WOMANROCK:
Are you an independent artist or are you signed to a label? Have
you played at SXSW before?
MARILYN:
I am an independent artist. I've played at SXSW with other groups
before, but this was my first time as a bandleader.
WOMANROCK:
How did your show go at the conference? Sound? Light? Gear? Venue?
MARILYN:
The sound was pretty good, but I found when I reviewed the video
of the performance that I had been singing at my top volume the
whole show, which I attribute to not getting enough of my voice
in my monitor. The other two singers were also low in the monitor
as well. The lights were great and the gear provided was quite good.
La Zona Rosa is a good venue overall.
WOMANROCK:
Who was your favorite act at SXSW 2001?
MARILYN:
I have a lot of favorite bands in Austin, since I'm from here, and
almost everywhere we went there were some fantastic groups. I noticed
lots of good salsa bands this year. It seemed to be a theme. I really
liked the Beto y los Fairlanes show at Azucar.
WOMANROCK:
What, if anything, did you learn from going to the panels this year?
MARILYN:
I learned the most from the individual mentoring sessions. I talked
with a really wonderful publicist, Ariel was her first name, and
she gave me some great ideas on promotion and marketing for my act.
Then I spoke with two major label representatives, who were nice,
but they didn't know what to do with me. I play jazz/rock/comedy,
and I'm not sixteen. I didn't fit their preferred prototype. Oh
well, I didn't really expect to.
WOMANROCK:
What did you hope to get out of going to SXSW? Did the conference
meet your expectations?
MARILYN:
I expected that I'd have a great time playing with my band, Goose
Gumbo, and I did. I also hoped to get to hang out with Dr. Demento,
and I did. He's one of my heroes, because he's played novelty tunes
for years and years, and I write novelty tunes. He's a really nice
man and his wife Sue is also really sweet. As to other successes,
I really wasn't expecting a record contract. That's really rare,
despite myths to the contrary. I think by keeping my expectations
kind of low and just taking it from an educational perspective,
I had a successful time.
WOMANROCK:
What are your plans for 2001?
MARILYN:
I'm about to release my second solo CD; Teapot Lady, and I'm going
to be on tour in Arizona, and California in April and May. I hope
to do more touring, build up a regional fanbase, and play as often
as possible for people who want to laugh. |
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