OK so I know this one is a bit late but with things the way they have been of late I’ve let things slip a little with my interviews. This one dates from the day after Melodic Rock Fest in early March when things were still firmly focused on toilet paper shortages here in Melbourne. Things of course have progressed since then… It’s always nice to do a face to face interview though, and getting the chance to sit down with Janet and Justin to talk about music was my last interview before coronavirus took hold. I loved their last album ‘Your Place in the Sun’ so here’s all the news about the next album and more…
Mark: Let’s not talk about the surroundings of the Festival let’s just talk about the music.
Janet: I like the sound of that.
Mark: I’m part of the way through writing my review this morning of what became the one day melodic Rock 2020 event and I just got up to the part where you guys were about to take the stage.
Janet: OK cool.
Mark: It was quite interesting to watch it all unfold from behind the scenes though, and in the lead up I’d been trying to track everyone down and I think when I messaged you guys I knew that I probably wasn’t going to get hold of you because you were playing in the US. So I’m so pleased we’ve got the chance to catch up now before you head home.
Janet: I’m glad we’ve got the chance because it was kinda hectic leading up to it, we were probably playing like you say.
Mark: Probably on stage!
Janet: (laughs)
Justin: (laughs)
Mark: Over the ten years of The Rockpit I’ve never had a chance to catch up with you and it’s great to do so now because I think one of my favourite albums of the last few years has been ‘Your Place In The Sun’.
Janet: Thank you.
Mark: Don’t get me wrong I love the first album but there’s just something about the second one. And I do love Vixen and the earlier stuff, but this to me is better and it’s really not often at all that I get to say that to someone who was making music back in the day that is actually making better music today.
Janet: That’s exciting to hear.
Justin: I love to hear that.
Mark: I just wish that we still had the audience we did in the 80’s. There’s just so much I want to ask you I’m not sure where to start!
Janet: (laughs)
Mark: Before we do though (to Justin) I know your connection to Collective Soul and as a big fan I loved when you played ‘Gel’ – that was very cool.
Janet and Justin: We love them too.
Mark: They actually have a new EP out too, someone just sent me it yesterday.
Janet: We’ll have to check it out.
Justin: I loved the last one they did that was really good. I love music that is just ‘fun’ and is an escape from the drama that is out there in the real world that we hear about all the time. It’s great to just be able to escape into music.
Mark: It is, like we had back in the 80’s before Grunge came and everyone exchanged those smiles for frowns. But looking at the crowd last night especially when you guys were playing everyone was smiling.
Janet: Yeah.
Justin: Oh good.
Mark: And I just smiled too and thought ‘wow’ you don’t often see that at a Rock concert these days, so thank you both. That’s what I miss and that’s the beauty of music. But that’s enough of me talking (laughs)
Janet: (laughs)
Mark: The thing I’m most excited about I guess is the fact that you told me you were writing for the third album
Janet: Yeah, we’re really excited. We have five songs finished and seven recorded that we’re working on too that are half done.
Justin: Yeah.
Janet: We may be a little bit behind on the lyrics (Janet makes the sound of cracking a whip and laughs)
Justin: The roles are a little reversed this time because with ‘Your Place in the Sun’ it was me who was cracking the whip constantly but with this one all of a sudden she’s cracking the whip on me and about two weeks before we came out here it was like role reversal again and I was like ‘Let’s get this done.” I mean I’m a fan of her voice and I wanted to get her singing on this one immediately, you know as soon as the music was written! “Sing!” But then we had to get ready for this and it was all about saving yourself so you can go out and put on a good show. It’s killing me! We’re all making jokes about it! (laughs)
Janet: And then we all got sick.
Justin: Yeah.
Janet: The whole family we all got the ‘flu so that was two weeks of all trying to get healthy again.
Justin: We had a show in Detroit that we had to go and play with 103 degree fevers.
Mark: Wow.
Janet: And it was 103 degrees on stage (laughs) so we were delirious after that. But we’re still plugging away (on the album) and I’m hoping to have something by summer.
Justin: Yeah. But just like ‘Your Place in the Sun’ and even the first album it just all came out of nowhere. It’s like as soon as we get in that writing mode, that’s it. Our weekends are in the studio writing and recording, and that’s fun to us instead of going out to dinner or a nightclub or anywhere.
Mark: That’s great. I know I’ve only bumped into you a few times but you guys look great together and you seem to drive each other as far as the music goes.
Janet: Definitely. It’s all about the inspiration and understanding each other’s vision for things, and trusting each other. And It’s hard, you have to build that. And it’s hard to come by, you know I’ve only had it a couple of times in my lifetime, where I had a writing partner where I had that kind of connection (laughs) and this is obviously the best one of any of them.
Justin: (laughs)
Janet: But you know, none the less, we were afraid to take it on at first because we were a couple first before we worked together. It was like “this could drive a wedge between us” and we might hurt each other’s feelings. It’s very personal writing music, sharing your soul is very personal. And once we started it was like “This is great”
Justin: and I think that’s the difference between the first album and ‘Your Place in the Sun’ – with the first album we were still testing the waters and seeing how we worked together, but as it progressed it was like “This is fun, we’re not fighting, we’re feeding each other” And then by the time that album started we had that trust completely. We knew it was gonna be fun and we just enjoyed ourselves and I think it shows on that album.
Mark: I completely agree and I get that. There were moments on the first album that I loved but start to finish that second album is the one for me.
Janet: Thank you.
Justin: Thank you.
Mark: And I couldn’t even get a copy of it last night!
Janet: I know we sold out so quickly!
Mark: And that’s so great, all of your stuff was going so hopefully you don’t have too much to take home with you (laughs)
Janet: We have an empty suitcase!
Mark: (laughs)
Justin: And that doesn’t happen too often so to be able to do that is great.
Mark: So you can go shopping now.
Justin: Yeah we can add to it and bring something home.
Janet: Yeah, we’ve dropped some stuff off, we can now pick up some nice Australian memorabilia from this trip (laughs).
Mark: Plenty of time till Monday when you fly home and I fly back to the other side of Australia. We’d love to see you in Perth next visit. Friends from the States tell me Western Australia is like California without the people.
Janet: That’s sound like heaven.
Mark: We’ll that’s what George Lynch told me!
Janet: (laughs)
Mark: When he was over a few years ago I asked him what he’d thought as he’d been in Perth a while and been surfing and was pretty red when he got upon stage!
Janet: (laughs)
Mark: That’s when he came up with that great quote. And he’s right really, the climate is pretty much the same.
Janet: Maybe we can work our way over there next time.
Justin: Absolutely!
Mark: And we’d love to have you. The interesting thing for me about the Festival was watching the numbers. I was down in the pit a lot of the time so I know how hot it must have been for you up on stage, but each set I took a walk to the back of the room and I think that when you were playing and when Midnite City we’re playing before you there were more people in the room than any of the other sets.
Justin: I think so too.
Janet: We talked to them on the way back last night and I said “You guys had a great crowd” They did People were singing, they did really well. Great guys too.
Justin: Really nice guys. Our agent is looking at a UK Tour for us next year, and I just thought why don’t we do it together?
Mark: Now that would be great and so cool that something like that might happen out of the Festival. Rob’s actually from my hometown Nottingham, I’ve known him since his band Teenage Casket Company, always loved his writing.
Justin: He was in Tigertailz too.
Mark: And some other great bands along the way.
Janet: We were really happy and excited for them, great people.
Mark: And then the strange thing was when you left stage people started filtering out.
Janet: You never really see that kind of thing because of the lights and things.
Justin: And every band has been on the opposite side of that too! (laughs) Back in the States a lot of times when we’ve been the headlining band the local band has had their family and friends out to see them and you think “This is a great crowd” and then you come on at 11.30 or midnight and as our fan base is a little older we’ll go on stage and about five songs in we’ll be wondering “Where did everybody go?” (laughs)
Janet: (laughs) It was just great to be at a peak time like that. Right in the middle was a really great time to play.
Mark: I’ve always loved the song ‘Edge of a Broken Heart’ I know who you co-wrote with, just a question for me here can you tell me anything about that song I don’t know?
Janet: Right, well we had met Richard (Marx) as we had the same management, so we became friends, we had chats about music, and he came to see us play a couple of times. And so we started talking about working together and he said that he had a couple of ideas that he thought would be really good for us. So he took off and went on tour and we started making the album and when we thought we were done at the last minute he came home for like a Christmas holiday and he said “I’m only here for a few days but do we want to do this” So we thought “Great” so we did a quick pre-production rehearsal and went in and started recording it. When I came into sing there were no lyrics yet he had the “I’ve been living on the edge of a broken heart” and nothing else. So he said “I’ve got Fee Waybill to write the lyrics, and he should be here any minute” so I’m literally standing out there ready to sing and he runs in with the lyrics, I had no time to practice and no idea what I was doing, and Richard Marx is sitting on the other side of the glass. And I thought “No nerves here!” (laughs) But he was great. He is a really brilliant producer and of course writer. So I hobbled my way through a few times and he said “Just do what you feel” and then he gave me a couple of tips like maybe the melody should go here, maybe you should do this a little bit. And then I recorded just four takes and he said “Go relax for a while we’re gonna to do a ‘com’ and the he came back in and “done”. That was done, that was easy, loved every minute of it.
Mark: The one thing I always have to ask after a story like that is, do you know? Do you get that feeling that…
Janet: Yes! (laughs) When they did a rough mix of it and we came back in to listen to it I did get that feeling of “shit!” It had a special magic to it. I mean you never know for sure, but I had a really good feeling that we’d nailed it.
Mark: (laughs) how many times do you think you’ve played that since!?
Janet: Two or three! (laughs) I have no idea! Hundreds!
Justin: Hundreds!
Mark: So you never get the feeling I’m sure some artists do from time to time that “I wish I didn’t have to play that song tonight?”
Janet: Well you might think that for a second but then you look at everybody singing and smiling and that makes it great! It doesn’t get old because as long as people are enjoying it what more do you want? Right?
Mark: The thing I loved most about your set last night was that those smiles didn’t disappear when you played the new material. I mean they might not have been as familiar with it as the Vixen stuff but they were loving the new songs as well!
Justin: This whole run out here has been so surprising in that there were certain songs that we’d go into that are newer and they were singing along to them by the end of the song.
Janet: Yeah, the second time the chorus would come around they’d sing a little more and then by the end they really had it, you know! That was awesome that they were that tuned in to something they’re not familiar with. They picked it up and ran with it!
Mark: And that’s the most wonderful thing. If you were a kid growing up in the 80’s because of the time of your life you attach all this extra meaning to those songs and as you get older guess it’s harder for music to make that connection.
Janet: Absolutely.
Justin: Right.
Mark: But I hope what everyone takes away from your shows and this festival is that people are still out there making wonderful, meaningful and memorable music.
Janet: You’re right.
Mark: And that’s why things like the Monsters of Rock Cruise do so well, as we as fans get older we want a bit of comfort, not necessarily standing in a field at a Festival for hours!
Janet: Right and you don’t have to park and you get to see all these bands in one place.
Justin: It’s definitely more relaxing for fans and bands.
Janet: Go back to your room, hang out, it’s great.
Mark: Thank you both for being so generous with your time, if we’re good we’ve just got a few traditional closing questions we ask everyone? And I’d love you both to answer if that’s OK?
Janet: Absolutely.
Mark: If you could have been a fly on the wall in the studio for the creation of any great Rock album of the past, just to witness it and see how the magic happened, what would you choose? What album would you love to have seen being made?
Janet: Any Led Zeppelin album for sure for me. Any of them.
Justin: For me it would be Kiss – Destroyer, I mean that for me would be it. They had just done ‘Alive!’ – that put them over the edge and got their popularity up and ‘Destroyer’ is the album that followed that they went into the studio and I would love to have seen how all of that came together with Bob Ezrin.
Mark: I must admit that in ten years of asking that it’s the first time anyone has come up with one of the albums I would most like to have seen!
Justin: Oh right! (laughs)
Janet: Speaking of Kiss look who’s just crossing the street!
Justin: It’s Rob (from Midnite City) in his Asylum shirt! (laughs) That has to be one of my Top three Kiss albums, I must admit I do like Kiss without makeup.
Mark: Yeah I must admit it was the 80’s Kiss for me.
Justin: Talking about music that was when it hit me real hard, right about there.
Janet: And that’s when we played with them.
Justin: You did the ‘Hot in the Shade’ Tour with them right? That was the coolest tour they ever did.
Janet: Yeah. It was good and they were great.
Mark: My first big concert was a Kiss one, but I’d be giving away my age if I told you what tour!
Janet: We won’t go there! (laughs)
Mark: And the second question is a new one, if we were to book you a table in Melbourne tonight and you could invite four musicians to chat to, living or dead, you’re allowed either as long as they meet the dress code…
Janet: (laughs)
Mark: …who would you invite?
Janet: I’m trying to think of names I actually haven’t had a chat to. (to Justin) You go first I wanna think!
Justin: OK. Paul Stanley my musical idol. Phil Mogg from UFO…
Mark: Wow, I’m a big UFO fan as well, you’re impressing me Mr James! We’ll just carry on talking music afterwards!
Justin: (laughs) Then Gary Moore, just a phenomenal guitar player, I love everything he did with Thin Lizzy and after Thin Lizzy.
Mark: I love Thin Lizzy too! You’ve seen my record collection I’m sure of it now!
Justin: (laughs) what a great band and the guitar players that came out of that band! And that leads to my next one too John Sykes – his tone on that Whitesnake album was a beast! It was monstrous! And there’s my four right there. (Justin turns to Janet) your turn now – pressure’s on you.
Janet: I’ll go with Eddie Van Halen, Jimmy Page, now I did have a chat with him at an after party on the Deep Purple Tour but there was too many people around and too much going on, but I’d love to pick his brain. Now this is a weird one – John Mayer, I love him as a writer, I love his lyrics and I’d love to just talk to him about his process and how he comes up with stuff that anyone can relate to. Do I really have to pick four? I know there are so many that I’m going to kick myself later on! Why didn’t I think of that!
Justin: Oh I can think of one totally for you!
Janet: Who?
Justin: You have to say it not me! Well what about Ann?
Janet: Ann Wilson of course! Ann and Nancy they both gotta be there!
Mark: If they are talking at the moment, I’m not sure.
Janet: Well I’d get them talking! (laughs) I’d love to talk to them, they were a huge influence on me. It was right at the time in my life where I started getting into Rock, and to hear them doing what they were doing – I was like wow!
Mark: And that Zeppelin connection there too!
Mark: And the final question – the easy one: what is the meaning of life?
Justin: Ohhh… that’s deep.
That’s way too deep for a Sunday morning!
Mark: For a Sunday morning in Melbourne before we get our coffee it is a bit unfair…
Janet: Nobody really knows, you know. All you can do is speculate and believe what you believe. But I think the best way you can live your life is to just to try to bring something positive to the world. And luckily we have music and it’s a great way to share with people and communicate with people. Music is an art and it’s a great way to bring something to people that hopefully has a positive effect.
Mark: You’re right it does, music touches so many people in so many different ways, it can inspire, it can motivate but the most important I think is its power to help people out of bad times. At its best it’s a wonderful positive life affirming thing.
Janet: You’re so right, It can help heal, it can provide solace and comfort and that’s the best compliment we can ever get, like the song ‘Candle’ we get a lot of people who tell us how much it has meant to them, maybe they lost somebody dear to them and it gave them comfort. It really doesn’t get any better than that.
Mark: I love that song. It’s beautiful. And just as Justin thinks he’s got out of answering that one!
Janet: (turning to Justin) yes, it’s your turn! Let’s hear this! I’m interested to hear this.
Justin: I mean I just think kind of the same thing. Live life to its fullest and don’t let negative things hold you down or dwell on them. Just respect people, love and peace you know, and just be kind to each other. And don’t worry about that person having this and you don’t have it, just go out and enjoy life. I think of things like this, coming over here to this beautiful country, I’ve loved it, it’s been amazing and I will forever have that memory because we got up and we did it – we came out and some people didn’t do that and I’m so grateful and happy we did come and get to enjoy it. So live each day like that old saying goes, like it’s your last and have fun and be happy and smile.
Mark: I love this guy! And I’ve loved this, it’s been wonderful to meet you both and for me one of the highlights of my trip to get to sit down and talk to you both.
Janet: For us too. It’s been a blast.
Mark: And The Rockpit would love to hear the new album as soon as we can!
Janet: We’ll definitely get you an advance copy.
Justin: I’d love to play you some of it on my phone right now but it wouldn’t do it justice! I’ll email you!
Mark: Keep me waiting! And next time you come back I want to hear the full set!
Janet: (laughs)
Justin: Oh Mark this was the first time we didn’t play the full set so it was so hard to choose what songs we cut and what songs we put in. And last night thankfully we got to do a couple more than we did on the other dates.
Janet: But everyone of course wants to hear different songs (laughs)
Mark: I know I was looking at your setlist on the web and thinking I’m so glad you have to make the decision what to cut and not me! (laughs)
Justin: (laughs) It was so tough! When we got off stage someone came up to me and said “‘Candle – why didn’t you play Candle?!” (laughs)
Mark: That wasn’t me was it? I was stood at the side of the stage at the end!
Janet: (laughs)
Justin: (laughs)
Janet: We should have played that song!
Justin: I wanted too but that would have been too many slow ones.
Janet: Yeah, because we have to play ‘Cryin’’ there would be a riot if we didn’t play ‘Cryin’’ and that’s a ballad and ‘A Way to Your Heart’ is new and a kind of ballad so it was a tough call.
Justin: It was a hard one to cut out because we’ve been playing that from almost day one, before the album even came out. So it was tough.
Mark: Ah the joys of choosing a setlist!
Janet: (laughs)
Mark: Thank you both so much for taking the time today I’ve had a blast, now let’s go get that coffee!
Janet: Thank you Mark, that sounds good.
Justin: Sounds good to me.
