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Interview
with Yvonne Perea
A
Soulful White Girl Sings the Blues
Live
Magazine, Feb 2004
LIVE:
How long have you been a musician?
YP:
I started playing guitar and singing and writing when I was 8, and
playing the piano when I was 12.
LIVE:
How did you get your start?
YP:
I just had this craving to play guitar and started doing it.
My mom bought me a guitar from Sears for $19.99.
LIVE:
Describe your music to someone who has not heard it!
YP:
Folky, Americana, white girl blues. You see, I write such
different music that I'm not quite sure what style I am. I
think that's why I always say "white girl blues."
LIVE:
Describe your musical training.
YP:
I had guitar lessons for about 6 months, but never took piano or
voice lessons. I tried to learn how to "read" music,
but it never happened. I pretty much play by ear.
LIVE:
Are you formerly of other bands? Which ones?
YP:
When I was 25 I had a band for about a year, but now pretty much do
solo work or hire players for certain gigs that require a band.
LIVE:
How does the songwriting process work?
YP:
For me, I have to be moved by a situation that has happened to me or
to someone close. I can't just make up a song that I haven't
felt the emotion for. Usually the lyrics come first. A
hook or something will pop in my head and then the melody and music
just falls into place. Most of the time, I write the chorus
first then the verses for the most part. I don't have any
unfinished material because it haunts me until the song is complete.
LIVE:
What inspires you to write songs?
YP:
Well, like I said, usually I have to feel that anger or hurt or joy
in order to be moved enough to write a song about it. Sometimes
if I'm feeling drained or struggling with things each day, I can
almost always trace it back to the fact that I need to write.
It's like breathing.
LIVE:
What bands/singer/songwriters are you key musical influences?
YP:
Well, I have quite a few "influences." I would say,
Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo, Natalie Merchant, Mary Chapin
Carpenter, Susan Gibson, John Denver, and so on. I could name a
ton more, but anyone who writes or plays, inspires me to grow.
LIVE:
Who would you like to tour with?
YP:
Pat Benatar, Natalie Merchant, Jonatha Brooke, Mary Chapin
Carpenter. I could go on.
LIVE:
Where (venues) have you played at so far?
YP:
All over the U.S. Just recently, I played the Strawberry
Festival in Yosemite, Houston Women's Festival, and Tucson Pride.
LIVE:
Favorite venue to play?
YP:
Well, so far my favorite venue was a little music store in
Valparaiso, IN where I received my first standing ovation and had a
very intense listening crowd.
LIVE:
What surprises you about the music business?
YP:
Nothing at all
LIVE:
How do you think the music industry has changed in the past 10 years.
YP:
Well, it's good to see more independent labels and artists holding
on. But, it's all the same. It'll continue to be "us"
against the "major labels" and "radio." I
think radio will always be "corporate" and have its
"politics" which is really sad, because there are so many
amazing, fabulous singer/songwriters that most people won't be
introduced to because there is no sacred place where we can let our
music be heard. I think the internet is a plus in the
"singer/songwriter" world. At least there, people can
hear a sample of you music online and possibly make a purchase as well.
LIVE:
Do you have "day" jobs? Doing what?
YP:
Well, I fell like I do because I'm constantly on the phone booking
gigs and writing and recording. But as far as a "real"
job, no. I quit my day job about a year and a half ago to
pursue music full time. I wanted to be able to tour with that
dedication in mind. I just made it happen. So far, it's
been great.
LIVE:
What do you like to do in your free time?
YP:
Visit my nephews in Spokane, WA, go to thrift stores and vintage
shops, sit in peaceful silence, and walk. Those are a few.
LIVE:
Where do you live?
YP:
Orange County. But I'd like to live in Long Beach, where I've spent
the last 5 years. I love that community.
LIVE:
Where do you see yourself in ten years?
YP:
Peaceful and relaxed. Hopefully with a song recorded by a
major artist. Still doing music and touring.
LIVE:
Where do you buy your music equipment?
YP:
Guitar Center and vintage music shops around the U.S.
LIVE:
Plans for 2004? A tour?
YP:
I am going on tour from April through June, and hopefully Germany,
Ireland and Australia during the end of the year, I can't wait!
LIVE:
Favorite song(s) of yours? Why?
YP:
Well probably "South Indiana." It's on the "My
Peace" album. You see, my mom passed away in 1996 and I
decided to rent out the house she left me that I grew up in (on South
Indiana Street). It was a very difficult decision. But at the
same time, it was too hard for me to live there and still is.
So, I packed up all of my mom's things and put them in storage.
I wasn't quite sure what to do with my upright piano that my mom
bought for me when I was 14. So I asked my mom's sister to hold
it for me. The last night the piano was at my house, this song,
"South Indiana" poured out of me. I felt my mom
talking to me as I wrote it, letting me know that she's alright and
so am I. "South Indiana" is very close to my heart.
LIVE:
CD you are listening to right now?
YP:
Natalie Merchant's "Motherland."
LIVE:
First album every purchased?
YP:
I think it was the Pink Panther or Shawn Cassidy.
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Yvonne
Perea
"My
Peace" Review
Martin
Brown
Live
Magazine, July 2002
This
is one hell of a CD! I only received it a few days ago and it
has not been out of my player since. The range of material on here is
as breathtaking as the incredible vocal talents of Ms. Perea. Right
from the opening of the first track, "Dancing With Angels",
the lyrical and musical power grabs you and demands your attention
for the next hour or so. Yvonne has, apparently, suffered some
knocks in her life, and these provide the material for the strong,
emotional pleas and statements contained within the lyrics.
When, on "One Good Reason" she sings "Maybe someday I
will find a man who will love me as I am", you find yourself
knowing exactly what she means. The balls out arrangement of
the songs shows the strength of her vocal talents, then, on the next
track, "Train" the other, quieter side is shown. The
range is truly inspiring and I am looking forward to seeing Yvonne
live soon. Pick this one up soon!
Rating
= O
LIVE
CD Reviews:
O
= Orgasmic (as good as it gets), M = Moonlight on the
ocean (almost as good as an Orgasm),
B
= Blinking (It just happens), V = Vomit (Not very
good), S = Spice Girls (The only thing worse than vomit)
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White
Girl Blues - Really?
Jordan
Mercedes
Live
Magazine, August 2002
I've
seen Yvonne Perea perform several times, and each time I'm amazed
that this soulful woman, doing what she calls "white girl
blues", is a part of the local scene. I've scored big when
I can walk into the Coach House, or Hamburger Mary's or the Gem
Theater to see her show. While these venues have their own
acclaim, I secretly understand the obvious: this
singer/songwriter-performer belongs on every national stage in the country.
Celebrating
her third release My Peace, Perea's uncontainable mountain of groove
and soul, comes bursting through her music and lyrics to reflect her
respect for love, connection and the reality of human emotion.
She has a capacious voice that completely consumes every crack and
crevice of any venue she plays. My treasured selections from
the new CD are the Tracks, "One Good Reason" and the title
track, "My Peace."
Yvonne
started young, at age 8 she was playing the guitar and writing
songs. To this day she continues to go full speed ahead.
When you meet Yvonne, you can see this is her passion. She
smiles the biggest smile when she's given a compliment about her
music. What I love about Yvonne's personality is that she never
takes her audience for granted. She does not walk in to a place
expecting them to affirm her. She already knows who she
is. She takes the stage to give out the music that so easily
flows from her soul. Like a kid she has an air of shyness and
sweet pleasure when the room goes crazy with a good vibe
reaction. It's pretty cool to see.
She
released two albums, "Knowing This Path" and
"Tomorrow's Day" prior to "My Peace." I was
a captive admirer from the moment I slipped "Knowing This
Path" into my CD player. This is a normal reaction for
those exposed to the blues, pop-rock, a-la Yvonne style for the fist
time. First there's the unexpected surprise of her deep full
voice, then there's a repeat surprise when she continues to blow it
out consistently song after song. I've always felt that there's
not a place big enough to do her talent justice. The bottom
line is that it does not really matter where you hear Yvonne.
Traveling the country on her self-planned tour or right here in town,
the show will be unbelievable. The website says, "White
Girl Blues", I think it's great "any girl blues" any
time, any place.
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RADIOSPY.COM
"Perea's
greatest strength is her boldness to reveal herself-heart, mind, and
soul-to her audience. Her full, strong voice and confident
guitar playing skills are mere channels through which the true
triumph is discovered-Perea herself. |
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RIFFAGE.COM
"This
rock n' blues diva rushes full-blooded soul into each and every
vocal riff and catchy lyric she belts out. Perea's music takes
tips from the blues masters and sticks them into an inventive,
upbeat, acoustic guitar-driven rock feel. Yvonne Perea has an
awesome sound and is sure to explore countless forms of success." |
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EARBUZZ.COM
"Yvonne
Perea has a lot to say and knows just how she wants it said:
with a great voice, an acoustic guitar, and some deep soulful
lyrics. With smooth melodies as in "God's Name In
Vain" she shows us that she is more than just a folk
singer. She can make you cry with "I Can't Fix This",
while tunes like, "One Good Reason" and "Between You
and Me" get your head bobbin' and your feet movin'. With
very few instruments and little effects, she fills out the songs
letting the music and lyrics speak for themselves." |
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