Atlantis Online will present a growing number of interviews with female artists in music, primarily from the rock and metal field. We present them back to back and this is the second page. Enjoy.
- ON THIS PAGE -
Melissa/Visions of Atlantis - Rachel Jones/The Reasoning - Jenna Sanz-Agero/Vixen
Melissa Ferlaak
What is your full name and where do you currently reside?
- Melissa Ferlaak of Visions of Atlantis. I reside in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA and my band resides in Leoben, Austria.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you discovered music.
- Discovered music…music I believe is born in all of us, but that is a long conversation. The short version is, I began my professional path through college with two music degrees (opera focus) and during that time, sang with Aesma Daeva for four years while also singing in various operas. In 2005, I left Aesma Daeva and signed a contract with Visions of Atlantis.
Can you mention a few people or artists that inspired you and what they meant to you?
- Pat Benatar is one as she went from the classical to rock world as well and faced many of the same challenges as I have. My three primary voice instructors (Cynthia Goetz, Joy Scheib and Helen Hodam) have been a huge inspiration and force in keeping me singing…if it weren’t for them, I would have never gotten to this place.
If you could pick three records to take with you to a desert island, which would they be?
- Gorecki’s "Third Symphony", After Forever "Remagine", Faith and the Muse "Elyria" …something for every mood.
There has been a huge surge, almost a paradigm shift in rock and metal the last few years, in that women are now counted in the hundreds in a field that used to be very much male oriented. Would you like to comment on this?
- I think it is great! I have heard speculations before as to why it was so male dominated previously but I don’t think it has to do with sexism, though. It is hard to say why and I’m really not qualified to comment. Either way, it is great…I personally love femme metal more than any other type. I think having a female presence adds a beautiful balance.
When did you record music for the first time?
- In 1999 on Aesma Daeva’s “Eros of Frigid Beauty”. It was really nerve-wracking at first! Now, I love the studio and find it to be a calm place.
If you have to pick out a few favourite tunes from your catalogue, which would they be?
- All from the new album, “Trinity”, "Deep Down", "Absent", "The Secret", "At the Back of Beyond"…hell, I love all the new songs! There isn’t a song on it that is considered weak, I think. As far as the band’s previous albums, "Lords of the Sea" is a great song from EEI and "Lost" from “Cast Away” is a natural born hit.
Many seasoned artists still fear that moment right before showtime, how did you learn how to deal with that and how is it for you these days?
- Honestly, I really never had fear, just a lot of excitement! I love the stage, love it more than any other place on earth. However, because sometimes that type of unbridled energy can be a negative thing, I always am sure to be found doing a meditation 10 minutes before taking the stage to focus.
What´s the best tour/s you´ve ever been involved in and why?
- The most recent one to Asia in January! It was so amazing. The energy from the audience, the promoters were so accommodating, the comradery between our band and Edenbridge…it was just fantastic! There will be a DVD out of the last concert in Beijing too so that is also exciting and something to look forward to! The Romantic Darkness Tour in February 2006 was also fantastic because it was the first performances of mine with VoA and now consider the guys/gal in Xandria to be good friends.
What´s the situation for your type of music where you live right now?
- In the US, symphonic metal and female fronted metal are definitely not as popular as in Europe, hence why I sought out a band in Europe. In Minnesota, there is definitely more interest in these types of bands, but more on a niche level. I would love to see more bands from Europe of this genre touring the US and making audiences here aware of all the great bands that exist over in Europe!! Also in Minnesota, there are a lot of great metal bands…I consider it to be the Seattle of metal really. There are just SO many good bands here!!
What are you currently up to?
- Right now, the album is being finished and will be out in April. There will be a big announcement soon of some upcoming plans, but I cant comment on them yet. Sorry!
What´s the best feedback you ever had from a listener?
- Back in 2002 at the very first metal festival I sang at, my former band would do a metal version of the Mozart aria, “Der Holle Rache”. A big biker guy came up to me after we finished (mind you, he scared me a bit as it was the first time I was ever at a concert like this) and blushing, came up and said he really wants to see an opera now because he didn’t realize how cool it is! So that was really cool!
Do you take a personal interest in your MySpace page and what do you think of this new invention?
- Yes, I run my own personal page and I love it! I love that listeners of our music write to me and I can really get to know who our listeners are. I think that is important and have met some really amazing people via Myspace.
Do you think the recording industry is out of touch and what would you change if you could?
- Well, I do feel many really good artists are being overlooked or taken advantage of. I don’t really listen to what is on the radio personally, but I do see that many people do like what they hear. Really, there is a style of music for everyone and metal isn’t for everyone. Maybe I’m biased, but I think metal is a genre that can really just be appreciated by people of a certain higher level of musical interest, in the way that classical music is.
Do you surf the Internet and if so where do you usually go?
- Sonic Cathedral (www.soniccathedral.com) is a great site. I also go to Minnesota local music forums like www.musicscene.org and www.area-52.org where I can find out where the good local shows are going to be. I also like going to www.youtube.com and watching funny movies…I’m a sucker for that.
Do you have other major interests outside music?
- I was a figure skater for many years and also have taken ethnic dance classes. Dance and skating are two things that will always be with me.
What authors do you like and have you read anything good lately?
- Ken Wilbur is my favorite author to date. I think he will be hard to top by any other, really! His "A Brief History of Everything" is such an enlightening piece of work.
What favourite actors in film and television do you have, and what do you enjoy to watch?
- I’m a huge fan of Johnny Depp and have loved every movie he has been in. Also a big fan of Tim Burton movies.
What favourite food do you have?
- Chocolate and caramel! What more does a girl need???
I´m sure you´ve heard many bad pickup lines, did you ever actually hear a good one that made you think that this person is perhaps interesting?
- Hm, none that come to mind. But if a guy is really interested in me, he will take the time to get to know what I have interests in and actually bring them up in a conversation. I try to stay away from meat market dance clubs and usually go where friends are…like metal shows!
Do you have an interest in the paranormal, the unknown?
- Yes, though I was more interested in it earlier in my life.
Have you ever seen a UFO or do you know anybody that has had an experience that they´ve told you about?
- No, but I like to look on www.youtube.com and see the cool videos they have. I like getting the chills from seeing such things!
What´s your take on that?
- To say we are the only ones in this huge universe is extremely arrogant and naïve. So, yeah, I believe we could have been visited. I rather like the prospect of that actually.
If you could give a piece of advice a younger sister that would like to follow in your footsteps, what would that be?
- Love the people you work with! That is so key! Also a favorite quote lately has been, “When you look at obstacles as opportunities, the world becomes a limitless place". I think we could accomplish a lot if we live by those words.
Would you like to add something to this interview?
- Thanks very much! Look for the new album, "Trinity", in April!!
At MySpace / Melissa - Visions of Atlantis
Rachel Jones
What is your full name and where do you currently reside?
- Rachel Jones: Cardiff/London, UK.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you discovered music.
- I’ve always loved music! From an early age I was fascinated with melody lines and harmonies - and was a member of the school choir. As a child I played a few musical instruments: piano, violin, recorder…but quickly realised that singing was my thing.
Can you mention a few people or artists that inspired you and what they meant to you?
- My tastes have changed and developed an awful lot over the years. To begin with, I was fascinated with artists such as Kate Bush and ABBA - mainly because the songs were so great to sing along to - I loved the catchy melodies and the vocal harmonies. From there, I’ve discovered a passion for most genres. I adore folk music - Richard Thompson, Eliza Carthy and Kate Rusby, and more recently, Seth Lakeman and Karine Polwart; and of course, I love rock. There are too many favourites to list, but Marillion, Genesis and Pink Floyd would probably come first!
If you could pick three records to take with you to a desert island, which would they be?
- "Brave" by Marillion, "Scribbled in Chalk" by Karine Polwart and "The Division Bell" by Pink Floyd.
There has been a huge surge, almost a paradigm shift in rock and metal the last few years, in that women are now counted in the hundreds in a field that used to be very much male oriented. Would you like to comment on this?
- I think that women have always maintained a very powerful presence in rock music, but I think the media have become particularly fascinated with the idea over the last few years, which creates the illusion of a real change.
When did you record music for the first time?
- About 10 or 11 years ago, preparing for the first Karnataka album.
If you have to pick out a few favourite tunes from your catalogue, which would they be?
- "The Storm" (Karnataka); "Talk to Me" (Karnataka) and "Sacred Shape" (The Reasoning - from the new album).
Many seasoned artists still fear that moment right before showtime, how did you learn how to deal with that and how is it for you these days?
- I think that experience is the key - knowing what to expect is half the battle. These days, I actually look forward to that feeling - the adrenalin rush, and the sense of anticipation - a little like wearing your nerve endings on the outside! In fact, I sometimes wish it were possible to capture the sensation in a bottle…so that I might inhale it on a rainy day.
What´s the best tour/s you´ve ever been involved in and why?
- The "Strange Behaviour" tour with Karnataka in 2004 was exciting and very successful, but I’m looking forward to touring with The Reasoning this year, and I fully expect this to be the best experience so far! We have a great team, who know how to communicate properly, how to work and play, and how to really enjoy life.
What´s the situation for your type of music where you live right now?
- London has an enormous music scene, of course - and Cardiff is catching up quite rapidly. There are several local bands making a good name for themselves at the moment.
What are you currently up to?
- The Reasoning have just finished recording "Awakening" - our first studio album - which is due for release in February. We will be touring to promote this throughout the year.
What´s the best feedback you ever had from a listener?
- Many people have told me that my lyrics have helped them to deal with difficult emotional situations, which means a lot to me.
Do you take a personal interest in your MySpace page and what do you think of this new invention?
- I think MySpace is a wonderful idea, and a very powerful means of promotion. For bands, it’s an excellent way of promoting the music in advance of an album release or tour - our page has been incredibly successful so far.
Do you think the recording industry is out of touch and what would you change if you could?
- The mainstream music industry seems to have become terribly formulaic over the last 15 years, and is saturated with a continuous cycle of almost identical acts. I think it’s a pity that originality is now often seen as a negative, rather than positive, quality.
Do you surf the Internet and if so where do you usually go?
- I’m a book lover, so I spend a great deal of time browsing Amazon for good bargains!
Do you have other major interests outside music?
- I’m a full time student, and am just finishing a three year degree programme in Film Studies.
What authors do you like and have you read anything good lately?
- I love classics - George Eliot and Jane Austen, for example, but also enjoy contemporary fiction - Ian Rankin and Douglas Adams are two of my favourites. I’ve spent most of the last three years reading for academic research, though, and have become very interested in psychoanalysis and philosophy...my bookshelves are full of reference books!
What favourite actors in film and television do you have, and what do you enjoy to watch?
- I don’t watch much TV, but (of course) I do love film! I enjoy all kinds of genres, but especially psychological thrillers, horror films and movies with a good ‘twist’.
What favourite food do you have?
- Fish - of all varieties!
I´m sure you´ve heard many bad pickup lines, did you ever actually hear a good one that made you think that this person is perhaps interesting?
- I’ve heard very few - I’ve always had to do the ‘picking up’ myself!
Do you have an interest in the paranormal, the unknown?
- I have a passing interest. I’m more fascinated by what goes on inside people’s heads, though.
Have you ever seen a UFO or do you know anybody that has had an experience that they´ve told you about?
- Only the band…
If you could give a piece of advice a younger sister that would like to follow in your footsteps, what would that be?
- I actually have two younger sisters - one is a city lawyer and one is a medical doctor with two beautiful daughters…so I think they should probably be giving me the advice!
Would you like to add something to this interview?
- Only to say thank you for your time…and that I hope you enjoy The Reasoning very much.
At MySpace / The Reasoning
Jenna Sanz-Agero
What is your full name and where do you currently reside?
- Jenna Sanz-Agero - Los Angeles.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you discovered music.
- Music was part of my life for as long as I can remember. My earliest memories involve singing with my mom at the piano or on guitar or in the car listening to the radio. I guess I have her to thank because she is a big music lover and it's in my blood.
Can you mention a few people or artists that inspired you and what they meant to you?
- I always loved Deborah Harry, Pat Benatar, Stevie Nicks. They all seemed like independent women and they all had great talent. They were sexy - not because they were weak and helpless, but because they were strong.
If you could pick three records to take with you to a desert island, which would they be?
- Zeppelin "IV", Fleetwood Mac "Rumours", and the third one would be a toss up between GnR's "Appetite for Destruction", PJ Harvey's "Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea" or anything Nina Simone ever did.
There has been a huge surge, almost a paradigm shift in rock and metal the last few years, in that women are now counted in the hundreds in a field that used to be very much male oriented. Would you like to comment on this?
- I guess I would only say that I believe Vixen, and particularly Jan Kuehnemund ,was one of the pioneers that paved the way for this "shift". At the time that the first Vixen albums were released, things were definitely different. You had radio programmers saying "oh, we already have a female rock song in rotation so we can't have two." Can you imagine? I'm thankful that it's changing but it would be nice if someday nobody makes the distinction at all.
When did you record music for the first time?
- Well I've been recorded while singing since I was a child, but I first consciously recorded rock songs in the mid-nineties. I met my biological father for the first time when I was in law school and discovered that he was a musician. We started playing in a band and writing songs together a few years after that and I haven't stopped since. I still jam with him and some of our old band mates when I have time.
If you have to pick out a few favourite tunes from your catalogue, which would they be?
- "Give Me Away" and "I Try" are standouts on our new album. My favorites change every time I listen to it. I co-wrote a song many years ago called "Angelina" that I've always been fond of. It is very haunting.
Many seasoned artists still fear that moment right before showtime, how did you learn how to deal with that and how is it for you these days?
- I used to get very nervous going on stage. As a child, there were times I could not control the shaking in my voice when I would start to sing - which would of course make me even more petrified. As an adult, I kind of forced myself to just GO. I could sort of close my eyes and just sing the first line and once that was out there I was good to go. Now I think I've just gotten to the point where I don't have any doubts about my basic vocal abilities and I only focus on the performance. If I'm not feeling at the top of my game on any given night, it just makes me work harder.
What´s the best tour/s you´ve ever been involved in and why?
- Voices of Metal was a lot of fun. If I’d known then what I know now, I would have enjoyed it even more. It’s nice to tour with a bunch of cool people (all the guys in Slaughter, Ratt and Vince Neil’s band were great to us) and only have to play for 30 minutes every night. It may be different for the other girls playing instruments because I know it feels better after you’re warmed up a bit, but for my voice it’s hard to do a 90 minute set six nights in a row. Though I do enjoy that too. This last tour with Yngwie Malmsteen in Finland was a blast. We hope to do more of those.
What´s the situation for your type of music where you live right now?
- Living in Los Angeles there’s always a pretty healthy, active music scene. And of course rock and roll will always be a staple here I think. There’s a lot of melodic hard rock here but this is not our core audience. Though when we’ve played here the response has been very good.
What are you currently up to?
- Our new album is coming out in the U.S. in a few weeks and we’ve got a live album and DVD coming out in Europe later this year so I’ve been concentrating on that. Of course I’m always writing and singing whenever possible, and I’m working on improving my guitar and piano playing.
What´s the best feedback you ever had from a listener?
-Well one girl wrote in to our website and said she was changing her name to Jenna. That was pretty crazy. But great feedback is when someone says the melody or the lyrics, or both, moved them emotionally. When they connect with what I’m singing it feels like I’m on the right path. And when someone sings along at a live show – that’s the best feeling in the world.
Do you take a personal interest in your MySpace page and what do you think of this new invention?
- Yes I do take a personal interest, though I don’t have as much time for it as I’d like. I think it’s awesome. It’s exactly the thing that the internet is perfect for – bringing together a network of people that would otherwise not have access to each other. Every age, sex, color and creed is represented there and it has created a really cool community. On the downside, I’d personally like to castrate every pervert who has found a way to use it as a predatory tool. But they’ll get theirs one way or the other.
Do you think the recording industry is out of touch and what would you change if you could?
- Clearly they’re out of touch given the lack of variety available to most listeners who don’t make a concerted effort to find new and interesting music. Though I’m not sure whether to blame the labels or the media more for that. Bottom line is that when you go mainstream and you have only a couple hundred artists and maybe ten musical styles to choose from, you have to realize there’s something wrong since there are thousands of artists and dozens of musical styles that might appeal to even a mainstream listener. But of course they wouldn’t be able to sell millions of copies of one artist if those millions of listeners were aware of all the other choices. If I could change things, I would maybe insist that all radio stations could not play the same song more than twice in one day. That would increase the variety for sure. And if someone likes a song, they are more likely to go buy it if they’re not hearing it every hour on the radio.
Do you surf the Internet and if so where do you usually go?
- Totally. I use it for everything - shopping, travel planning, finding music - but mostly for information. I remember the days when you’d sit around at a party and get into a debate about whether a sea otter is a mammal or are there more carbs in vodka than in wine, and now you can just run to the computer and get the answer (yes, and there are no carbs in vodka).
Do you have other major interests outside music?
- No, not a thing. OK, I’m kidding. I love good films. I spent twelve years in the film business and I have a great appreciation for what it takes to put an excellent movie together. I love to read, and to travel. I’m so lucky that my job allows me to go to parts of the world that I might never have otherwise seen. I’m fascinated by crazy people, especially serial killers. I watch those shows on forensics and crime solving all the time. I think if I hadn’t been a singer or a lawyer, I’d have maybe been a criminal profiler.
What authors do you like and have you read anything good lately?
- I’ve read pretty much everything Stephen King’s ever published, but aside from that I’m don’t particularly follow authors. I just pick random books to read based on recommendations from friends or something that catches my eye in a book store. The best books I’ve read in the past few years are “Peace Like a River” by Leif Enger, “The Lovely Bones” by Alice Sebold, and “The Art of Happiness” by Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler.
What favourite actors in film and television do you have, and what do you enjoy to watch?
- I really like Christian Bale and Edward Norton. Lately Leonardo DiCaprio has blown me away with his performances. And Cate Blanchett can do no wrong. I love a good drama, and a thriller or well-done mystery is fun. But I see movies based on my mood. If I need a lift, then a comedy or an animated film usually does the trick. If I just want to escape and be entertained, then James Bond or Batman works. The only thing I don’t really like is horror because I finally realized a few years ago that I just don’t enjoy being scared. It’s not fun for me. Though there’s always an exception to that too. My favorite film recently was Dream Girls. I saw that musical as a little girl and always loved it and I was a big fan of Jennifer Hudson when she got booted from American Idol (yes, I watch that show, and any other that involves music and singing) and she just nailed that performance. It was so inspiring to watch.
What favourite food do you have?
- I love Japanese and Italian. I enjoy sushi, but only if it’s very good. And I grew up with an Italian mom and grandma so anything Italian that I make at home is great.
I´m sure you´ve heard many bad pickup lines, did you ever actually hear a good one that made you think that this person is perhaps interesting?
- None that I can think of. I think any man who wasn’t too intimidated to approach me was too drunk to actually say anything clever. To be honest, most of the men I’ve ever been involved with were those I’ve pursued. I guess I never liked to wait around for something that I wanted.
Do you have an interest in the paranormal, the unknown?
- Definitely. I was more interested in it when I was younger. Now I think it just frustrates me more not to know!
Have you ever seen a UFO or do you know anybody that has had an experience that they´ve told you about?
- I’ve never seen one or known anyone personally who’s had that experience.
What´s your take on that?
- Honestly, I think it’s rather arrogant to assume that there is no other intelligent life somewhere in this vast universe. Do I think they want to blow us up, or that they’re advanced enough to have space ships that fly here and check us out now and again? Not really. But I absolutely think it’s possible, even probable, that there’s something out there beyond what most scientists can currently prove.
If you could give a piece of advice a younger sister that would like to follow in your footsteps, what would that be?
- That’s a tough one. I think I’d like to tell her to do what I did and get an education first so that she has something to support her and fall back on. If you love music, I think it’s more important that you continue to play and write music than that you make a living from it. If you love it enough, you can find the time for it. And it sucks to be poor.
Would you like to add something to this interview?
- I’d like to add that the best way to ensure that music lovers have a wide variety of choices is to buy albums and, above all, go to live shows. If you want to support Vixen, the best way to do it is to come to our shows when we’re in the area. And bring all your friends! And thanks to all our friends and fans who do support us – we love you!
At MySpace / Jenna - Vixen
Interviews made by Mike Eriksson (c), january 2007.
