Since early days hitting up the Honey Hive and raiding the Ortega branch library for graphic novels, Ellie Stokes has been seeking out music and art in SF for nearly two decades. Her band Grooblen’s second full-length album A Wormhole is a Freeway to the Stars was a cosmic rock-and-roller, and one of our favorite Bay Area albums of 2023. She also has a new project coming up under the name please don’t eat me.
We interviewed Ellie in advance of Grooblen’s set at the Bay Beats Launch Party at the Richmond Branch Library in SF on Saturday, November 2. We look forward to seeing you there!
Where did you grow up and how long have you lived in the Bay Area?
I grew up in the San Francisco area, with a few years of my childhood spent in Miami, but I’ve spent about 18 or so years here in SF. Other folks in Grooblen also grew up in San Francisco, throughout Idaho, Marin, San Ramon, Brentwood, and Dallas. We’ve all been in the Bay Area either since we were kiddos or for the majority of our adult lives!
Describe your path to making music.
Writing songs has been a way for me to express the nearly inexpressible, or to help grasp personal experiences in a more tangible way! I started writing music when I was around 16 as it really helped me understand myself and pinpoint particular emotions so much more than I could before. I love playing and writing with other people because everyone brings their own fresh take to a composition, and it’s a perfect mix of a cohesive collaboration while everyone’s individual talents and personalities shine through. Plus, it’s freakin’ FUN and has such a great way of uniting people, and you don’t have to write or play music to truly appreciate it – music is something for everyone to enjoy, and that’s the best part.
Do you have any new releases coming up?
Yes! Grooblen has an EP of four new songs coming out in early 2025 – stay tuned for more details ::)) Until then, catch a live set for a sneak peek!
Do you use the public library? If so, how?
I used to go to the SF public library a lot as a kid into my late teen years and would scour the graphic novels section (shout out to the Ortega branch!) until I pretty much read everything that was available. And I used to work with the nonprofit SF Rock Project at The Mix at SFPL in Civic Center, where I would help teach youth music workshops and see students perform. I also listen to Bay Beats, because FLIP, what a great platform to pave the way to benefit both artists, listeners, and the city!
How does the Bay Area influence the music you make?
Primarily growing up in the Bay Area has been the biggest influence on the music I make with Grooblen. I grew up in the Outer Sunset and would take the train down to Honey Hive to see all sorts of bands. Also having access to so many street fairs and youth music programs growing up surrounded me with live music and really emboldened my appreciation for the local music scene. I had a lot of teachers who were also musicians and I learned so much not just from their skills but from going to see their live shows at venues here like Neck of the Woods, Rickshaw Stop, Slim’s, The Chapel, to name a few when I was a pre-teen and into my teenage years. My appreciation for the Bay Area music scene spanned way before I even started to write music, and I think really had a sonic and personal influence for my songwriting.
Which up-and-coming Bay Area artists are you most excited about?
There are so many! New artists are emerging every single day really, and it’s always so hard to answer questions like this because there are just so many bands I’m excited about. To name drop a few – Gumby’s Junk, Eva Alejandra, August Lee Stevens, pilar, Slugfeast, and Spa ::)
Do you have any hopes or predictions for the local music scene?
My big hope is that San Francisco becomes more affordable for, well, everybody, but also for artists of any and all mediums. The Bay Area has such a rich musical history that just continues on, but it’s so much harder for folks to stay here and create art with the current financial conditions of the city. Additionally, it has gotten more difficult to operate inclusive and all ages music spaces (without expensive tickets!) with how the music industry is operated and I really hope we can see more emphasis on the importance of emerging and independent local music from folks who govern the city. There are some great organizations that are really emphasizing the importance of live music accessibility, like Illuminate the Arts, SFPL, SF Live, Artyhood, to name a few (there are so many more!) that I think city officials can use as shining examples of progress and help ensure that accessible spaces for music can thrive.
See Grooblen play alongside the Kathy Kallick Band, Howan, Peña, and ronny ronny ronny (DJ) this Saturday, November 2 at the SF Richmond Branch Library.
