Londoner Perry goes acoustic
Lately, however, she has been channeling that angst through her acoustic guitar, and Perry has stepped away from the band life for the time being. Now, with a new solo record, Off of the Pages, coming out this June, she's ready to show a different side to fans.
“I'd like to think that I've
matured and so I have a wider perspective
on things. On top of that, I
went through some insanely traumatic
life-changing experiences
this summer, and accordingly, I
changed as a person. Naturally, this
has affected the music that I produce.”
Certainly, Perry's new music is
more candid in nature, but fans
need not worry; to think she has
strayed away from her roots entirely
would be preposterous.
“There's still some straight up
rock 'n' roll on there, and there will
be more in the future,” she assures
Still, adjusting to the solo life
was difficult for Perry, who had to
learn to perform without any support.
“It was definitely very weird
getting up on stage for the first
time entirely by myself with only
an acoustic guitar, after almost 10
years of fronting bands,” she said,
“I was incredibly nervous, but
once I started strumming my first
song, it honestly just felt right.”
Performance aside, Perry has
always shown incredible independence
in all aspects of her career.
From writing to booking, pressing
to distribution, she handles each
opportunity with a D.I.Y. ethic,
“influenced by the 1970s punk
rock ethos,” she says.
“It's about a sense of artistic
empowerment. At the end of the
day, if things don't work out, I will
only have myself to blame in that
regard. I just don't ever want to
find myself constricted by others
who are supposedly there to help
me. This is my art and I'm
unapologetic about it. Not everyone
will like it, that's sure, but I
have to be true to myself, not just
play to the common denominator.”
To Perry, not playing to the common
denominator means taking
influence from all sources, which
she does with zeal. Originally
trained as an operatic singer, she
looks upon her classical counterparts
for inspiration just as much as
her favourite belter, Steven Tyler
of Aerosmith.
“I warm up my voice to Frank
Sinatra while on the way to the studio,
I listen to Norah Jones while
vegging out in my loft, and I crank
AC/DC while cruising down the
highway. I think the best artists are
influenced by a diverse number of
styles.”
That philosophy is best exemplified
on Off of the Pages, to be
released on June 9 at the London
Music Awards Showcase, held at
the Wolf Performance Hall in
London's Central Library. From
there, Perry has plans to tour, all
the while maintaining her several
careers in writing (both music and
print), modeling, and even pursuing
academics as a student at
UWO. But most impressively, all
of this she has achieved in London,
the city she has no plans of leaving
any time soon.
“I guess the true test of my loyalty
to the Forest City is best
exhibited every time I come home
from tour. When I see the City of
London sign as I'm coming off of
the 401 into town, I have a sense of
relief that I'm home again.”