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Katie Locke

Katie Locke

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Interview With Katie Locke By Chris 3/10/06

Katie Locke is a talented singer songwriter.
Who works hard for her music.
She is proof that there is talented singer songwriters out there.
With out labels and and so on.
So read on it and expect more to come.

Katie Website

1. How did you get into music?

In my family, it would’ve been impossible for me NOT to be into music! My mom owned a Baldwin piano store that had been passed down through our family for three generations, and she had gone to college as a Classical pianist. My father had toured as a rock singer/guitarist in the 60’s, before settling on a career in insurance. My grandma was a professional singer, and my grandpa was a jazz clarinet player and professional piano tuner. To top it all off, my uncle was a trumpet player and my brother is a metal guitarist/bassist! So music was pretty much something I was born into, and it’s always been in my blood.

2. Who were your idols growing up?

I loved Barbara Streisand and Whitney Houston as a child, and listened to a lot of musical theater tapes (i.e. Phantom of the Opera, CATS, etc). My main non-musical idol, though, was my mom because she single-handedly raised me with so much strength and love. I also really identified with the author Ayn Rand’s books when I was in high school, and was always in awe of heroes like Mother Theresa who could give so much of herself to those in need.

3. Who were your influences?

Tori Amos, Jewel, Fiona Apple, Radiohead, Barbara Streisand, Elizabeth Ziman and Will Champlain (friends of mine from Berklee), Natalie Cole, Anita Baker, and the Beatles.

4. Are you happy with the responses from the latest release?

Absolutely. The CD has sold really well on CDBaby, and everyone who purchased it seems to be happy with the sound.

5. What have responses been like to your music on the web?

Responses have by far been positive, stuff like great songwriting and nice vocal stylings, or sounds like Anna Nalick. Everyone always complements the proficiency of the band-I’m so lucky to have them! Occasionally people have said they would like to hear the vocals higher in the mix, or that the music isn’t quite as marketable as it could be.

6. Has the Internet helped with your music?

Definitely! I’m so glad I used Discmakers to package and reproduce the album, because they gave me this great package deal where I got 300 posters, 6 months free Hostbaby, Sonicbids and CDBaby, and free iTunes distribution. All of our recent gigs in Boston and NYC have been booked through the Internet, and the majority of Cd's sold have been through CDBaby as opposed to at our concerts.

7. Do you think tools like MySpace are useful?

Yes, so people can stealthily scope each other’s music out. Airtight (the wedding band I sing for) once got a bat mitzvah gig because the mother booking the entertainment for the evening secretly looked me up on MySpace and liked what she heard.

8. What is the scene like for the type of music you play?

Not so big, at least in Boston. Most people our age want to go out and see rock tribute bands while imbibing enormous amounts of alcohol! However, I’ve noticed that the labels have been picking up a lot of solo female artists in the Adult Contemporary vein lately, especially Columbia Records.

9. Has street press and music media/websites helped with getting your name out there?

We are currently searching for management, and until we get it, we don’t really have access to a street team (we do all our promoting ourselves). However, using Sonicbids Electronic Press Kit (EPK) has been extremely helpful in getting us gigs.

10. What inspires you when writing music?

I try to do Object Writing every morning (where you pick a random object and use all of your senses to write about it for ten minutes) just to get my brain in the writing mode. Though I write every day, usually I’ll come up with a melodic line on the piano and put lyrics to it, or I’ll write lyrics first and then set them to music. Most of the inspiration comes from personal relationships and emotional experiences I’ve had over the years.

11. Have you had much response from radio?

I wish! I worked for WBOS in Boston for six months hoping to find a way to get played, because I thought our music would be perfect for several of the Greater Media stations. However, when you represent yourself people don’t really take you seriously was told at the station that it’s a liability to play an artist that has no manager or label representation, which is why we’re currently exploring that option. We are being broadcast online from a CT station.

12. What has been your favorite gig to date?

Honestly, when I got to tour as a backup singer for Patti Austin back in 2004 because it was such a huge experience. As far as the Katie Locke Band, I think our best gig was a few weeks ago at Harper’s Ferry in Boston. The turnout wasn’t exceptional, but we played our asses off!

13. Who would you most like to record a song with?

Tori Amos, because she’s the reason I write music!

14. Have you had much response from labels regarding your music?

Not yet, because we haven’t really pitched ourselves to any. We’re waiting until we have management to shop the labels; right now, we’re getting ready to participate in the OS National Band Search in NYC, which should expose us to many label reps and opportunities.

15. What are your thoughts on talent shows like Idol?

I actually tried out for American Idol once, just because people wouldn’t leave me alone about it! Truth be told, they’re not looking for the most talented singer, but rather a star. Case in point: Jennifer Lopez is not much of a singer, but when she enters a room you know she has that special star quality that will sell tons of records. At least that is the example the producer of the show used when he addressed us. I heard so many amazing singers that day, and almost all of them got cut. The greatest singers from Berklee all got cut, so who knows what they’re looking for? I enjoy watching Idol and shows like it because I think they eliminate the middle man and expose a lot of unknown talent. Just as long as the public knows the shows exist for ratings and there is a lot more talent out there.

16. What are some of your favorite musical artists/bands?

Other than the artists/bands listed as my main influences, I would have to say Elliot Smith, Jeff Buckley, OURS, Muse, and Dianne Reeves.

17. Do you think Idol is the downfall of the major label?

No, because I think the most talented artists that aren’t chosen for Idol will still seek out labels, especially because they can get a contract on their own terms writing their own music.

18.Who has helped you out the most?

Teacher wise, Donna McElroy, Pat Pattison, and Livingston Taylor (teachers from Berklee); my family, and my longtime boyfriend, Bryan Ladd (bassist on Works for Me).

19. Who would you like to do a split ep with?

Elizabeth Ziman, I think. She’s a relatively unknown but extraordinarily talented singer/pianist that my music has a lot in common with.

20. What next for Katie Locke?

Our next gig should be between Nov. 9 and 11 (check the website to find out) for the OS National Band Search, and then we have a show at Kenny’s Castaways on Nov. 25 in NYC. We all just relocated to New York, and are currently trying to find management so we can start to shop the labels. Other than that, writing, writing, and more writing!