renaissance woman. She has twenty record releases and has either sang with or produced for many indie artists such as Palace Brothers, The Kills, Delta 72, David Pajo, and too many more to name. Originally from the band Royal Trux, Herrema formed RTX with a new cast of characters in 2004 and has been releasing albums under Drag City (a label in which she helped to form) ever since. RTX’s latest, Western Xterminator, was released in 2007. Check out her take on Huntington Beach, CA below.

 

What's your town's nickname?
Sunset CA

 

What's your nickname for your town?
The Beach

 

Why do you live there?
Because it's sooo sweeet; right on the pacific ocean with the indian burial grounds and wetlands to the left and the Harbour to the right,,,,, a totally hot spot.

 

What is your favorite local attraction (monument, park, etc)?
The beach.

 

What is your favorite local event/festival?
Oktoberfest in old world huntington beach. They race dachsunds... it's awesome! Also.... they have great german beer and sauerkrauts. There's the two sisters called the power sisters. They dress up like christmas trees and do contortions and shit and they are like 80 years old.

 

What is the best time of year to be there?
All the time, but in the winter all the visiting surfers tend to move on and it's less crowded.

 

Who is your favorite local celebrity/personality?
I heard that Bill Ward lives on the harbor and plays around with blues bands and shit unannounced.

 

Where is the best place to drink and what's their specialty or happy hour?
I don't really go out in my area so much.... but sometimes i go to Pelican Isle. It's on the water and they have free champagne all morning and afternoon and sometimes the places with the everclear margaritas.

 

Who has the best jukebox (and what's in it)?
Like I said I don't go out too much. I'd be stoked on Grateful Dead and Jimmy Buffett.

 

What is your favorite place to see live music and what was your favorite show there?
Dave's warehouse in downtown LA was always totally rad, but his place just got shut down by the police.

 

What is your favorite local band?
My band RTX. There are a lot of sick bands around here. I like Earthless, Bad Dudes and Tweak Bird. There's others too.

 

What is your favorite record store and what was your best find there?
Probably the last cool thing i got was a Dusty Rhoads 3 disc DVD set at one of those F.Y.E. places. I also got Hanoi Rocks and Pentagram there too. In LA there are lots of great record stores....prolly some here too but i don't go around very much.

 

What is your favorite local shop?
The Frog House Surf Shop.

 

What is your favorite local publication (alternative weekly, zine, website or blog)?
This guy Chris Ziegler has a column called Control Z.