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Martha Redbone:
A Modern Classic
by Ashmi Elizabeth Dang |
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photo
credit Philip Jarrel
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After an unexpected stint as a backup singer on George Clinton's
Mothership reunion album T.A.P.O.A.F.O.M., Martha
Redbone found her calling - music. A friend of a friend introduced
Martha to producer/writer Aaron Whitby, who has been her
creative counterpart ever since. Martha and Aaron formed Blackfeet
Productions and released her debut album, Home of the
Brave.
At 28 years old, independent, pop-soul songstress Martha
Redbone has worked with some of the best musical performers of our
time; Walter "Junie" Morrison (Ohio Players/Parliament Funkadelic),
drummer Rodney Holmes (Supernatural Santana), as well
as Grammy award winning Engineer Joe Quinde (Vol. 2…Hard
Knock Life Jay-Z), and Mixer Tom Cassel (Born Again
Notorious B.I.G.).
Her influences run the spectrum from 70's Funk, Soul and Rock, to
Pop queen Madonna. Her heritage is equally diverse; Martha is half
African-American and half Native-American.
When we spoke for this interview, Martha said "I read something
that Joni Mitchell once said. What if you compromise and you
still get no where, then what do you have? She hit the nail
right on the head for me." Martha not only lives by that thought
but has a few great ones of her own.
WOMANROCK:
I read on your Web site and in various articles you work closely
with Aaron Whitby. What do you and Aaron do?
MARTHA:
We're a team. We've been working together for a while now. I would
say like 5 or 6 years. We're best friends. He's an amazing, amazing
talent. He plays every instrument. We get together and write. We
write songs for other people. He's a freak basically.
WOMANROCK:
You've also worked with Walter "Junie" Morrison, what is his role
in your career?
MARTHA:
Junie is our mentor. He basically taught us everything that we know
musically. We both worked for him as apprentices. He gave us the
studio and we did a lot. I sang backgrounds for him. Whatever he
needed. He prepared us for how tough the music business can be.
We didn't have a clue how difficult, fickle and unpredictable it
is. He gave us a lot of schooling.
WOMANROCK:
On your record, Home of the Brave, you worked with Joe Quinde
who won a Grammy award for his work with Jay-Z. How did that come
about?
MARTHA:
He was a friend of a friend. We got really lucky. When I moved back
here from London, a friend's brother had a jingle house and knew
all these musicians. So, we were meeting the best of the best in
New York City.
WOMANROCK:
Between Aaron, who has worked with Natalie Cole, and Junie, you
have two "classic" musicians heavily involved in your music. In
sharp contrast you used Joe Quinde and Tom Cassel who are rap based
to mix your record. Why?
MARTHA:
My songs are classically written, but I wanted to have people who
are aware of all the music that's happening today. I love rock and
R&B, especially the old school stuff of both. But, I also wanted
that hip-hop element, those heavy beats, because that also exists
today. We went to a real mixing studio and transferred everything
to 2" [tape], so we could have that warm sound. Joe is a beats guy,
and a musician in his own right. He's mixed all these guys so we
thought, he's got really good ears.
WOMANROCK:
So, essentially, you've worked with some of the masters of today
and yesterday.
MARTHA:
Yes, it's a dream come true.
WOMANROCK:
You talked a little bit about what you like musically. Who are your
influences?
MARTHA:
Well, my dad was a musician in local funk bands, so I grew up in
a house with music all the time. 70's Funk, Marvin Gaye, James Brown.
My mother loved Simon and Garfunkel, Seals & Croft and Carol King.
I loved Prince and Madonna. I love Pop music. Some people are ashamed
to admit they like Pop, but if you grew up in the 80's like I did,
you have it in you system. You know at least one Rap song and at
least 5 Madonna songs. I grew up with all that and I guess my music
and my songs are a combination of everything that I've heard.
WOMANROCK:
When listening to your music, the diversity in it is astounding.
You've been compared to Macy Gray, Nikki Costa, Indie.Arie and Sheryl
Crow. How do you see yourself?
MARTHA:
I'm a Pop artist. I could tour with just about anyone from Prince
to Lenny Kravitz to the Black Crowes, if they got back together.
Anyone, who is fun or cool.
WOMANROCK:
The artists you mentioned have all brought something classic in
music back in a modern way. Is that what you're doing?
MARTHA:
Yes. Why not have some girls doing it?
WOMANROCK:
Tell me about Blackfeet.
MARTHA:
It is the production company that Aaron and I formed. We want to
be able to do our thing, work with some people who have their own
thing going on and hopefully sign other artists eventually.
WOMANROCK:
What are you working on right now?
MARTHA:
So far all we've been doing is co-writing. I'm really not at the
stage at this moment to take any new artists on because we are so
busy right now. Everything you read on the Web site, the press and
radio stuff, we've been taking care of that ourselves. We're going
to do this mid-west tour in May that we booked. We've gotten on
about thirty independent/college radio stations so we figured why
not get out there where those stations are.
WOMANROCK:
As an independent artist, how has your experience been working in
the major label driven music business?
MARTHA:
I don't view them as the enemy like a lot of people do. I'm not
that neurotic. I think sometimes some artists would rather just
be famous. They don't just want to be good. I could easily see myself
like Willie Nelson; 60 years old with ponytails, just sitting there
and playing music. Look at Ani DiFranco. She's an inspiration. Once
you establish the reason, it doesn't matter whether you're on a
major or not. I haven't had a major deal and I've accomplished a
lot. If nothing happens to me, at least Larry Flick (Billboard
article 3/9/02) has heard me. I would love it if a major label came
in to make it easier financially. The band could be paid and we
could keep the whole touring thing going.
WOMANROCK:
Do you see a major label being creatively involved?
MARTHA:
Aaron and I have done pretty well so far and I like it that way.
Why fix it if it ain't broke? I like what we do and I like the sound
we make. I think it works.
WOMANROCK:
As an independent artist, you have an incredible resource with the
advent of the Internet and MP3s. Do you use the Internet to promote
your music and how do you feel about the file swapping issues?
MARTHA:
I have MP3's that people can listen to and download on my site.
I haven't suffered financially from it because I'm not a well-known
band like Metallica. For now, as a new writer and a new artist,
so far it's been good. I've noticed the people that clue into my
stuff by downloading and listening seem to buy records. A lot of
people find me by surfing the Net and then contact me. Those are
the experiences I've had so far. With anything new, people have
to find ways to make it work. It's like when music sampling first
came about, everyone went crazy. Now they figured it out and people
who sample music have to pay. I think it's going to be the same
way when they get this sorted out. If you download someone's stuff,
the artist or the record company or whoever owns the master will
be paid.
WOMANROCK:
Before we wrap this up, I have one last question. Are there any
women in music who inspire you?
MARTHA:
I think there are a lot. Chrissie Hynde has done what she's done
for years and she's really good at it. She's not out at all the
parties trying to be famous, but is her own person. She's a mother
and has a normal life. Bonnie Raitt, Roberta Flack, Carol King and
Joni Mitchell, anyone who has a career for that many years and can
still be normal. Madonna is a genius. She knows what she wants,
knows what's going on and is interested in all types of music. She
experiments and is always looking for new ways to do things. (She's)
a true innovator. Not everyone can do that, me being one of them.
I'm a singer/songwriter closer to Bonnie Raitt or Willie Nelson.
That's what I do. |
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_________________________________
 For
more information on Martha Redbone, visit:
http://www.martharedbone.com/ |
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_________________________________
Ashmi Elizabeth Dang is an A&R consultant for Capitol Records in
New York. She recently had her first article published in the Spring
2002 issue of Women Who Rock, a piece she co-wrote with WOMANROCK
editor Brenda Kahn. |
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