Brooke Trout’s Songsalive Interview!

Posted in Blog by Brooke Trout

The following interview with Brooke Trout was originally published on the Songsalive.org website in 2007. Songsalive!® is the largest international non-profit membership organization and social community for songwriters and composers, since 1997. Songsalive! is a grassroots, philanthropic, volunteer managed charity organization run by songwriters for songwriters and is dedicated to nurturing, support, education and promotion of songwriters and composers worldwide.:

1. Where are you from, originally and what brought you to California?
I am originally from Montana, from a town that isn’t found on most
maps – in the middle of the Mission Mountain Wilderness. I always
hated the isolation and never felt like I really belonged. I always
dreamed of moving to the city so I moved to California in 96. Writing
is my passion and I got my first gig for The Santa Maria Times as an
entertainment editor and staff writer which included my weekly column
“Musical Squares” that featured concert and album reviews. Following
that I majored in screenwriting at Cal State Northridge. Ever since
I’ve been keeping myself busy writing for music websites like
Mahoganygirl.com and Bitchin Entertainment.com and recently had the
wonderful opportunity to work for Martin Literary Management. I’ve
definitely learned a lot during this time about marketing in the
entertainment industries. In film, publishing and music the trends are
all very similar.

2. What style of music would you say you do?
Basically, if it has a chunky sound to it, I love it and will play it.
My sound is a delicious ska, blues, new wave, punk casserole, topped
with Cheez-It Baked Snack Crackers for that hint of kitsch.

3. What do you enjoy best – songwriting or performing and why?
I think the two are very different. Performing is a catharsis for me.
I feel like I let my pain out during my shows. It is not about
entertaining for me, and it is not about perfection either.
Songwriting is also an outlet for pain but it is more of a challenge –
finding the right libretto to match that hook. I won’t let myself
settle for the first thing that comes out of my guitar even if it does
sound radio friendly. I want to play something that will keep my
interest; I would enjoy listening to if I’m going to have to memorize
it to be played at a show over and over again.

4. Who are your musicial influences?
Nirvana and Green Day got me motivated to play those earliest of barre
chords when I was 14. Later Stephen King, PJ Harvey and Jim Morrison
gave me the courage to sing and write about things that I didn’t
realize I could before. Danny Elfman, Prince and Elvis Costello I
admire because they aren’t afraid to play with genre and vocal
stylings. I always try to push myself to do something new and these
particular musicians remind me music will always be with me no matter
what my age.

5. Describe your favorite song you have written and why is it so special to you?
One of my favorite songs that I have written is Roller Coaster Lover.
I originally wrote this as a send up to The Beatles, in tribute to my
absolutely favorite Beatles song, “Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite,”
off the Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album. I started out
with the riff, knowing I wanted it to be a sultry and seductive blues
song, then added the lyrics to play with the metaphor of roller
coaster for a manipulative relationship. When I recorded this in the
studio I went in knowing I wanted it to sound like this Beatles song
so Timon (Marmex) played an intro that combines calliope and chime
sounds, and we also used a sound loop of a roller coaster on a track
for the percussion element as well as a big booming bass drum and
cymbal crash because I wanted that feel of being in a carnival and
you’re just expecting the ringleader to come out and announce the next
act. Playing it live with my band however the song comes off sounding
like something you would hear in a swanky ghost town bar in a David
Lynch movie which I love! It makes me smile a mile wide hearing Mike
play these dissonant Nick Cave-style solos on his slide. We try to
integrate that sound and feel into much of our act.

6. What are your goals for the next 5 years musically speaking?

I already have enough songs ready for three albums and am anxious to
gather resources to get them recorded and distributed. I just got a
four piece band put together in March of 2007 including Alex Schmauss
on bass, Mike Dill on lead guitar and Stuart Dill on drums. We had an
immediate synthesis of sounds from our mutual musical backgrounds.
What resulted is what people are calling “spooky surfer music,” and we
are being compared frequently to the B-52s, only a much darker
version. Alex released his album Broken in 2007 which has a dark
Talking Heads meets The Pixies feel to it. And Mike Dill has an
extensive background in jazz and blues, teaching as well as running a
few open mics throughout SoCal including Primo’s Pizza in Santa
Clarita. We’ve played some larger LA venues including Safari Sam’s and
The Gig and in Spring of 2008 we’ll be participating in the Emergenza
Festival which is an international battle of the bands.

7. Tell us about your recordings and what’s in store next.

What’s next? I’m not currently signed so I am just working on
promoting this album the best I can with the resources I have. I got a
great review in All Access Magazine and was nominated for best female
guitarist for their All Access Awards Show this year. I focused the
most on getting radio play across the country, and this upcoming year
I am going to concentrate more locally on the club circuit and press
now that I have a great band to play with.

8. Where can we buy your music?

Direct link to CD Baby
Online Digital Vendor List: Apple iTunes, AudioLunchbox, Rhapsody,
Interia, Verizon Wireless, Sony Connect, MusicNet, BuyMusic,
GroupieTunes, MusicIsHere, Muze, GreatIndieMusic, Ruckus, Puretracks,
MP3-Extension, Napster, RuleRadio, PayPlay, PassAlong, Sonific, Daiki,
USEN, Bitmunk, Nexhit, Inprodicon, Destra, PlayIndies, Tradebit,
Intent Media Works, Zune, MP3tunes, MusicNow

9. What are your views about where the music industry is heading in
your community, or on a global level?

I recently interviewed David Knight, founder of Music Talks Sessions
for Bitchin Entertainment about the current state of the music
industry, ten years after the digital revolution. I concluded in the
article that we have really seen a flat line in creativity and
production standards with cookie cutter bands and retro sounds that
are being rehashed as something new when in fact it is just more of
the same. I think musical revolution will only happen when the market
sees the financial potential in backing artists that dare to be more
inventive. Unfortunately the market is so saturated now because of
reality programming, black market downloading and burning – it’s a
problem that won’t go away and we’re seeing its effects across the
board, right now in the screenwriter’s strike. Article link.

10. Anything pertinent you’d like to say about Songsalive!

I just joined up thanks to a friend out here in L.A., Aaron Black (who
totally rocks it out!) I haven’t had a chance yet to check out all the
resources but that’s definitely one of my New Year’s Resolutions!

For more information on Songsalive go to http://www.songsalive.org/