Interview with Brea and Producer Joe Turner
How did you meet Brea?
JOE:
I met Brea through a mutual musical friend and client of mine. I had done
several projects with Dominic D’Arcy and he kept telling me about this young
and very talented girl he was working with. At the time she was fourteen, and
he wanted her to come into my studio to work with me, because he was totally
blown away with her creativity and talent.
What did you think of Joe when you met him?
BREA:
I was very nervous but excited at the same time, and I really didn’t know what
to expect. I went with my Mom and Joe listened to everything I said and he
“got” me right away. I had about 5 notebooks full of songs, and parts of songs
and he and I got right to work about an hour after first meeting. I sang a few
bars of a couple of songs, he picked up his guitar and that was it. We finished
off the night recording the first demo tune!
What did you think of Brea?
JOE:
Well my partner and I agreed right away that Brea was tremendously talented
and an original. She has a unique sound, and a style that she has perfected to
suit her voice, music and songs. The package was right there. That fact made
moving forward so much easier. We didn’t have to search for a sound …it was
built right in. I knew right away that guitars were going to be very important in
the productions of her songs…so we took to the process like ducks to water.
Why Country music?
BREA:
I began singing Country music early in my life and I’ve always loved it. When I
first went into the studio we recorded an EP called “Live No Lies” and it was
obvious that country, a little pop and a little rock was where I was headed. I
wanted to get into my country roots and mix it up with some other
flavours…what other flavours you ask, well I’m an Alanis freak; I love Christina
Aguilera; and I think that the Rascal Flatts are a godsend to Country music.
Almost as soon as we finished the EP we began to work on the full length
CD…and let me tell you it’s been a trip!
Why do you say that?
BREA:
I’m basically an optimistic person, and as a matter of fact people have often
described my songs as inspirational …and that makes me feel good. But I
think I actually lived through a country-songbook melodrama during this
production. I broke up with my boyfriend, someone I thought I might marry one
day and a week later my father left our household. My brother and I were
staggered because we always thought that our parents had almost the perfect
marriage. I don’t think that I’m over that yet. That meant a very hard struggle for
my mother and brother and I, we were economically and emotionally strapped.
My brother and I both got part time jobs in addition to our studies... and that
helped out a lot, but it was really tough.
Is your father back in the picture now?
BREA:
I don’t think he’ll ever be back in the picture. Shortly after he left, one of my best
friends was killed in a car accident on the highway that runs close to my
house.., and about 5 months after that the lady whose gym I was working in
fell ill and died. I guess that’s when I learned that there are much worse
things that what I’d been through. I threw myself into songwriting and I
managed to write a couple of great songs about all of these events and one
made it to the CD …it’s called If I’m Not Here Tomorrow.
How did You choose songs for "no regrets"?
JOE:
Brea chose all of the songs, and it was obvious which ones that she just had
to record. For this CD, we had a few people listen along with us and everyone
pretty much agreed on the final 16 …we all had our favourites.
How did you meet Stu Epps?
We met Stu through My Space. Way over there iin England, he listened to my
songs and he liked what he heard. He contacted me and wondered if we
could work together … so I put him in contact with Joe and before you know it,
Stu was here, recording in Joe’s studio with the band...and I'm actually
heading back over there to do a gig this month - and meet up with Stu!
What’s Stu like to work with?
BREA:
He’s terrific…we had so much fun. He gets right down to business in the
studio and he’s a perfectionist like Joe. He had a song that he had written and
he asked me if I wanted to write lyrics to it …and I just rewrote everything
…lyrics and melody and he loved it. It’s on the CD and it’s called, “Just Another
Day”.
When did you go to England to record?
BREA:
Stu was here last August and Joe and I went to England in November to
record lead vocals and some more guitar tracks. Stu was the most amazing
host and we worked with his awesome engineer Shaun Lowe. We worked at
Prism Studio in Stoke-On-Trent...I wanna go back!
Who are some of the “who’s who” that Stu has worked with?
BREA:
I guess first and foremost would be Elton John, Stu engineered almost all of
Elton’s albums. He’s also worked with Led Zeppelin, Bill Wyman, Chris Rea,
Oasis, Robbie Williams, Kiki Dee … and ME!! As a matter of fact, Stu's very
best friend in the world is Clive Franks, and he's been doing live sound for
Elton since the beginning of his career. When Elton came to Ottawa, Stu
called Clive and he got us in to sit with Clive in the sound booth ...it was totally
amazing man! Joe and I were freaking!
How do you feel about the CD now that’s it’s completed and on the market?
BREA:
I am very proud of this CD, a ton of blood, sweat and tears went into the
creation of the songs, but also a ton of love, respect and joy. I have grown up
with this CD. I want to thank all of my co-writers, the musicians and everyone
who was a part of it. I look at this CD as something that Joe and I created
together and we loved every second of it! This is a CD of hope and inspiration.
You know we can get through anything life throws at us with a little backbone
and a lot of faith.
How did you meet Brea?
JOE:
I met Brea through a mutual musical friend and client of mine. I had done
several projects with Dominic D’Arcy and he kept telling me about this young
and very talented girl he was working with. At the time she was fourteen, and
he wanted her to come into my studio to work with me, because he was totally
blown away with her creativity and talent.
What did you think of Joe when you met him?
BREA:
I was very nervous but excited at the same time, and I really didn’t know what
to expect. I went with my Mom and Joe listened to everything I said and he
“got” me right away. I had about 5 notebooks full of songs, and parts of songs
and he and I got right to work about an hour after first meeting. I sang a few
bars of a couple of songs, he picked up his guitar and that was it. We finished
off the night recording the first demo tune!
What did you think of Brea?
JOE:
Well my partner and I agreed right away that Brea was tremendously talented
and an original. She has a unique sound, and a style that she has perfected to
suit her voice, music and songs. The package was right there. That fact made
moving forward so much easier. We didn’t have to search for a sound …it was
built right in. I knew right away that guitars were going to be very important in
the productions of her songs…so we took to the process like ducks to water.
Why Country music?
BREA:
I began singing Country music early in my life and I’ve always loved it. When I
first went into the studio we recorded an EP called “Live No Lies” and it was
obvious that country, a little pop and a little rock was where I was headed. I
wanted to get into my country roots and mix it up with some other
flavours…what other flavours you ask, well I’m an Alanis freak; I love Christina
Aguilera; and I think that the Rascal Flatts are a godsend to Country music.
Almost as soon as we finished the EP we began to work on the full length
CD…and let me tell you it’s been a trip!
Why do you say that?
BREA:
I’m basically an optimistic person, and as a matter of fact people have often
described my songs as inspirational …and that makes me feel good. But I
think I actually lived through a country-songbook melodrama during this
production. I broke up with my boyfriend, someone I thought I might marry one
day and a week later my father left our household. My brother and I were
staggered because we always thought that our parents had almost the perfect
marriage. I don’t think that I’m over that yet. That meant a very hard struggle for
my mother and brother and I, we were economically and emotionally strapped.
My brother and I both got part time jobs in addition to our studies... and that
helped out a lot, but it was really tough.
Is your father back in the picture now?
BREA:
I don’t think he’ll ever be back in the picture. Shortly after he left, one of my best
friends was killed in a car accident on the highway that runs close to my
house.., and about 5 months after that the lady whose gym I was working in
fell ill and died. I guess that’s when I learned that there are much worse
things that what I’d been through. I threw myself into songwriting and I
managed to write a couple of great songs about all of these events and one
made it to the CD …it’s called If I’m Not Here Tomorrow.
How did You choose songs for "no regrets"?
JOE:
Brea chose all of the songs, and it was obvious which ones that she just had
to record. For this CD, we had a few people listen along with us and everyone
pretty much agreed on the final 16 …we all had our favourites.
How did you meet Stu Epps?
We met Stu through My Space. Way over there iin England, he listened to my
songs and he liked what he heard. He contacted me and wondered if we
could work together … so I put him in contact with Joe and before you know it,
Stu was here, recording in Joe’s studio with the band...and I'm actually
heading back over there to do a gig this month - and meet up with Stu!
What’s Stu like to work with?
BREA:
He’s terrific…we had so much fun. He gets right down to business in the
studio and he’s a perfectionist like Joe. He had a song that he had written and
he asked me if I wanted to write lyrics to it …and I just rewrote everything
…lyrics and melody and he loved it. It’s on the CD and it’s called, “Just Another
Day”.
When did you go to England to record?
BREA:
Stu was here last August and Joe and I went to England in November to
record lead vocals and some more guitar tracks. Stu was the most amazing
host and we worked with his awesome engineer Shaun Lowe. We worked at
Prism Studio in Stoke-On-Trent...I wanna go back!
Who are some of the “who’s who” that Stu has worked with?
BREA:
I guess first and foremost would be Elton John, Stu engineered almost all of
Elton’s albums. He’s also worked with Led Zeppelin, Bill Wyman, Chris Rea,
Oasis, Robbie Williams, Kiki Dee … and ME!! As a matter of fact, Stu's very
best friend in the world is Clive Franks, and he's been doing live sound for
Elton since the beginning of his career. When Elton came to Ottawa, Stu
called Clive and he got us in to sit with Clive in the sound booth ...it was totally
amazing man! Joe and I were freaking!
How do you feel about the CD now that’s it’s completed and on the market?
BREA:
I am very proud of this CD, a ton of blood, sweat and tears went into the
creation of the songs, but also a ton of love, respect and joy. I have grown up
with this CD. I want to thank all of my co-writers, the musicians and everyone
who was a part of it. I look at this CD as something that Joe and I created
together and we loved every second of it! This is a CD of hope and inspiration.
You know we can get through anything life throws at us with a little backbone
and a lot of faith.
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