By Jim Barber
A fixture, an irrepressible artistic dynamo, a powerhouse performer and an necessary artist who has been a fixture on the Canadian music scene for nearly 45 years, Lee Aaron continues to be a power to be reckoned with as a songwriter, vocalist, and fact teller.
With songs comparable to ‘Steel Queen,’ ‘Barely Holding On,’ ‘Solely Human,’ ‘Whatcha Do To My Physique,’ ‘Arms On,’ ‘and Intercourse With Love,’ Aaron was a ubiquitous presence on rock radio and music video tv all through the Eighties and into the Nineteen Nineties. After experimenting with alt-rock within the Nineteen Nineties and releasing an acclaimed jazz album, Slick Chick, in 2000, she returned to the rock and roll fold, with a renewed sense of objective and a extra vibrant fashion, highlighted by a string of six albums beginning with Hearth and Gasoline in 2016. Every album has continued to not solely assist return previous viewers members to the fold, reinvigorate those that by no means left, and produce many new adherents, but in addition generated fairly good bodily gross sales as an impartial artist within the age of digital downloads.
This summer season, she is acting at plenty of festivals, in addition to opening for Eighties American rockers Evening Ranger on Friday, July 25, at On line casino Rama outdoors Orillia, Ontario. After that, she performs on the Saskatchewan Ex in Saskatoon on Aug. 2, earlier than heading to the massive stage in Minnedosa, Manitoba for the annual Rockin’ The Fields Pageant the next day. Within the fall, she already has a string of dates booked alongside the legendary Nazareth.
“Yearly, each summer season is a unique story. The truth is there are solely, like 100 festivals and about 700 bands that each one need to play them. And you may’t actually return to the identical festivals 12 months after 12 months. So, some summers are method busier for me than others. This summer season I’d say is a reasonably busy one, however I even have quite a lot of different reveals scattered all year long,” Aaron instructed Music Life Journal from her house in British Columbia.
“I began taking part in in February and I kind of haven’t stopped. I’ve the reveals in Rama and in Saskatoon and Rockin’ The Fields after which this fall I’ve numerous reveals with Nazareth once they head throughout Canada. It’s undoubtedly busy.”
With 16 studio albums, 1000’s of live performance appearances all over the world, and a limiteless storehouse of memorable moments, Aaron has determined that now’s the time to get her story – her complete story – down on paper.
“I’d all the time thought that many individuals, the general public normally, particularly in Canada and I assume all through the world solely know a floor model of my story. My husband [John Cody who is also her drummer] has stated to me for 20 years, ‘in case you write your story and also you inform the reality, it’s going to be actually fascinating for folks to learn.’ So, after I obtained a star on Canada’s Stroll of Fame [in 2023], I began to take it extra critically. It was a really fascinating expertise to look at a three-minute presentation, an outline of your profession a 3rd social gathering places collectively for a ceremony like that and it was extraordinarily effectively accomplished. It’s fascinating to see how different folks view you,” she stated from her house in British Columbia.
“I had been engaged on these memoirs lengthy previous to 2023 in dribs and drabs, as a result of I’ve been so busy. However that occasion kind of lit the hearth underneath me to finish them, to lastly get them accomplished as a result of mine is not only a narrative of a woman in rock. It’s a narrative of getting to battle a bunch of feminist battles all through the Eighties to have my voice heard within the boardroom, within the studio, and on stage, to have a journey of paving a path for ladies to choose up guitars and write indignant songs within the Nineteen Nineties. Within the nineties, the world’s music tradition was primed for that. There was Courtney Love and Gap, Veruca Salt, the Breeders and naturally Alanis. The world was prepared to listen to girls’s voices in a rock context, whereas within the Eighties it was all about battling simply to have the ability to write my very own songs.
“I’d battle and inform them I’m an artist; I’ve issues to say. However again then it was extra, ‘we now have 10 songs from our writer and we would like you to report them, we see them as hits, and that is our imaginative and prescient for you. And right here, put on these garments,’ which often entailed quick shorts and as little else as attainable, as a result of girls had been so marketed in a sexualized vogue within the Eighties. So, I had a number of main obstacles to climb over that many individuals usually are not conscious of. I feel my story is a narrative of empowerment for anybody who’s had large challenges of their life and profession.”
She stated she believes the potential viewers for this ebook goes past simply younger girls making an attempt to make a profession in music and leisure, that it’s a narrative of perseverance, of battling in opposition to outdated pondering and a patriarchal construction that holds many individuals again.
“Folks within the business, rock and roll followers had solely actually a floor model of who I’m. This memoir offers far larger perception into who I used to be as an individual again then, and the alternatives and selections that I made, and what knowledgeable these decisions and selections. But in addition, it’s concerning the woman that all the time wrote songs about being robust. As an artist all through my profession, I can’t rely what number of instances I’ve been doing a present and had a younger lady come as much as me and say, ‘you recognize, I simply love your Some Women Do [1991] album, or that track ‘Robust Women Don’t Cry,’ from Bodyrock [1989] received me by a troublesome time in my life and I’ve all the time been so impressed by you.’ I’ve all the time wished to write down materials that embodied quite a lot of feminine empowerment and songs of inspiration and rising above challenges. I type of take a look at my story as the identical factor. Even for somebody that was by no means into exhausting rock music, however say is a housewife who’s gone by a divorce, it may be a really inspiring learn due to the fires that I walked by and naturally there’s a contented ending, as a result of I’m comfortable,” she defined.
“I did write an incredible quantity about my childhood which was additionally difficult. I do know when I’m studying about say of one in every of my favorite artists or somebody I’m excited about, I already know the arc of their successes proper? What I discover extra fascinating is perhaps one thing that occurred to them of their childhood that was actually vital. I feel whenever you’re prepared to dig deep and inform a human story, which is what I’m making an attempt to do with this memoir; a really human story about challenges I confronted rising up, I feel that’s much more relatable for folks when folks can determine with it and assume, ‘oh this particular person had a really imperfect life as effectively and I can completely relate to that.’ I feel when folks can relate to your struggles, it’s a much better method of humanizing your story. I actually do assume individuals are much more excited about issues they’ll relate to than all of the awards that I’ve gained, or all of the rock stars that I’ve met. Most of that isn’t one thing folks can determine with.
“And yeah, 100 per cent, writing about my childhood was actually exhausting. It was exhausting to return there as a result of as we develop and mature … and I’ve been by quite a lot of remedy over time to work by issues, and one in every of my favorite psychiatrists, he all the time stated that the issues that work to maintain you protected whenever you had been a baby will destroy your maturity. They’ll destroy your grownup relationships. So, it was fairly painful to return and take a look at a few of the issues that occurred. But it surely’s all a part of the journey to the place I’m now.”
Aaron stated she hopes to have the manuscript accomplished by the tip of the calendar 12 months, for publication in 2026, alongside a brand new best hits assortment of music (extra about that shortly). Within the interim, and in between summer season competition reveals, she will not be solely battering the keys on her laptop, but in addition reaching out to pals, household and colleagues each previous and current to assist spherical out the narrative within the memoir.
“I haven’t been posting almost as a lot on socials these days as a result of it’s simply taken quite a lot of very targeted, intense time to finish the ebook. And I’ve been chatting with lots of people. I’ve spoken just a few instances to John Albani, who was my co-writing associate [and band member] for a few years. I’ve additionally talked to my household, my dad and mom, former bandmates and different folks within the business I labored with, as a result of they bear in mind issues that I forgot,” she stated.
“Their perspective on a specific tour or story could be utterly completely different than mine. However, yeah, I’m placing quite a lot of time and vitality into it. And I attempt to be per the work. As we speak, I’ve received a few appointments this afternoon, then we now have a dinner date this night, so right this moment will not be going to be a writing day. However tomorrow in all probability will likely be, though I by no means know when these productive hours hit. I do know if I can get three to 4 actually targeted hours, even when that signifies that I get impressed at 11 o’clock at evening and keep up till 2 a.m. or 3 a.m., that’s higher for me than setting apart a bunch of hours within the afternoon after which sitting there twiddling my thumbs and taking a look at a display as a result of it’s probably not working for me in that second. I’m somewhat little bit of an evening owl, so I wish to work at evening and infrequently get very impressed when my home may be very quiet. I attempt to say I’m going to spend this many or that many hours a day, however it doesn’t actually matter when to me. If I get on a roll, I’ll simply preserve writing.”
The as-yet untitled memoir will add one other layer to Aaron’s legacy, which begins within the very early Eighties when the teenaged singing sensation landed a report deal, started touring, and releasing albums, beginning with the Lee Aaron Undertaking in 1982, adopted by the album that not solely broke her into the exhausting rock and steel mainstream, but in addition created a picture and id within the public consciousness which has left behind lingering misrepresentations and considerably tainted Aaron’s personal view of her profession.
“Simply to be clear, I’m not near desirous to retire but. I nonetheless have my voice; I nonetheless have my well being and my power – 100 per cent. I’m nonetheless very impressed to maintain writing and recording and performing. What’s occurred for me, which has additionally been inspiring and motivating me to complete my memoirs, is simply that the Lee Aaron narrative has shifted within the final decade or so after I began actually telling the reality about how I felt concerning the early years of my profession and a few of the actually awkward advertising I used to be subjected to. Numerous the notion that’s nonetheless on the market that, effectively Lee Aaron was that rock chick from the Eighties; that powerful speaking woman who work the quick skirts and blah, blah, blah. That’s such a superficial stage of what I represented,” she stated.
“It’s about my willingness to speak about the truth that, for instance the track ‘Steel Queen’ was imagined to be about girls with the ability to run the world. It was concerning the matriarchy, not the patriarchy. It was a really robust feminist assertion on the time. However then in all of the publications and stuff, right here I’m in my Xena outfit sandwiched in beside WASP who had been placing baggage over girls’s heads and setting them on hearth on stage, and bands like Motley Crue and Bon Jovi the place girls in all their movies and advertising materials had been in bikinis and getting all moist at a automotive wash or one thing like that. So, the message was type of skewed and misplaced again then by advantage of the place it landed within the Eighties.”
The brand new hits package deal options re-imagined new recordings of her songs from the Eighties and into the Nineteen Nineties, significantly those that had been on the previous Attic Information label. The package deal may also include fan favourites and stay live performance staples from her most up-to-date albums, which had been launched on her personal label, beginning with 2016’s Hearth and Gasoline as much as and together with 2024’s Tattoo Me. Aaron doesn’t management the masters from her again catalogue and relatively than battle the present homeowners by all of the worrying, prolonged and costly authorized shenanigans that might entail, she determined to take her band, the one which has been taking part in all these songs on stage for almost a decade, into the studio and report them as they’re offered now.
“I don’t actually have the emotional bandwidth to need to get into a giant authorized battle over it. However there’s clearly demand for this music, and since I’ve such a incredible band, we determined to simply re-record a few of the hits, a few of the favourites. And we’re not secret about it. We’re not making an attempt to re-record them and emulate precisely they method they had been initially recorded. We’re simply going to report them the way in which we play them now. So, it will likely be the very best of my previous catalog, reimagined, and the very best of the whole lot else I’ve recorded since then. I even have a few treasures nonetheless in my treasure trove: 4 songs that weren’t launched on Elevate [2022]. I don’t know if I’ll put all of them on this, however we’re in all probability going to incorporate a pair. I even have some stuff from after we recorded some stay songs at [famous Toronto night club] the El Mocambo. And I additionally assume we’re going to report a model new single and throw it on there as effectively. Additionally, just like the memoir, I’m not taking a look at this as a profession topper or something like that. It’s extra like closing a chapter, and having a companion piece to go along with the ebook. It’s telling folks the story of my life in phrases and in music up till now – figuring out that there’s much more to come back.”
In addition to husband Cody on drums, the present Lee Aaron band additionally consists of premier Canadian shredder Sean Kelly, who has additionally labored, and continues to work, with artists comparable to Helix, Nelly Furtato, Crash Kelly and Emm Gryner, and long-time bassist Dave Reimer.
“I like my band proper now. I’ve labored for years, since John Albani left within the mid-Nineteen Nineties to go to Nashville and open up a studio, to curate a gaggle of musicians that I completely love and completely love taking part in and touring with. When the 4 of us get in a room collectively, magic occurs. And we nonetheless have many albums left to go. So, this ‘Better of’ assortment is simply the tip web page of a chapter. It’s a very distinctive fan piece that my devoted followers would need to personal to mark the closure of a chapter whereas we transfer on to the following one.”
The cool factor concerning the future is that these chapters have but to be written, and what phrases are to be scrawled on these pages can change and evolve. For Aaron, there’s nonetheless lots to do, nonetheless an abundance of curiosity, creativity and inspiration ready to be tapped into.
“I don’t have the whole lot mapped out for the following decade however I do know that I want to get again to Europe and do some taking part in there, significantly England. I do know that’s on our agenda. It’s simply that publish COVID it’s turn into virtually prohibitive to get your self over there by way of flight prices and the whole lot. However that’s one thing we’d love to do. And you recognize, I nonetheless love jazz. Folks ask me on a regular basis, would I do one other jazz album, and I don’t need to say an excessive amount of as a result of if I don’t do one thing, folks will preserve bringing it up, however I say by no means say by no means. I don’t know. I do know Sean and I’ve talked about how a lot enjoyable it could be to write down a rock opera,” she stated.
“That may be tremendous enjoyable however I don’t need followers to start out asking, ‘when is the rock opera coming?’ as a result of it’s simply one in every of a bunch of concepts that we’re bouncing round. I actually know we now have extra authentic Lee Aaron albums in us. My son, who is nineteen, and actually, actually into quite a lot of the Eighties and Nineteen Nineties music lately stated, ‘mother, I feel you need to lean right into a heavier album. It could be actually cool.’ He and I like quite a lot of related stuff. He’s into much more of the bluesy heavy rock like Royal Blood and bands like that. So, perhaps I’d do an album that may shock some folks somewhat bit. Numerous journalists and different folks steadily say, ‘Lee why don’t you simply make an album that sounds just like the Eighties whenever you had been actually, actually fashionable.’ Why would I do this? I’ve been there, accomplished that. I’m much more excited about pushing the boundaries of what I really feel I’m able to into areas that make me really feel like I’m rising and increasing as an artist. Folks inform me I ought to make one other Bodyrock. I may, however it won’t be that fascinating to me, which implies it wouldn’t be as genuine.
“Not very many Canadian artists have been in a position to make new data and really have them promote to the purpose the place they really obtain royalties of their checking account. I’ve been getting these funds. Nothing sells within the bodily world the way in which it used to, however mine promote fairly good, and I really feel actually enthused about that. And after I play stay, I’d say 1/3 of my set is new materials and other people realize it and so they’re singing alongside to it. In order that’s inspiring for me.”
For extra info on Lee Aaron’s upcoming reveals, in addition to updates on her memoir and best hists launch, go to her social media channels or https://www.leeaaron.com.
- Jim Barber is a veteran award-winning journalist and creator primarily based in Napanee, Ontario, Canada, who has been writing about music and musicians for greater than 30 years. In addition to his journalistic endeavors, he works as a communications and advertising specialist and is an avid volunteer in his group. Contact him at jimbarberwritingservices@gmail.com.
