Sam Shinazzi

Stories

Jenny Queen

In late 2001 I met this American singer suitably named Jenny Queen...

I was at the Grand National Hotel situated in Paddington Sydney with some eastern suburbs mates and they were making me watch the Super 12 Rugby Union. I eventually told them my allegiance lay with the National Rugby League (is THAT my team?!?) and propped myself up at the bar. I demolished a bottle of JD to escape reality and then collapsed outside on the street. I was brought out of my drunken coma by a pretty looking gal with a slight Kentucky accent.

She took me to her nearby house and I thought this was it. Heaven. Turns out this gal was taken but she needed a musical partner. I slurred "What are you into?" to which she replied "Oh, you know...Springsteen, Lucinda, Whiskeytown, Steve Earle". I smiled and fell asleep again on her lounge and when I awoke she handed me a guitar and we started to write songs.

So maybe this isn't quite how it happened but in May 2003 Jenny Queen released her debut album titled 'Girls Who Cry Need Cake' and I am proud to say that there are not only ten really great songs on there but eight of them I helped co-write of which two of those ('Lullabye For A Ghost' and 'Between the Riverbank and the Highway') were originally my songs given to the Queen to tweak in her own special way. I had never imagined writing with someone else let alone a complete stranger. The only song I had co-written (aside from some old Landspeed tunes) was one with my equal best friend Graeme Trewin and even THAT was kinda a little awkward. I mean, I have written songs that I have intended to give to someone upon completion...but this was different. This was going to be writing done together. I tried it with one virtual stranger immediately before I met Jenny and that didn't work, but that was more to do with differing tastes and personalities.

When the opportunity to work with Jenny came up I had to give it some thought and a few people talked me into at least trying it. Turns out it was a lot easier and painless than I thought mainly because a) Jenny had not only a beautiful voice but clear opinions and directions on what she wanted to do and b)We got on as people straight away which doesn't always happen in my case. We have really similar tastes in music (though she isn't as flexible on some of my faves!) and the total truth is in our first two hour meeting we finished both 'Maybe The Moon' and 'End of the Line'. From then on it was pretty much a flowing creative process. I think maybe there were two songs that we tried that didn't make the cut...one of mine and one of hers.

Most of the recording was handled by Tony Buchen but I did some recording on 'Between the Riverbank and the Highway' and 'Ten Feet Tall' which were also the last two songs written for the album. This was done in a LONG day/night session in late February 2003 and was really a fitting way to finish the recording process. Jenny and I did a lot of work to get these songs ready to record so when we heard them all played back it was a pretty fine feeling we felt.

Laughing Outlaw through Didgeridoo Records have released Jenny Queen's 'Girls Who Cry Need Cake' in Australia. It is available in most stores and online:
www.laughingoutlaw.com.au
www.hotrecords.com.au

Initial releases overseas are:
UK and Europe - Weatherbox PH +44 1903 744 772
Email: Stevewbox@aol.com
America - Burnside Distribution Company
www.bdcdistribution.com

Jenny's site is www.jennyqueen.com

The album and it's artist is already recieving some favourable press and I am happy to say I have been playing guitar for Jenny both as a duo and in her band which has been a tonne of fun. I will continue to do this whenever and wherever possible. Our first trip to Melbourne in June 2003 we had a fair amount of things to do but the hard work was well worth it and we hadmany laughs. I snore apparently. Go to the tour diary section and click on 'June 2003' once it is up for all the gory details.

Whether I am involved or not (and for the record I hope I am) the Queen has a lot more songs to sing and plenty more stories to tell. This is her first batch of songs and her first real recording. Scary good.
Jenny has made a great album and I am sure this is only the beginning for her.

Sam June 2003.