Who is Roxy?
She is the one that just gets to sing her heart out without worrying about the politics or economic. I know that sounds silly, but when you’re doing the whole deal - singer songwriter-self managed....its always there - What is it I am saying?.... How am I representing myself?....Will this sell?..... Is that important?...it just goes on and on. Roxy doesn’t care about that. She just sings.
Are you someone that worries a lot, how would you describe your character?
I guess I can be a bit of a worrier. I have always had a tendency to over analyze stuff.
To what music did you listen as a kid and are you still listening to that?
I was a total pop tragic as a kid and still am. I loved Madonna and Michael Jackson and even some George Michael...OMG that's kinda embarrassing! But you know tacky commercial stuff and the more production the better! Later I got into Blondie and Bowie but the first time around I was too young for them. I went to see Bowie in concert here in Melbourne a couple of years ago with my Mum... as you do.... and he was fantastic. A true singer’s singer. And he is very theatrical too. I find that interesting. So I guess I still listen to that sort of stuff. But also I am big on surfing the radio dial in the car. I don’t have a very long attention span so as soon as an ad comes on - I’m off.
You mentioned representing yourself and also David Bowie being theatric, how important is this and how do you want to represent yourself?
I guess I oscillate on this one. Part of me just wants to be able to blindly express in a physical vocal way, and part of me pulls at my conscience. You know, I’m checking for whether I am putting out positive stuff into the World. The way women are represented is a particularly tough one. On the one hand we all want be playful and have a sense of humor about it all, on the other I don’t want to become part of a negativity by representing myself in a solely sexualized manner.
How did you meet John and what did he have to do to convince you in joining Parralox?
We met many years ago through a mutual music colleague and friend. John Collins is a great pop writer who has had hits in the UK with Gina G and here with our Pop Idol ‘s Anthony Callea. We both worked on projects separately; with him as well as the three of us all together. In fact it was the song ELECTRIC NIGHTS we wrote and recorded together that won the MUSICOZ BEST DANCE ARTIST AWARD IN 2004.
I didn’t take much convincing. I knew that JVA and I worked well in the studio together. I had done quite a bit vocal work alone for JVA for a TV show here called ROVE LIVE. So I know we’d have a great time and it was worth a go.
You are a classical trained singer, what do you remember of those days, how was it to have vocal lessons?
I enjoyed the exercise and still do that everyday, and I enjoyed the feeling of that music, but wasn’t really interested in being an Opera Singer. I like that the pop style of singing is more personal. Like a whispering from inside yourself. What I like about what we do with PARRALOX is I get to do lots of different things with my voice.
But people think of singing opera highly compared to pop music, does this bother you sometimes, what is the secret of putting emotion into vocals, seems hard to me?
No it doesn’t bother me. I just think it’s silly. It’s purely about different styles to me, and of course the techniques you employ to create that style of sound. The snobbery thing really only registers with me when it’s an anti pop thing that comes from the rock world as if they’re somehow more ‘real’ that does annoy me because they’re just as style driven as anything else, just with less sense of humor!
The emotion thing in the vocals -well that depends on the day and the song and the moment. Sometimes it actually just comes from the sound of the word on that note sometimes it’s what you’re singing, and sometimes its JVA saying ‘we need more emotion!’ from the other side of the glass.
You told me that John always pushes you to get the maximum out of you, how does he do it, why is it harder to do it in your solo projects?
I think that when there is someone else in the studio listening with more objective ears you get a better result. Well at least you get a different result. It’s easy to get into a pattern or style and just stay there. John or JVA as I call him seems unafraid of the remnants of my early classical and jazz training, whereas I tend to try and keep a lid on that. I keep the style a little more simple and pop whereas JVA likes to bring out the drama queen in me. Also you have someone objective in there. If you trust them then when they say yes that take was good you can move on. Sometimes when I work on my own I find I take far too long over songs as I search for the perfect sound or vocal take.
Both have its benefits, being a solo artist and create your own music as well as being part of a band in which you work together, what do you prefer and why?
I think that its really good for any artist to do both. Well at least for me it is. Working on your own can be a great thing creatively particularly for writing. You can be spontaneous and personal in what you express. Whereas collaboration is more organized you have times that you meet to work. However, the upside of collaboration when it’s working well, is that it allows you to create something together that is somehow greater what you may have created on your own. Or at least it’s different. And that makes it exciting. You each bring your strengths and I guess weaknesses to the table. You never quite know what you’re going to get until you listen back at the end of a session.
You mentioned that John is pushing you for the maximum result, do you do the same with him?
Mmm sometimes. I am way tougher on myself than anyone else though. I’m pretty diplomatic by nature and I guess not much one for confrontation. And its different with recording a vocal. In that situation the singer really benefits from an objective ear. You sort of go into a different mode singing in the booth. There’s a lot of repetion and it can get kind of hypnotic. You need someone out there with their feet on the ground.
What can you tell us about your solo project?
My solo project is quite different. Its acoustic pop - mostly just guitar and vocals although sometimes I get tempted into a funky loop vibe...just to mix it up. My writing in the last year or two has been more personal. I guess that was part of what drew me to doing some solo writing after having written collaboratively for several years. It has allowed me to really develop stuff of personal inspiration. So I guess it tends to be a bit autobiographical. Although the process always allows for some elaboration.
Your own lyrics, what are they about since they are a bit autobiographical, is it hard to write lyrics about personal things?
I find it easy to write about personal things because they’re already there and you’re just kind of directing them out of yourself. The only downside is that when life is running smoothly and nothing particularly dramatic is happening to you there can be a bit of a creative drought.
How is it to sing someone else's lyrics?
I guess this comes back again to the first couple of questions in that there is something freeing about singing someone else's lyrics. Although at times you find yourself thinking - hang on what does he mean by that....essentially it can be liberating to just let that go. I have a tendency to overanalyse stuff in general so having a project where I am just in there to contribute my voice and a musical interpretation via that is a great balance to my other work.
Before recording the tracks, do you discuss the lyrics so you can get into it more?
Sometimes we do sometimes we don’t. Again it depends. Usually I guess we would get straight into it and see where the recording session takes us. If we start to stumble at all then we may have a little chat about that.
You are not a newbie in music, what can you tell about your previous work, how do you look back at it now?
Yes I spent a long time living in the UK with my Dance music pitching for deals and working with producers there. I did OK, got some UK and European radio and club play and was in development with BMG UK when the merger with Sony happened and the guy developing me was made redundant as part of that merger. That was really disappointing and I think I ran out of steam for a bit.
Was this also the reason you moved back to Australia?
Yes. I decided it was time to change my approach and focus on the writing and experiment with a style change.
Is there any chance we will see Parralox on a stage somewhere?
I hope so. We will have to see what opportunities come up. Personally I am wary of becoming one of those acts that self fund their way around the world and come home in debt. I have done that so I am ready for some funded touring. If that comes our way. For sure I am in there!
Humor is important in Parralox, can you tell us a bit more about it?
John and I are big fans of Pop Culture in general and we share a sense of humor about the way we make music. We like to have some fun with it. I love that I can come into the studio to do a vocal with John and he really encourages my more flamboyant and sometimes silly side.
I think that having been in the music game for several years also contributes to the sense of humor. You learn not to take any of it too seriously.
You realise that even though the songs are great, it’s not a guarantee for success and wealth, does this make you bitter sometimes, how do you stay optimistic?
None of it comes with any guaranteed outcome, whether that be financial or creative success, so you might as well have fun while you are in the process. I think that the key to staying optimistic is to remember that the process may be all you have in the end, so you might as well enjoy it. Of course you always have your eye on the possibility of some sort of success but you need to stay in that moment as well, otherwise you can end up chasing your tail!
What are your personal goals for live besides music?
My family is very important to me. I help taking care of my Grandmother who lives with my Mum and my sister has an adorable baby girl...well she’s 18mths now, and just starting to talk. My sister is a published crime writer and I look after my wonderful niece one day a week to give her extra writing time. I also have a wonderful partner, an American who has been living here in Australia for 5 years. For many years my life was only about music and nothing else. I think that with time I have learnt to have more balance in my life. I am also a bit of a gym junky and my partner and I live near the beach in Melbourne so we are lucky enough to run by the beach most days. So yeah, health, love, fitness, sea and sunshine...they’re some of what else makes up my life. No - no rock and roll lifestyle here. I’m a good girl!
Any last words for the readers?
Firstly thanks for reading - it's so great to have people out there listening. And I love to know that people are into the music. It's fab that you guys get it! We love that. And feel free to post your messages on myspace. Any feedback is always great. You can tell us what you do and don’t like too...that’s cool.
http://www.myspace.com/parralox
and for my solo stuff
http://www.myspace.com/rowenasmusic