Meet Carrie Rapaport | Frontman for Babes Against The Machine

We had the good fortune of connecting with Carrie Rapaport and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Carrie, what is the most important factor behind your success?
Wow. “Success” is such a subjective term. I’m not one to be easily satisfied and/or be able to feel like I’ve already achieved the level of success I envision for myself, but I do know that 10-year-old Carrie would say I’m exactly what she hoped she’d become.

I’d say there are two main factors that are equally crucial:

Authenticity and Passion

Inside, I’m still that little idealistic theatre kid who has a strong sense of right and wrong.

Accordingly, regardless of the music I’m performing – whether it’s my own or Rage Against The Machine, Yazoo, Jane’s Addiction, or various songs at the multiple Los Angeles area jams in which I’ve had the pleasure to participate – I believe in doing things 100 percent, or not at all.

Both musical colleagues and fans have often commented that I am never one to hold back – I give all of myself onstage.
But I honestly don’t know how to do anything else. To me, it’s how it’s supposed to be done – you believe in the music you’re performing, and you believe in yourself.

That authenticity and passion resonates and should be even louder than the music you perform. Audiences deserve nothing less, in my opinion – whether you’re performing for three people or 30,000.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’ve been performing in some facet for most of my life.

As a kid growing up in Pittsburgh, I did commercial voiceovers and performed at local dinner theaters. My love and passion for music slowly took over, and since 1997, I’ve been fronting bands of various genres, some as a full-time musician, and some as hobby bands or passion projects.

After touring PA, MD, DE, NY, and FL full-time between 2000 and 2004 performing 150-200 shows a year with a new-metal cover band based in South Central PA, called “Juiced”, I moved to Los Angeles in early 2005 to focus on original music.

I quickly hooked up with a band called “Cakecutter”, which was comprised of musicians from seminal LA punk-tinged bands Bottom 12 and Haunted Garage. Together, we wrote and were fortunate to get some placements, including the soundtrack to “Jackass: Number Two” and MTV’s “Wildboyz”. I like to joke that the (arguably tiny) BMI royalty checks I still get means I’m a “real” musician, if anyone doubts it.

Had a few starts and stops in that band and others that were admittedly soul-crushing. It’s honestly a brutal thing to be a songwriter. You’re giving birth to multiple kids that, at best, don’t belong to you anymore – they belong to the world. At worst, they never even see the light of day.

I took a long break from music, but dabbled here and there, amidst pretty overwhelming depression. In desperation, after researching the science behind it, I underwent a full course of TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation) in 2021, which absolutely changed my life.

My depression and anxiety disappeared. I’ve often said that it feels like I’ve got “2004 Carrie” back, when I felt the most confident and was filled with fire and passion. I felt energized again, and I knew it was finally time to dig in and conquer the musical world as best as I could.

Now, in 2024, I’m working incredibly hard, but the results have been rewarding. I’m flying by the seat of my pants quite a bit, doing a lot of the musical business stuff on my own, while juggling a day job as a legal videographer.

My main project is Babes Against The Machine – as of now, the world’s ONLY all-female tribute to Rage Against The Machine.

As a band manager and frontman, I make a LOT of mistakes behind the scenes (and a few onstage, but we won’t talk about that – haha), but I learn from them and try my best to not to repeat them. I’m so lucky to be able to share the stage with such incredible musicians, who also are my good friends – they bring their own hearts, talent and passion, and I’m so grateful for each of them.

My advice for “success”, whatever that means to you?

Listen to your gut, follow your heart, find your strengths and capitalize on them.

But most of all, don’t forget that though music IS a business, it also has to be fun. If it stops being fun – stop doing it. Life is so short, and you deserve nothing less than giving yourself the best experiences possible.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I love Los Angeles. I know it’s not cool at all to say that, but it’s an amazing city filled with culture, variety, and most of all – MAGIC. Literally anything can happen here, and has.

I moved to Redondo Beach a few years ago, and I absolutely love it. The vibe of the South Bay (and where IS this bay? Is there a North Bay?) is unparalleled – relaxed, mellow, neighborly. I love being a few miles away from the ocean, and being able to take my dog for walks along The Strand. So, yeah. Beach, definitely.

I’d also take them to Griffith Park Observatory – that view from DTLA to the ocean (on a clear day) alone is worth it, but it’s also a great exhibit inside.

Last Call Live Mondays at Last Call in Tarzana. Some of the best unknown musicians in Los Angeles.

A short hike to Vanalden Cave in Tarzana – a hidden prehistoric spectacle in the middle of upper-class suburbia.

Taco Tuesdays at Kalaveras. Ramen at Ko-Ryu and Tatsu. Queen’s Rolls at King’s Thai Food in Hollywood. Smashburgers at Crave Cafe in Sherman Oaks. Donuts at Winchell’s. Breakfast or lunch at Pann’s.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I had been out of the music industry for a while, having taken a hiatus to focus on other creative avenues like writing and producing. After some unexpected personal events in early 2022 reignited my musical flame, a friend introduced me to Last Call Live Mondays.

I wouldn’t be back in the music scene if it weren’t for the efforts of Sammy Burke, Dan Mick, Bryan Meyers and others who created and have worked tirelessly to put on Last Call Live Mondays each week to provide a much-needed refuge for Los Angeles-based musicians coming out of the COVID era.

Without the incredibly welcoming and supportive creative atmosphere that embodies each and every Monday jam, I would not have the confidence and the foothold to do what I do. Not only have Sammy, Dan, and Bryan been my colleagues and mentors, but they have also become family.

Website: https://www.carrierapaport.com

Instagram: @cjrsickgirl and @babesagainstthemachinetribute

Twitter: @newt_ripley

Facebook: https://facebook.com/carrierapaport

Youtube: @babesagainstthemachine

Image Credits
#1 – Vivian Ortega, So Finch Photography
#2,3,4 – Don Adkins