Interview: Angie Atkinson
Published on September 4th, 2012 | Jonny Abrams
Country-pop singer/songwriter Angie Atkinson won the OurStage.com music video competition for July, so Rocksucker fired her over some questions to find out a little more about her. First, though, watch the victorious music video, and then check out her EP Double or Nothin’…
How long have you been writing, recording and performing for?
Well, I’ve been writing off and on since I was about 16 (which was awhile ago). But I wouldn’t say I became a dedicated musician until late 2010.
How would you describe your music, if pushed?
The word my friends and I came up with is countrypolitan. Over-analytical girl thoughts put over catchy chord progressions with rock and country musical elements. I like talkin’, I like rockin’, and I like twang.
Where are you based, and what do you use to record with?
I’m based in Brooklyn. I record my demos on good ol’ GarageBand or Logic. My EP was recorded at Sabella Studios in Roslyn Heights, NY, and owner Jim Sabella is one of my favorite people in the world for helping me make that happen the way he did.
Is there a full album in the works? If so, what can you tell us about it? (Feel free to be as abstract as you like…)
I definitely have a full album’s worth of material, but I’m still developing arrangements for them. I’m also still constantly writing new songs and trying to decide what story I want to tell with a full album, and which songs I’ll want to use to do that. I’m also trying to decide if I want to keep singing and recording songs about that one ex-boyfriend or move on to singing and recording songs about more recent ex-boyfriends. Also, I’d like to write a couple more songs that aren’t about ex-boyfriends.
Where can we hear your music online?
The best place to go is angieatkinson.bandcamp.com where you can stream the Double Or Nothin’ EP for free or download it for $5. You can also stream other demos and find links to all my social media sites (including my YouTube page, which I’m told is very entertaining) via my ReverbNation profile at reverbnation.com/angieatkinson.
Which have been your most exciting gigs and/or overall moments so far?
I was definitely super giddy when I won the OurStage.com music video competition for July 2012, first winning the country category and then taking overall. I got $1100 bucks, which for a starving artist like myself is kind of amazing. Also, I had the deep satisfaction of knowing that I created something beautiful that people related to and loved, and I did it by spending two days playing dress-up and making out with beautiful men.
I think also one of my best gigs to date was this gig that I thought would surely be a disaster. I had just gotten a whole new lineup for my back-up band, and our first scheduled gig was a potential nightmare in the basement of a sushi restaurant. But it turned out to be an awesome jam, and my biggest draw yet.
Got any more coming up? (Gigs, that is…)
I do! I’m currently on tour in the midwest (the ReverbNation page will have all those dates listed). And when I come home I’ll be rockin’ out Bar East in the Upper East Side, 9/14 @ 9pm. Also trying to put a show together on 10/12 to cross-promote with an off-Broadway play I’m doing…and, you know, it’s my birthday.
Are there any obscure and/or up-and-coming acts that you’d like to recommend or give a shout-out to?
My current local favorites are: Madison Cano, The Royal Drag, Brook Pridemore, Hudson Hank, Hannah vs. The Many, Kelley McRae, Haley Bowery, and Matthew Pop. The non-New Yorkers I’m lovin’ these days are Carbon Leaf, Cosmo Jarvis, Sam Thacker, and Damn Arkansan.
Finally, if you were forced to spend the rest of your days in solitary confinement, but were allowed to bring the entire works of five different musical artists along to tide you over, whose would you choose?
The Rolling Stones, Backstreet Boys (don’t judge me), Madonna, Tom Petty, and me.
Angie Atkinson, thank you.
For more information please visit angieatkinson.bandcamp.com
About the Author
Jonny Abrams Editor of Rocksucker and the website's founder, Jonny is passionate about the music he listens to, both good and bad, as well as interviewing his favourite musicians.
