When Women Rock : Dreadlocks and Drumsticks
Tosha Jones, Musician
From playing small, smokey bars in southern Indiana, to touring world wide with national music acts, Los Angeles based heavy hitting drummer, Tosha Jones, quickly made a name for herself throughout the world’s music scene. At just the ripe age of three, Tosha began expressing herself through music, song, and dance. In 1991 as a true drummer at heart, Tosha joined her jr. high school band and eventually begged her parents for a real drum kit instead of playing on various pots and pans and her mother’s Tupperware.
Stemming from numerous garage bands and many Battle of the Band competitions throughout the Midwest, Jones finally jumped ship from working multiple factory jobs in Indiana and saved up enough money to move to Los Angeles, California as she immediately landed the Vans Warped Tour in 2008 with then, all-female punk rockers, The Randies.
Respectfully, after years of rejected auditions and trudging the streets of the Sunset Strip along Hollywood, Jones found herself in various bands on the road opening for national rock acts such as Stone Sour, Halestorm, Seether, & Skid Row, while eventually landing a long tour stint playing drums for Grammy nominated rock band, Saliva in March of 2018. As one of her personal career favorites, Tosha was contacted by American Idol (2015) to play in an all-female drum line for contestant Tyanna Jones, performing the song “Run The World” by Beyoncé.
Fast forward to Covid-19’s protocols and cancellations in 2019/2020, and unfortunately like many other musicians finding themselves away from touring, Jones was part of numerous collaboration videos online which includes Sheltering Sky’s Chuck Wright (Quiet Riot) in their 2021 Björk’s cover “Army of Me”, and most recently “Throwin’ Stones”, which hit on the recent attack of Ukraine. Jones was also featured in artist/singer, Chloe Trujillo’s videos, “Mana” and “The Heaviest Sound is Silence”. You can also find Tosha playing drums online in the star-studded cast for the David Z Foundation covering “Zombie”, by Bad Wolves.
In December 2021, Jones was asked to play drums on a few tour dates for alt rockers Carolina Liar, best known for their hit songs “Show Me What I’m Looking For” and “I’m Not Over”.
In January of 2022, Jones received a last-minute call to bash the skins for the fresh hard rockers, Black Satellite, as they were direct support for Nita Strauss’s (Alice Cooper, The Iron Maidens) 2022 Winter Wonderland Tour.
In Spring of ‘22, Jones was invited to be a camp counselor for the famous Rock n Roll Fantasy Camp where iconic musicians such as Melissa Etheridge, Nancy Wilson (Heart), and Kathy Valentine from The Go-Go’s were the special guests.
Tosha is currently preparing for a summer long tour in the making playing drums for original singers of Josey Scott (Saliva) and Brett Scallions (Fuel) doubling down on the kit for both powerhouses on the Original Madness Tour!
•https://youtu.be/3-G9zkcBQTE
• https://youtu.be/1ZQy3lQF7Mc
www.marlanasemenza.com
Audio : Ariza Music Productions
Transcript : Vision In Word
Marlana
From playing on various pots and pans on her mother's Tupperware to small smoky bars in southern Indiana to touring worldwide with national music acts Los Angeles based heavy hitting drummer Tasha Jones quickly made a name for herself throughout the world's music scene, opening for acts such as Stone Sour, Halestorm, Seether and Skid Row and eventually landing along tour stint playing drums for the Grammy nominated Rock Band Saliva. Welcome, Tasha.
Tosha
Thank you. It's good to be here.
Marlana
Did you always want to be a musician?
Tosha
Yeah, I always bordered on an athlete and musician, drummer, for sure. It was always something that would pull at my heartstrings. Like I always make time for everything growing up. But I knew that I was gonna have to make a choice. Soon once I got into high school. And when I got into high school, and then went into college, I played basketball in college, and also tried out for the band in college, but I made it, but I decided that I was too busy with basketball. And so, I actually didn't go down the music route until a year later. So, it was interesting that that was how it worked out. But yeah, that's kind of what happened with that situation. And then after basketball, I joined my first like, real GarageBand with three other guys on college campus. And then that was once I got a taste of that.
Marlana
So, why drums? Because I know not a lot of girls play drums.
Tosha
Correct! Yeah. And growing up in the 80s, actually didn't see it hardly ever. I was born and raised in a super small town in southern Indiana, and I got made fun of, told that I was never going to be any good. Bla , bla, bla ! And that finally happened. Even like older people too. I even remember, one of my basketball teammates in college said something like, you're never gonna make it do that. So just a lot of different people have told me that through the years. And I'm sitting here now proving them all wrong, which feels great.
Marlana
and I always believe that you should really never take the advice or opinions of people you wouldn't trade places with.
Tosha
Yeah, yeah. Yeah, that's good. That's true. And I never did really, I was just like, silent bird and walked away.
Marlana
So, tell me then, what does it feel like to sit behind those drums and play for you?
Tosha
Oh, my gosh! Powerful! Humbling as well, but very powerful. Growing up knowing it was a man's world. And now I'm right up there with some of the best of them. So that's empowering.
Marlana
Yeah. Do you think more girls should play drums?
Tosha
Well, it's definitely risen so much since I started. But yeah. Not based on fear. as long as there's no fear involved. If there is fear involved, I guess I should say don't let that stop any girl from doing anything. Whether it's basketball, doctor, drummer, yeah. Don't allow fear to dictate your future.
Marlana
Do you ever get nervous when you play?
Tosha
No, I don't get nervous. I would rather play in front of 10,000 people 20,000 people instead of 10. The only time I remember ever getting nervous was if my parents would ever walk into my room and I was playing. And then in seventh grade, we had a show and tell, and I brought my entire drum kit to the classroom and played that thing, and I was nervous then I remember being nervous then. And then I also played for like at the end of the school year, we could bring in, you know what our talent was like a talent show. And I believe that was in eighth grade. I played in front of the whole school. And I was nervous because I played by myself when I was just up there. I don't even remember, I think I played like In a Gadda DaVita, or something. Not very well, but that I remember being nervous about, but fast forward, my senior year, I played In a Gadda DaVita at my graduation, because I was in tough bands, jazz band, the school band. And I wasn't nervous for that. And that was in front of a whole auditorium arrives the whole gym of community and local, local parents and all my peers, and that was amazing. Like, I remember doing that, but I wasn't nervous.
I get weird, to where my brain doesn't function. Like you can ask me the simplest of questions like, what's your favorite color? And I'll go, I have no idea. That's right before I play, that's like an hour or two, before I hit the stage. And I don't know what's going on, or how that happens into my body. It's something I can't control. And I just almost blackout kind of, it's like, my brain shuts down. And I'm just on, airplane mode, basically. But once those lights go down, or once our walkout music starts playing Oh, yeah. I'm psyched, ready to go. So, like, who's not watching me? Because you should do? I'd like more eyes on me. I love it. So, yeah, no, I don't get nervous.
Marlana
It's interesting that you say it like that too, because that's something that happens with athletes, before they go out and play, they get in the zone, so to speak. And so, it's interesting that you were an athlete, and also had that experience with music.
Tosha
Yeah, that's interesting you say that, because I actually do pull a lot of musicians like as inspirations and influences. But I look a lot more to athletes that I pull from for inspiration. So, I can go out and run, every morning, or get through that strength training in the mornings and stuff like that. So yeah, I kind of pull from athletic side to inspire me and motivate me and stuff like that.
Marlana
So, has this always been an easy journey for you?
Tosha
The opposite. Oh my gosh! It's been the toughest journey ever. Well, maybe not ever, but it's just always full of surprises. And every day, you never know what's gonna happen. a lot of times, people take what they want to do, and you have a routine, and they do the same thing every day, like Groundhog Day, the movie, which is fine. Sometimes that's awesome. sometimes I would like a little bit more stability in life and not having to guess, where my next gig is gonna come from, or how I'm gonna get it or anything like that. But yeah, it definitely hasn't been easy. And being a woman on top of all of that, I think it's way easier now to enter into this field as a as a female woman. And not that it is still easy, but it's way easier than it's ever been. People want to see it. They're kind of sick of seeing men all the time. They want to see chicks rocking out and letting themselves go and being free. And even men like they love it. They love it. Most of them, but yeah, it was tough growing up for sure.
Marlana
And I got the sense to that. Because we met about a month or so ago, at Rock and Roll fantasy camp, and that was the first women's only and I got the distinct sense that the voice of women in rock especially has been underserved and under heard for a really long time. How would you like to see that change?
Tosha
I mean, just more opportunity and do the same. The same across the board. Like, if the men get certain gear, the women should get the same gear, stuff like that just equal opportunity all the time. No one has any excuses with anything and so. But yeah, more opportunity, more airtime more TV time, more rock camps that were only women base. And it's unfortunately still slowly headed in that direction I feel
Marlana
Actually, let me ask you this incident, would you get out of Rock Camp once you get out of that experience?
Tosha
Oh, man! Well, I needed that. More than ever, at that time, as far as not even a musician based feeling it was more of something I was going through in my life at the time. And it was based on trusting women again and having that camaraderie and feeling safe. Then, on top of it, being able to play with all these other amazing women that were there, whether it were or the campers, the counselors, or the headliners. And each of my experience in those three fields was amazing. I was just talking to one of my campers an hour ago, she had wished me a happy birthday. And it's like, gosh! See, that's what I was able to pull out of it was friends, and I needed that more than anything. So, it came at the perfect time for me. And it was the expectations exceeded all of that. From my experienced in those four days that we were all there.
Marlana
Yeah, unfortunately, I don't think the space exists often enough for women to just support other women. But when we have that space, and when it happens, it is an unbelievably powerful thing.
Tosha
Yeah, I have no idea. It would impact me as much as I think I cried a couple times. I cried, excuse me with my tampers in our room. together one day, we all did. And it was lovely. It wasn't a bad cry, you know? So, it was good.
Marlana
So, as you've gone through this journey, how much of it do you think is talent? And how much of that do you think is connections?
Tosha
In my opinion, you need the talent to get connections, but then you need the connections to get, where whatever path you're wanting to go towards. I mean, I don't want to say 5050 Because that's like cliche, but kind of right down the middle, honestly, because you can always build your talent, you can have a little bit of talent. And if you have a huge work ethic, then your talent can expand to a huge degree. So, that's that, but definitely knowing the right people, but keeping it to where it's not fake or phony. That's kind of the trick, honestly.
Marlana
there's a right way to network and there's a wrong way to network. And I don't think people are taught the right way often enough. We'll just leave it at that.
Tosha
Oh, I've done some really stupid things in the past, in my opinion, not even thinking that oh, this might not be the best idea. you get into this like, Oh my God! I want that gig so much. I'll do anything to get it. And you're just thinking that you're not thinking of how this is going to offend whoever or them think that you only want to contact them because of who they know. I'm guilty of those numerous times. I've learned, luckily, a couple people said, don't do that. So, I learned from that.
Marlana
So, how do you make your connections? Or how do you handle your networking?
Tosha
for example, I am best friends with one of the best drummers on television at the moment, and we have an 11- or 12-year relationship. And I started off by sending him an email, just a cold call email, and told him that I really appreciated his drumming, and I thought he was a great talent. And if he ever had time for drum lessons, or any knowledge, he wanted to drop me with that I would be more than grateful. And he responded and was amazing in his response, and now we're best friends who take me to the Lakers games. And if he doesn't take me to the Lakers games, we go watch the Lakers down the street at a bar, or I babysit his kids for him and his wife sometimes, and it's a give and take equally.
So, he gives me knowledge. And I'm like, Dude, do you know and oh, I remember taking his kid to a computer class one summer, but I wanted to because I couldn't repay him financially. And I definitely couldn't repay him drumming because he's a beast, right? So, I tried to find where I could be of service into him and other ways to where he would know that. I'm not just trying to get something out of him. Right. and so we talk almost multiple times a week, during basketball season, almost every day.
Marlana
Do you think appreciation isn't shown enough?
Tosha
Oh, man. Absolutely! That's an interesting question. Because we're all so different. That if I message someone like, happy birthday, they don't respond or anything, like sometimes I'm like, Man, I said Happy birthday, but there wasn't much of a reaction. And maybe their reaction was enough for them, so things get misconstrued. We're humans are wired. So, strangely, and I find it hard not to take offense to some of that, because I'm very sensitive and emotional. And so, I don't know.
Marlana
At the end of the day, one of the things that I've found is that people really just want to be seen and heard. And it doesn't take a whole lot on anybody's part to say, “hey, listen, thank you, “or “I see you” or “I appreciate you” or any of those kinds of things. So, speaking of appreciation, who's been your biggest influence?
Tosha
Well, definitely any member of No Doubt, from when I was, I had just turned 15 When I got turned on to them. So that was in like, 95 or 96, something like that. Let's see, anyway. And they got me through life, basically. Because during that time, there wasn't easy for me, in the household. And at school, so all I had was music and a dream to be like them, and so they were definitely my biggest influence. But as I got older, I mean, I'm a huge Tommy Lee fan. I always loved him, you know.
But as far as non-celebrities, my mom, my auntie, my aunt Vicki, my sister. My family is amazing. They've been my biggest support through all of this and definitely would not be here if it weren't for them. So, I wouldn't say my family just because they're ultimately, nine times out of 10. Everyone has that situation where their family wants the worst for them. But yeah, I would say my biggest influence my mom and my auntie, my sister.
Marlana
I asked this for a reason. Do you think that initially letting you go and letting you go to California and all that was a challenge for your mom?
Tosha
Oh, yeah. She just knew. She's always let me be my own self. I remember her saying. I was always afraid to take you to the public because I never knew what you were gonna say. Like, I was just so like, happy go lucky and didn't mean any harm by anything that came out of my mouth. But she said when she gave birth to me, like I came out, she thought she was gonna have me on the toilet. Like they didn't even check her in they immediately got her into a room. Yeah, so I came out of the room even back then. It's always just who I am.
Marlana
and the reason why I asked that is because I know, my first job out of college was with World Wrestling Federation. And I didn't go away to school, I got on a tour bus. And my mother said, I watched you get on that bus, 20 years old, or whatever it was, and said, it was all I could do, to let you get on the bus. And so, I was just wondering if your mom ever talked to you about all of that?
Tosha
Oh, yeah. She drove out to LA. I did the Warped Tour in 2008. And then I flew back to Indiana, and I got all my stuff. And drove out here, just me and her. And that was amazing of her to do that. But she had to see the apartment that I was going to be living in. And when I was just excited to be there, but her and she's super protective of me anyway. We're from a small town, so she never saw any of this even, the small stuff for the one. What six hours she was with me, or I think she spent the night actually, which she took me to Target, and I got an air mattress because the chick that I was moving in with, she was like, Yeah, you can have my dead grandpa’s mattress. And I was like, cool, and my mom was like, No way you are sleeping on that mattress. We're gonna go get you an air mattress. So, she took me to target. I still have the clothes hamper that she bought me that day. I still use that . She was frightened. But she's always been strong and allowed me to pursue my dreams, no matter what it is, whether it's riding my bike as fast as I can go when I was eight or doing playing drums for a living.
Marlana
I guess just since when it comes to most things, you don't have a whole lot of fear.
Tosha
You know what I am I battle social anxiety, you would never know, I cripple up. Like, for example, before I forget, I want to circle back to you about the WWF thing. So, we have to speak on that as well. But okay, so I was in a band that was based out of Long Beach for about four or five years and didn't really have to do much connecting with people and schmoozing or whatever you want to call it, because I was on a higher gun and I was in a band and it was solidified and all that but when I quit that band, and wanted to start working the LA scene and pursue being a hired gun, instead of putting all your eggs in one basket and hoping that your band can break. I had to start going to open jam nights and just go out and start meeting people. And that will that was so crippling to me. Because things I've experienced as a kid, and the trauma from all of that. I didn't know it, but it was deep down in me still living and all of that like I didn't If I realized really quickly, that I didn't trust anybody, and I thought everyone was out to get me. And I thought that people were smiling to my face and talking about me behind my back. And I still have really bad issues with that. And that was the biggest hurdle. I would say I was, when I first started doing the jam nights, you had to go and introduce yourself and you before you played them, you didn't have to, but it was a wise decision to do that. And so, I would drive from Santa Clarita down to Hollywood, which, if no one knows it's about Santa Clarita is about 30 miles north of Hollywood, depending on the location. So, I would get my I would get already, here at the house, getting my car drive down, and it was always, dark, when I would leave, and I would go find a place to park and I would sit in my car and ball, and just freak out and completely have a panic attack and anxiety attack. And sometimes I would make it in after that break down. And sometimes I would restart my car and drive back home and not make it in at all. And that wasn't that long ago, that was probably 2016 2017 2018. And I still have big issues with making myself get. That's why a lot of times, I've solidified myself, in a lot of those jam nights. If they don't ask me to play, I won't go down there because I'm scared of trying to, talk or carry on a conversation with people that I'm not sure exactly what they want from me, or if they even like me. So, I've found that to be my biggest hurdle.
Marlana
So let me ask you, then how do you what do you do to try and work through that for everybody else that's having the same issue.
Tosha
Sometimes I just have to get into my alter ego. And that usually gets me through it. And I always try and find peace and grounding and deep breathing through deep breathing. Or, if I know I have to go somewhere, sometimes I'll throw on a guided meditation from YouTube, or my iTunes or whatever. And try and get through it that way. But as far as like playing on stage, and all of that, on stage, I can, it doesn't, I feel like I'm God or something on stage. But once if there's a meet and greet, or if it's after I play or something, it depends, sometimes it's really easy for me, and sometimes it's not so easy. So, a lot of times I've come off as a rude person, or, sometimes, depending on what year it was, under the influence of drugs, and then that always has an impact on how I responded, or it did have an impact on how I would respond to people.
Marlana
So well, I have to say, as somebody who had just met you not that long ago, I didn't find you to be any of those things. And when I have to say this to you are also so incredibly fun to photograph. Thank you, there is just something about you that is so immersed in what you are doing. And I think when you don't, maybe when you don't bring outside factors into your head, and you're just present in who you are, and in the moment, you're amazing, amazing, amazing camera, amazing behind the drums.
Tosha
Thank you. And with that when you I felt super safe at that camp, even though there were dudes, here and there, they were amazing, like their energy, I can feel energy. Very, like intensely. And so, like Dallas was amazing. And we had a good heart to heart, and you obviously, I felt like we connected easily and, organically and when that was when there's no struggle or I feel the energy being put then I'm very much relaxed and if I'm not in my head too, so sometimes it's all me and it's not even the other person but sometimes I can't even differentiate the two so, man it's the our heads adds are our worst enemies a lot of times.
Marlana
Yeah, absolutely.
Tosha
But yeah, I felt very safe at that camp. And so, I was just, and I always feel like I'm myself. I'm never nothing that I'm not trying to be. And that has gotten me in trouble. Or it's, progressed me on into my field. But yeah, I definitely felt the good vibes from everyone at that camp, for sure.
Marlana
So, let me ask you this, kind of on the heels of that, what do you want to be known for? Or what would you like to be known for? At the end of the day,
Tosha
not one of the most famous drummers ever walked this planet. And being a good person obviously, has to come with that, because that's not going to happen. If you're a crap person.
Marlana
At what point we will you think that you have made it? Or do you think they already
Tosha
know I will not, that's one thing I'm trying to work on is being more present, I feel like I am never satisfied with current situations or push a little bit harder. In my head, I'm going push harder, and maybe and that's actually been kind of a downfall for myself. Because appreciating what's happening right in front of you can actually build, maybe it might take a little slow more, slowly, but the right thing at the right time, is far more present within ourselves. But I'm always striving for something better and, or trying to beat myself or, be better than what I was on the kid yesterday or even getting rid of these monsters in my head, you know?
So yeah, always trying to. And that's something that my dad instilled in me at a young age, man, like he would play me in basketball and softball, I was a big softball junkie. Well, I started baseball, my mom, I played two years baseball with the boys. And then my mom was like, I think we should change it to the girls softball, and I was so upset, man. But yeah, I give my dad so many props for pushing me to a limit that I never thought I would be able to get to physically or even mentally, and key. Always, he never let me win in basketball.
I always wondered why, like, why can't you just let me win dude, like, never, I don't remember, ever, and he would be rough with me. And because I was small, and he just wanted me to be prepared for what I was going to see on the basketball court. if I'm only five, six, and some other chick is six foot and she's twice my size, that's gonna prepare me for real life situation on the court. And he knew what he was doing, but I didn't quite understand it all.
When your kids you just like, I just want to win, dude, like, but no, I give him, and I actually was very bitter towards him for years about putting me through that. But it made me who I am today. And I would not have been able to pick myself up so many different times and get back on the horse. If it wasn't for him.
Marlana
Yeah, I was just gonna say what he was teaching you had gone far beyond basketball.
Tosha
Absolutely! I thank him for that. And hopefully he'll be able to hear this. So, he knows. I've told him many times. So, the gratitude thing.
Marlana
So, tell us what you have coming up.
Tosha
I'm super excited. Like you said, I played for Saliva back in 2018 and 19. And, but that was not what the original lead singer, the only original member when I was in that band was the guitar player Wayne and he and I have a great relationship. We got this tattoo together. It's called bro tat. It's probably backwards. But he wrote his on mine and I wrote mine on his, so he's got my writing. And we're still in touch. But that ultimately led to me starting a relationship with Josie Scott, who was the original lead singer of Saliva that wrote all the hits of that band that Saliva still plays to this day, and We became really good friends. And we were going to do a reunion tour on their 20th anniversary. And then that didn't happen.
And fortunately, an opportunity for him came back around. And he just decided to go out as Josie Scott and asked me to drum for him. And, of course, I was ecstatic about that, because I'm a huge fan of when he was with Saliva, and he wrote all those hits. I was with a girl at the time that introduced me to that band, and I had been a fan ever since. So unfortunately, she's passed away. And I feel like she was behind all of that. To get me to that next level of my career, I definitely know that she pushed for all that. And I think that she was behind this too. And so that being said, I'm so grateful for the opportunity. And then about two or three weeks after that was solidified with me playing for him. Brett scallions, who is the originals lead singer for Fuel, which they have so many amazing hits, they have decided to use the same band members on this particular tour. So they asked me to play drums for both artists. And I'm just like, Dude, this is amazing. And I'm and I'm finally feel like being acknowledged for all the hard work as far as feeling. Like, these two guys really appreciate me for not just my play, also for who I am, they show it in their words and in their actions.
So, I had to do a lot of soul searching in the last three years to get my mind right and my body, right. And it just happened at the right, perfect timing. So, I'm just super excited. And that tour starts the first weekend of July, we fly out July 7, and we're in Idaho on the eighth nights. And then I believe there's still some dates coming in to be confirmed. And then we're in August, we're going to be in Pennsylvania. So, it's going to be Fly dates. And it's gonna be like every other weekend. In the fall. Yes, man. That's what I was getting ready to sing. You have my brain and your brain?
Marlana
Should I be afraid?
Tosha
I don't know. You might, I don't know if you want to hear some of the stuff that comes out of my brain. But that's great. I'm so excited. And I cannot wait to get started with these guys. And the band is great, too, that they've picked. So, I'm just super stoked to be part of it.
Marlana
Well, you should pull and get Raleigh on the list of places to come.
Tosha
I'm hoping we can get over to you, for sure. And I'll make sure you get in with your camera and we can have a good hang and stuff because your good peeps.
Marlana
Thank you. Thank you. Alright, Tosha, I just have four final questions for you then.
Tosha
Oh! Hold on. We got to talk about the WWF.
Marlana
Okay, let's see what you got.
Tosha
So, I did a little research on you. I knew I was gonna bring up the WWF thing that you brought it up first. I don't call it WWE. Like, you're supposed to know it's still WWF. So, WrestleMania three, I started becoming a huge wrestling fan. And then WrestleMania five came when the mega powers exploded. Were you there then like
Marlana
no, I was there. And the funny thing is I got the job because a friend of mine who I went to college with worked in the art department. So, I went down to apply for a job in photo editing instead. By the end of the interview, I wound up on the tour bus. And so, I was there during the like whole Hogan/ Randy Savage, Ultimate Warrior, Ric Flair. Like early 90s.
Tosha
That was the best era and I used to my dad took me to when they came to my dad took my sister and I and my cousin mark to one of there tour. You know the base member for wrestling was just so crazy to me when I saw that you did that. I was like, this is so amazing because my best friend Andrea and I, every weekend we would rent VHS tapes of old WrestleMania, and then when my dad took me, I got a hawk rule, you know, the yellow Hawk matches in red and then back cut out. I got that still have it. I still have it. Oh, that's funny. And then I would give that like to my friend and then I would tie my sister's hair ribbons. Do you remember those long cotton ribbon? They were colored, and the Ultimate Warrior would wear those bands around. I would tie those around my arms and oh my gosh, we would wrestle constantly her and I.
Marlana
the funny thing about it is I never watched wrestling in my life, really, so far. My first introduction to it was getting off the bus backstage. My first gig and I looked around I went What have I done?
Tosha
Yeah, I bet it was crazy. I bet all the behind-the-scenes stuff was because I've heard stories of a lot of stuff. Yeah, well, yeah. Because I'm so like, in love. What's the word? Like just so stoked that I did that. I saw that about you. And I had been wanting to… I was like, I don't want her to know that I know yet. So, I told my mom and everything. I'm like, the chick this interview doing the podcast. Meanwhile, mom, she used to photograph WWF wrestlers. And she's like, Oh! My mom is the sweetest thing in the world.
Marlana
Oh, that's so cool. You ought to tell her how much you love?
Tosha
I was like, Oh, we're gonna talk about it for sure. So, I think you're so awesome for doing that. And you being around men like same. Like you have that experience. And, and those guys were meatheads, dude. So, I'm sure that you heard some stuff that should not have been coming out of their mouths towards you and all sorts of stuff.
Marlana
you'd be surprised though. How many of them were not.
Tosha
Oh, That's good. Sorry. I called them that.
Marlana
No. Yeah, some definitely were.
Tosha
Yeah, well, we'll have to talk off the record because I want to know some dirt. All the good ones are gone. I loved Miss Elizabeth.
Marlana
yeah, no, I'm sorry. Scary.
Tosha
Scary Sherry And The Undertaker. I was frightened of the both of them. And oh, yeah, I used to think The Undertaker was behind my mom and dad's couch trying to get me, I was always into it, dude. So, congrats on that. I think that's super inspiring. You have a good story too. So don't be afraid to tell that because I think that's so rad.
Marlana
Thank you. Okay. Here's it. Best piece of advice you're ever given.
Tosha
Well, I read, and I have it on a business card somewhere of mine, and it's an Oscar Wilde quote, it says “Be yourself. Everyone else is taken.” And I know that's a famous quote, but I definitely have stayed true to that ever since I can recall. And so, I hold on to that dearly.
Marlana
Share with us one thing on your bucket list.
Tosha
Playing in Japan on a tour. That is the top Well, as far as where I'm playing. I have some other bucket lists on my bucket.
Marlana
When the toy companies finally get around to making an action figure of you, what accessories will come with?
Tosha
dreadlocks and drumsticks? Easy.
Marlana
And last one, how do people find you?
Tosha
www.toshajones.com. That's my website. And on there. If you go to, my APK Page or my homepage, you can also find the little icons for all my social media accounts and stuff like that. So, make it easy for everyone. Just go to toshajones.com. And you'll find me with everything there.
Marlana
Perfect! Thank you so much, Tosha.
Tosha
Oh, thank you. I can't wait to see you in the flesh again. I'll keep you updated on my tour dates. But if you get out here beforehand, hit me up, text me. We'll go eat Indian food together.
Marlana
All right! Thank you.
Tosha
Thank you so much, girl. Take care.