Sue Ray plays The Brisbane Powerhouse Visy Theatre Saturday 2 August 2008.
Local artist Sue Ray has released her debut album Best Beware, the disc is a delightful blend of country and folk with an ambient over tone.
Continually growing in popularity Sue Ray has been immersed in the Brisbane music scene since childhood. When not working on her own music, Sue Ray has also contributed backing vocals for the likes of Shifter, Cameron Elliott and The Gin Club. Having being featured on Triple J as part of Unearthed, Sue Ray is now planning her solo CD launch.
Where did you record the album?
I recorded the album at Jamie Trevaskis’ studio Junkship Records. Jamie is an owner of The Troubadour in the Valley, but most people wouldn’t be aware that he has a wonderful studio and is an amazing musician and sound engineer.
Who produced the album and why did you go with them?
Jamie basically recorded and produced the album. I just went in with my guitar and a simple idea of what I wanted and then he took what I brought and polished it up. He was instrumental in the overall vibe and ambience of the recording. I chose to go with Jamie because I had heard some recordings he had done for other local artists like Jacob S. Harris and Nathan Hollywood and was completely impressed with the production. I was thrilled that he was involved in the recording.
How many songs did you write for the album?
Well I actually didn’t have a clear vision of what I wanted when I went in, we just recorded a bunch of songs that I thought would work and some that I wasn’t sure of. When we had about ten we then sat down and listened to them all, and the ones that seemed to fit together smoothly were the ones that made it onto the album.
How did you decide which songs to put on the album?
Basically when I’d recorded the songs, I went away and Jamie added some sounds and other instruments to the recordings and when I came back it was really quite obvious that some of the songs I had originally planned to release just didn’t fit. Without realising it when recording, the songs that ended up getting chosen all had a similar vibe and feel to them that stood out above some of the other songs. But, in saying that, I still wish to release some of those other songs eventually, but that’s a plan for the future.
Is there a ‘single’ or feature track on the album?
Yes the song is called ‘Best Beware’ and it is the title of the album. It was a song I wrote many years ago but had never recorded. I play it in another band I’m in called Sugartown and it’s kind of become our theme song, but when I was recording one night I just felt the urge to record it while I had the time, not expecting it to be on the final recording. But after Jamie added some other instruments it became obvious that we had to use the song.
When did your love of music and playing begin?
I was very fortunate that I grew up in a musical family. My dad played in a band and owned a musical instrument store. I learnt the ukulele first then the organ & piano followed by guitar. I grew up with guitars and musical instruments cluttering up the house and my family were all members of the Toowoomba Country Music Club. So I grew up listening to music and going to gigs and it just became part of who I am and is still a big part of how I live my life today.
Who are some bands/artists that have inspired you?
I’m a huge Hank Williams’ fan. I love the simplicity and rawness of his songs and the recordings. I like the way they make me feel. I also love Patsy Cline and Emmy Lou Harris. At the moment, however, I would have to say that I’m really loving listening to Neko Case.
Who is in your CD player right now?
Local band Halfway, their album Remember the River, I’m a huge Chris Dale fan and I watched him play today so I was inspired to hear the songs again when I got home. They are an awesome band.
Best Beware out now.
Sue Ray plays The Brisbane Powerhouse Visy Theatre Saturday 2 August 2008.
