theaussieword.com sits and chats to the lovely Jane Badler!<!– /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Century Gothic"; panose-1:2 11 5 2 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;}
What can you tell our readers about you? How and where did it all begin?
I have always been a creative person. I started singing and acting at a very young age. I played flute and guitar and began singing professionally at 18 after being in the Miss America Pageant. I feel very blessed that I have been able to continually reinvent myself. Life is more exciting now than it has ever been.
What had you first interested in music?
As a child my dad loved opera and used to play Madame Butterfly. It was the saddest most beautiful thing I had ever heard. I was transported to another world, another reality. I knew that I wanted to be involved in something bigger than life. It was the beginning of my love affair with performing and music.
Who motivates or influences your quest to make great music?
Many different things. Sometimes it’s a great concert like the last Sade concert in Melbourne. Sometimes it’s the musicians I work with, the people I collaborate with. But mostly it comes from a drive to do something different and not be influenced by what is on the radio. Adesire to touch people. We know that music has the ability to uplift and take us out of the realm of the ordinary. I am interested in going somewhere fantastical and hopefully have moments of doing something really great.
Do you have any planned tours coming up?
I am planning to tour Australia in the near future and we are now in negotiations to do some festivals in Europe in the Summer. I am also talking to people about performing in NYC.
What are some of your biggest goals you hope to accomplish as an artist?
Right now I am trying to make good music. I have a new band with the incredibly talented Colin Berwick leading as musical director (Big Country). We are looking forward to combining electronic sounds with live instruments and creating something special.
What can fans expect from you in the coming months?
They will hear a new sound. I have a new band and we are creating a new sound. Our influences are Portishead and Massive attack (two of my favorite bands) with of course all of our own influences thrown in. It will be electronic with synth, strong beats using drums and percussion and guitar from Johnny Justin. I will incorporate my usual love of costume and performance art.
Success, what is the secret to it and what has been your biggest career highlight so far?
The secret to success is perseverance, passion and discipline. Of course talent is important. But I have never let rejection or failure stop me. In this business there are a lot of knock backs. Important to have a good sense of self and the ability to bounce back. I have many highlights in my career. Doing V in the 80’s was an acting highlight and coming back in the new V a couple of years ago was another. Being nominated for best female artist for the EG awards and performing on the night was fantastic. Also doing an amazing show at the Basement last year with Paul Grabowsky was a pretty incredible experience. And my three concerts in Paris last year with the incredible band Mars Avenue was one of the most amazing experiences ever!
Which stars of the music industry do you find inspiring?
Sade, Portishead, Grace Jones, Eartha Kitt, John Legend, Tim Minchen. Cocteau twins.,Gotye, Claude Challe, Leonard Cohen and Fat Freddies Drop… Some of the many artists who inspire me.
How would you best describe you and your music to your fans?
My songs are a journey in to my fantasy world where nothing is as it seems. Light is dark and good is bad. It is sexy with driving beats and sultry moody sounds.
What can you tell us about your latest album?
The latest album started a few years back when I decided to start writing songs. I spent a year writing lyrics and ideas for songs , I was performing at Bennetts Lane one night and met a very talented singer Baby Lemonade Lamarr. She introduced me to Byron St John and Matt Thomas (Mavis’s)… We all spent a year working on my existing songs and writing new ones. Byron then produced many of the tracks for me and they have been engineered by the wonderful Simon Pool. The music is electronic based. Moody with driving choruses. Each song tells a dark tale of betrayal, obsession, perils of fame, mortality, revenge. All my favorite themes. The music is moody electronic.
Are there any new exciting projects in the works?
Yes lots of exciting things happening. I am off to LA tomorrow (Monday Jan 21 over here) to act in a comedy film playing a very diva like version of myself. Then back to NYC in April to shoot a music video with a very talented man named Karl Giant . And of course returning to Melbourne in a couple of weeks to work with Colin Berwick, Mark Stanley and Johnny Justin for my new show at the late night Supper Club at the Famous Spiegeltent.
The music industry is huge, where do you see yourself a few years from now?
Hopefully playing festivals in Europe and US. I also see myself doing interesting collaborations with electronic producers and dance DJ s and Producers.
Name a few of your favourite Aussie artists.
I love Tim Minchen, Megan Washington, Kimbra, Gotye. I was a huge fan of George the band with Katie Noonan.
The shape of the music industry has changed significantly over the years, including the use of social media, how do you feel about the industry as a whole and what does it mean to you in getting your records out into the public eye?
It is a crazy time for music artists as there is no one way now to get your music out there. It is also a very empowering time for artists. They can self produce, put their music online and get attention without ever needing a record label. As a matter of fact many established artists are choosing not to have labels to have more control over the final project. People aren’t making money selling CDs anymore. So suddenly the idea of making an album is not as important. There are so many ways to produce music now. Everyone seems to have an at home studio. Where making music is an everyday affair rather than having to book a studio. It will be interesting to see what happens in the next ten years.
You appeared on US daytime soap One Life To Live, how did you enjoy this role and what are you thoughts on the show being picked up again and resurrected for fans?
One life to live was my first professional job. I had just graduated from University and getting a job on a soap was a dream come true. I played a timid mental patient. Ha, perfect for me as I was petrified that someone would discover that I didn’t know what I was doing. It was a great place to learn the ropes .It is fantastic that it is being brought back as it has so many fans.
Name one of your favorite Aussie Shows?
I love Rake and Offspring
How does life in New York compare to life in Australia?
They are very different and both are very important for my sanity. New York is where I grew up. My family are here and it feels good to be here. There is so much opportunity for a niche artist like myself. NYC is teaming with creative people doing amazing things. Melbourne is my home. It has the lifestyle I love. My friends, my dogs and my husband are here. People seem a lot more sane and laidback in Australia. In NYC everyone is running a million miles a minute. It is exciting but whether it is conducive to a happier life I don’t know.
Thank you for the interview! What can you leave fans of theaussieword.com with here today?
Hope you all can come to my show at the Famous Spiegeltent on March 21 at the arts centre. Would be great to meet you all xx
Website: www.janebadler.com
Facebook: Jane Badler
Twitter: @janebadler
