Featured
Artist ~ August 2006
 Julia
Carroll
Bio
hard folk
n. 1. style of music marked by hard and dark undertones, layered with lighter
instrumentation (including, but not limited to, acoustic guitar), while
combining intense and passionate lyrics composed by, about, and for the
folk 2. self-proclaimed music style of musician/singer-songwriter Julia
Carroll
Julia Carroll has been an active participant in
the indie music scene since her debut record "2 Cents" was released
in 2004. Since that time, she has added a few more notches to her belt
of live performances, including numerous songwriter showcases (Indiegrrl,
GoGirls, Smith's Olde Bar), playing the stages of many of the southeast's
premier listening rooms (Eddie's Attic, The Loft Live, Sentient Bean,
The Crimson Moon), all the while gathering a slew of devoted HardFolk
fans.
Having played electric bass guitar for several
years in hard rock and heavy metal bands, it is easy to hear the influence
those experiences had on Julia’s style of acoustic guitar playing.
Blending these heavy roots with a lighter, folk side makes her sound anything
but typical, resulting in a type of music she has dubbed “Hard Folk.”
Lyrically, Julia stands on solid ground – her use of the pen as
an outlet for her thoughts surfaced before she was a teenager, steadily
growing into the passionate songs we hear today.
While her original compositions dominate the majority
of Julia’s live shows, she does perform numerous cover songs as
well. Choosing works by artists who have influenced her, the diversified
list includes Elton John, Loretta Lynn, Ani DiFranco, Sarah McLachlan,
and even a poem by Dr. Maya Angelou. Many of Julia’s musical influences
include independent artists, each of which have helped to pave the way
for up-and-comers like herself.
Julia’s self-produced debut CD “2¢”
was recorded with DeDe Vogt (Sound & Fury Studios, Atlanta) and was
released in fall 2004. She returned to the studio in May 2006 to begin
recording her sophomore release, set to hit the shelves in early fall.
Interview
1. How old were you when you started writing songs and how many years
have you been writing and performing and what all instruments do you play?
Well, my first song ever was a co-write with my best friend... We were
about nine or ten years old... But I’m pretty sure that doesn't
really count. As for songs that I felt were good enough to play outside
of my practice room, I’ve only been doing that for about three or
four years.
Aside from high school marching band and little gigs with past garage
bands, I performed solo for the first time in Fall of 2002. It was, to
date, one of the worst experiences I’ve ever had on stage, and I’m
glad to have gone ahead and gotten that rite of passage out of the way...
Acoustic guitar is my number one instrument as of late, but I also consider
myself a bass player. And I occasionally bang on the drums or break out
the old clarinet or saxophone.
2. Who were your major influences with your music?
Until I was about sixteen, I only listened to hard rock (and male-fronted)
music... Aerosmith, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Smashing Pumpkins, Korn, Deftones,
The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Nirvana... All of those bands were huge
influences on me when I first began writing poetry and playing bass guitar.
Years earlier, my dad tried to introduce to me the music of Sarah McLachlan
and I wasn't interested (probably out of stubbornness more than anything
else). But then the day came when the music of Ani DiFranco entered my
life... Almost immediately I felt like I’d never value the music
that I once listened to with the same regard as I valued her type of music...
Thus the floodgates to "women's music" were opened and I haven't
been the same since.
3. How would you best describe your music?
HardFolk! (acoustic folk with an edge)
4. How many CD projects have you finished?
Just have completed my second release, "Migrating South"...
Will be out fall 2006. I'm very excited about it!
5. Tell us about your new project and how involved you were in it.
Very heavily involved, actually... All songs written/produced by me,
although this go around I had a little help from some fantabulous musicians
– DeDe Vogt, Linda Bolley, Amy Lashley, Brennan Bray -- and they
each worked very hard to help do the HardFolk sound justice... Truly,
the record would be lacking greatly without them. As with my last record,
Migrating South was recorded by DeDe Vogt at Sound & Fury Studio (Pine
Lake, GA).
6. What special honors or awards have you received over the years in
your music career?
Er... Having people clap when I finish performing a song? And having
folks pay actual cash money for my music... That's the best honor ever.
Additionally, I’ve been featured on a few compilation records --
Indiegrrl 2006, Live In the Lobby (WUOG), Indie Music For Life, and others.
7. What is your favorite venue to perform live and why?
I don't really have a favorite... It's always nice to play a venue where
the audience is actually there for the music, and Eddie's Attic (Decatur,
GA) and The Crimson Moon (Dahlonega, GA) often have such crowds.
8. What music organizations are you affiliated with?
ASCAP, Indiegrrl, GoGirls
9. What do you think of politics and expressing political views in music?
Are you kidding me?!?? There is no place for that in music.
Okay, not really... I think that if you're given an opportunity to have
a platform to express your views than you should work use it to help further
the greater good... Unless that performer's idea of "greater good"
is defined as encouraging ill-intentioned and hateful acts, which of course
is an absurd thing to do anyway, from a stage or otherwise. As for me
personally, I feel that it is my obligation to use my talent in a productive
and positive way which hopefully will inspire others to do the same. I
do realize that this choice is not for everyone, and not every performer
has to be an activist. But I do hope that performers are at least made
aware of the responsibility and power they have every time they step up
to a microphone.... At least then they are making a conscious decision
to stand up or back away from the idea of being an activist artist.
10. When you are writing songs do you pull from personal experiences,
and headlining news or events that are around you? If so how easy or hard
is it to create songs expressing what you feel about these topics?
Most everything I’ve written has been taken directly from personal
experience. I don't particularly care to write the sort of songs based
on fiction – there is a place for those songs certainly, but as
of yet it's not my place to write them -- so I instead choose to draw
upon current events. Whether they are events that affect the world or
just myself and those who are in my life Directly, writing this way is
where I feel most comfortable (and useful) when it comes to song composition.
Sometimes a song comes relatively easily (especially if it's been cooking
a while in my head), then there are times where songs go weeks, months,
years without completion. I have no recipe for songwriting.... And I am
most grateful for that.
11. What does it mean to be "Indie" to you?
It means that I am indebted only to those who care about my music and
its message... So it means everything.
12. Do you own your own record label or publishing company?
Indievolution Records. It's a suit-and-tie sort of establishment...
And I’m in charge... Of myself. It's lovely.
13. How did you come up with your "Folk Me Hard" motto and
clothing line?
"clothing line"... Heh a few years ago (in an effort to have
a box to put myself in when people ask "so like, what kind of music
do you play?") i came up with the genre of HardFolk...and not long
after that, the idea to put it to work came into play... Actually I think
it was my dad who started batting around slogans to do with HardFolk,
and after a few rounds we came up with the phrase "Folk Me Hard."
14. What advice can you give to someone who is just starting to market
themselves in the Indie music market?
Well, it's important to figure out what it is you're creating and why...
Even if you don't have a complete answer (and you may never) it's good
to head in some sort of direction. Try to define your music in a unique
way, because like it or not folks seem to need (and I mean NEED) to be
able to label you. It's annoying, but it's true... And we all do it in
one way or another. But it's not always a bad thing to be labeled, so
long as you own it and wear it well.
Frankly, I do not have a head for researching all of this on the internet,
creating nifty designs for stickers, etc... My girlfriend/manager, Allison,
has taken on the task of finding out a lot of this info for me. She is
an artist as well, yet is lucky enough to have a head for both business
and art. What she has discovered is that there are many inexpensive ways
to market yourself when it comes to merch. She's found a lot of websites
that offer a DIY approach to printing postcards, stickers, etc. (you design
it and upload your artwork, then they print it and mail you the finished
product). Additionally, I happen to have an "in" with apparel
printing because I worked as a screen printer for several years. Being
able to print my own merch helps cut down on the cost of Doing it, but
it doesn't have to be expensive. There are a lot of companies willing
to print/embroider a smaller order, especially if you show interest in
becoming a repeat customer.
Most importantly, don't get so wrapped up in the marketing of your slogan/idea
that you forget why you're doing it (for the music, of course!).... And
don't be afraid to ask for help if the business side of things isn't really
your calling.
15. What are your main goals for the rest of 2006 and in your music
career as a whole?
I will be heading out in August for a mini-tour through Florida, then
will be gone for the full month of October to tour (and vacation) through
the northeast. After that I will be working to promote the new record...
The CD release parties are currently scheduled for some time in November,
and I will probably travel a bit less until after the new year.
As for the music career as a whole... I mainly aspire to create good
music with good people, and hopefully to make a decent enough living from
doing so. Of course it's important to me that I keep true to myself and
to those who have invested time, effort, resources, and love into my projects.
Without those folks I’d be a pile of silly putty.
16. What does Indiegrrl mean to you?
Opportunity, hard work, great music, and even greater networking.
17. Is there anyone you would like to thank that has helped you along
in your career or in the music industry as a whole?
I am very lucky to be surrounded by many supportive and encouraging
people. Without their encouragement I would still be performing alone
in my practice room. And of course there is Allison, the other half of
HardFolk... It is she who helped me get going with all of this, and it
is she who continues to work to keep it going every day... I am eternally
grateful for her.
On a related note: thanks to Holly for having the headsmarts to start
Indiegrrl, and Vicki for having the guts to take it on and keep it rolling!
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