New Jersey born singer Fiona’s first two albums were the sensational self titled debut album in 1985 and the equally impressive ‘Beyond the Pale’ in 1986. Two more great collections followed with ‘Heart Like a Gun’ in 1989 and ‘Squeeze’ in 1992. It looked like that it until, out of the blue, in 2011, after a 19 year gap, Fiona released ‘Unbroken’. We chatted with her when ‘Unbroken’ was released 9 years ago and we’re back to check in on her in lock-down and ask that burning question – whether we will see another album from her in the future.
Steve: Hello again Fiona. Thank you for doing this again. I hope it isn’t too much of a chore for you?
Fiona: Not so far. Ha.
Steve: How have you been keeping yourself busy during this lock-down? I hope you are all keeping safe.
Fiona: We are cooperating. There are four of us here in the house and I go and visit my parents but with the mask, yada.
Steve: Tyketto singer Danny Vaughn has been doing a load of shows from his home, were you tempted to do the same?
Fiona: No. But he’s great!
Steve: You recently appeared in the all-star video version of the Winger song Better Days. Was that fun to do and what did you think when you saw the finished version?
Fiona: The finished version is so much fun! Bella steals the show. I couldn’t believe it when I saw the other guests. It was a great surprise. I sang it through on my I-Phone selfie style hoping he’d be able to use a few seconds of it.
Steve: Do you still play the clarinet?
Fiona: (laughs) I do have one but the last time I played a woodwind it was my son’s alto sax on a dare from him a few months ago.
Steve: I remember hearing (or seeing that you never heard a rock n roll record until you were 15. Is that true and if so do you remember the first one you did listen to?
Fiona: Maybe that was specifically heavy rock that I hadn’t been exposed to but I went to the pool in the summers and the radio was blasting through the PA so I heard all the top music.
Steve: Even with your Fathers’ dislike for having music in the house, was there a lot of support for you when you told them you wanted to be a singer?
Fiona: No. They were great about letting me be in a band that played out at bars while I was still in high school but no one in my family or extended family supported the singer idea and in retrospect I totally understand.
Steve: When was it you knew that was what you really wanted to do?
Fiona: I’m not sure. I knew I was very comfortable singing into a mic on a stage but what did that mean? I vaguely had an idea about the future. My hand got forced by the reality of college or no college.
Steve: Were you ever in the school choir?
Fiona: Yes, I was in all the choirs and the musicals.
Steve: What were you like at school? Were you the swot or the naughty one?
Fiona: I was a well behaved student. I excelled academically. I was very engaged.
Steve: Can you remember the very first gig you ever played? Are you the type who gets nervous or do you take it in your stride?
Fiona: Yes I played in Bethlehem PA at 4th Street Saloon or Tavern. Before that I sang one song at a prom. I didn’t get nervous then, no.
Steve: Who was the first band or singer you ever went to see ?
Fiona: EEEEE. I saw Billy Joel maybe that was the first one. It was the Piano Man tour.
Steve: Your first break was supporting Bryan Adams, what can you remember about that ?
Fiona: All of it. It was awesome. It was hard to start so early, though–outside. I didn’t like that. I like dark clubs inside late at night.
Steve: It must have been a shock going from headlining clubs to doing huge shows like that?
Fiona: Yes, it was a shock. He asked me to play another leg which would have been I think a better idea than coming off the road to make the next album but we had booked the producer. I didn’t understand that I had a choice.
Steve: You also once worked as a photographer’s assistant so did that mean you had a more hands on approach when it came to making your own videos?
Fiona: No. I don’t think so. I wasn’t Andy’s artistic or technical assistant, I worked at the desk. It took me a long time to figure out what I liked visually. It took too long. (laughs).
Steve: Did you either video or record your shows and did you ever come close to releasing a live album or video?
Fiona: No.
Steve: Would you ever consider doing a live stripped down acoustic album?
Fiona: No.
Steve: When you are promoting your album or a tour, do you enjoy the interviews etc. or do you see them as a necessary evil?
Fiona: It all happened so fast I enjoyed everything at first but it was tough on my voice to wake up early and talk and then sing at night.
Steve: You have sung duets with some amazing people over the years. Is there anyone you would dearly love to sing with that you haven’t yet?
Fiona: I love to sing duets and harmonies and I think that would be a long list. I sang live with Mike Tramp once and I would do that again. That is what pops into my head.
Steve: You created some of the most beautiful and catchiest songs, what do you think when you go back and listen to them now?
Fiona: Which songs are you talking about?
Steve: Specifically ‘Hang Your Heart On Me’, ‘Talk To Me’ & ‘He’s On My Side’. Your first two albums (especially) are just awesome.
Fiona: With ‘Hang Your Heart’ – I like the changes at the end. It’s about having a crush. I was always crushing. With ‘Talk to Me’ I sang this with angst and pain. I love the sax solo. I love that song. I murdered this song in a good way! (laughs) I feel proud of it. And with ‘You’re on My Side’ the B- section into the chorus is perfect and really great to sing – the build feels like soaring.
Steve: If your two children had wanted to follow in your footsteps, would you have been behind them or would you have tried to dissuade them?
Fiona: I don’t know because it didn’t happen. They played music at school so they have had the pleasure of it.
Steve: What would we find in your record collection?
Fiona: Everything from Ratt to Linda Ronstadt.
Steve: Are you more a vinyl person, do you prefer CD or are you all high tech?
Fiona: Neither. I understand and appreciate the difference.
Steve: You are of course now a Mum, what do your two children think of your music?
Fiona: They laugh.
Steve: Are you the cool singer Mum or the cringe worthy and embarrassing Mum?
Fiona: Both. Both!
Steve: We finally got to see you in the UK at Firefest in 2012 (yay)! That was your first show over here, what can you remember about the day?
Fiona: I liked Nottingham a lot. I didn’t know I was supposed to show up for the meet and greet photo part. I was just wandering around in my dorky travel dress and somebody found me. Sorry about that! It was fun to take the photos! It’s difficult to sing and then stop for years and then sing again. I would have benefited from more rehearsal but it was very complicated regarding living in the USA flying to UK, etc. I have learned and/or remembered a lot since then and would understand better how to prepare and what I would be able to hear or not hear while I was actually singing and execute a better live performance.
Steve: Do you have a stock of unreleased tracks that could one day see the light of day? What are the chances of a box set one day?
Fiona: I have a few songs. A box set has never entered my mind. Not until this moment as I am typing this answer to you (laughs).
Steve: It is hard to believe that ‘Unbroken’ is now nine years old, does it seem that long ago ?
Fiona: Yes. Now it feels like a long time ago.
Steve: You covered the D.L. Byron song ‘Shadows of the Night’ (which is my favourite version) what made you choose that song to cover?
Fiona: The words made me want to sing it. It made sense to me and I related to it and I just wanted to sing it. It feels good to sing something you want to sing. It’s weird. I remember lyrics as a story when I am singing live.
Steve: Are you a big concert goer? If so do you favour big bands in big venues or little clubs?
Fiona: I like both, but I don’t like not being close. I would rather go to one show a year and be close than more shows and be really far away. It’s a different experience. I think when I’m really far away I get distracted. So in school I always sat at the front and at the movies. Last year 2019 I saw The Eagles, ELO and I had tickets to John Waite but I was coughing too much (it was December) and it was a small place so I didn’t go. With Covid! Ha! Who knows? And I saw Kip at the Iridium and I saw Whitesnake too.
Steve: Do you think the internet is good or bad for music?
Fiona: Both good and bad but it is disruptive to payment streams.
Steve: After a day either being a Mum or recording or gigging, how do you unwind?
Fiona: I like TV and I go on my phone and read.
Steve: What are your favourite TV shows? Are you a binger or box-setter?
Fiona: I binge. I just watched Cromwell. I like that era of movies.
Steve: What genre of books do you prefer?
Fiona: John LeCarre. Cold War spy novels.
Steve: If you had your chance to create your own show (‘Fiona-Fest’ maybe) who would you have on it? With you headlining obviously!
Fiona: OMG! I am snorting with laughter. What are you talking about? I would not create my own show. (laughs).
Steve: I mean if you had the opportunity to create a dream festival (something like the Firefest show) with your favourite bands or singers, who would you pick ?
Fiona: I’d like Michael Bolton to sing ‘Fool’s Game’. I would love that. I would stand in line to see that. Then I would like to go home.
Steve: Does your brother still do the Ironman contests and do you manage to get to see him?
Fiona: Hey! You are so sweet to remember him. Wow, I saw him last night on ZOOM. He misses swimming because the pools are closed in Tokyo but he is riding his bike. I can’t remember when he did his last Ironman. It’s nuts that he does that, eh?!
Steve: I remember you mentioned him in the last interview that you did for us. Not something that appeals to you then?
Fiona: No way. But I love my bro!
Steve: Can you tell us a secret about Fiona (even though it won’t be a secret anymore).
Fiona: I have no tattoos.
Steve: Not something that you have ever been tempted by?
Fiona: No. I know a tattoo would annoy me in the future. Like it would drive me bananas.
Steve: Have either of your kids been to watch you on tour?
Fiona: There have been no tours since I had children. I’ve played the odd show but that’s it.
Steve: Do you listen to a lot of music during your normal day?
Fiona: No. To explain: I am an active listener. I don’t just hear music in the background I stop and pay attention and then get nothing else done.
Steve: If you had a choice of either recording or touring which would you pick?
Fiona: I would pick recording like in the past in a huge studio with a leather couch and two inch tape. That is so much fun.
Steve: Would you ever like to do a reality show and let cameras into your life or be left to fend for yourself in the jungle?
Fiona: Either or? I would never do a reality show. And I would hate to be in the jungle. No way.
Steve: If you were starting out now, would you go onto one of these talent shows or do you believe in the hard slog of gigging, gigging and more gigging?
Fiona: Gigging, gigging, gigging and rehearsing, rehearsing, rehearsing.
Steve: I know that we can’t turn the clock back but do you have and regrets about any specific decisions you have made in your musical career?
Fiona: Yes! (laughs) Yes!
Steve: If you had got into TV and movies before your music, do you think that is the path you would have stuck to?
Fiona: I don’t think it was a possibility.
Steve: If you were to give advice to anyone starting out in the business now, what would you tell them?
Fiona: I don’t know. I seriously have no idea. It’s so different. I had no idea what I was doing. It was a chaotic mess but there were some surprising and glorious moments of pure happiness.
Steve: You said you partly released ‘Unbroken’ because of fans hounding you. Any chance if we start hounding you again that there might be another one someday?
Fiona: (laughs) Oh man. I don’t know! I think about it sometimes. I definitely would need to hire a producer and I would love to work with James again, he was so mellow and easy to take direction from and so, so, talented. And I would love to go to Japan and work with Jun Senoue.
Steve: Do you have a regular routine for keeping your voice in shape?
Fiona: Not anymore. I have so much vocal rest it’s usually fine. I try not to stress about it.
Steve: You have mentioned before that you like the band concept (like Fleetwood Mac) did you ever get close to forming anything like that?
Fiona: I got close with the Squeeze record but then it was over.
Steve: You are on a desert island and only allowed to take 10 albums to listen to for ever. What do you pick?
Fiona: I can’t answer that without my head hurting. That’s a nutty question.
Steve: When it comes to ideas for songs, are you one of these who has a notebook filled with ideas or do you lock yourself away until it is all completed?
Fiona: Sometimes I type something on my phone at night. Yes. An idea.
Steve: If you didn’t do what you do, what would be your career of choice?
Fiona: Something alone. I like to be alone and work by myself. So I don’t know. Not dancing.
Steve: What next for Fiona?
Fiona: I would like to volunteer myself for the Covid vaccine trials! Let’s rock. Give me the shot. I hope to be of use to my fellow human beings and I hope to sing again.
Steve: Thank you for taking the time once again to answer these. Stay safe and take care and do you have a message for all your fans out there?
Fiona: A message? Hang in there! I am!
