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 pressure to be reckoned with as a songwriter, vocalist, and fact teller.
With songs akin to ‘Metallic Queen,’ ‘Barely Holding On,’ ‘Solely Human,’ ‘Whatcha Do To My Physique,’ ‘Palms On,’ ‘and Intercourse With Love,’ Aaron was a ubiquitous presence on rock radio and music video tv all through the Nineteen Eighties and into the Nineties. After experimenting with alt-rock within the Nineties and releasing an acclaimed jazz album, Slick Chick, in 2000, she returned to the rock and roll fold, with a renewed sense of function and a extra vibrant fashion, highlighted by a string of six albums beginning with Fireplace 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 convey 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 a variety of festivals, in addition to opening for Nineteen Eighties American rockers Night time Ranger on Friday, July 25, at On line casino Rama exterior Orillia, Ontario. After that, she performs on the Saskatchewan Ex in Saskatoon on Aug. 2, earlier than heading to the large stage in Minnedosa, Manitoba for the annual Rockin’ The Fields Competition 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 fact is there are solely, like 100 festivals and about 700 bands that every one wish to play them. And you may’t actually return to the identical festivals 12 months after 12 months. So, some summers are means busier for me than others. This summer season I might say is a reasonably busy one, however I even have quite a lot of different reveals scattered all year long,” Aaron informed Music Life Journal from her residence in British Columbia.
“I began enjoying 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 after they head throughout Canada. It’s positively busy.”
With 16 studio albums, 1000’s of live performance appearances world wide, and an infinite storehouse of memorable moments, Aaron has determined that now could be the time to get her story – her complete story – down on paper.
“I’d all the time thought that many individuals, the general public usually, 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 mentioned to me for 20 years, ‘if you happen to write your story and also you inform the reality, it’s going to be actually fascinating for folks to learn.’ So, once 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 summary of your profession a 3rd social gathering places collectively for a ceremony like that and it was extraordinarily properly carried out. It’s fascinating to see how different folks view you,” she mentioned from her residence 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 fireplace below me to finish them, to lastly get them carried out as a result of mine isn’t just a narrative of a woman in rock. It’s a narrative of getting to combat a bunch of feminist battles all through the Nineteen Eighties to have my voice heard within the boardroom, within the studio, and on stage, to have a journey of paving a path for women to choose up guitars and write indignant songs within the 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 ladies’s voices in a rock context, whereas within the Nineteen Eighties it was all about battling simply to have the ability to write my very own songs.
“I might combat and inform them I’m an artist; I’ve issues to say. However again then it was extra, ‘now we have 10 songs from our writer and we wish 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 brief shorts and as little else as potential, as a result of ladies have been so marketed in a sexualized trend within the Nineteen Eighties. So, I had a number of main obstacles to climb over that many individuals will not be conscious of. I believe my story is a narrative of empowerment for anybody who’s had huge challenges of their life and profession.”
She mentioned she believes the potential viewers for this ebook goes past simply younger ladies attempting to make a profession in music and leisure, that it’s a narrative of perseverance, of battling in opposition to outdated considering and a patriarchal construction that holds many individuals again.
“Individuals within the business, rock and roll followers had solely actually a floor model of who I’m. This memoir gives far higher perception into who I used to be as an individual again then, and the alternatives and selections that I made, and what knowledgeable these selections and selections. But additionally, it’s concerning the woman that all the time wrote songs about being sturdy. As an artist all through my profession, I can’t depend what number of occasions I’ve been doing a present and had a younger lady come as much as me and say, ‘you already know, I simply love your Some Ladies Do [1991] album, or that music ‘Powerful Ladies Don’t Cry,’ from Bodyrock [1989] bought me by means of a troublesome time in my life and I’ve all the time been so impressed by you.’ I’ve all the time needed to put in writing materials that embodied quite a lot of feminine empowerment and songs of inspiration and rising above challenges. I form 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 means of a divorce, it may be a really inspiring learn due to the fires that I walked by means of and naturally there’s a contented ending, as a result of I’m comfortable,” she defined.
“I did write an amazing quantity about my childhood which was additionally difficult. I do know when I’m studying about say of one among my favorite artists or somebody I’m fascinated with, I already know the arc of their successes proper? What I discover extra fascinating is possibly one thing that occurred to them of their childhood that was actually important. I believe once you’re keen to dig deep and inform a human story, which is what I’m attempting to do with this memoir; a really human story about challenges I confronted rising up, I believe that’s much more relatable for folks when folks can determine with it and suppose, ‘oh this particular person had a really imperfect life as properly and I can completely relate to that.’ I believe when folks can relate to your struggles, it’s a much better means of humanizing your story. I actually do suppose individuals are much more fascinated with issues they will relate to than all of the awards that I’ve gained, or all of the rock stars that I’ve met. Most of that’s not 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 means of quite a lot of remedy through the years to work by means of issues, and one among my favorite psychiatrists, he all the time mentioned that the issues that work to maintain you protected once you have 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 among the issues that occurred. However it’s all a part of the journey to the place I’m now.”
Aaron mentioned she hopes to have the manuscript accomplished by the top of the calendar 12 months, for publication in 2026, alongside a brand new biggest hits assortment of music (extra about that shortly). Within the interim, and in between summer season competition reveals, she isn’t solely battering the keys on her laptop, but in addition reaching out to buddies, 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 centered, intense time to finish the ebook. And I’ve been chatting with lots of people. I’ve spoken a number of occasions to John Albani, who was my co-writing companion [and band member] for a few years. I’ve additionally talked to my household, my mother and father, former bandmates and different folks within the business I labored with, as a result of they bear in mind issues that I forgot,” she mentioned.
“Their perspective on a selected tour or story is perhaps utterly totally different than mine. However, yeah, I’m placing quite a lot of time and power into it. And I attempt to be in keeping with the work. At this time, I’ve bought a few appointments this afternoon, then now we have a dinner date this night, so in the present day isn’t going to be a writing day. However tomorrow in all probability will probably be, though I by no means know when these productive hours hit. I do know if I can get three to 4 actually centered hours, even when that implies 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 not likely 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 could be very quiet. I attempt to say I’m going to spend this many or that many hours a day, but it surely doesn’t actually matter when to me. If I get on a roll, I’ll simply maintain writing.”
The as-yet untitled memoir will add one other layer to Aaron’s legacy, which begins within the very early Nineteen Eighties when the teenaged singing sensation landed a report deal, started touring, and releasing albums, beginning with the Lee Aaron Venture 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 identification 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 eager 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 once I began actually telling the reality about how I felt concerning the early years of my profession and among the actually awkward advertising I used to be subjected to. Numerous the notion that’s nonetheless on the market that, properly Lee Aaron was that rock chick from the Nineteen Eighties; that robust speaking woman who work the brief skirts and blah, blah, blah. That’s such a superficial degree of what I represented,” she mentioned.
“It’s about my willingness to speak about the truth that, for instance the music ‘Metallic Queen’ was purported to be about ladies with the ability to run the world. It was concerning the matriarchy, not the patriarchy. It was a really sturdy 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 have been placing baggage over ladies’s heads and setting them on hearth on stage, and bands like Motley Crue and Bon Jovi the place ladies in all their movies and advertising materials have been in bikinis and getting all moist at a automotive wash or one thing like that. So, the message was form of skewed and misplaced again then by advantage of the place it landed within the Nineteen Eighties.”
The brand new hits package deal options re-imagined new recordings of her songs from the Nineteen Eighties and into the Nineties, significantly those that have been on the previous Attic Data label. The package deal may also include fan favourites and dwell live performance staples from her most up-to-date albums, which have been launched on her personal label, beginning with 2016’s Fireplace and Gasoline as much as and together with 2024’s Tattoo Me. Aaron doesn’t management the masters from her again catalogue and moderately than combat the present homeowners by means of all of the anxious, prolonged and costly authorized shenanigans that will entail, she determined to take her band, the one which has been enjoying all these songs on stage for almost a decade, into the studio and report them as they’re introduced now.
“I don’t actually have the emotional bandwidth to wish to get into a giant authorized battle over it. However there may be clearly demand for this music, and since I’ve such a implausible band, we determined to only re-record among the hits, among the favourites. And we’re not secret about it. We’re not attempting to re-record them and emulate precisely they means they have been initially recorded. We’re simply going to report them the way in which we play them now. So, it is going to be the very best of my previous catalog, reimagined, and the very best of every thing 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 dwell songs at [famous Toronto night club] the El Mocambo. And I additionally suppose we’re going to report a model new single and throw it on there as properly. 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 – understanding that there’s much more to return.”
In addition to husband Cody on drums, the present Lee Aaron band additionally contains premier Canadian shredder Sean Kelly, who has additionally labored, and continues to work, with artists akin 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-Nineties to go to Nashville and open up a studio, to curate a bunch of musicians that I completely love and completely love enjoying 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 top web page of a chapter. It’s a very distinctive fan piece that my devoted followers would wish 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 quite a bit to do, nonetheless an abundance of curiosity, creativity and inspiration ready to be tapped into.
“I don’t have every thing mapped out for the following decade however I do know that I want to get again to Europe and do some enjoying there, significantly England. I do know that’s on our agenda. It’s simply that put up COVID it’s change into virtually prohibitive to get your self over there by way of flight prices and every thing. However that’s one thing we’d love to do. And you already know, I nonetheless love jazz. Individuals ask me on a regular basis, would I do one other jazz album, and I don’t wish to say an excessive amount of as a result of if I don’t do one thing, folks will maintain 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 put in writing a rock opera,” she mentioned.
“That might 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 among a bunch of concepts that we’re bouncing round. I actually know now we have extra unique Lee Aaron albums in us. My son, who is nineteen, and actually, actually into quite a lot of the Nineteen Eighties and Nineties music just lately mentioned, ‘mother, I believe it’s best 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, possibly I’d do an album which may shock some folks somewhat bit. Numerous journalists and different folks often say, ‘Lee why don’t you simply make an album that sounds just like the Nineteen Eighties once you have been actually, actually well-liked.’ Why would I do this? I’ve been there, carried out that. I’m much more fascinated with pushing the bounds 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. Individuals inform me I ought to make one other Bodyrock. I may, but it surely won’t be that fascinating to me, which suggests it wouldn’t be as genuine.
“Not very many Canadian artists have been in a position to make new data and truly 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 once I play dwell, I’d say 1/3 of my set is new materials and other people understand it they usually’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 biggest hists launch, go to her social media channels or https://www.leeaaron.com.
- Jim Barber is a veteran award-winning journalist and creator based mostly 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 neighborhood. Contact him at jimbarberwritingservices@gmail.com.
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