Swamp Boogie Queen Interview

We are here live with Swamp Boogie Queen, a very hot up and coming band that have been around a long time, but they are just now really breaking into the world market. We are gonna find out what they are up to, where they came from, and what their philosophy on life is.

RCN: LetÕs start with getting the names of all the band members and what instruments you play.

SBQ: Well, my name is Abigail Lenz and IÕm a singer, M. Bishop is the guitar player, Gus H. is the keyboard player, Dave V. plays bass, and Mark Williamson plays drums.

RCN: How long have you guys been together?

SBQ: We are coming up on five years. The first write up we ever got was in Rock City News and that was the first time I ever got to see my name in rock and roll print.

RCN: We discovered another one! We discovered Sugar Ray (his first band had a different name, but some of the same members) and we had him on the cover in 1991.

SBQ: Wow, thatÕs wild! WeÕve been on the cover once, but Rock City News is always kind enough to follow us and get the pictures in print which really gets it out to the roots who are the kids in Los Angeles where we have to start. You have to start by building your fan base in the town your living in. ItÕs tough in Los Angeles because itÕs tough to get people out to come to shows with there being so many bands so itÕs important to get the information out there. People are talking about a slack LA scene, but there is really a bunch of stuff going on here. I do like to be quoted as saying, ÒThis band really sees a resurgence in a good rock and roll scene in Los AngelesÓ, says Abigail. People are starting to go out again, people arenÕt afraid to dance, bands are putting together shows as opposed to just getting booked as single bands. They are getting booked as five bands within a night. Bands are actually going out and finding other bands that all jell well together where one bandÕs fans will like the other bandÕs fans and putting together shows where you can get a whole night of great music that all kinda lines up. ThereÕs a good vibe of positive rock and roll again in Los Angeles. LA is here and strong! (If it would just stop raining!!! Ha! Ha!) The Year of the Swamp!

RCN: So, how did you get the name Swamp Boogie Queen?

SBQ: When the band first got together (after about two weeks) and we had an immediate incredible opportunity to record for free in Studio A at A&M Reoords. We were recording there and we had no name at all. We were just like the band with no name. On the way to A&M one day to record we heard an old B.B. King and Katie Webster recording from the early 60Õs. B.B. King started playing guitar and Katie Webster said, ÒB.B. I feel so tiredÓ and B.B. King goes, ÒOh yeah, how do you spell that?Ó and Katie goes, ÒT I D E, tideÓ and B.B. says , ÒWeÕll baby, you is the Swamp Boogie QueenÓ and then the song kicks in and she starts singing. Right then we were like thatÕs it, thatÕs the name thank you very much. The nameÕs cool because even when we were at the bottom of the bill we still had the largest name on the marque. It always looked like we were headlining the show.

RCN: One of the advantages of having a big long name.

SBQ: ThatÕs right and when people ask us what our music is, we say, ÒItÕs just big American Rock and RollÓ says Abigail. Our music has got some southern blues in it but weÕre playing stadium rock, weÕre playing good Ôol American rock and roll. We are a show band. WeÕre indicative of that Hollywood show scene because we work in clubs. The band is such a live band, the way that we got our fans, the way that we got a record deal, and all that is just like once somebody sees us live they understand. ItÕs really all about the live show because regardless of our original influences in music we are LA kids. We grew up on the Strip and back in the 80Õs you went out to see a show and you saw a show! Whoever was on stage was dancing, jumping up and down, freaking out and lately music seems to stand still. ItÕs all about theatre for us. ItÕs all about the threatrical vibe of seeing a show live and we are hoping to bring live shows back. Everything is so accessible these days. If you hear a song you like on the radio you can look it up on your web page, you can go to MTV and see like every zit on their face. You get to know your artist so quickly that itÕs not as important to get out and see a live show as it used to be. But if a band puts on a geat live show you can keep that alive. You can get the kids back out to the concerts. Hopefully, ticket prices can be kept fairly low so the kids will keep coming back.

RCN: LetÕs hear more about your record deal. When did you get the record deal?

SBQ: WeÕll, we should start with the Phil story. About two and a half years ago completely by accident, it was a total mistake, Phil Ramone walked into our rehearsal studio. He was the most bad ass producer going. It was like he was a friend of a friend of a friend and a friend brought him in when they were on their way somewhere else. ÒWe had just written a blues song that we do live a lot called ÒLock TightÓ and thereÕs Phil Ramone -whoÕs won like eight Grammys - he was the first producer I ever knew about because he produced Billy JoelÕs ÒThe StrangerÓ which was my dadÕs favorite album when I was like three years oldÓ, says Abigail. We said, ÒHey you wanna hear a songÓ, and he was like,Ó Yeah sureÓ. HeÕs just got this warm grace about him. HeÕs got a really cool vibe about him. We kicked into this song and he immediately started tapping his feet and moving his head. When we finished the song he opened up his mouth and said, ÒIÕm gonna produce your first albumÓ. The second sentence that he said was, ÒAnd your not ready yet, but IÕm gonna show you how to get readyÓ. So, for the next year and a half he basically groomed us in a really old-fashioned way like the way they kinda use to develop artists. He gave us homework. We had to write two songs a week and we had to fed-x it on Thursday so heÕd have it on Friday. He made us rehearse more; he would videotape live performances that we did and then we would sit down and go through it. He would ask why are you doing this, why are you doing that. Basically what he was doing (it wasnÕt that we needed to write all those songs) was bringing us together, making us a family, and it his way of making sure that we could pull this off. Then he signed us to N2K which is the company he was working on starting during that time. He was getting us ready to be one of the first rock acts to be on his brand new big fat label. ItÕs Sony Red Distribution so itÕs got a nice bass to it. Then he brought the whole record company about a year ago to the House Of Blues show that we did and they said, ÒLetÕs do thisÓ. ThatÕs how we got the deal. ItÕs not magic, itÕs lots and lots of fliers, taking out ads in local papers, begging people to come to your shows, and the most important thing is supporting all the other bands. If people come to see you, you say, ÒWhen are you playing next?Ó You get a flier and you go out to their show because that support system especially here in Los Angeles can really grow. Consequently, we are out almost every night supporting our friends, but then they all come to see our shows and thatÕs how you build a base and thatÕs how you get a record deal. You have to just play so much and get your name so out there that eventually a fairy comes along and sprinkles a little fairy dust on top of all your hard work and then you get a record deal! So, regardless of how much you work or how much you bust ass you still need a little fairy dust. And I think that comes from doing what we do which is being really nice to everybody, really taking the time to thank everybody - thanking the roadies and thanking the local magazines - always remember to be cool to everybody because it not how great you are in this business, itÕs how kind you are and who you know. And of course, it wouldnÕt hurt to get Phil Ramone out to your dingy little rehearsal room out in Woodland Hills with a bunch of dogs around. I think that lays your foundation. Ha! Ha! But now our rehearsal studio is on the west side. We got cool now that we are a big rock and roll band.

RCN: What are some of the songs on the record?

SBQ: The first single is ÒEase My MindÓ.

RCN: What kind of song is that?

SBQ: ItÕs a heavy rock and roll groove. ItÕs definitely a rocker. The album is so varied. There are incredible beautiful ballads, there are kick back tunes, thereÕs standard blues, and thereÕs rock and roll. We felt like we wanted our first single to really come out with a bang and kinda show what we do live. Whatever we are doing, when you see it live, itÕs big rock and roll whether itÕs a ballad or not. So the first song is definitely a big Ôol rock and roll guitar song. ItÕs American rock and roll straight up. WeÕre really aspiring for pyro. WeÕre bringing pyro technics back. We want to get choir singers, a horn section, we want to get so big and play stadiums. We want to do it because of the type of music we do. ItÕs so fun in a big live setting. But regardless of anything, we will always come back and play 14 Below. We love that place; itÕs our little hole in the wall. Todd Christianson, who owns 14 Below, was the first club owner to really treat us right, to pay us according to what we are making. He really does bands right and 14 Below is a really nice little place on the west side to play because most of the clubs are in Hollywood. ItÕs close to us so we can stumble home! Todd is a great friend, he comes out to see us, it been a great friendship thats developed. But we do also have to say that getting our first gig at House Of Blues on a Tuesday night where we brought so many people out was great because now weÕve played House Of Blues 13 times and they treat us really well. We now sell out on Friday night at House Of Blues. Our fans are some of the coolest in Los Angeles. They dance and shake their asses. And thatÕs what itÕs all about. I figure that music is suppose to uplift your soul. Most people go to work Monday thru Friday and so Friday and Saturday night you should be able to go out, just let go, loosen up, and shake off all your woes. We just wonÕt allow standing around very quietly at our shows. We try to get them on the tables, taking their clothes off! Ha! Ha! ThatÕs the other thing about our music; thereÕs all these women out there right now ruling the business, but there isnÕt a women thatÕs doing testosterone straight up rock and roll. ÒIÕm comparing myself to that because itÕs the energyÓ, says Abigail. It just so happens that IÕm a female singer, but men and women alike are just as jazzed by it just the way their jazzed by any big Ôol rock and roll show and there isnÕt a rock band out there thatÕs doing really uplifting big rock and roll (dirty rock and roll) with a girl singer. ThereÕs not one so it seems like there might be a space for it. ThereÕs a lot of different age groups that attend our shows, too, who are really big fans and thatÕs pretty amazing to see.

RCN: So, do you get a comparison to Janis Joplin a lot?

SBQ: ÒConstantlyÓ, says Abigail. I think people are just comparing it because of the energy and thatÕs why we have a lot of fans that are over 50. ThatÕs their association with it. Recently, we opened for Leon Russell at House Of Blues and it was basically his fans. Most of them were over the age of 40 at least and I can not tell you how many people came up to us and said, ÒThank you so much for carrying the torch. Thank you for being a younger generation thatÕs doing good Ôol rock and rollÓ. They were just so jazzed and so many of our fans are just associating to that. The young kids are like ÒRock and RollÓ and it makes me happy, makes me feel good, and I can dance to it. So we have this really large fan base as far as ages go which is really hip.

RCN: So, the music is happy as compared to grunge which is unhappy?

SBQ: ItÕs very happy. Hail, hail rock and roll!

RCN: Now your getting ready for when the record comes out. You getting ready to tour?

SBQ: Yes. The single is released March 3.

RCN: Are you gonna have a CD release party?

SBQ: Yes. WeÕll have one here after the CD is released on April 11 at the Roxy. It actually comes out March 24 and weÕll be doing a show in New York City on that night. The single comes out March 3. Call KLOS and ask them about it. If your into the band and youÕve seen us play, please call KLOS and ask them when they are gonna play it. ThatÕs the way you do it. ItÕs still up to the fans. We spent our whole lives trying to get a record contract, you just want to get a contract so you can make big fat rock and roll record, but when your given the record contract itÕs like your being handed this really ricked ladder and their saying okay now you can climb this ladder and all this time youÕve been thinking youÕve been climbing the ladder and once you get the big record contract thatÕs it,but really itÕs just a chance to try to get it out. ItÕs still up to the fans in the end. ItÕs still up to the people getting out to the shows, calling the radio stations, and thatÕs what itÕs all about. Even big record contract or not, itÕs still about the music and if the people dig it. The record contract