To celebrate New Zealand Music Month, The Courier has caught up with some of South Canterbury’s musical maestros to talk about their journeys and experiences with music. In this week’s edition reporter Connor Haley talks with Alice Sollis, of The Drama Queens and Song Pilots.
Q: Where did your love for music first start and who were some early inspirations?
A: My parents had a radiogram, and I used to listen to artists like Simon & Garfunkel, Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, Jim Reeves and Val Doonican. I also loved watching musicals on TV (definitely showing my age!). When I came to Timaru in the late ’70s, I had already discovered Queen and the Bee Gees, and I quickly threw myself into a vibrant live music scene.
I even knew some of The Exponents before they were famous! I spent a lot of time around incredible musicians (purely as a groupie/dancer), and most were playing original music. Where the bands were playing determined where we went out, and there were plenty of great venues and acts to choose from.
Q: When did you first pick up an instrument and start thinking it was a hobby/interest you wanted to pursue?
A: I’ve always been drawn to hanging out with musicians, which led me to pick up the guitar, and singing. I’ve been singing in bands for the past 30 years. However, it wasn’t until the 2020 lockdown that I discovered a real passion for songwriting.
Q: When and why did you first start performing in front of others/audiences?
A: In the mid-’90s some friends and I entered the Gore Gold Guitars, which became a regular trip south for us. Around that time, I joined a rock band. I was also a dancer in South Canterbury Drama League (SCDL) shows, and the director heard I could sing and encouraged me to perform a solo. From that point on, I just kept singing.
Q: What are some fond memories you have of performing or writing music?
A: There are so many, especially from gigging! Getting lost on the way to a country dance, playing at the Old Mill Nightclub when a woman jumped on stage and started stripping and those moments when I get the giggles and can’t stop laughing midsong (which still happens).
Songwriting has been especially rewarding, discovering that I have a storytelling voice and how the music often drives the emotion, which then shapes the narrative of the song. Sometimes the songs take on a life of their own, which is an incredible feeling.
Q: How important has music been in your life?
A: I’m not sure what I would have done without music. I’m useless at most sports, can’t write legibly — let alone paint a picture! I never planned any of this, but music and theatre are my happy place. I’m currently learning bass guitar — just wish I’d started earlier!
Q: How have you found being a part of the South Canterbury music scene over the years?
A: It’s been amazing. I’ve met so many wonderful people, and still am. I’ve been especially lucky to sing alongside incredible performers such as [the late] Lois Willetts, [the late] Rae O’Connor, Kerry Lundy and for the past 14 years, my very good friend Sharleyne Diamond.
Q: Do you feel there is still support in South Canterbury for local musicians?
A: There are private functions and some venues offering work, but it’s only a fraction of what it once was. It’s hard for next generation of musicians, especially as they don’t get the same opportunities to gain experience through regular gigs like we did. Many of us mentor, teach and encourage when we can. That said, this generation have the advantage of the internet and social media. Artists like Six60 have shown how powerful that can be.
AI is a scary tool, and I wonder how long musicians, songwriters and studio technicians can last in this day of instant music production. AI is something I have chosen to avoid in my own music production.
Q: How important is it that people support local music and that local musicians are given a platform to perform?
A: We are a far more ‘‘stay at home’’ culture now with Netflix and in house entertainment. Overall audiences are more picky about what they see — especially right now with the fuel crisis. I am ever hopeful that the local music scene does pick up, but when I drive through town on a Friday or Saturday night the town is dead unless something special is on.
I’m especially excited about the reopening of the Theatre Royal, which will give us a venue fit for purpose, something many other towns already have. Hopefully, it will provide opportunities not only for local performers, but also for national and international acts, and bring the performing arts back into our town.
Q: Is there anything else you’d like to add about music or your career?
A: To celebrate NZ Music Month, I’m excited to release my ninth original song on all digital platforms, Dirty Game. This is the first song I have written on the bass, and it is produced locally by Kayla Goldsmith of Songsmith Studios, right here in Timaru.
