Jenny Woo Interview for WebCultureZine:
1. First of all, could you tell us about your band? When was it formed?
Before starting up my acoustic solo project I played in a couple local punk bands in my home town, but I knew that I wanted to achieve a distinctive skinhead sound that my other band mates weren’t that interested in pursuing. So, after auditioning for a few other oi! bands and trying (with no avail) to find some other band members who would be interested in my project, I decided to go at it alone in 2008. I was really inspired by music like Badlands, and I thought that acoustic music had a heart and soul to it that could really contribute and add something unique to the skinhead scene. I put out a demo later that year, and was quickly signed to Randale Records in Germany. Since acoustic oi! music is so different from the traditional oi! sound, I was worried that very few people would be interested in what I was doing. However, I have been very lucky in that I had quite a few people believing in me right from the beginning, and I’ve been able to release a record and do some touring in North America and Europe.
2. who/what are your influences?
The idea to hybridize oi! and acoustic music came to me after listening to Badlands and a few Franky Flame songs – I was so touched by the feeling and power that came out of the simplicity of their songs. It seemed to me that by stripping down their songs, the strength of the vocals and the beauty of the acoustic string instruments came through even more. With acoustic music, the artist can’t hide behind distortion, so I think it takes an act of bravery to put that kind of music out and to call it oi!, and I was really inspired by that. I was also really inspired by Johnny Cash, since I find his lyrics and his musical stylings really moving and extremely personal and unique. I really wanted that kind of honesty to come out in my music too. Aside from those influences, I have to say that I listen to a lot of Superyob, Cock Sparrer, Cockney Rejects, and the rest of it – I love all the traditional oi! stuff, and I would definitely have to say tracks like “We’re Coming Back” changed my life and helped bring me to where I am today.
3. How many albums does the band have?
I released a demo in 2008 with 5 songs on it called “Jenny Woo Acoustic Oi!,” and another album in 2011 called “Alberta Rose.” The demo has really poor quality recordings and it was just when I was starting out so the vocals and guitar playing aren’t exactly ‘perfect.’ I only printed 200 copies of it, and I still have about 50 of them in a box somewhere. The full-length album just came out recently, and it includes 12 professionally recorded tracks, 4 of which are full-band tracks, and 8 of which are acoustic tracks.
4. Please describe the sound of your band to those who are not familiar with you
In the album “Alberta Rose,” I tried to blend the traditional oi! sound with the sound and feel of Canadian folk music. I included 8 tracks on the album that are acoustic, and that talk about integrity, tenacity, pride in oneself, community, and working class life. These songs range from gospel-sounding ballads to country songs with slide guitars and banjo harmonies. I also included 4 full-band tracks that have a more traditional oi! feeling to them, and that address such themes as self-reflection, standing apart from the crowd, and being stigmatized.
5. Are there any important messages behind your songs?
I’ve written the majority of my songs when I have been going through a hard time in life; I write songs about my experiences and the advice I’ve received and the advice that I would give to people who are going through the same things. One song in particular that I wrote is called “I’ll Rise Again,” and I wrote it after I auditioned for an oi! band and was rejected because I was a girl. The band said that they didn’t want women in their band because they wanted to have a real “tough” image, which I just didn’t fit into. I was really angry about it and it felt awful to be rejected from something that I really wanted because of something I didn’t have control over. I contemplated giving up music for awhile after that experience, but instead my anger and my desire to play music motivated me to go solo and “I’ll Rise Again” was one of the first songs I wrote – it was a song to encourage me to pursue what I was doing and to not care about what the nay-sayers had to say. At the end of the day, I think it takes a lot of “toughness” to stand up on stage by yourself and to sing oi! songs behind only an acoustic guitar. That song has a special meaning for me, and I hope that my message gets through to other people hoping to pursue their own dreams.
6. Tell us about the scene over there
My hometown is called Edmonton, which is the capital of a Canadian province called Alberta. In Edmonton there is a really strong crew of skinheads who are all friends, and who support each other. There are a number of (past and present) great punk and oi! bands such as Nervous Wreck, The Pez Heads, The Kroovy Rookers, and the Borderguards, and a great punk and oi! bar called DV8 which is run by a good friend of mine. The city is also home to a great skinhead reggae night called “Tighten Up!” which is still running today and which I would highly recommend to anyone travelling to Edmonton in the future.
Currently, I live in Ottawa which is the capital city of Canada. The great thing about Ottawa is that it is very close to Montreal and Toronto so a lot of bands travel between the cities to play gigs. There are some really great people here as well, and an awesome punk venue called The Dominion Tavern. I would recommend checking out The Rookers, which are a long-time oi! band from Ottawa.
7. How many gigs has you had? Tell us about the best and the worst gig you've played.
I’ve been lucky enough to play several gigs in my home province of Alberta, as well as some gigs in Montreal, Toronto, and Ottawa. I’ve also been fortunate enough to play a few gigs in Germany and in England last summer, and I plan on returning to Europe for a tour in May 2012. The best gig that I’ve ever played was a last-minute gig organized by my friend Diana in the Black Forest, in July 2010. The gig was only organized 5 or 6 days before the show, and I was very nervous because I hadn’t had too much time to practise and I didn’t know anyone in Germany and I was really worried that no one would come out to the show. However, when I got to the gig, everyone was really kind and to my surprise many people came out and the venue was packed! What was even more touching was that people had learned some of the lyrics to my songs. Before that show, I had no idea that people had even heard about me in Germany before then, let alone had taken the time to learn my lyrics. It was pretty amazing. I would say that the night was unforgettable, but I think I drank too much of the “green water” and some of the night is just a blur for me now!
As for the worst gig I’ve ever played... well, of course there have been gigs where there have been technical problems, or not enough people come out, or I have forgotten the lyrics and messed up the songs... but I can’t say that I’ve really had any gigs that have been too terrible. After all, every gig has been a learning experience for me and I feel like I am getting better and better after each one.
8. Have you had any problems organising gigs there?
Honestly, the scene out here in Eastern Canada is so active and I have been lucky to come across so many great people that it really hasn’t been too hard to get some gigs out here. Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, and a bunch of other Canadian cities are all pretty close together so it is easy to travel between the cities for shows. There are also quite a few active promoters and venues in all of these cities, so I would say that it really is a great environment for a lot of the bands out here.
9. Have you ever been invited to play abroad? Which countries do you want to visit?
I have played in Germany and England, and have some shows lined up in the United States this summer. I’ve also been invited to play shows in Indonesia and Malaysia, which I would love to come and play once I save up enough money for airfare! I love travelling and would definitely be into visiting any country that has a scene and that would organize a gig for me. I’ve had some friends that have crazy touring stories through South America, South East Asia, and Eastern Europe, and I would absolutely love to follow their tracks, to meet some new people, and to have some new adventures.
10. Have you heard about The Indonesian scene?
Yes, I have heard quite a bit about the Indonesian scene – apparently, you have a huge scene out there with some really dedicated people and some hard-working bands! I interviewed a band called “Moonstomp” in my fanzine Subculture Spirit, and they sent me some of the pictures of their gigs and I was really amazed. I have also heard some music from the Sta-Prest Boys which I really enjoyed.
11. What record label is signed to?
I am currently signed to Randale Records, a record company in Germany that also manages The Cockney Rejects, Evil Conduct, and Superyob, as well as many other great German bands.
12. What are your short term and long term plans?
In terms of short term plans, I am planning on doing a few gigs around Canada and the United States this summer, and will be releasing a split album with the Dutch band Discharger in September 2011. I am hoping to go over to Holland to play some shows with them in the Fall of 2011 to support the split album. In May 2012 I am planning on going on tour throughout Germany, the Czech Republic, and possibly Poland, France, and Belgium. I hope to be releasing another album around that time too. In general, I am just hoping to meet a bunch of new people, to make some new friends, and to keep improving and working on my music.
13. Do you have any comments for webculture zine?
Thanks a lot for the interview, it is great to hear from you and great to learn about your on-line zine. I think that independent press is very important, and zines such as yours keep the scene and the music alive. All the best wishes out there to you in Indonesia, cheers from Canada – hope to meet you at a gig one day
WEBCULTUREZINE
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