Jack Quinn and Chick Falcon discuss creative direction over the song “Yas Queen” during the first recording session of The Daddy Sisters first album on Feb. 11, 2022. The recording over the song took over five hours. The duo rerecorded several times focusing mainly on the bass drum and the rhythm guitar being the highlight of the beat. Falcon was inspired by bands like The Strokes and The White Stripes that influenced the sound of the Daddy Sisters. “I met Jack White twice. I got his business card and autograph too. I should’ve asked if we could open for him,” said Falcon.
Chick Falcon belts a note during a rehearsal for a show happening the following day at Donna’s on Feb. 3, 2022. Falcon is playing one of nearly 50 guitars that Falcon has collected.
Falcon plays one of her many guitars at a show at Donna’s Bar in Bowling Green, Ky. on Feb. 12, 2022. “You don't have to only play all kinds of crazy shit to be awesome,” said Falcon.
In Bowling Green, Ky., a bright red 1984 Nissan 300ZX is parked outside a bright yellow house. The car belongs to Bowling Green rockstar, Chick Falcon. The car that Falcon and her girlfriend, Nina, dreamed about getting the first time they met. Within the yellow house, a collection of stacked amps, vintage keyboards, video games and records surround a drum set in the second-coming of Bowie’s practice room.
Chick Falcon is the founding member and lead singer of the Daddy Sisters band. This band is a staple piece of the Bowling Green music scene and has been around for almost five years.
Falcon has always been the lead singer and guitar player with different drummers. The permanent drummer is Jack Quinn, a WKU student. “I've never been as connected with a musician or a bandmate in my life ever. I love Jack so much. He's just fun to hang out with and like he's into the whole dress up thing. He's badass. I love him,” said Falcon.
Within the last year, Falcon has turned turned her passion for refurbishment into a business. She fixes up game consoles, synthesizers, recording equipment, amps, guitars, and other instruments that are usually from the 70s and 80s. These instruments become iconic tools of music for Falcon in her band.
Falcon applies her usual concert super proof lipstick before a show at Donna’s Bar on Feb. 12, 2022. Falcon’s usual lipstick is a two-step process. One coat applies the color and the second coat is a gloss that seals in the lipstick. Lipsense is said to be the ‘longest lasting lipstick’ which Falcon says is important for performing because it always rubs off by the end of a concert.
Falcon does Quinn’s makeup before the show at Donna’s Bar on Feb. 12, 2022. The theme of The Daddy Sisters makeup and clothes for this concert was red and black. Quinn is a part of two other Bowling Green bands: Crush and Imaginary Friend. “Since hanging out with Jack and the people his age, that whole generation, everybody's so cool and accepting of one another. Like, God, my generation was ruthless. They're just like, ‘Oh my god, I can't believe you like that. Like, you must be loser or something,’” said Falcon.
Falcon joined the music scene while attending Western Kentucky University. Before the Daddy Sisters formed, Falcon would explore the house show music scene in Bowling Green. This is the environment where Falcon would first be introduced to the subject of trans-identities. After learning more about the gender spectrum from people in college, Falcon began to think more about her gender expression.
“I identified as gender fluid. I was basically learning about my own gender. I was like, ‘let's try this because like, this is something that's always been inside of me.’ I've always kind of suppressed it…I just said, ‘let's do it,’” said Falcon. The band really allowed Falcon to step into her identity, she said.
“The Daddy Sisters allowed me to tiptoe into that realm. First, I only presented [feminine] in the band, and…it made me feel great. Then I started presenting fem outside of the band,” said Falcon.
Falcon’s transition includes vocal therapy which affects her singing in the band. She has been training with a professional to move her voice into a more feminine range.
“Once you train yourself to get a new natural for your voice, that kind of just works with your approach to singing. I remember we were in the piano room, and we're gonna sing, and she asks, “What's a song you know all the words to?” And I was like, ‘Oh my god. I don't know. I don't know anything.’ And I dug deep. I started singing the song Basket Case by Green Day. We just sang Green Day to one another for a half hour. It was the most fun but I haven't haven't really practiced that enough.”
Falcon does a bit during shows where she tells the audience that she’s going to vocal therapy and the one downside to it is how she can’t say the word ‘sick’ in a deeper register to embody the full effect of the word and how she feels about ‘sick’ things. She then has the audience say ‘siiiiick’ in the deepest register they can.
“Trans stuff isn't like my life. I'd much rather talk about video games or food, music or rock and roll or something. Because, trans is one of things I happen to be. It's not my life.”
Quinn and Falcon play at Donna’s Bar in downtown Bowling Green, Ky. on Feb. 12, 2022. “I only get nervous if I'm having to play solo like acoustic somewhere or something else. Oh my god. It’s so nerve wracking. But those big shows like that, I'm just soaking it up,” said Falcon.
Falcon and Quinn stand behind Donna’s Bar after they ended their set with Quinn kicking over the drum set and running out back followed by Falcon. Quinn’s roommate, Ethan Ly, was waiting out back for them. Quinn is also the bassist for the band Imaginary Friend, which Ly plays keyboard for.
Nina Wells and Chick Falcon skin a salmon filet in preparation for dinner, salmon taco salads at Well’s home in Bowling Green, Ky. on April 15, 2022. Wells and Falcon have tried to do every recipe in their current cookbook that specializes in fish. “We have a passion for tinned fish,” said Wells. Anchovies, sardines and salmon are the main ingredients used in several different dishes in the cookbook.
Aside from music and refurbishment, Falcon has a passion for cooking along with her girlfriend, Nina Wells. Falcon and Wells clicked at Louisville Pride Festival when the Daddy sisters were set to perform. Quinn could not find a drum set to use. Wells had one and traveled up to Louisville with the drum set on which they played a killer set. Falcon said it was one of her favorite shows. “I could not see the end of the crowd. It was so many people. It's like…Holy fuck, just amazing. And we're up there just like, slaying just doing our thing, just on cloud nine. Oh, [Jack] just killed it. We killed the show, said Falcon.” After the show, Falcon and Wells had their first kiss.
Cooking is one of the main ways they bond together. “We cook most days out of the week, trying different stuff,” said Wells.
Said Falcon, “In 2021 it was so many different changes like, my old drummer quit. My ex-girlfriend broke up with me. And my car crashed. But now, I’ve got my dream car. I'm freaking in love and I got my dream drummer. Like, it's like…this is incredible.”
Falcon and Wells test out the theory that their measuring spoons are incorrect and are measuring more than they say. “The ribs and the fish taste too salty. Surely they measure out more than a teaspoon,” theorized Wells. The measuring spoon equalled out to the same amount as a tablespoon but there is still suspicion.
Wells checks on Falcon’s makeup before the show at Donna’s Bar on Feb. 12, 2022.
After eating the taco bowls they cooked, Wells and Falcon share a moment at the dining table. “I’m in freaking love,” said Falcon about Wells.