From: owner-vicious-thorn-digest@smoe.org (vicious-thorn-digest) To: vicious-thorn-digest@smoe.org Subject: vicious-thorn-digest V8 #20 Reply-To: vicious-thorn@smoe.org Sender: owner-vicious-thorn-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-vicious-thorn-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk vicious-thorn-digest Friday, March 12 2004 Volume 08 : Number 020 Today's Subjects: ----------------- "Pop-rocker Kristy Thirsk launches first solo album" [ Subject: "Pop-rocker Kristy Thirsk launches first solo album" Pop-rocker Kristy Thirsk launches first solo album But experience has made her wary of the music business Tom Harrison The Province Thursday, March 11, 2004 Experience has made Kristy Thirsk wary of the music business. In the mid-'90s she was the singer in Juno-nominated Rose Chronicles, a jewel in the crown of Nettwerk Records, which was about to reign with Sarah McLachlan and launch its eclipsing management wing. Then Rose Chronicles broke up and the music business didn't run to help her. When Kristy was ready to release a solo album, a secret investor who she counted on to pay the recording bills vanished, leaving her to scrounge the money. She did, and the album, Souvenir, appeared this week, but Kristy has tempered her excitement with caution. The music business is full of promises but she's learned that many of them are false. Still, the album is here, even if Kristy proceeded carefully. "The band (Rose Chronicles) broke up in '97," she says. "I was basically depressed for a year. I took a year off from music for that year. After that, I started to write music again." Kristy put various bands together and toured. Along the way she was joined by guitarist Johnny Savella, who has become a sympathetic and dedicated foil for her recording. He colours most of Souvenir although a few tracks feature Thirsk alone. "Johnny played most of the guitar," Kristy explains. "When I played guitar it generally was by default." She also met Eric Rosse. He had produced Tori Amos, of whom Thirsk was a fan. He was interested in producing Thirsk's album but first he had to produce the first CD by Lisa Marie Presley. In the meantime, the secret investor appeared. Then disappeared. Rosse produced Souvenir anyway and eventually it was picked up for distrbution by Universal. Thirsk characterizes it as an independent project, which is surprising because Thirsk has so much going for her. She has the aura of a star, she can write, has a good voice and a proven track record with Rose Chronicles. Bill Loeb and Rhys Fulber of Delerium must have thought so, as Kristy recorded with Delerium and went on the group's first tour. "I will always work with them," she says. "I find it fun. I've got nothing to lose by working with them. "Every project I do helps me in my learning about music. "Basically, I just wanted it [Souvenir] the best it could be and reflect what I was going through as a writer, a singer, a person. I wanted it to sound timeless. I didn't want to do a Delerium. I love that stuff but I didn't want an electronic album." If Delerium employed Kirsty for her ethereal singing, that voice you expect to hear is married to more earthy pop-rock on Souvenir. It is an eclectic mix "Sometimes that works to my disadvantage," Kristy concludes. "I think labels are a little afraid of me. I don't fit any genre. I think I can be marketed but I don't fit." So she won't be returning to Nettwerk any time soon. "They haven't exactly offered," is all she'll say, warily. "I don't think I'll go down that road again." tharrison@png.canwest.com ) The Vancouver Province 2004 ------------------------------ End of vicious-thorn-digest V8 #20 **********************************