Finally, there is a girl singer that is not afraid to sing Rock and Roll. It has been awhile since the music industry has seen a female perform with the enthusiasm and talent that transpires from exciting new artist Pearl. The talented singer-songwriter is no stranger to the music business. Pearl most recently sang back-up for SIXX A.M. at their debut at Crash Mansion last July, and in October at their debut in Utah. She also sang back up on the Motley Crue Maximum Tour in 2000, and has performed as back-up singer for Meatloaf for nine years.
Pearl has recently released a 5 song EP entitled,” Pearl", which is available at iTunes,
Amazon.Com. and Rhapsody. The CD is power-packed by an impressive line-up as her band which features Scott Ian from Anthrax on guitar, and the Mother Superior musicians that formerly worked with Henry Rollins including Jim Wilson on guitar, Marcus Blake on bass, and Matt Tecu on drums.
You can see Pearl perform this Saturday May 10th at the Dive Bar in Vegas. For more info
www.vegasdivebar.com
In this Metal Monthly Exclusive, Pearl discusses her new CD, and the music business today.
Pearl; thank you so much for checking in with Metal Monthly. Your music reminds me of a young Janis Joplin and Melissa Etheridge all in one. I love how you are doing more Rock and Roll. You don't see girls sings Rock and Roll much today. I mean you have the nu-metal bands but really no good ol' fashioned Rock and Roll. Tell me about the writing process for this album. Did you write a lot of songs with Scott? Did you write the lyrics and did he write the music?
PEARL: Actually, I wrote most of the songs except for a song,” Anything". I wrote all the rest of them together with Jim Wilson and Marcus Blake from a band called Mother Superior who is also playing throughout the whole album. They write the music, and I take it home, and plug the words in so it is a great teamwork and effort. Also Scott contributed as well on the lyrics and also on the arrangements on the music as well. But for the most part it is Jim and Marcus and myself.
Actually, weren't they part of the Henry Rollins band too?
PEARL" They were. They played with Henry Rollins for about six years. They haven't played with him for a couple of years now but they had a good long run with him.
What was it like working with Joe Barresi as producer?
PEARL: Joe is a great producer. Sonically, he is just incredible. He has worked with Tool and Queens Of The Stone Age. He really knows what he is doing.
Also, you have some great musicians on your CD including Ted Nugent.
PEARL: Yes, Ted plays on a track,” Check Out Charlie". He is throughout the whole song then the middle section we have a solo and Scott Ian and Ted Nugent play back and forth, which is really, really cool.
How do you feel the music industry is treating women these days? Do you feel it is more about the image than the music these days?
PEARL: The music business has always been about image. It is more about image now. Is that what you are saying right? I think it is because we are surrounded with crappy pop music.
Yes, I wanted to discuss the music industry with you. It is so refreshing to see yourself as a singer-songwriter that writes good lyrics and good music then we have to deal with the Britney Spears and Amy Winehouses.
PEARL: It is funny you mentioned Amy Winehouse. I actually like her. I don't own any of her albums. I do think she has an incredible voice. I just think she has completely lost sight of her own value and talent. She is famous for being a screw up like what we are seeing nowadays. Girls that are famous for nothing. So getting back to the music, I agree with you, I can't find any real women in rock, I can't find any.
Years ago we had Heart, Melissa Etheridge, Stevie Nicks. So when I heard your album, I said to myself,” This girl can sing."
PEARL: I remember Joan Jett, and Pat Benetar. But those were a long time ago.
: Yes, they were rock pioneers, and broke the barrier for women. So we definitely need new blood like yourself.
PEARL: Well, I am your lady.
Yes, it is up to you to make a mark in rock today.
Are you going to be going on tour soon? I know you are playing May 10th at the Dive Bar in Vegas.
PEARL: Yes, this Saturday we are playing Dive Bar in Las Vegas; this is the second time we have played there. It is a lot of fun. Then also we just found out that we are going to be opening for Meatloaf in the UK in July.
I know last year you played one show with Meatloaf in Europe, and then I heard the rest of the tour got cancelled. What was it like opening up for Meatloaf after so many years performing as his back-up singer? What is like singing back up versus your own band?
PEARL: Well it was a little bit different because in the fall, when we went out there, we were suppose to open five dates. We got to do one and then the tour got cancelled. So it was a big bummer. I didn't have my whole band there. I was just doing an acoustic set. Which wasn't the full flavor of the album. It was till a chance to get up in front of his crowd and do my own songs in opposed to being on stage with him and what I am used to. So it was awesome. It was a huge educational process for me and a privilege. In terms of actually getting up and singing my own songs in front of the fans that had been watching me for years onstage with him was really a thrill. This is a side of me that really they never gotten to see before. Really nobody gotten to see. The fact that I got this chance to go out and back to the U.K. with the news dates with him is huge for me. I can't wait I am excited.
Are you going to be doing any back-up vocals this summer for SIXX A.M.? I know you have worked with NIKKI in the past.
PEARL: Yeah now I am not sure. I am not sure if SIXX A.M. will be having a girl sing with them this time? They don't start until July either. I don't know exactly what they are going to do. I have a blast when I am with those guys. It is so much fun. I have known NIKKI for eight years. I have known James Michael for a long time. Also DJ Ashba has become a good friend of mine. I just saw him last night. I just have a blast with those guys when I am around them. The fact they invited me to sing with them is the chance of being part of the boys club. You are like the little kid sister that they kick around. It was fun. They are great.
That would be awesome if you get to go on Crue Fest.
PEARL: Definitely, I am a huge Motley Crue fan. I have been since I was a kid. That always thrilled me. I did sing with Motley Crue in 2000 on the Maximum Rock tour.
Did you do a duet with James Michael a long time ago?
PEARL: I did. James and Nikki wrote a song for my Dad called,” Man of Steel" and I sang the demo with James. Then I wound up recording it on my Dad's album with my Dad.
Also you attended Emerson College in Boston. Did you enjoy attending school in Boston? What were some of the highlights of your time in Beantown?
PEARL: It was fun. I spend four years there. Emerson is a really spread out campus so I had a lot of walking in the dead of Winter but those are the times that you are cursing getting up at 6 A.M. and shower and make it to class. But walking through the Public Gardens and The Commons in the wintertime it looked like a winter wonderland. Boston is a beautiful city. It is a great city to go to college in. It is the college town. Everybody can level with each other. Everybody is sort of on the same plane. You feel really that it is a grand sense of community there. I think that is very valuable.
Yes, Boston has a great music community. Now your album is available online?
It is available on itunes. It is only a 5 song EP available now for download on itunes, Rhapsody. My myspace is
www.myspace.com/pearl We are signing a deal now. We are looking at releasing a full album in the fall. That will be 11 songs.
Also, so you have the show on May 10 in Vegas. Then in July, you will be heading over to the UK with Meatloaf. Is there anything else that you would like to say about the CD?
PEARL: I think I said it all. Thank you for the support!
