On Thursday morning Vanessa Ronan-Pearce had the pleasure of meeting the lovely, humble and talented Katie Noonan on the eve of her upcoming tour. They caught up in Sydney near the Channel 7 studios early in the morning before Katie went in to do some filming. With a successful and prolific career that has, so far, spanned 20 years, there was a lot to discuss. Read on for the full interview.
Good morning Katie. Thanks so much for meeting me today. Where are you based these days? Do you live in Sydney?
No, we are based up near Eumundi, near the Sunshine Coast in the hinterland. Once we had kids we wanted to try and bring them up out of the city, and because I travel so much for work, it kinda doesn’t matter where I live. If I did have a corporate career I’d live in Sydney or Melbourne. But we decided to make the decision to be close to family, as all our family is in Brizzy, so it made more sense to be up there but not in Brisbane.
I’m coming back to Sydney in Sept to do a season with the Sydney Dance Company again, and it’s school holidays so I want to bring the kids, as I’m here for a long time and we are staying in Forestville.
My neck of the woods!
Yeah, I’m also bringing the dog, which is a new addition to the family. And I’m finding on this trip that I’m really missing her and she is really missing me, which is a new thing. So we also had to find a place where we could bring the dog!
Well I think you will really enjoy Forestville… Now, moving on to the formal interview… Firstly I wanted to say congratulations on the success of the pledge campaign. Reaching your target in 48 hours of a 60-day campaign!
Thank you… We launched in on the 12th Feb and it will finish on the 12th April, so that’s another 5 weeks. I was busy working away in the studio, working on the album. We launched it on the Thurs and by the Sat we had hit the target! It was really exciting and amazing. I was absolutely shocked. To be honest, I wasn’t that comfortable with going into the pledge, crowd-funding thing…
I could tell a little by the video. I sensed a bit of reticence.
Yeah, I wasn’t that comfortable asking for stuff.
Why is that?
I feel like I’m lucky enough already. People come to my gigs and buy my albums and I’m lucky that people do that regularly – they support me to do what I do and enable me to do what I do. But I’ve since flipped, really… A few artists did it originally and I think they could have done it better. There was some backlash stuff and I thought “Oh God…” I really wouldn’t want that to happen to me. It’s a tricky thing, just talking about actual money.
I also wanted to make sure there were affordable options, through to quite extravagant special things. And I also wanted there to be a charity component and I think Beyond Blue are amazing so that’s great that I’m making money for such a great cause. Another thing I included was for every pledge over $100 we plant a tree in your name at this big arboretum in WA – a native Australian tree.
So it reflects your values?
Yeah, and I also sat down and thought what do I want to put on the list? I thought about my hero’s, my idols, people I admire musically. If I got the opportunity to connect with them I’d want to either be on the record or be able to observe them working. So two of the things that were a little more unusual came from that thought process and they were the ones that sold out the quickest. To sing in the choir on the record or be a fly on the wall in the studio… So that will be awesome, I’m really looking forward to those days.
There is also special occasion stuff, in-house concert rewards, and most of them are for really beautiful landmark type occasions in peoples lives. I think I’m doing three gay commitment ceremonies, which I’m thrilled about, one guy bought it to propose to his girlfriend and one is for a 40th. So I’m thrilled to be a part of those special moments.
That does all sound amazing! A number of artists struggle with asking for direct support with money. Has this changed your perspective?
Yeah, so now I’ve flipped and feel like it’s really empowering
So true, it allows your fans and people who love your work to be involved.
It’s empowering on both sides, for the artist and the fans. I have actually pledged a lot. I didn’t realise that I would be able to see who my pledges are. So I looked online and thought, “wow, who are you people”. I knew some really dedicated fans who I see a lot at gigs but most of them I didn’t know. There was one guy who has pledged to over 40 albums, so he is an investor in talent.
When George started we actually wanted to make our first album a fan funded album. But that was over 15 years ago. We spoke to our lawyer about the idea. But he said “Oh, that is great, it’s fairly complex, there is no infrastructure for this. You will have to float a company and sell shares.” At that stage we just kinda went that sounds way too grown up, too full on, very complicated from an admin point of view, and tricky legally. So we didn’t do that, really wanted to back then, as we knew we had a strong fan base and wanted to stay independent.
Essentially for me I feel lucky as I feel like I have functioned as an independent artist my whole life but I’ve had great support from labels as well, over the years.
You were with Sony at one point?
I’ve been with FMR, Warners and Sony. But this is actually my 6th independent album since I left.
Was that 4 years ago?
I think it was actually 5 now.
That’s quite prolific, to have released 6 albums in 5 years.
Yeah it is. 2 were with Karin Schaupp, which were pre-arrangements of existing work. So I haven’t released 6 albums of completely new work. Fierce Hearts, the convict women’s album, was all new material, and Song Book had some new material.
What was the most recent album?
Fierce Heart was actually the most recent, the song cycle about the first Australian female convicts. That came out in Feb/March last year. Song Book was the year before.
The most recent album I produced was Songs That Made Me, the all female album, with all the money going to the Pink Ribbon Foundation. We are still figuring out how much we made but it’s definitely over $20,000
That’s so exciting… Wow! Congratulations.
Yeah, I’m thrilled. I’ve always wanted to get a novelty cheque. So I’m looking forward to getting a big PINK novelty cheque and giving it to the Pink Ribbon Campaign.
Please take photos.
I will!
So this album, I was reading in your comments that you feel that you have really found yourself. I’m finding this is a theme for 2015.
Yeah, I think I’m getting older and more confident in my own skin. I’m less afraid of saying what I need to say, and I’m less afraid to talk about things that aren’t easy to talk about. The last couple of years, I have found, there has been a huge amount of personal growth, for me and my friends, but particularly for my girlfriends, actually and my husband as well. We have been through very up and down stuff, grief, loosing quite a few good friends, just big stuff. I’m less afraid to talk about it now.
Do you find the industry in Australia supports the more grounded, mature female voice?
Hmm, well it depends. The answer is yes but not all parts of the industry. I’m perpetually disappointed with radio, commercial radio. Community radio is fantastic, ABC etc. I do find commercial radio quite insulting to my intelligence musically and intellectually. I put it on and I listen to these lyrics and they are often just nothing, almost paint by numbers sort of stuff.
I actually heard a song yesterday with the chorus that was just “I really, really really like you.”
Yeah, it’s sad, so that’s the part that is bitterly disappointing. Cause I just know so many great Australian artists who are making such great music that no one is hearing. But, having said that, with platforms like pledge and independent community radio, it really is the age of independence, which is leading to more interesting more diverse music being made.
Like the video of the two indigenous kids singing “Thinking Out Loud”, that you posted on Facebook? It has had hundreds of thousands of views.
I know, wasn’t it beautiful? That was one of the most commented on posts. I saw it and thought I have to share this and it’s had hundreds of comments and loads of shares.
It is an amazing time for independent artists because of that global network you can create through music online.
Have you ever considered leaving Australia?
Yeah, sure, particularly early on in my career when I would tour overseas. Last year I toured through Asia, and the year before I toured through North America and Canada, this year I’m touring to Germany and back doing a couple of shows in Asia. But every time I go away and come home I’m just like, Wow we live in paradise, we are so lucky. So no, I don’t really have any desire to live anywhere else. I love where I live and the musicians that I play with, they’re phenomenal, and I would be hard pressed to find better collaborators anywhere else in the world.
And as you said, you travel so much that this your base. I’m guessing it’s nice to have that feeling that no matter where in the world you are you have your home?
Well, that’s what you do it all for at the end of the day, to create that space for your family and your children.
Very true. So, you’ve put together a new group of musicians for this tour, The Vanguard.
It’s kinda new. It’s basically The Captains. So it’s Declan and Stu from The Captains who are my beautiful soul-brothers, musically, and I’ve missed them so much.
In fact the catalyst for this whole thing was that I did a gig in October at the Granite Town Festival, down in Moruya on the South Coast. I was playing solo as I had been doing a lot of solo and a lot of quiet music the last few years, which I have loved. Declan was there so I said jump up, do you want to have a jam? He jumped up and so did Phil Stack from Thirsty Merc, and we did like 2 or 3 songs and I realised that I had missed this so much, playing with a band.
I was at a bit of a cross roads wondering what I would do next, if I would do another album with Elixir or do another album with Karin. But then, after that gig, I knew I wanted to do the band thing and I want to produce it. So it’s Declan and Stu and Ben Edgar who is a beautiful guitarist who I met when he was playing with Renee Geyer on the Songs That Made Me album. He started playing and I knew he was the perfect guy for my new project. Cameron Dale the guitarist from The Captains is living in New York so that was tricky. But Cameron and Ben are good friends, so it’s a new band, and Ben’s new, so that will really change the dynamic but it’s also very familiar because I know Ben and I have admired him for years. He has played with Sarah Blasko and Gotye and has just finished touring with Angus and Julia Stone.
Sounds like a very pedigreed bunch of musicians, yourself included. How is the album shaping up?
It’s really shaping up.
Are the songs all in your head already?
They are all in my head and most of them are already recorded in some form. There are 13 songs and 5 of them are finished. The other seven are almost finished but just need mixing or tweaking.
I head back into the studio next Fri in Melbourne after we do the Toff on Thurs 12th March. Then I’m back in the studio the next day and back in the studio the following week with Stu and Declan. I plan to finish the album in the school holidays when I will take my kids to Melbourne.
I now know all the places in both Sydney and Melbourne to rent where you can stay with dogs!
Do you have a vision for your career or does it happen more organically?
It happens more organically, I have a short-term vision, I can see to this album coming out. It’s scary this industry as you just don’t know what’s coming next. I’ve got this tour, and I have a few bits and pieces and I have the work with Sydney Dance Company later in the year, but there are big pockets in there where I wonder if I’m going to be able to pay the mortgage that week. But I just trust the process, as it always seems to work out.
I’m the sole provider for a family of 4 as Zac is a stay-at-home Dad. He does work as well, he teaches at the Conservatorium in Brisbane. I have been so lucky though as I’ve been a full-time musician for 20 years. George started in 1995, so yeah, it’s been 20 years.
And I have been a fan since George…
Oh, thank you! I was 18.
Now I feel old… Are your kids musical?
Yes they are, they are deeply musical. And I would highly recommend (being completely non-judgmental) that all parents throw out the television. We did that when we had kids. It’s a little harder at times, I mean obviously they still have screen time, don’t get me wrong. We held out on computer games until about 6 months ago, I kinda wish we had held out longer. But just the peer pressure from school, they wanted to do what their friends were doing and play mind-craft and stuff. So yes, less screen time makes for super creative kids. Dexter is a beautiful visual artist, and Jonah is more physical, he loves soccer. I’m a soccer Mum. But sometimes when I start singing they say “Stop singing Mum, stop, it’s so embarrassing.”
In fact we are turning our shed into a studio. Not like a proper studio, it won’t be that high end, but will be a great rehearsal space. But for a really good sounding room with good valve mics you still have to go to a professional studio.
Do you have a favourite studio?
Mmm, Sing Sing in Melbourne is where I’ve made my last 3 albums, Song Book, Fierce Heart and this one, which is still untitled.
I was going to ask about that, as I hadn’t seen a title anywhere.
Well, I like Vanguard, which is the band name, well the project name. A title will come at some point soon. It’s been really empowering writing and producing, and producing it myself.
Is this the first time you’ve done that?
I’ve always co-produced, so yeah, this is the first time I have really taken the driving seat. Actually, no, Elixir I produced as well, so I have kind of produced all my records myself.
On this album the buck stops with me. This album has mainly just been me. I have co-written a few tracks with Cameron the guitarist from The Captains. That’s been interesting as he would go into the studio in New York and I would be here in Australia. We know each other so well that it has worked. We pretend that we are in the room together when we’re not.
I think you have to set aside writing time or life will get in the way. I need space in order to hear music and I need to hear quiet in order to hear noise, where I live helps a lot with that. I do love coming into the city but I also love leaving the city… Love leaving a little bit more. The city is exciting and fun but I do find it a little overwhelming.
Often people ask me what I’m listening to at the moment, and I say nothing as there is so much music in my head, I’m composing all the time, I can’t let anything else in. It’s good to have healthy pressure when writing so I tend to book the studio and say to myself, well that’s there and that’s expensive so I have to do it now. Otherwise you would never do it.
I have a great book that is basically interviews with successful artists on their creative process. And they all say they have a spot, they go there everyday and do something, sometimes stuff will happen and sometime it won’t. At the end of the day it’s a job and you have to work at it everyday.
Did you always know that this is what your career was going to be?
No, I wanted to be a Nun. I was raised a good catholic girl.
That is not an answer I was expecting. Are you still religious?
Well, I don’t really believe in organised religion. It always just becomes my God is better than your God, and that just doesn’t make any sense to me. In fact there is a song on the album that I wrote years ago as a reaction to September 11, but I never had the guts to release it as I thought the song was a bit full on. Now I’m less afraid so am ready to share it.
I believe in Gay Marriage, and that Women should be priests and all that stuff. My Mother-in-law is a priest, but she couldn’t be in Sydney.
So where did you go after Nun?
Then I wanted to be like Jem and the Holograms. She was a great 80’s cartoon and fronted this rock band. Her earrings were holograms that could do magical things.
And then I wanted to be an investigative journalist.
I feel now that I do a little bit of all of those things. I try to have a sense of spiritual awareness as being a musician means your dealing with the ether world, I play in a band that was somehow inspired by Jem and the Holograms and I’m a writer exploring lot’s of different stories. So I would like to think I have found the perfect balance, without having to become a Nun. Thankfully!
Yes, luckily for your fans you didn’t become a nun!
After spending a wonderful 30 minutes with Katie she headed off to record her latest single to be aired on Channel 7.
Before she left she did give me some very good tips on Chai. Katie is very particular about tealeaves in Chai and won’t drink the powdered stuff, which I completely understand. If you are after a recommendation, her favourites are T2 and Byron Bay. So I suggest you go and grab yourself a yummy Chai and put together a Katie Noonan playlist while you wait for the new album to come out!
For tour dates and tickets click the following link: http://katienoonan.com/shows/
