articles
Lennon
from volume 01 issue 12 // Michael Spadoni
Lennon
Interview with Lennon Murphy
Words: Michael Spadoni
Photos: Courtesy of Windrig Media
Orlando based, singer-songwriter, Lennon wants you to feel what she feels. Her powerful lyrics reflect the lows and frustration of someone who has been to hell and back twice. Yet, she is still optimistic about where she is headed. Over the past year, Lennon has opened for such legendary acts as Aerosmith, Motley Crüe, and Journey, as well as releasing her latest album, Damaged Goods. In the next few months she will be playing a few headlining dates around Florida and opening for Heart at Hard Rock Live in Orlando.
REAX: Your new album, “Damaged Goods”, has a noticeably different sound than your first album, “5:30 Saturday Morning”. What made you decide to take a different direction with your music?
Lennon: I just wanted to go a little less industrial. When we went into the studio for 5:30 Saturday Morning, we had no idea what the fuck we were doing. We had two songs with that industrial sound so we figured we would just make the rest of the record like that. I still love those songs and I love the programming, but this time around I wanted to make a straight-forward rock record. Album-wise we’re a rock band, but when we play live we’re a much heavier band. The stage performance really creates our sound and sadly it’s hard to capture that in the studio.
REAX: When and why did you decide to start writing songs and are you doing it now for the same reasons?
Lennon: My mom was a songwriter and of course I wanted to be involved with that. According to her, I had a knack for it. Some people write in journals… I write songs. Everything is stuff I’ve lived. A lot of people say that I’m negative, but none of my music is really angry. I didn’t make up the stories, this is my life and I think a lot of people can connect with those situations I write about.
REAX: What problems did you face being signed to a major label like Arista and how did you go about starting your own?
Lennon: Being signed to a major and being signed to Arista are two different things. I was signed to a primarily pop music label that has never broken a rock act… it was a disaster. They didn’t have the radio staff. Someone who promotes P!nk can’t go into a rock radio station and pitch Lennon, Adema, or From Zero, it’s a whole different game. Arista didn’t know the game and didn’t want to play it. They thought they could do it with what they had and realized, I think right when they closed their doors, that they couldn’t. L.A. Reid wanted to prove that Arista could break a rock record to prove something because Clive Davis never did.
REAX: Having toured over the past year with such seasoned rock veterans such as Motley Crüe, Aerosmith, and Journey, have you learned anything from them?
Lennon: They taught me to just keep doing what I’m doing. It’s amazing to watch a band play for two hours straight… all their hits. You don’t realize how many hits a band like Journey has had until you watch them play night after night. Even without Steve Perry, they’re great. It was very much a family situation, which makes things a lot easier.
REAX: What is it like for you to share your very personal music with arenas and amphitheaters packed full of people?
Lennon: When I play acoustic, I usually have to have a few beers before I go on stage. On the first night with Journey we were playing at an arena in Frankfurt, Germany. When I play acoustically, I try to talk to the crowd and be very open, tell stupid jokes, and explain the songs. But, when I am put in front of a language barrier… I feel like I am completely fucked. That was a little scary because it was such a big room and such a big stage.
REAX: Where do you live now and are you involved with the local music scene there?
Lennon: I live in Orlando and I don’t leave my house. The only places to really go to see shows in Orlando are the House of Blues and Hard Rock… and a few places downtown. But, who the hell really wants to drive to downtown and find a place to park. When I’m on tour seeing bands every night, the last thing I want to do when I’m home is to go out. I had been in Europe since January and I’m really happy to be home and writing new material.
For concert dates and song samples check out: www.myspace.com/lennon or www.lennononline.com.
Interview with Lennon Murphy
Words: Michael Spadoni
Photos: Courtesy of Windrig Media
Orlando based, singer-songwriter, Lennon wants you to feel what she feels. Her powerful lyrics reflect the lows and frustration of someone who has been to hell and back twice. Yet, she is still optimistic about where she is headed. Over the past year, Lennon has opened for such legendary acts as Aerosmith, Motley Crüe, and Journey, as well as releasing her latest album, Damaged Goods. In the next few months she will be playing a few headlining dates around Florida and opening for Heart at Hard Rock Live in Orlando.
REAX: Your new album, “Damaged Goods”, has a noticeably different sound than your first album, “5:30 Saturday Morning”. What made you decide to take a different direction with your music?
Lennon: I just wanted to go a little less industrial. When we went into the studio for 5:30 Saturday Morning, we had no idea what the fuck we were doing. We had two songs with that industrial sound so we figured we would just make the rest of the record like that. I still love those songs and I love the programming, but this time around I wanted to make a straight-forward rock record. Album-wise we’re a rock band, but when we play live we’re a much heavier band. The stage performance really creates our sound and sadly it’s hard to capture that in the studio.
REAX: When and why did you decide to start writing songs and are you doing it now for the same reasons?
Lennon: My mom was a songwriter and of course I wanted to be involved with that. According to her, I had a knack for it. Some people write in journals… I write songs. Everything is stuff I’ve lived. A lot of people say that I’m negative, but none of my music is really angry. I didn’t make up the stories, this is my life and I think a lot of people can connect with those situations I write about.
REAX: What problems did you face being signed to a major label like Arista and how did you go about starting your own?
Lennon: Being signed to a major and being signed to Arista are two different things. I was signed to a primarily pop music label that has never broken a rock act… it was a disaster. They didn’t have the radio staff. Someone who promotes P!nk can’t go into a rock radio station and pitch Lennon, Adema, or From Zero, it’s a whole different game. Arista didn’t know the game and didn’t want to play it. They thought they could do it with what they had and realized, I think right when they closed their doors, that they couldn’t. L.A. Reid wanted to prove that Arista could break a rock record to prove something because Clive Davis never did.
REAX: Having toured over the past year with such seasoned rock veterans such as Motley Crüe, Aerosmith, and Journey, have you learned anything from them?
Lennon: They taught me to just keep doing what I’m doing. It’s amazing to watch a band play for two hours straight… all their hits. You don’t realize how many hits a band like Journey has had until you watch them play night after night. Even without Steve Perry, they’re great. It was very much a family situation, which makes things a lot easier.
REAX: What is it like for you to share your very personal music with arenas and amphitheaters packed full of people?
Lennon: When I play acoustic, I usually have to have a few beers before I go on stage. On the first night with Journey we were playing at an arena in Frankfurt, Germany. When I play acoustically, I try to talk to the crowd and be very open, tell stupid jokes, and explain the songs. But, when I am put in front of a language barrier… I feel like I am completely fucked. That was a little scary because it was such a big room and such a big stage.
REAX: Where do you live now and are you involved with the local music scene there?
Lennon: I live in Orlando and I don’t leave my house. The only places to really go to see shows in Orlando are the House of Blues and Hard Rock… and a few places downtown. But, who the hell really wants to drive to downtown and find a place to park. When I’m on tour seeing bands every night, the last thing I want to do when I’m home is to go out. I had been in Europe since January and I’m really happy to be home and writing new material.
For concert dates and song samples check out: www.myspace.com/lennon or www.lennononline.com.
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