Your name:
Bree.
Where are you from?
I grew up outside of Eugene, Oregon, in a small town called Harrisburg.
Who else is in your band?
Mayrk McNeely: Upright Bass/Vocals.
David J Castello: Drums/Percussion.
How would you describe yourself?
My personal kick ass slice of the rock-n-roll pie. Funny thing is that I
don’t think people today really know what 21st century rock-n-roll is
about. Many think it’s some retro thing, which I certainly am not – even
with an upright bassist. When I walk on stage with my Gibson Flying V and plug
into a modified Vintage Marshall they start to get the picture.
Who are your main influences musically?
I have dozens of influences in every decade going back to the 1950s. If I
had to choose ten off of the top of my head right now I’d say: Buddy Holly,
Eddie Cochran, Patsy Cline, The Beatles, The Who, Humble Pie, Bowie (with
Ronson), The Ramones, The Clash, and Green Day.
What do you hope to achieve in music?
Rock the planet and get people off their ass. I’m serious. Not trying to be
cute. So much sounds so formulated and safe. On stage and in the studio it’s
just the three of us. Keeps it real. Keeps it honest. And that’s
what true rock-n-roll is all about.
What has been the highlight of your career so far, and
why?
Two things. Winning the RAW Nashville Musician Of The Year last November. I believe Nashville has the best up and coming rock scene in the USA today and
it was quite an honor. Also, my band and I are privileged to be recording
with legendary produce Bob Ezrin’s exclusive engineer Justin Cortelyou. Bob Ezrin has a history of his engineers becoming great producers going back to
Jack Douglas with Aerosmith. Justin is not only brilliant in the studio,
but he is an absolute joy to work with. We recorded our upcoming CD over the
last year in between Bob Ezrin’s projects when Justin had a couple of days
off. I was sad when we recorded our last song “You Can’t Take The
Heart Out Of Me’ this January. We were having so much fun.
And what’s the moment you want to forget?
My life from the age of six to 21. I grew up in a religious cult
and my mother died from swallowing a needle when I was six and my life spiralled
downhill from there (I wrote “I Hope You’re Smiling” about her). My father, the
cult’s leader, threw me out on the street for having a boyfriend when I was
17. I bounced around the States for a bit, was even homeless at
times, until I met my manager and drummer David on my 21st birthday on
July 22, 2010 in Palm Springs, California. We shared the same vision about
music and my life quickly turned around. Then again, I don’t think I’d be
able to write the songs I do today unless I’d been through that hell. That may
or may not be true, but believing it has kept me sane.
If you could choose just one of your songs to represent
your music, what would it be and why?
That’s way too hard. It’s like asking a mother which is her favorite child.
Where can we listen to your music?
Got to Facebook.com/BreeMusic There are lots of photos and four or five songs on
there.
Where can we find out more about your music?
Anything else you’d like to say about your band that I
forgot to ask?
Yes, I thank the Universe every day for David and Mayrk. I’m fairly prone
to nasty nightmares, but when I wake up I still have my band.
