The Girls of Process of Fusion

(The following article will be in Broken Records Magazine in a special feature entitled "Girls that Rock".)

L to R- Rose and Terri
Photo Cred: Alexa DiMaio

Terri Caputo and Rose Couchon are making headway not because they are in up and coming band rock/rap Process of Fusion, but because they are two girls who simply rock!

Couchon is the crafty lefty guitar player in the band whose influences range from classical Bach to Between the Buried and Me. At just 18 years old, she is also an aspiring mezzo-soprano opera singer and has recently been performing in churches across Staten Island.

Rose attributes her time in POF as, “…a genre of music that I would have never seen myself playing... I love that I'm challenged to make music that blends so many elements together, and above all I love that I'm forced to be creative.”

When asked what it’s like to be a girl in a band she said, “It's pretty awesome, but it's got its negatives. I feel like girls are judged much quicker than guys are, especially if they're playing anything other than pop music. There is a little bit of pressure, but I set high standards for myself because I don't want to be another girl who just strums open chords… I want to inspire people, especially other females.”

Caputo is a multi talented musician, playing guitar, bass, and drums, but in POF her claim to fame is the tempo.

Having been in bands ranging from metal to indie pop, Terri’s experience is as vast as her influences, which include the punky sounds of Relient K to soaring guitars and aggressive vocals of Thrice.

Terri names POF as “The best thing that ever happened to me,” and her favorite moment occurred when Process of Fusion won their first Battle of the Bands.

“Life experiences, my friends and family, and emotion, lots of emotions,” are what inspires her to make music. And speaking of inspiration, she wants to spread this to other girls saying

“There's no pressure, but most people expect you to suck if you're a girl. I love proving them wrong. It gives me satisfaction.”

So the message here, prove the boys wrong and be a girl that rocks! You can hear Rose and Terri in action by going to Myspace.com/processoffusion


(This is the original Q&A the article was based on)

Terri Caputo, 19, drummer of Process of Fusion.

Photo Cred: Alexa DiMaio

What instruments do you play, and how long?
I play guitar, bass, and drums. Drums for about three and a half years.

When did you start playing/making music?
I started making my own music when I was thirteen, but nothing too serious. I've been making songs ever since.

How many bands have you been in? What kind were they?
I've been in seven bands all together, including POF. I've been in two metal bands, two pop-punk bands, an experimental band and am currently in a indie band.

What's your musical style?
I have a weird style, it depends on what instrument I'm playing. With drums I'm a bit funky at times, but mostly I'm rock/hardcore influenced.

Describe your experiences in POF in a sentence?
The best thing that has ever happened to me.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I see myself on a tour bus with four of my band-mates and our street team. I think we have the ability to get there.

What do you enjoy most about drumming? Drumming in POF?
I enjoy putting the final layer onto the music, bringing it to life. What can sound one way with guitars can sound so much more powerful with the right drumming. I love drumming in POF, it challenges me in so many ways and I love the music we play.

Biggest rockstar moment? Biggest failure moment?
My biggest rockstar moment was when we won a Battle of the Bands at Edgewater Hall. A giant crowd of our fans and friends were there and screamed so loudly for us after each song. It was an incredible feeling to have that much support. I've never really had a huge failure moment, but I've had moments where I've said "I could've played so much better at this show" or "I screwed that part up so much." I'm sure I'll have some in the future!

Photo Cred: Alexa DiMaio

Top 5 fav bands.
Relient K, Underoath, The Rescues, Thrice, and Rise Against.

What/who inspires you to make music?
Life experiences, my friends and family, and emotions. Lots of emotions.


What's it liking being a girl who rocks? Any pressure, expectations, is it better?
There's no pressure, but most people expect you to suck if you're a girl. I love proving them wrong, it gives me satisfaction.


Anything else you want to add?
Check Process of Fusion out on Facebook, Myspace, and follow us on Twitter. And come join us at Starland Ballroom in March when we play with Apocalyptica.

Q&A With Rose Couchon, 18, guitarist

Photo Cred: Alexa DiMaio

What instruments do you play, and how long?

I play guitar and sing. I've been playing guitar for about 5 years and I have been singing classically for about 4.

When did you start playing/making music?

I started playing guitar when I was about 13, but I didn't start writing anything on my own until I was about 16. I would just write bits and pieces here & there for fun.

What musical things do you do on the side?
Guitar is my passion, but on the side I am a mezzo-soprano opera singer. I have years of choral experience and am now professionally performing at churches throughout Staten Island. I play keyboard/piano and am studying music at Brooklyn College's Conservatory of Music.

What's your musical style?

My musical style kind of doesn't exist...If it does then it's a mix of literally everything. I love everything from Bach to Between the Buried and Me. I like to try to incorporate a little bit of everything in what I write. When I'm writing for guitar my style usually stays on the heavier side, but when I'm writing on the keyboard I tend to go for dissonance.

Describe your experiences in POF in a sentence?
Serious shows, fun band practices, and better friends than anyone could ask for; everything I ever hoped for in a band.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I have absolutely no idea were I'll be in 5 years. That's A LOT of time. I could see myself being married and teaching music at a high school level while working towards my masters or I could see myself doing even greater things like performing on stage at the Met or touring world wide with Process of Fusion. I still have a lot of doors to open, but hey, things happen.

What do you enjoy most about playing guitar? Guitaring in POF?

I like that it's a genre of music that I would have never seen myself playing before I joined the band. I love that I'm challenged to make music that blends so many elements together, and above all I love that I'm forced to be creative.

Biggest rockstar moment? Biggest failure moment?

Biggest rock star moment: Stage diving/crowd surfing at the last show at The Cup. It was glorious. My biggest failure moment was during another show that we played at the cup prior to that one. We covered a Linkin Park song and lets just say it didn't go very well.

Photo Cred: Alexa DiMaio

Top 5 fav bands.
No specific order:

Between the Buried and Me
Steve Vai
Iron Maiden
Led Zeppelin
Coheed and Cambria

What/who inspires you to make music?
Happiness, sadness, love, hate, birds, trees, hope, the subway station, ferry rides, life. Anything & everything.

What's it liking being a girl who rocks? Any pressure, expectations, is it better?
It's pretty awesome, but it's got its negatives. I feel like girls are judged much quicker than guys are, especially if they're playing anything other than pop music. There is a little bit of pressure, but I set high standards for myself because I don't want to be another girl who just strums open chords and sings pop songs. I want to inspire people, especially other females.