{"id":54,"date":"2011-09-01T03:39:40","date_gmt":"2011-08-31T17:39:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/maytherockbewithyou.com\/mtrbwy\/?p=54"},"modified":"2011-09-05T18:44:56","modified_gmt":"2011-09-05T08:44:56","slug":"suze-demarchi-of-baby-animals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/maytherockbewithyou.com\/mtrbwy\/2011\/09\/suze-demarchi-of-baby-animals\/","title":{"rendered":"Suze DeMarchi of Baby Animals"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
Photograph taken by Danni Nix<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s Rock, some of it is, some of it\u2019s not rock, that\u2019s always the case. We\u2019ve always had a bit of both you know…\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

20 years ago The Baby Animals burst onto the Australian music scene and took it by storm. With hit after hit from their debut self titled album, selling 8 x platinum, numerous awards and what turned out to be a 12 year stint as the highest selling debut Australian rock album of all time they were on fire. A second album \u2018Shaved And Dangerous\u2019 was released in 1993, and relentless touring world wide with the likes of Robert Plant, Van Halen, Bryan Adams and many more they could do no wrong. Then in 1996, the band was no more. Suze DeMarchi had relocated to LA and then released a solo album in 1999. With no word at all from The Baby Animals all hope was lost, until 2007 when the band came back together to rerecord some of their biggest hits acoustically, we won\u2019t say too much but will let Suze explain below.<\/p>\n

We had the chance to speak to Baby Animals\u2019 singer Suze DeMarchi and she let us in on what\u2019s happening with the band and the prospect of a new album, touring plans and how she almost joined INXS\u2026 That\u2019s your \u2018Early Warning\u2019, now read on\u2026<\/p>\n

I have to start by asking what was the catalyst to getting the band back together?
\n<\/strong>Well the catalyst was that we did this acoustic record for Liberation and that was the catalyst, it was basically \u201cAlright, let\u2019s make this record\u201d and we did it really quick and we did it in LA and then we had to promote it. So we thought we\u2019ll get the band back together and we\u2019ll do some shows and see how it goes and that was it. Then a year ago I moved back to Australia and so I\u2019ve been able to be close by and actually just really get some songs written and things finished you know.<\/p>\n

Your last release \u2018Il Grande Silenzio\u2019 was a collection of stripped back versions of your biggest hits as well as a couple of new tracks, how much fun was it putting this spin on the old songs?<\/strong>
\nIt was great fun, it was really fun actually and we did it with Justin Stanley and he just had a really good approach to some of those songs, and I didn\u2019t think it would work and I sat down with him and we talked about it and it ended up being great fun and we did it in a week.<\/p>\n

When if ever can we expect to hear some new material?<\/strong>
\nWe\u2019ve written a new record, we\u2019ve pretty much got it written and done and demo\u2019d and everything but we\u2019re just trying to find the right home for it all you know and the right team of people to make sure it\u2019s going to be right.<\/p>\n

Is it Rock?<\/strong>
\nIt\u2019s Rock, some of it is, some of it\u2019s not rock, that\u2019s always the case, we\u2019ve always had a bit of both you know\u2026<\/p>\n

You\u2019re hitting the road again in Rocktober for a few dates including headlining the Sydney Blues & Roots, are you planning on stripping it back a little for the different crowds that will be in attendance?<\/strong>
\nNo we\u2019re going to hammer them ha ha ha we have to close the show with a bang. We\u2019ll just do what we normally do, I think they can handle it, it\u2019s not that heavy, we\u2019re not bloody Iron Maiden you know ha ha ha<\/p>\n

You\u2019re also playing a tribute to Greg Clarke on the 2nd September at the Enmore Theatre in Sydney with Rose Tattoo, The Screaming Jets, and more, why was it important for you to be a part of this event?<\/strong>
\nIt was really just for Greg, it\u2019s going to be a fun show, it\u2019s a good line up and it\u2019s just really foot on the floor, bring your earplugs for that one. It\u2019s for him and it\u2019s a really good cause and he was a really great man and I\u2019m privileged to be involved actually.<\/p>\n

Over your career, you\u2019ve toured with some of the biggest names in rock music, who stands out as the one that blew you away the most?<\/strong>
\nWell, god, we were lucky, we did a lot of touring with Robert Plant, he was unreal, he was just so legendary and a great man, but then the Van Halen thing was just super fun and just an outrageous rock tour with everything thrown in. Then Bryan Adams was great too because he\u2019s just an amazing performer, that guy was bloody amazing every night, incredible performer. So I don\u2019t know, I\u2019d have to say Robert Plant.<\/p>\n

Also, is there one show that will always stand out for you as the greatest you have ever played?<\/strong>
\nOne of them that comes to mind is the Marquee in London. And we shot a video, we shot a video for \u2018Ain\u2019t Gonna Get\u2019 that night and that was a pretty intense great show that stands out as a highlight, but we did a lot of shows, so there were a lot of really great night and there were some not so good but I\u2019d say the Marquee in London was a memorable one.<\/p>\n

What I find is that all your hits still stand up today in a sea of for lack of a better word trash being released onto our airwaves, how does it feel knowing that these songs are still being played today?<\/strong>
\nAwww that\u2019s good to hear. I\u2019m always blown away when people turn up to the gigs to be honest with you, it\u2019s like I feel really grateful, I\u2019m surprised and I\u2019m really, really proud of all the work that we did and the songs that we wrote and it was a good time.<\/p>\n

I actually came and saw you back in 2008 and what I love is that your voice is still as good now as it was back then, what\u2019s the secret?<\/strong>
\nI reckon your voice gets better when you hit your forties and I also think the more you use it the better it gets, so I need to start using it again.<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t want to make you feel old but the first time seeing you for me was back in 1994 at the \u2018Where to Be\u2019 concert with The Hunters & Collectors and a few in between\u2026<\/strong>
\nYeah that doesn\u2019t make me feel old, I don\u2019t feel old, you can throw any numbers at me<\/p>\n

You\u2019re not old, just older.<\/strong>
\nI\u2019m just older but I feel exactly like I did when I was in my first band.<\/p>\n

Surrounding your solo album \u2018Telelove\u2019 back in 1999, how was the experience of making that compared to a Baby Animals album?<\/strong>
\nVery different, I just prefer being in a band. I don\u2019t know about the whole solo thing, I don\u2019t know, it was fun to do, but I had a new baby then and I was just in a different place and my head was in a different place so it was different. I\u2019m a band girl, I\u2019m a band bitch, I like being in a band.<\/p>\n

Do you think we can we ever expect another Suze DeMarchi solo album?<\/strong>
\nNever say never, but for now just the band.<\/p>\n

So no songs you\u2019re written you thought they\u2019d be perfect for a solo release?<\/strong>
\nNo, I always think I can make stuff work in the band<\/p>\n

Live you guys are as good as ever and there were some changes in the band recently, but what dynamic have Matt and Mick brought to the band?<\/strong>
\nLiberty\u2026 They\u2019re just easy guys to work with, they\u2019re great players and I just feel that Dave and I have worked together for so many years and for so long that we\u2019ve got a really solid working relationship and friendship and I think whoever we put around that, as long as they\u2019re fun and they\u2019ve got a sense of humour and they can play great then it\u2019ll all work, it\u2019s all fine.<\/p>\n

Now this may sound corny, but of course one of your biggest hits was of course \u2018One Word\u2019 so let\u2019s try this. Can you give me One Word answers on the following topics:<\/strong>
\nTouring: Fun
\nSongwriting: Hard
\nRecording: Great
\nDave Leslie: Monster
\n1991: Tiring
\nYour fans: Gorgeous
\nYour fans that are in their 40\u2019s but still wear their 1992 tour T-shirts: Ha ha unbelievable ha ha
\nKarma: It\u2019s a Bitch \u2013 That\u2019s 3 words \u2013 Bitch ha ha
\nRush You: Hit ha ha ha, Opener.. That\u2019s our opener<\/p>\n

On that, I\u2019ve noticed you open with the stripped back version but then you do the rock version, I\u2019ve seen you do that a couple of times<\/strong>
\nYeah because we were promoting the acoustic record and we liked actually doing that version so much, it was fun to play so we would do both, we didn\u2019t want to upset people, gotta give them what they want.<\/p>\n

And you do<\/strong>
\nYeah we give them what they want after we get what we want ha ha<\/p>\n

Now you said you\u2019ve moved back to Australia, its better here isn\u2019t it?<\/strong>
\nBetterer, I\u2019m still just giving you one word answers<\/p>\n

Oh I\u2019m off that now ha ha<\/strong>
\nYeah I\u2019m really happy to be home, it\u2019s fantastic.<\/p>\n

And it\u2019s better for the band<\/strong>
\nOh my God, its almost impossible doing it from 12,000 miles away, it\u2019s much better, it\u2019s good timing, we all have kids to work with and raise, work with? What? Torture\u2026 I\u2019m very excited about the new songs and the new record, it\u2019s great.<\/p>\n

So you\u2019re in the process of shopping it at the moment?<\/strong>
\nWe\u2019re actively trying to get the right label to come on board you know.<\/p>\n

So what\u2019s next after the touring? Is it all about the new record?<\/strong>
\nYeah, new record, recording new record, getting a producer and then touring on it<\/p>\n

Are you playing any new ones at the moment just to throw them in and see what happens?<\/strong>
\nYeah we will definitely, we\u2019ve got a new one, well one in particular that I\u2019m excited about called \u2018Warm Bodies\u2019 and then we\u2019ve got a few others and we\u2019ll throw a few more out there.<\/p>\n

Is it just you and Dave that\u2019s done all the writing?<\/strong>
\nI\u2019ve been doing a bit of work with Lior lately, and I\u2019ve always written over the years with Andrew Farriss a bit and who else? I like to write a lot with Dave<\/p>\n

Speaking of Andrew Farriss, there was a rumour back in the day you were going to join INXS, what happened with that?<\/strong>
\nHmm\u2026 we talked about it a lot, they did ask me to do it, we talked about it, I wrote with Andrew for a few months and, yeah, then they went and did that TV show and I was like \u2018Hmmm ok\u2026\u2019 I just thought, maybe it\u2019ll work and they said \u2018well we\u2019re going to do this TV show\u2019 and I said See ya later.<\/p>\n

So it was as simple as that?<\/strong>
\nYeah<\/p>\n

That would\u2019ve been great though!<\/strong>
\nI know! Ha ha ha<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t understand ha ha<\/strong>
\nWell you know, they took the other road and that\u2019s Ok, I mean who knows? Michael is not replaceable so I think the girl thing, having a girl would\u2019ve been good because they couldn\u2019t have made those comparisons so quickly but on the other hand I think JD Fortune really does a good job, because we toured with them at the beginning of the year we did that whole \u2018A Day On The Green\u2019 thing with them and he did a good job, he did a really good job but people will immediately compare him with Michael so it\u2019s hard and him and Andrew were the main songwriters and it was just a fuckin\u2019 mess\u2026<\/p>\n

But in the end you go back to your band<\/strong>
\nI go back to my band because I like my band<\/p>\n

I like your band too<\/strong>
\nThanks<\/p>\n

Thanks Suze, pleasure talking to you and I\u2019ll catch you at one of the shows soon<\/strong>
\nThanks Troy, yes please come and say hi, thank you darlin\u2019<\/p>\n

Catch The Baby Animals on tour in Rocktober and at the Sydney Blues & Roots Festival<\/strong>
\nhttp:\/\/www.sydneybluesfestival.com.au\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Essential Information<\/span><\/h2>\n

From:\u00a0<\/strong>Australia<\/p>\n

Band Members:\u00a0<\/strong>Suze DeMarchi \u2013 Vocals, Guitar,\u00a0Dave Leslie – Guitar,\u00a0Matt Cornell – Bass,\u00a0Mick Skelton – Drums<\/p>\n

Websites:\u00a0<\/strong>http:\/\/www.myspace.com\/babyanimals<\/a><\/p>\n

Latest Release:\u00a0<\/strong>Il Grande Silenzio (2007 \u2013 Liberation Blue)<\/p>\n\n

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